The Insider

Eleven Republican members of Congress sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin today calling for funds from the recent Ukraine supplemental to be spent on more small, U.S.-built drones and deployed to Ukraine, citing issues with Chinese-made drones being the main small drone supplier.

Reps. Rob Wittman (R-VA), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Rich McCormick (R-GA), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Nick LaLota (R-NY), Michael Turner (R-OH) and Don Bacon (R-NE) authored the letter.

The lawmakers note the recently enacted Ukraine supplemental, which provides $13.8 billion in funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, calls on Austin to include small, U.S.-built drones in the appropriation of those funds.

“Without these drones, Ukrainian forces cannot conduct effective battlefield operations and must rely on insecure drones from China that are increasingly difficult to procure,” the letter states.

The lawmakers claimed that Ukraine uses around 10,000 small drones every month, most coming from a single Chinese company.

“These systems are the primary method for identifying targets, directing artillery fire, surveilling enemy positions and enabling battlefield maneuvers and force protection,” the letter said.

The lawmakers claim the State Department has sent Ukraine’s Ministry of Interior “several hundred small drones,” however the Defense Department has only sent larger systems to Ukrainian front lines. 

The lawmakers call upon DOD to provide small drones to Ukraine for three reasons.

First, the lawmakers believe drones are vital to Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

“Without drones, Ukrainian forces are unable to direct battlefield fires, identify and surveil enemy positions, and protect their own forces,” the letter states.

Second, drone usage in Ukraine gives a glimpse into future “near-peer conflict” since drone tactics evolve regularly. By providing U.S.-made drones, the lawmakers believe the U.S. would be able to improve domestic drone capabilities for future military efforts. 

“Surging small, American-made systems to Ukraine benefits the United States military and our industrial base by enabling rapid iteration and improvement in the world’s most demanding battlefield conditions,” the letter states. “The use of American drones in Ukraine allows the United States to iterate and build systems superior to Chinese drones and develop capabilities that are necessary for deterring -- and if necessary, winning -- future near-peer conflicts.”

Finally, the lawmakers state that delivering U.S.-made drones is a “geopolitical victory” as it displaces China’s hold on drone monopolies.

“Drone exports are an increasingly important tool for influence abroad; replacing Chinese systems in Ukraine will further erode Chinese influence and control of this critical global industry,” the letter states.

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

Monday

The Center on Foreign Relations hosts a discussion with senior military leaders on U.S. defense strategy.

The Association of the United States Army holds its annual LanPac conference in Honolulu, HI.

The Atlantic Council holds a discussion on strengthening the “middle ground” of the defense industrial landscape.

Tuesday

The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts a discussion on U.S. military operations in the Red Sea and lessons learned for surface warfare.

Wednesday

The Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee holds a hearing with senior Pentagon leaders on select defense acquisition programs.

The Senate Armed Services airland subcommittee holds a hearing on Army modernization.

Thursday

The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on the Navy budget.

DefenseOne hosts a discussion on Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The Center for a New American Security hosts a discussion with Doug Beck, director of the Defense Innovation Unit.

Friday

The Atlantic Council hosts a discussion with Gen. Christopher Cavoli, chief of U.S. European Command and NATO supreme allied commander.

The Center for a New American Security hosts a discussion on developing drone and counter-drone capabilities with Army Under Secretary Gabe Camarillo.

The Defense Department has announced a $400 million transfer of U.S. weapons to Ukraine to combat the ongoing Russian invasion, including air defense munitions, artillery rounds, armored vehicles and anti-tank systems.

The package being provided to Ukraine via Presidential Drawdown Authority includes:

• Munitions for Patriot air defense systems;
• Munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS);
• Stinger anti-aircraft missiles;
• Equipment to integrate Western launchers, missiles and radars with Ukrainian systems;
• Additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and ammunition;
• 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
• Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles;
• M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;
• Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles;
• Trailers to transport heavy equipment;
• Tube-Launched, Optically Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
• Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;
• Precision aerial munitions;
• High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
• Small arms and ammunition;
• Demolitions munitions and equipment;
• Coastal and riverine patrol boats;
• Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear protective equipment; and
• Spare parts, training munitions, maintenance and other ancillary equipment.

The announcement is the 57th tranche of equipment the Biden administration has provided to Ukraine via PDA since August 2021. It is the second PDA to be announced since Congress agreed April 23 to a supplemental spending bill that will provide billions in additional aid to Ukraine.

The first post-supplemental PDA covered $1 billion in U.S. equipment and was announced shortly after the bill was passed.

The Army has released a sources-sought notice asking industry for solutions to fulfill the Precision Strike Missile Increment 2 requirement.

The notice, posted Thursday, states a contract will include engineering development for early operational capability, initial production of missiles and an option for a possible seeker that supports a full-rate production decision.

PrSM Increment 2 will include a seeker that uses radio frequency and infrared imaging to “engage moving maritime and relocatable targets up to and beyond 400 kilometers,” according to the Army. Increment 2 also will double the magazine capacity of each launcher, extend range and increase velocity, compared with the Army Tactical Missile System, which PrSM is replacing.

