The Insider

By John Liang
April 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system and more.

At least one lawmaker thinks the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system should be based in his state:

Congressman's Golden Dome pitch highlights dilemma in new homeland missile defense plans

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) has a message for the Pentagon: When it comes time to install elements of the Trump administration's "Golden Dome for America," Wisconsin is open for business.

The head of the Space Development Agency is back on the job this week:

Tournear resuming role at SDA this week

Derek Tournear will resume his duties as Space Development Agency director on Thursday following a monthslong stint on administrative leave, according to an Air Force spokeswoman.

The recent relocation of Patriot capability from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command to U.S. Central Command required 73 C-17 cargo aircraft sorties:

Patriot shift to CENTCOM raises questions about strategic lift, INDOPACOM priority, more

The Pentagon's decision to shift a Patriot missile battalion from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East has drawn fresh scrutiny over U.S. strategic priorities and highlighted the extraordinary burden such redeployments place on both the strategic airlift fleet and Army missile defense forces.

The Government Accountability Office recently released a report on the Defense Department's Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control system:

DOD tells government watchdog of plans to streamline CJADC2

A process is underway to evaluate the extent to which military investments are aligned with and achieving the goals of Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2), and the Pentagon told a government watchdog that data on streamlining the effort will emerge as the review evolves.

Document: GAO report on CJADC2

House Democrats are decrying the Trump administration's announced tariffs -- which currently sit at a minimum 10% rate on the bulk of U.S. imports -- arguing that they impose needless economic pain on U.S. allies and strain military alliances:

Lawmakers, industry brace for tariff impact

Following a chaotic fortnight for international trade, during which President Trump imposed and then partially rescinded wide-ranging tariffs on U.S. trading partners, lawmakers and defense executives alike are trying to make sense of and prepare for the likely effects of these tariffs on their businesses, constituents and international relationships.

By Dan Schere
April 14, 2025 at 2:12 PM

Northrop Grumman has opened a new production facility in Madison, AL to support the Army's air and missile defense modernization efforts, the company announced today.

The facility, known as the “Enhanced Production and Integration Center,” will manage “component integration” for the Integrated Battle Command System, according to a press release.

IBCS is the centerpiece of the Army’s air and missile defense modernization efforts. The system is meant to merge multiple sensors and effectors to allow warfighters the ability to better track and neutralize threats.

The system is made up of the Integrated Collaborative Environment, which is a modular shelter used for mission command, the Engagement Operation Center, which is an integrated fire control center, and Integrated Fire Control Network Relay, which provides the “interface for the adapted sensors and weapons” while also relaying communications across the battlespace.

The new facility will allow production capacity for the IBCS command and control system to up to 96 Engagement Operation Centers, 96 Integrated Collaborative Environments and 192 Integrated Fire Control Network relays each year, according to Northrop Grumman.

By John Liang
April 14, 2025 at 1:23 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the strategic lift required to transport a Patriot missile battalion from one region to another, plus the Pentagon's Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control program and more.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's top officer told lawmakers recently that the recent relocation of Patriot capability to the U.S. Central Command theater required an eyepopping 73 C-17 cargo aircraft sorties -- a major draw on the Pentagon’s limited strategic lift capacity:

Patriot shift to CENTCOM raises questions about strategic lift, INDOPACOM priority, more

The Pentagon's decision to shift a Patriot missile battalion from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East has drawn fresh scrutiny over U.S. strategic priorities and highlighted the extraordinary burden such redeployments place on both the strategic airlift fleet and Army missile defense forces.

A new Government Accountability Office report recommends the Defense Department "(1) develop a framework for [Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control] that helps guide investments and measures progress; (2) devise a mechanism for sharing lessons learned; and (3) identify and address key challenges in achieving its CJADC2 goals":

DOD tells government watchdog of plans to streamline CJADC2

A process is underway to evaluate the extent to which military investments are aligned with and achieving the goals of Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2), and the Pentagon told a government watchdog that data on streamlining the effort will emerge as the review evolves.

Document: GAO report on CJADC2

Before they left for recess last week, House Democrats decried the Trump administration's announced tariffs -- which currently sit at a minimum 10% rate on the bulk of U.S. imports -- arguing that they impose needless economic pain on U.S. allies and strain military alliances:

Lawmakers, industry brace for tariff impact

Following a chaotic fortnight for international trade, during which President Trump imposed and then partially rescinded wide-ranging tariffs on U.S. trading partners, lawmakers and defense executives alike are trying to make sense of and prepare for the likely effects of these tariffs on their businesses, constituents and international relationships.

