The Insider

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on naval mine warfare, the Navy's next-generation destroyer, unmanned systems, future missile defense technologies and more.

Rear Adm. Casey Moton, program executive officer for unmanned and small combatants, spoke about mine warfare this week:

Navy planning FY-25 operational deployment for LCS mine countermeasures mission package

The Navy is targeting fiscal year 2025 for an initial deployment of its Littoral Combat Ship mine countermeasures mission package, which achieved initial operational capability earlier this month.

Rear Adm. Thomas Anderson, program executive officer for ships, testified this week on the Navy's next-generation destroyer development effort at a hearing of the House Oversight subcommittee on national security, the border and foreign affairs:

Navy taking 'evolutionary' approach to DDG(X) design, drawing lessons from Zumwalt pitfalls

The Navy is taking an "evolutionary" rather than "revolutionary" approach to designing its next-generation large surface combatant, building on the existing Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design and minimizing the addition of untested new features, according to a senior Navy official.

U.S. Pacific Fleet this week held an exercise for vetting uncrewed systems for their capabilities in surveillance and reconnaissance, command and control and re-constituting intelligence:

Pacific Fleet exercise aims to 'increase lethality' in uncrewed missions

With a focus on operating with "infrequent human interaction," the U.S. 3rd Fleet is testing uncrewed aircraft and vessels in a multidomain exercise off the coast of California that prioritizes warfighting capabilities on, above and below the sea.

The Missile Defense Agency is looking at what technologies it will need by 2045:

MDA seeking 'innovative,' 'disruptive' proposals for missile defense in the '2045 time epoch'

The Missile Defense Agency -- created nearly 20 years ago -- is beginning to think about the next 20 by launching a new initiative to explore future technologies and associated architectures that could be needed in 2045, asking industry to propose "new, innovative and potentially disruptive" concepts to protect the nation from anticipated future threats.

Space Systems Command has completed qualification and characterization testing of the GPS Receiver Application Module-Standard Electronic Module/M-Code hardware and software:

SSC'S GPS MGUE program achieves acquisition baseline program milestone

The Space Force has completed its first increment of military code receivers, Space Systems Command announced in a May 8 press release.

The Government Accountability Office, in an information paper shared with congressional appropriators and authorizers, states that as of March 2023, DOD has "understated" its fuel costs for FY-24 by around $1.6 billion, projecting a per-barrel cost of $111.73, while GAO projects $134.05:

GAO finds Pentagon has 'understated' fuel costs by $1.6B

The Government Accountability Office has found the Defense Department has underestimated its fuel costs for fiscal year 2024, creating a $1.6 billion shortfall that has gotten the attention of a senior Senate appropriator.

Document: GAO info paper on DOD fuel costs

A bill introduced by two House lawmakers this week would create a "joint autonomy office" within the Pentagon with the goal of increasing the speed of development and delivery for autonomous technology across the services.

House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee Chairman Rob Wittman (R-VA), and Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), a member of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, have introduced the “Autonomous Systems Adoption & Policy Act,” which would create the new office within the Defense Department’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), according to a Friday announcement from Wittman’s office.

The CDAO is a relatively new office established in February 2022 that integrates the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, Defense Digital Services, the Chief Data Officer and the enterprise platform Advana.

The new proposed autonomy office would be an “enterprise platform” for all-domain autonomy testing, based on commercial best practices that is provided to existing military autonomy programs, according to Wittman’s office. The office would also include a DOD-wide framework for classifying autonomous capabilities and understanding operational requirements for technologies. Program managers in the department and industry experts would be part of the autonomy office.

Wittman said in a statement Friday that his and Ruppersberger’s legislation will “provide the DOD with the necessary resources and tools to coordinate autonomy adoption efforts across the department and accelerate delivery of trusted autonomous technologies to the warfighter in future U.S. military operations.”

Lawmakers in the House had previously been scheduled this week to mark up the annual defense authorization bill in subcommittees, but that has been delayed indefinitely as negotiations over the debt ceiling remain stalled.

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Defense Department fuel costs, the Aegis Ashore and Standard Missile-6 missile defense programs, the defense authorization bill markup process being delayed and more.

The Government Accountability Office, in an information paper shared with congressional appropriators and authorizers, states that as of March 2023, DOD has "understated" its fuel costs for FY-24 by around $1.6 billion, projecting a per-barrel cost of $111.73, while GAO projects $134.05:

GAO finds Pentagon has 'understated' fuel costs by $1.6B

The Government Accountability Office has found the Defense Department has underestimated its fuel costs for fiscal year 2024, creating a $1.6 billion shortfall that has gotten the attention of a senior Senate appropriator.

The head of the Missile Defense Agency was on Capitol Hill this week, talking about the Aegis Ashore and Standard Missile-6 programs:

Poland-based Aegis Ashore missile defense moves toward full operation

The Aegis Ashore system in Poland -- a land-based component of the Missile Defense Agency's missile defense system -- is operating as it undergoes certification, MDA Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill told Senate lawmakers.

After Patriot downs Russian missile, MDA wants to 'build out' counter-hypersonic capability

The Missile Defense Agency is publicly calling on the Army to collaborate on improving Patriot to give land forces protection from maneuvering hypersonic weapons after Ukraine -- to the evident surprise of Defense Department leaders -- debuted the U.S.-developed air and missile defense system by intercepting a Russian hypersonic missile.

