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

Boeing confident it could beat five-year timeline for E-7A prototype deliveries

ORLANDO, FL -- Boeing is confident that if its E-7A Wedgetail is selected as the follow-on to the Air Force's Airborne Warning and Control System, the company would be able to deliver at least two prototype aircraft to the service within the five-year timeline laid out in a recent sources-sought notice.

MDA eyes extending Boeing's GMD contract through 2024 -- an $11 billion-plus, 14-year run

The Missile Defense Agency is bracing to tack on another year to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense development and sustainment contract, potentially extending Boeing's run as prime contractor for the marquee homeland defense weapon system to 14 consecutive years, even as the government is working to inject new competition into the GMD program.

Vertex Aerospace renames itself as The Vertex Co.

Vertex Aerospace has it renamed itself as The Vertex Co., the company announced.

Pentagon separates rulemakings for NIST standards, CMMC as work to establish cyber certification program continues

The Defense Department is moving forward with its plans to split cyber certification requirements for contractors into two separate rulemakings, focused on NIST Special Publication 800-171 and the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program.

Lockheed, Northrop announce payload providers for Next-Gen OPIR vehicles

Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman officials have announced their selections of the subcontractors that will provide payloads for their respective satellites tied to the Space Force's Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared effort.

Carlisle leaves NDIA, search for successor begins

The National Defense Industrial Association announced it is looking for a new chief executive officer now that Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle is stepping down after five years at the helm.

The week ahead

Senior defense officials are slated to speak at several events this week, while lawmakers convene to avoid a government shutdown scheduled for Friday.

Key THAAD and PAC-3 test failed, delaying delivery of 'urgent' capability for South Korea

A major Pentagon project to bolster ballistic missile defenses on the Korean peninsula faltered last fall when the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system attempted -- and failed -- to control two Patriot guided-missile interceptors during a previously unreported flight test.

GE explores potential AETP offering compatible with F-35B

ORLANDO, FL -- General Electric is working with the U.S. military and other stakeholders to leverage its XA100 adaptive cycle engine into "a compelling capability offering" for the F-35B, according to a company executive.