A war over Taiwan would cause a 25% downturn in gross domestic product in Asia, which in turn would plunge domestic GDP by 10% to 12% and spike unemployment by seven to 10 points -- causing 500,000 "excess deaths of despair," which is a metric that measures deaths induced by economic decline:

Taiwan conflict would upend economy, hurt U.S. partnerships, INDOPACOM leader says

Adm. Sam Paparo, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, recently warned the Senate Armed Services Committee that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would strike an instant blow to the world economy and deal long-term damage to the web of allies and partners the U.S. has built over the years.

Senior Michigan state officials recently met with the Trump administration's cabinet to discuss several of the state's priorities, including the future of Selfridge Air National Guard Base:

Trump pledges fighters for Selfridge ANG Base after meeting with Michigan governor

President Trump yesterday said he will work with Michigan's bipartisan leadership to keep Selfridge Air National Guard Base "open, strong, thriving" after its fleet of A-10 Warthogs begins to retire in 2026.

By John Liang
April 11, 2025 at 2:30 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the effects of the Trump administration's tariffs on the U.S.-Australia-U.K. submarine agreement, plus what a potential war over Taiwan would cost and more.

In Congress this week, House Democrats decried the Trump administration's announced tariffs -- which currently sit at a minimum 10% rate on the bulk of U.S. imports -- arguing that they impose needless economic pain on U.S. allies and strain military alliances:

Lawmakers, industry brace for tariff impact

Following a chaotic fortnight for international trade, during which President Trump imposed and then partially rescinded wide-ranging tariffs on U.S. trading partners, lawmakers and defense executives alike are trying to make sense of and prepare for the likely effects of these tariffs on their businesses, constituents and international relationships.

A war over Taiwan would cause a 25% downturn in gross domestic product in Asia, which in turn would plunge domestic GDP by 10% to 12% and spike unemployment by seven to 10 points -- causing 500,000 "excess deaths of despair," which is a metric that measures deaths induced by economic decline:

Taiwan conflict would upend economy, hurt U.S. partnerships, INDOPACOM leader says

A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would strike an instant blow to the world economy and deal long-term damage to the web of allies and partners the U.S. has built over the years, Adm. Sam Paparo, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee this week.

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican state House Speaker Matt Hall met with the Trump administration's cabinet this week to discuss several of the state's priorities, including the future of Selfridge Air National Guard Base:

Trump pledges fighters for Selfridge ANG Base after meeting with Michigan governor

President Trump said he will work with Michigan's bipartisan leadership to keep Selfridge Air National Guard Base "open, strong, thriving" after its fleet of A-10 Warthogs begins to retire in 2026.

The Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program will have eight companies working on it:

DOD selects eight companies for nuclear power systems at military installations

The Pentagon's innovation arm announced today the selection of eight companies for a Defense Innovation Unit-led program enabling the design and build of "fixed on-site microreactor nuclear power systems on select military installations.”

Starting in calendar year 2026, the Army will begin deploying an initial set of six Modular Open Systems Architecture Instrumentation Containers (MOSAIC) to ships:

Army will soon deploy containerized, long-range missile test capabilities to ships

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Inside the Army's Redstone Test Center at Redstone Arsenal here, the service is testing out a series of containers that will be able to collect long-range missile test data including telemetry, flight safety, satellite communications and weather data.

In November, the KC-46A Program Office, Air Mobility Command and Boeing determined that incidents of fuel system leaks on the aircraft’s fuel manifold have been mostly resolved:

Air Force, Boeing making progress on remaining KC-46 category 1 deficiencies

The Air Force downgraded two of seven category 1 deficiencies on the KC-46A Pegasus, Inside Defensehas learned, but five problems that could result in death of an operator or significant damage to the tanker remain.

The Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor -- made by L3Harris under a Missile Defense Agency contract -- can be built at a "continuous, high-volume" rate:

L3Harris: HBTSS ready to go for Golden Dome

L3Harris is ready to up production of its fire-control space sensor that was named in President Trump’s executive order for greater homeland defense, a company official said yesterday -- it’s just waiting for the order.

