Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Abby Shepherd is a Navy reporter. Before joining Inside Defense in November 2023, she was an intern with Politico's E&E News and a city government reporter with the Eudora Times in Kansas. She graduated from the University of Kansas in May 2023, with degrees in journalism and political science.
The Navy has declared initial operational capability for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band system -- a jump in capability following problems with system immaturity that were noted by the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation last year.
Total shipbuilding costs for the Navy over the next 30 years could average $40 billion -- 17% more than the service estimated -- largely due to cost growth among various programs, the Congressional Budget Office found.
The Navy has approved a new acquisition program baseline for its Advanced Arresting Gear program, following a significant Nunn-McCurdy cost breach and overruns due to necessary program updates.
Naval Air Systems Command has directed the inspection of each V-22 Osprey’s Proprotor Gearbox -- the critical part of machinery linked to a series of crashes in recent years -- to verify its current flight hours before each aircraft’s next flight, according to a Navy statement today.
Lawmakers unveiled legislation today aiming to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and maritime industries through several key efforts, including the establishment of a new position within the White House to direct national maritime security policy.
The Navy has awarded over $3.4 billion to Northrop Grumman for the engineering and manufacturing development of the E-130J, the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission aircraft, according to a contract announcement Wednesday.
Comprehensive reform is needed in the shipbuilding industry on all fronts, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) told reporters today, hours before the Senate voted 85-14 to approve increased submarine program funding in the compromise fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill.
Amid budget negotiations and the upcoming presidential transition, the future of the Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine program is critical, a Navy official said Monday.
After lawmakers noted concern with a "lack of transparency" from the Navy on submarine program challenges and solutions, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro assured reporters today that open communication between the service and Congress remains a top priority.
The Navy intends to expand its partnerships with industry to bolster unmanned aircraft capabilities, with Naval Air Systems Command planning an industry day to present current capabilities in the area, according to a Monday government notice.
House and Senate authorizers have agreed to use incremental funding to enter a contract for the construction of a new USS Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, according to the joint fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill, which approves $895 billion for national defense priorities.
Following a recent precautionary landing of a CV-22 Osprey aircraft, all V-22 variants are operationally paused as of Dec. 6, Naval Air Systems Command told Inside Defense today.
The Navy is making progress on the MQ-25 Stingray's development with the recent approval of a revised acquisition program baseline and $50 million in recently reprogrammed money, following redesign efforts and a slash in procurement funding from appropriators.
Shipbuilder HII announced today that it will acquire metal fabrication facilities and equipment from South Carolina-based company W International.
With half of the Navy's amphibious fleet in "poor condition," the ships are not on track to meet their expected service lives, according to the government’s top watchdog.
American undersea dominance could be undermined by an increase in sharing of technology between Russia and China, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Saturday.
As the Navy aims to reach a critical milestone for its nuclear-armed sea-launched missile program by fiscal year 2026, the service is reaching out to industry members to help develop and integrate the weapon system as an All Up Round onto Virginia-class submarines, according to a recent notice.
The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom announced the signing of an agreement that will allow the countries to share hypersonic vehicle testing facilities, as well as technical information related to the development, testing and evaluation of hypersonic technology.
Following lessons learned with GPS disruption in the Ukraine battlespace, the Navy will seek to test capabilities to guard against these interferences on combatant ships and unmanned surface vessels in an exercise planned for March off the shores of Virginia.
As the Defense Department prepares for the incoming Trump administration and the policy changes it may bring, one senior Pentagon official is holding out hope that there will be broad support for suppressing the impact climate change is expected to have on DOD operations and infrastructure worldwide.