Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Tony Bertuca is chief editor of Inside the Pentagon, the flagship publication of InsideDefense, where he focuses on defense budget and acquisition policy. He previously worked for the Sun-Times News Group in his hometown of Chicago, IL, and at the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester, NH. Tony has also served as managing editor of Inside the Army. He has a master's degree in journalism from Boston University.
The final version of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill directs the Defense Department to provide lawmakers with a plan and methodology for sizing the military to address simultaneous operations conducted by U.S. competitors like Russia and China.
The House and Senate voted to pass a revised -- and slimmed down -- continuing resolution tonight just hours before a scheduled government shutdown, retaining provisions from an earlier bill that would provide $14.6 billion in funding for the Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine programs.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee next year, unveiled new legislation today aimed at reforming the Pentagon's notoriously slow weapons procurement and budgeting processes.
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s pick for defense secretary, is scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Jan. 14.
The Senate voted today 85-14 to pass the final version of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill, sending the $895 billion piece of legislation to President Biden for his signature.
China’s military budget is anywhere between 40% and 90% more than the amount publicly disclosed by the government in Beijing, according to the Defense Department's annual assessment of Chinese military capabilities.
A massive, 1,547-page stopgap continuing resolution unveiled by the House GOP last night runs through March 14 and would, among a host of other provisions, provide $14.6 billion in funding for the Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine programs.
A senior defense official acknowledged today that the Pentagon might not be able to use all of its remaining $5.6 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority to rapidly transfer U.S. weapons to Ukraine before President-elect Trump is sworn in.
Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several events around Washington this week, while the Senate is poised to pass the final version of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill.
The Defense Department's efforts to accelerate its notoriously slow acquisition process have proved unsuccessful, despite years of reform work, according to the Government Accountability Office, which released a new report today doubling down on its recent assertion that DOD procurement remains "alarmingly slow."
The House has voted 281-140 to pass the compromise version of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill, teeing up the legislation to be passed by the Senate.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), who is slated to become Senate Armed Services Committee chairman when the GOP ascends to the majority next year, said today he is unhappy with current defense legislation because it doesn't do enough to increase military spending.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), noting her experience as a sexual assault survivor, said today she wants Pete Hegseth, whom President-elect Trump has nominated to be defense secretary, to continue to have a thorough vetting process including an FBI background check.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- House and Senate lawmakers have released a fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill that would approve $895 billion for national defense, sticking to the spending cap mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act though it includes funds for an additional Virginia-class submarine.
House and Senate negotiators have released the text of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- The Defense Department today announced five projects receiving funding from the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program, making them the first to be selected in fiscal year 2025.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin today announced a $1 billion security aid package for Ukraine, including drones and rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- House Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) said today he believes the upcoming budget will be funded at levels mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, though he hopes the Trump administration will be able to work with Congress to boost spending for fiscal year 2026.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), a senior Senate Armed Services Committee member, today urged executives from the nation's largest defense companies to identify cuts to their own military programs in preparation for the "Department of Government Efficiency" review set to be run by tech billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy at the behest of President-elect Trump.
LOS ANGELES -- Defense technology companies Palantir and Anduril announced today they are teaming up on artificial intelligence, joining their Maven and Lattice AI systems and launching a new consortium with plans to include other contractors.