Defense Business Briefing -- June 6, 2023

Welcome to today's Defense Business Briefing, your weekly roundup of the latest defense industry news.

This week's top story

L3Harris CEO: Industry turning away from fixed-price development contracts

L3Harris Technologies, and likely other defense contractors, won't continue bidding for fixed-price contracts, according to CEO Chris Kubasik.

News & notes

Boeing leads two programs overhauling Air Force's oldest operational bomber

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- In a cavernous manufacturing bay here, Boeing engineers can climb inside and around a B-52 Stratofortress bomber the Air Force loaned to the company from the boneyard.

MDA awards penultimate contract in project to break up legacy GMD sustainment

The Defense Department has awarded Raytheon Technologies a new deal as part of the project to break up the former Ground-based Midcourse Defense system continuing sustainment and development contract -- executing a potential $621 million, five-year package to keep modern and operational exoatmospheric kill vehicles in the deployed homeland defense interceptor fleet.

Appointments & promotions

Leidos hires former senior NSA official as chief security officer

Leidos announced it has hired Amy Davis to be the company's senior vice president and chief security officer.

HII announces Newport News Shipbuilding promotions

HII's Newport News Shipbuilding division has announced the promotion of three executives to fill the roles of upcoming retirements.

What's happening

The week ahead

Senior Pentagon officials are slated to speak at Washington think tank events this week.

For Inside Defense subscribers

DOD sees quantum tech 'approaching a tipping point,' proposes $475M acceleration plan

The Defense Department is proposing to launch a $475 million, five-year project in fiscal year 2024 to begin transitioning quantum technologies for military application to press the U.S. technological advantage against all competitors across a wide range of capabilities including precision strike, space, cyber and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Defense Science Board sees 'new dimensions of conflict' with China and Russia

Future conflicts with China and Russia involve areas of emergent risk -- in cyberspace, under the sea and throughout global supply chains -- where the United States must take a "more proactive posture," according to a new Defense Science Board report shared with senior Pentagon leaders.