A new executive order requires Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to within 60 days develop a list of "priority partners" for U.S. arms sales and "prioritize end-items for potential transfer to those partners":

White House looks to streamline U.S. arms exports with phased plan

President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at reforming the U.S. foreign military sales process, requiring the phased implementation of a new plan intended to accelerate the process and create new accountability metrics.

Document: White House executive order on FMS

By Dominic Minadeo
April 11, 2025 at 11:02 AM

The Army has awarded Teledyne FLIR Defense a new, four-year contract to continue upgrading the mounted reconnaissance system on the service's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV), the company announced April 9.

The NBCRV, also known as the M1135 variant of the Stryker Family of Vehicles, hosts a slew of sensors to monitor and provide feedback to soldiers on nuclear, biological and chemical levels on the battlefield.

This latest $74.2 million contract adds to a five-year $168.3 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract Teledyne won in November for low-rate initial production of the upgraded NBCRV sensor suite, with the Army ordering its first delivery at $7.5 million.

“By continuing to enhance sensor capabilities on NBCRV, we can help ensure future warriors will be ready to detect and respond effectively to a wide range of deadly agents,” Dr. JihFen Lei, president of Teledyne FLIR Defense, said in a statement. “We’re proud to expand our support on this vital U.S. Army program and to know that our drone, remote sensing, and integrated solutions are playing a major role to improve standoff and situational awareness.”

As lead integrator, Teledyne will use the latest contract to fund three initiatives: a new, “expanded” sensor suite design, the delivery of six prototypes to the Army and “government testing,” according to the release.

Some of the upgrades to the NBRCV sensor suite include integrating Teledyne’s R80D SkyRaider drone, equipped with the vender’s MUVE B330, a sensor added to unmanned aerial systems for continuous biological threat monitoring. The company has also created a command-and-control system to centralize the information collected from the NBCRV’s devices and sensors, according to the release.

The new NBCRV will also be the first of many Army vehicles to integrate the Vehicle Integrated Platform Enhanced Radiation (VIPER) system, a radiation-detection capability designed to alert crews and commanders of nuclear exposure inside the vehicle and in the battlefield environment they’re driving through. The Army put out a market survey for the capability April 9.

NBCRV upgrade work will go on through 2028 at Teledyne facilities in Stillwater, OK, Elkridge, MD and Tucson, AZ.

By Tony Bertuca
April 11, 2025 at 9:27 AM

The Senate voted 60-25 late last night to confirm retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff.

Though Caine gained the support of many Democrats, some opted to oppose his confirmation and delayed a vote well into Thursday night to protest President Trump’s firing of Gen. C.Q. Brown, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Among his Democratic supporters, however, was Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

During his confirmation hearing, Caine promised to remain apolitical, despite a story Trump has told about him allegedly wearing a MAGA hat. Caine said he has “never worn any political merchandise” and suggested the president may have misremembered details of the story.

Meanwhile, Caine will arrive at the Pentagon during a time of significant upheaval, including a major leadership reorganization and reviews focused on the budget and major defense acquisition programs.

At his hearing, Caine, a retired lieutenant general who has never served on the Joint Staff or run a combatant command, told lawmakers he realized he was an “unconventional nominee.”

“But these are unconventional times,” he said.

By John Liang
April 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on some defense-related executive orders signed this week as well as the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system and more.

In a pair of April 9 executive orders, President Trump calls for acquisition reform as well as a "Maritime Action Plan" that includes an assessment of options to expand the maritime industrial base:

White House lowers bar for weapon system termination, opening door to shake-up

President Trump has signed an executive order that could place dozens of the Pentagon's largest weapons programs under heightened scrutiny -- possibly on a path to cancellation -- signaling that even long-protected legacy systems could be at risk.

Document: Trump executive order on MDAP reviews

Trump signs sweeping executive order to revamp U.S. maritime industry

President Trump has signed an expansive executive order aimed at revitalizing the United States maritime industrial base, directing the creation of a "maritime action plan (MAP)" to rejuvenate both commercial and military shipbuilding.