The Army is in the procurement phase for Increment 1 of the PrSM program, with plans to spend nearly $493 million on the procurement of 230 missiles in fiscal year 2025. The service also plans to spend $184 million on research and development funding for engineering and manufacturing of the Increment 2 seeker in FY-25, Maj. Gen. Mark Bennett, the Army budget director, said in March.

The start of procurement scheduled for Increment 2 was delayed from FY-25 to FY-26 due to a lack of technical maturity with the seeker, Maj. Gen. Joe Hilbert, director of force development to the deputy chief of staff, previously told reporters.

Thursday’s sources-sought notice states a contract will eventually support the procurement of 120 early operational capability missiles along with engineering and manufacturing development activities to support full-rate production. With the procurement, the Army expects Increment 2 to reach initial operational capability in FY-28, the notice states.

Responses to the government are due May 16.

The Marine Corps tallied its first overseas use of Amphibious Combat Vehicles during a May 4 training exercise that saw the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s ACV platoon complete waterborne, live-fire training off the coast of the Philippines during Exercise Balikatan.

During the exercise, ACVs launched from the well deck of amphibious warship Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) and formed into assault sections before firing 40mm training rounds at shore-based targets using their Mk 19 grenade machine guns, according to a service release.

Harpers Ferry and the embarked ACV platoon departed from Southern California on March 19, marking the first ACV operational deployment.

“During this first deployment, 15th MEU will continue to provide insights for ACV employment, embarkation, maintenance requirements, logistics trains, and integration with our allies and partners,” the service announcement states. “These insights are vital for the service to ensure we continue to provide our Marines with the most operationally ready and capable platforms.”

The ACV is an important platform for Marine Corps force design and Indo-Pacific operating concepts, providing ship-to-shore mobility and a variety of other capabilities. Though nearly 200 of the vehicles have been delivered to the Marine Corps to date, readiness kinks have slowed down fielding and operational use.

A series of training accidents, in which ACVs rolled over during waterborne exercises, prompted the Marine Corps to temporarily pause some vehicle operations and later launch initiatives to improve operator proficiency.

Now, with efforts to retrain ACV drivers and procure training simulators underway, the service is advancing fielding efforts, program manager Col. Tim Hough said last week. In June, the service plans to send 12 ACVs to the 4th Marine Regiment in Okinawa, Japan and will begin fielding to the 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion at Camp Lejeune, NC, in the second quarter of FY-25.

The Army is seeking a manufacturer to build the M10 Booker combat vehicle at full-rate production, according to a public notice.

“This solicitation is for a requirement contract for M10 Booker Full Rate Production (FRP) to procure an estimated 266 M10 Booker vehicles,” the May 8 announcement reads.

Issued as a solicitation, the announcement stipulates that the manufacturer will build the M10 according to a product configuration specification and each vehicle will include all basic issue items, component of end items, under vehicle armor and a radio kit.

Production will also include an estimated 31 M10 “refurbishment vehicles” and ancillary services supporting production, the announcement adds.

Weighing approximately 42 tons, the Booker is designed to provide firepower for dismounted units with a 105mm gun and is intended to slot between the Abrams main battle tank and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

General Dynamics Land Systems, which also builds the Abrams, won a low-rate production contract in 2022 after competing with BAE Systems in the rapid prototyping phase when the program was known as the Mobile Protected Firepower.

The Booker is the Army’s third program to field an infantry support vehicle with a 105mm gun. During the 1990s, the Army developed but canceled plans to field the M8 Armored Gun System, according to Infantry Magazine. In the 2000s, the Army acquired the Stryker M1128 Mobile Gun System but divested from the platform following performance and engineering issues.

The Army expects to spend between $460 million and $500 million to procure between 32-34 vehicles each fiscal year from FY-25 to FY-29, according to service budget documents.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin today said the United States has "paused" a shipment of powerful bombs to Israel, citing concerns about civilian "collateral damage" in Gaza.

Austin, confirming media reports about the paused munitions shipments, told the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee the Defense Department has paused “one shipment of high-payload munitions.”

“We have not made a final determination on how to proceed with that shipment,” he said, noting the weapons could be sent to Israel eventually.

Austin said the decision to hold the shipment, which includes 2,000-pound bombs, was made out of concern that Israel is not properly considering safeguarding civilians amid a new offensive against Hamas in Rafa.

“I think we’ve been very clear about the steps we’d like to see Israel take to account for and take care of those civilians before major combat takes place,” he said. “We certainly would like to see no major combat take place in Rafah, but certainly our focus is on making sure we protect the civilians.”

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the committee’s ranking Republican, said DOD should not “micromanage Israel’s right to defend itself” and should keep in mind that Hamas uses civilians in Gaza as “human shields” and bears responsibility for the start of the conflict because of its Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israelis.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, released a statement criticizing the Biden administration’s decision to pause the bomb shipment.

“If Hamas laid down its weapons, the war would be over. But if Israel lays down its weapons, it would be the end of Israel,” he said. “This delay has sent a dangerous message to Hamas that if they hold out against the [Israeli Defense Forces] for long enough, they can still win.”

At the hearing, Austin said the paused shipment does not include “precision weapons” but covers 2,000-pound bombs that “could create a lot of collateral damage.”

“It's about having the right kinds of weapons for the tasks at hand,” he said. “We think it’s imperative to do more to protect civilians in the battlespace.”