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

Esper meets with defense contractor CEOs

Defense Secretary Mark Esper met with the chief executives of some of the largest defense contractors.

Kratos reports increased sales in quarter

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions said sales in its most recent quarter totaled $185 million, up almost 13% from the same three-month period a year earlier.

BWXT reports increased sales in nuclear operations group

BWX Technologies said sales in its nuclear operations group, which includes its naval work, during the most recent quarter totaled $371 million, up 6% from the same three-month period a year earlier.

Roper touts new programs' potential to shake up defense industrial base

Air Force acquisition chief Will Roper is eyeing the service's new approach to shared network testing, commercial start-ups and even the flying car industry as potential game-changers to the Pentagon's traditional relationship with contractors and the global technology market.

General Dynamics CFO says GDIT 'strategically exited' two lines of business

General Dynamics Information Technology has sold or exited more than $1 billion in sales, according to General Dynamics' chief financial officer.

Aerojet Rocketdyne reports improved sales and profit

Aerojet Rocketdyne said sales in its most recent quarter reached $523 million, up 19% from the same three-month period a year earlier.

KBR reports quarterly sales decline, profit increase in government solutions group

KBR said sales in its government solutions unit during the most recent quarter totaled $939 million, down almost 5% from the same three-month period a year earlier.

ManTech reports increased sales, profit

ManTech International said sales in its most recent quarter reached $604 million, up 22% from the same three-month period a year earlier.

The week ahead

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley are slated to appear before Congress to justify the fiscal year 2021 budget request.

Pentagon to distill broad AI principles into guidance, including new contracting language

Pentagon officials concede the Defense Department's first-ever artificial intelligence principles are broad and somewhat vague, but say they are committed to the "hard work" of applying them into concrete actions, including through new contracting language and testing measures.

Industry lawyer says 'go forward' with cyber certification as DOD program takes shape

A leading industry lawyer on federal contracts is advising companies to move forward with cybersecurity audits and to adopt the use of draft standards as the Pentagon completes working on setting up its landmark certification program unveiled last month.

Pentagon budget includes industry-based 'pathfinders' to guide cyber certification program

The Defense Department's fiscal year 2021 budget request includes nearly $13 million for developing its landmark cybersecurity certification program, with an emphasis on "pathfinders" selected from the defense industrial base to guide requirements and services for countering cyber threats.