Document: Trump executive order on maritime action plan

Testifying this week before the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, Gen. Gregory Guillot, who leads both U.S. Northern Command and the U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command, outlined a “three-dome” approach to defending the United States from a range of advanced threats:

NORTHCOM proposes 'Three-Dome' domestic air and missile defense architecture

U.S. Northern Command is proposing a sweeping new framework to protect the homeland from emerging missile and air threats, advancing a proposal that could be the foundation for the Trump administration's evolving "Golden Dome for America" initiative.

The Army is looking into boosting the range of its self-propelled artillery systems:

Army leader: New cannon with better rounds can revive range from dead ERCA program

Remnants of the Army's scrapped Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototyping program are proffering munitions that can bump artillery into ERCA-desired range, a service leader said Tuesday.

Defense analysts are trying to get a handle on the Trump administration's announcement of a $1 trillion defense budget:

Analysts try to unpack Trump and Hegseth's promise of $1 trillion defense budget

President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have promised $1 trillion in defense spending as Congress awaits the White House’s submission of a "skinny budget" later this month, but Washington analysts have questions about what could actually be in store for the Pentagon's topline.

In his first posture statement to Congress this year, Adm. Sam Paparo, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, warned that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) increased its coercive activities around Taiwan by 300% in 2024:

INDOPACOM boss warns PLA is conducting 'dress rehearsals' for Taiwan invasion

China's military is escalating pressure on Taiwan in what the top U.S. military commander in the Pacific describes as "dress rehearsals for forced unification," marking a stark shift in the Pentagon's public assessment of Beijing's intentions.

Document: INDOPACOM, USFK FY-26 posture statements

Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, deputy commander of Fleet Cyber Command and deputy commander of Navy Space Command, said this week that the service is working to establish a dedicated “Task Force Space” and new operational units that will extend joint capabilities forward -- particularly in support of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command:

Navy Space Command gears up for forward task forces, integrated fires units


NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Navy is preparing to stand up forward-deployed task forces and integrated firing elements under its reestablished Navy Space Command, a move that signals a more assertive posture in contested space and cyber domains.

By Dominic Minadeo
April 10, 2025 at 1:10 PM

Soldiers manning trucks, tanks or helicopters don't have good enough access to data detailing their exposure to nuclear radiation, which is why the Army is surveying industry for a new, network-capable system to keep crews informed.

The risk of a “nuclear battlefield” is boosting the chance that soldiers will take in radiation doses higher than they should, according to the Army’s April 9 notice to industry, which gives rise to the need for the Vehicle Integrated Platform Enhanced RADIAC, or VIPER. RADIAC stands for radiation detection, indication and computation.

VIPER will give crews fast and accurate details for a “complete understanding” of radiation exposure by providing gamma dose rates, or the amount of radiation a person can expect to absorb, within vehicles, while also monitoring residual doses, or the radiation levels outside the vehicle. The data would be hooked up to the network for mission commanders to make quick, accurate decisions.

“Fielding a networked crew monitor to general purpose mounted forces would enable the Army to identify and penetrate areas on the battlefield with the least amount of radiological contamination,” the RFI states.

The joint program executive office for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense is putting out the survey to industry for the capability, designed to swap out the two radiological detection systems the Army fields right now -- AN/VDR-2 and AN/UDR-13 -- which are 1970s- and 1980s-era legacy capabilities that aren’t in production anymore and were designed specifically for the “fallout produced following detonation of a nuclear weapon.”

VIPER will also be designed to assess prompt radiation, the gamma and neutron radiation emitted from a nuclear blast, which the two legacy systems can’t do, according to the notice. It will have a “dedicated data port and networking capabilities” so that exposure data can inform commanders quickly.

Commanders will harness VIPER to make sure their vehicles and crews fly or drive around the battlefield safely by steering clear of contamination zones an enemy force might intentionally contaminate. The manned vehicles that would benefit from the capability are:

  • Stryker Family of Vehicles, Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV) Sensor Suite variant
  • Abrams Tank
  • Bradley Fighting Vehicle
  • Army Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle
  • Joint Light Tactical Vehicle
  • M-10 Booker
  • CH-47 Chinook
  • UH-60 Black Hawk
  • AH-64 Apache

Submissions are due May 12, and the Army is planning an industry day for June, at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, where companies will be invited to interact with the program office.

By Jason Sherman
April 10, 2025 at 12:35 PM

The Defense Department is postponing two high-profile missile defense events originally slated for late April in Huntsville, AL, after receiving what officials called "overwhelming response" from industry.

