Tuesday, September 10, 2024
The United Kingdom has awarded a contract worth approximately $4.8 billion to three companies for work on SSN-AUKUS -- the future submarine class set to be collaboratively designed and built by the U.K., the United States and Australia under the AUKUS security partnership.
The Navy has released a draft request for proposals for the future Landing Ship Medium in a Friday notice, making draft system specifications available to select vendors ahead of an official RFP, expected before the end of the calendar year.
The Navy plans to outfit all of its Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships with the Naval Strike Missile by fiscal year 2026, and all Freedom-variant ships by FY-32, a Navy spokesperson told Inside Defense.
The Marine Corps is looking for contractors capable of rapidly prototyping a new, long-range precision weapon system to arm its fleet of AH-1Z Viper helicopters and other vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft.
A Defense Department memo details the Pentagon's Replicator implementation mechanism, outlining the structure and process that the internal "Defense Innovation Steering Group" will use to fill pressing operational gaps through 18-month innovation sprints.
The Senate voted 96-0 to confirm Gen. Eric Smith to become the next Marine Corps commandant, filling the service's top post after Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R-AL) continuing hold on military nominations left the position vacant for more than two months.
The United States must loosen its export control system to enable closer collaboration under the AUKUS security partnership, an Australian defense official said today, underscoring "congressional changes" within all three nations as a key step to implementing the agreement's technology-focused second pillar.
The Navy will conduct the initial technical review of a developing hypersonic weapon system before the end of September, ahead of an official request for proposals expected in the first half of fiscal year 2024, a Navy spokesperson confirmed to Inside Defense.
The Navy has a backup plan to keep the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad operational if next-generation Columbia-class submarines are not delivered on time -- a plan that would see service-life extensions for selected Ohio-class boats beginning as early as fiscal year 2029.
The Marine Corps' 5G-enabled "smart" warehouse prototype is preparing for two separate Authority to Operate decisions expected to clear the facility for functional use before the end of calendar year 2023.
Naval Sea Systems Command will seek industry proposals for the design and construction of the future Landing Ship Medium before the end of calendar year 2023, opening a contract competition for a vessel deemed critical for the Marine Corps' Indo-Pacific operations.
Construction of the Navy's second Constellation-class frigate, Congress (FFG-63), has been pushed into early fiscal year 2024 -- a delay of at least six months from the April 2023 start date outlined in Navy budget books.
The AUKUS security partnership presents a massive opportunity for the United States and its industrial base but delivering on the agreement will require quick action in Congress and a "clean and simple" regulatory framework, according to an assessment of pending AUKUS legislation published by a U.S. industry group.
Senate lawmakers today pressed Defense and State department officials for a plan to boost domestic submarine production and requested an estimate of how much additional funding the U.S. government will need to invest in order to deliver on its commitments under the AUKUS security partnership.
Defense and State department officials will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week to testify on the AUKUS security partnership, according to an announcement on the committee's website.
HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $154.8 million contract modification for the modernization of the Navy's lead Zumwalt-class destroyer, beginning the integration of the hypersonic Conventional Prompt Strike weapon system onto the ship, according to a Tuesday contract announcement.
Developing a Joint Fires Network is a top priority for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which is working to deliver a prototype system intended to synchronize data sharing and decision-making across the Indo-Pacific area of operations, according to Navy Adm. John Aquilino.
The Navy has awarded Sikorsky a $2.7 billion block-buy contract modification for the production of 35 additional CH-53K helicopters, according to a Thursday announcement, marking the program’s largest order to date as it moves into full-rate production.
The Navy is initiating a contract competition for the design and construction of a new class of submarine tenders intended to support Virginia-class, Columbia-class and future-generation vessels, according to a recent solicitation notice.
The Marine Corps' 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment is on track to achieve initial operational capability by the end of fiscal year 2023, drawing on a series of large-scale training exercises to refine and advance its capabilities and capacity, a Marine Corps spokesman told Inside Defense.