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

Defense contractors warned against 'headline risk' and 'sacrificial lambs' amid Musk tweets

Defense contractors, especially those with highly visible Pentagon programs that are behind schedule and over budget, are being advised to lay low and prepare to make offerings at the altar of President-elect Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency advisory commission led by tech billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Rheinmetall acquires Loc Performance Products, moves further into U.S. ground vehicles market

Rheinmetall AG officially closed on its $950 billion purchase of Loc Performance Products, LLC on Nov. 29, a move aimed at strengthening the Düsseldorf-based vendor's hand in the United States' ground vehicles market, according to a Monday announcement.

Army plans to award $22M in prototype projects to bolster industrial base

The Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM), plans to award $22 million in prototype projects related to strengthening the defense industrial base in fiscal year 2025.

Paladin investment group leader advocates for cyber in tech principles targeted at new administration

Paladin Capital Group leader Michael Steed says technologists and the tech investment community should have a much-needed seat at the cyber and artificial intelligence policymaking table in the incoming Trump administration.

Lawmaker introduces resolution to roll back CMMC program final rule

Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) has introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution that would roll back a final rulemaking to establish the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, as part of an effort by the GOP lawmaker to put Congress in a position to weigh in on major regulatory initiatives.

CMMC accreditation body brings in internationally recognized group to assist with achieving ISO needs

The accreditation body behind the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program is working with the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) on efforts to meet international standards and authorizations, according to Cyber AB CEO Matthew Travis.

DOD issues proposed rule establishing disclosure requirements for contractors who share source code with other governments

The Pentagon has proposed new requirements for defense companies who are competing for information technology, operational technology and cybersecurity contracts to disclose information on source code and computer code that are being shared with foreign governments as part of the acquisition process.

Oshkosh names new CFO

Oshkosh Corp. announced Matthew Field had been appointed as the company's next chief financial officer.

The week ahead

Senior military officials speak at a number of virtual and in-person defense industry events thus week in the Washington area.

Ukraine and submarines headline Pentagon's CR 'anomalies' request

The White House is seeking tens of billions of dollars in spending exemptions related to Ukrainian military aid and the U.S. submarine industrial base when Congress returns from its break to begin debating passage of a stopgap continuing resolution to avert a partial government shutdown slated for next month, according to a document obtained by Inside Defense.

Army seeking industry ideas for new high-flying electronic warfare payloads

The Army is asking industry for ideas on possible electronic warfare payloads that could be carried at very high altitudes by an uncrewed system, a step that aims to help refine a requirement for an emerging requirement for a new electronic attack system.