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced the change April 8, moving both the April 29 Next-Generation Missile Defense Summit and the April 30-May 2 Space-Based Interceptor (SBI) Industry Engagement to later, unspecified dates. Both events will remain in the Huntsville area. Updated registration information is expected in the coming days.

The shift marks a significant moment in the Pentagon’s push to attract a broader range of companies -- including nontraditional contractors -- to help shape “Golden Dome for America,” the Trump administration’s ambitious new missile defense initiative.

The rescheduled summit, originally to be held at Redstone Arsenal’s Von Braun Complex III, was designed as an unclassified event aimed at informing industry of the Pentagon’s evolving vision for a layered homeland missile shield. MDA and the Space Force emphasized they want to equip potential partners with the knowledge to align future technologies with government needs, particularly from companies offering “outside the box” thinking.

The SBI engagement, scheduled to follow the summit, is more technically focused and includes classified briefings and one-on-one sessions. MDA is seeking concepts for orbital interceptors capable of destroying missiles in the boost phase -- potentially reviving elements of Reagan-era space defense efforts. The agency is considering both kinetic and non-kinetic solutions, and specifically prioritizing proposals that could mature into full fire control systems or interceptor packages.

The surge in interest underscores growing private-sector momentum behind Golden Dome, which President Trump formalized in a January executive order. While critics warn of cost and feasibility concerns, proponents argue advances in space launch, sensor miniaturization and artificial intelligence make a national missile shield more realistic than ever.

By Tony Bertuca
April 9, 2025 at 4:09 PM

The Senate Armed Services Committee today voted to approve the nominations of several key Pentagon nominees, including retired Air Force Lt. Gen. John Caine to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Other nominees approved by the committee include Troy Meink to be Air Force secretary, Michael Duffey to be under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, Emil Michael to be under secretary of defense for research and engineering and Keith Bass to be assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.

The nominations now head to the full Senate for confirmation votes.

By Dan Schere
April 9, 2025 at 2:23 PM

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has been appointed to serve as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in addition to his current job.

Driscoll, who was confirmed as Army secretary Feb. 25, will continue to serve in that role while taking on the additional position with the ATF, a defense official confirmed to Inside Defense on Wednesday. The official did not have additional details.

Reuters first reported Wednesday that FBI Director Kash Patel had been removed from his role as acting director of the ATF, and that Driscoll would be replacing him.

By John Liang
April 9, 2025 at 1:55 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the deputy defense secretary conducting a major organizational shakeup of the department, plus Navy acquisition reform, the second Ford-class aircraft carrier delivery being delayed and more.

In a memo released this week, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg says he will lead a new effort to "rebalance and optimize" the department's civilian workforce:

Feinberg launches major Pentagon shake up

Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg is moving to reorganize the Defense Department's entire organizational structure and civilian workforce in ways that could permanently alter the way the Pentagon operates, according to a new memo released yesterday.

Document: DOD memos on workforce acceleration and recapitalization

The Navy's newly confirmed secretary gave his first public remarks this week:

New SECNAV promises acquisition reform, says review of all Navy contracts is underway

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Navy is in the early stages of reviewing all its existing contracts, according to new Navy Secretary John Phelan, who today outlined his intent to draw upon his non-defense, private-sector experience to improve shipbuilding performance, reform defense acquisitions and run the service more like a business.

The Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee held a hearing on the state of nuclear shipbuilding:

CVN-79 delivery pushed back, Navy official tells lawmakers

The delivery date of the John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) aircraft carrier to the Navy has been pushed back, an official told lawmakers Tuesday.

Document: Senate hearing on nuclear shipbuilding

More coverage from this week's Sea-Air-Space symposium:

New IDIQ contract in works to help shipyards outsource labor, Gaucher says

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- Rather than have individual shipyards draft contracts for outsourced labor, there will soon be one main contract the Navy will be able to draw from for the purpose of expanding outsourced labor for ship and submarine repair, a Navy official said on Tuesday.

Ultra Maritime partners with Anduril for new, autonomous submarine sensing capability

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- Ultra Maritime and Anduril have partnered to further low-cost and low-risk submarine detection capabilities by bridging their respective sensing and autonomous technologies, according to a news release issued Monday.

