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

Lockheed Martin expects Pentagon to withhold some F-35 payments into 2026

Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office are still aiming to declare the Technology Refresh-3 software upgrade as combat-capable in this calendar year, but cash may continue to be withheld into 2026 as the company struggles to meet stated requirements.

Through partnership, Anduril could become prime contractor for IVAS

Microsoft and Anduril have announced the two companies intend to partner on future development and production of the Army's Integrated Visual Augmentation System, pending Defense Department approval.

SDA seeks industry input for space capabilities to support U.S. 'Iron Dome'

The Space Development Agency is calling on industry to help shape the blueprint of a proposed national missile defense system as outlined in the recent “Iron Dome for America” executive order, announcing plans to issue 60-day studies to flesh out potential new dimensions of its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).

House Armed Services Committee ready to focus on acquisition reform

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) said today that the panel's top priority in the coming year -- along with increasing defense spending -- will be reforming the Pentagon's notoriously slow and cumbersome acquisition system, a perennial concern on Capitol Hill.

House panel: Domestic mining not sole solution to ensuring critical mineral supply

Reducing reliance on imports from adversary nations for critical minerals powering the defense sector's supply chain will require a more comprehensive approach than just ramping up domestic mining activity, lawmakers and experts said during a House hearing last week.

The week ahead

Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several public events this week.

Lawmakers ask Pentagon to deliver lists of possible budget cuts

The Pentagon is being asked to provide senior lawmakers with a list of weapons programs, military infrastructure and processes that could be cut from the budget if they are not aligned with the National Defense Strategy.

Air Force depots can support surge capacity in the Indo-Pacific for 30 days before things get 'interesting'

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, OK -- Should a conflict between the U.S. and China break out, the Air Force Sustainment Center here could support a roughly 30-day surge before operations of the service's logistics arm get "really, really interesting," the commander said.