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

Lockheed Martin won't pursue additional legal action following GAO protest ruling

Lockheed Martin won't pursue additional legal action following a ruling by the Government Accountability Office this month denying its protest of the Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft award to a competitor.

Lockheed executives enthused by strong demand in Pentagon budget

Lockheed Martin executives claimed a "solid" first quarter consistent with the company's 2023 expectations, and applauded the Defense Department's fiscal year 2024 budget request that looks to invest in F-35 procurement and several of Lockheed's missile systems.

Oshkosh files two supplemental protests in JLTV case

Oshkosh Defense filed two supplemental protests this month in addition to its original protest of the Army's award of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle follow-on contract to AM General.

DOD rolling back emergency contracting actions related to COVID

The Pentagon, in accordance with President Biden's termination of the national emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, is ending several contracting and acquisition policies aimed at mitigating damage to the U.S. defense industrial base, including payment rates for large contractors that were made more generous at the onset of the pandemic, according to a new memo.

CENTCOM hires former Google Cloud AI exec

U.S. Central Command has hired the former director of Google Cloud AI to serve as its first-ever adviser on artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing and data analytics.

The week ahead

The Army Aviation Association of America hosts its annual conference this week, while senior Pentagon officials are scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill.

Reed commits to weapons investments; criticizes Tuberville's nomination blockade

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI) said today he is committed to supporting continued investments in the defense industrial base, especially for munitions, as the war in Ukraine has highlighted the need to prepare to surge similar assistance to Taiwan in the event of a conflict with China.

DOD readies re-start of GMD testing after RKV termination with major flight test later this year

The Defense Department this year plans to break the "strategic pause" imposed on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program after the 2019 termination of the Redesigned Kill Vehicle project with the maiden flight of a guided missile against a target using a booster that utilizes only two of three available rocket stages.