Navy taps Dutch shipbuilder Damen for landing ship design amid reevaluation of LSM requirements

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Navy plans to procure the technical data package for a landing ship design from Dutch shipbuilding conglomerate Damen Naval, according to a Tuesday announcement that comes as the sea service recalibrates its requirements and procurement plans for the Landing Ship Medium program.

Several analysts spoke with Inside Defense this week regarding how to get new defense contractors past the "valley of death":

New DOD officials increasingly focused on drawing private capital investments

Senior defense officials are pushing for new increases in private capital investment, which key analysts say has the potential to expand the defense industrial base and drive greater innovation into U.S. weapon systems.

During a recent congressional hearing, U.S. Strategic Command Commander Gen. Anthony Cotton said he currently has "one belly button" to press in the Department of the Air Force when it comes to the bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile legs of the nuclear triad: the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command:

STRATCOM chief raises quiet alarm over Air Force bomber reorganization

The head of U.S. Strategic Command is signaling quiet but pointed concern over an Air Force proposal to shift operational control of its heavy bombers -- a move he suggests could blur accountability for nearly 70% of the nation's nuclear command, control and communications infrastructure.

By Abby Shepherd
April 9, 2025 at 10:44 AM

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- Lawmakers today expressed concern with the Navy's Constellation-class frigate program -- which is filled with delays and design changes -- questioning if the program should be scrapped altogether.

“Are we at a point where we either quickly recover and get back on track with this, get back to schedule and get back to budget?” Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, asked Wednesday at Sea-Air-Space.

“I don't know that you can make up schedule,” he continued. “Or do you say, 'Maybe we're too far along with this; we go in a different direction.' And the Navy’s going to have to ask that question now. It can't push it off in the future. Same question that should have been asked with LCS years and years ago.”

Built by Fincantieri, the program is based on an existing frigate used by the Italian and French navies. The U.S. Navy’s version used to share about 85% commonality with its parent design but was reduced to about 15% following heavy alterations.

The ship still does not have a complete design, despite construction beginning in 2022 on the lead vessel. Naval Sea Systems Command personnel have worked with the shipbuilder in the company’s Wisconsin shipyard to complete this design work and speed up construction. Now, the design is expected to be completed by summer.

Fincantieri is also losing money on the program, NAVSEA Commander Vice Adm. James Downey told lawmakers in March.

“I think my colleagues did a good job of mentioning that the consistency and planning is very frustrating,” Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) said Wednesday.

By Tony Bertuca
April 9, 2025 at 9:31 AM

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said today he expects the White House to send Congress a fiscal year 2026 "skinny budget" before the end of the month.

“We’re expecting the skinny budget . . . by the end of the month -- that the [Office of Management and Budget] has committed to us,” he said today at a conference in Washington hosted by GE Aerospace.

Cole pledged to have the defense appropriations bill complete and out of committee before Congress’ break in August.

Meanwhile, President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have promised the first $1 trillion defense budget.

Watch Inside Defense for more.

By Abby Shepherd
April 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- Fairbanks Morse Defense has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries today at Sea-Air-Space, an agreement which will seek to further shipbuilding capabilities.

The agreement, signed by Fairbanks Morse Defense CEO George Whittier and HHI Chief Executive of Naval and Special Ships Won-ho Joo, will allow for “collaboration on future international Navy initiatives,” according to the news release.

“The U.S. is signaling to the world that it’s ready to reestablish itself as a shipbuilding nation, and global companies are eager to be part of that effort by working with the American industrial base,” Whittier said in a statement. “This MOU allows both our companies to explore avenues that drive mutual growth while still supporting our national manufacturing and maritime defense priorities.”

The partnership with HHI is not the only one announced this week, as American shipbuilder HII signed a MOU with the South Korean company on Monday to accelerate ship production.

“Today’s agreement reflects our commitment to explore all opportunities to expand U.S. shipbuilding capacity in support of national security,” HII Executive Vice President and President of Ingalls Shipbuilding Brian Blanchette told reporters. “By working with our shipbuilding allies and sharing best practices, we believe this MOU offers real potential to help accelerate delivery of quality ships.”

These two partnerships are the latest example of South Korean companies entering the U.S. industrial base, with defense conglomerate Hanwha purchasing the Philadelphia-based Philly Shipyard last year.