In a press conference this week, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) said work on the annual defense policy bill has been postponed to give lawmakers more time to reach a fiscal agreement:

Debt ceiling negotiations ensnare defense bill

Senior Republicans say gridlock on Capitol Hill over the debt ceiling and GOP-backed spending cuts have forced a delay to the fiscal year 2024 defense authorization bill, a massive, must-pass piece of legislation lawmakers were scheduled to begin crafting this week.

The Patriot interceptor and Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System need multiyear procurement, DOD officials are now saying:

White House OMB seeks multiyear procurement for GMLRS, Patriot

The White House Office of Management and Budget, on behalf of the Defense Department, is now seeking multiyear procurement authority from Congress for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, according to a new amendment to the administration's fiscal year 2024 budget request.

Last but by no means least, the latest cyber defense news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

NIST releases first draft update of foundational CUI guidance

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, in the first draft of Special Publication 800-171 Rev. 3, is proposing new security measures for organizations handling sensitive federal data that more closely align NIST's massive catalog of security and privacy controls and allow for more flexibility in assessing risk.

Document: NIST special publication on protecting CUI

The Space Force is planning to start the construction of the first of three new radar sites under its Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability effort to enhance deep-space object tracking.

DARC is a ground-based, Space Domain Awareness radar system to detect, track and maintain custody of deep space objects 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the solar exclusion gap. DARC will augment the space surveillance network as an additional sensor with increased capacity and capability for deep space object custody, providing full global coverage, according to Space Force budget justification materials.

The three DARC sites will be the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, Frank Calvelli, Air Force assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration, noted in his testimony for a Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee hearing on April 26.

The Space Force expects to complete the Site-1 construction by the fourth quarter of calendar year 2025. The construction includes roads, buildings, utilities, foundations and installation of all antenna structures.

The DARC program, carried out as a Middle Tier of Acquisition activity, will develop, test and deliver one DARC site and provide a foundation for up to two more future sites located strategically across the world to provide global deep space radar capability to support SDA, according to budget justification materials.

The Space Force is seeking $21.4 million for fiscal year 2024. In addition, it has also requested $25.4 million and $28.7 million for FY-25 and FY-26 respectively.

The Marine Corps is looking for additional defense contractors capable of producing two future Amphibious Combat Vehicle variants, although the service cannot share the vehicles' technical data package with prospective builders.

A sources-sought notice published earlier this month makes clear that BAE Systems -- which holds a contract for the ACV and is in the process of delivering the first two variants -- owns the rights to the ACV technical data package.

As a result, prospective builders are required to demonstrate their ability to manufacture, deliver and provide fielding support for two variants that maintain commonality with the existing family of vehicles, without the use of ACV design data.

The government will not provide “vehicles as Government Furnished Equipment to modify an existing vehicle,” the notice adds.

The sources-sought notice applies to two planned vehicle variants in the ACV family of systems: a 30mm gun variant (ACV-30) and a command-and-control variant (ACV-C).

BAE is currently working to deliver command-and-control and personnel variants to the Marine Corps. The service is buying 13 ACV-Cs and 57 ACV-Ps at a total cost of $527 million in fiscal year 2023, and is looking to buy 80 more ACV-Ps in FY-24.

According to the notice, the new ACV-30 and ACV-R variants must maintain commonality with the existing family of vehicles across the drivetrain, powertrain, water propulsion, hull underbody, armor system, suspension system, steering system, braking system, driver’s station and vehicle commander’s station.

Prospective producers must have the ability to deliver ACV-30 and ACV-R vehicles for fielding beginning in the third quarter of FY-26 and ending no later than the fourth quarter of FY-29, the notice states. Desired vehicle quantities are listed as up to 175 ACV-30s and 34 ACV-Rs.

In April, a BAE spokesman told reporters the company had completed design work for the ACV-30 and is transitioning to production with the goal of delivering three “production- representative test cases” to the Marine Corps in early 2024 for test and evaluation. BAE plans to deliver ACV-R prototypes in early 2025.

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on an upcoming Air Force science and technology program review, defense contractor progress payments, missile defense on Guam and more.

The Air Force's top civilian spoke this morning at the Ash Carter Exchange on Innovation and National Security:

Air Force, Space Force to review all S&T programs

The Air Force and Space Force will review all of its science and technology development programs for viability, service Secretary Frank Kendall said Tuesday.

The lifting of the COVID-19 emergency status means the Pentagon will partly go back to its normal progress payment rates with contractors:

DOD issues post-pandemic progress payment changes

The Defense Department will begin to apply customary progress payment rates for large companies signing new contracts on or after July 7, but will keep the more generous pandemic-era rates in place for existing contracts.

The Missile Defense Agency late last week announced its intent to "prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with an Enhanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense (EIAMD) system for the defense of Guam":

DOD eyes 20 potential Guam sites to disperse sensors, control center, missile launchers

The Defense Department is eyeing 20 candidate locations across Guam -- including a few in areas not controlled by the military -- for a new 360-degree air and missile defense system, sites required to disperse sensors, missile launchers and command-and-control systems to defend the U.S. territory against advanced Chinese threats in the event of a conflict over Taiwan.

Document: MDA notice for Guam BMD EIS

Some Navy unmanned systems news:

Navy considers pilot training platform for Stingrays, Reapers

The Navy plans to purchase a training platform for MQ-25 Stingrays and MQ-9 Reapers in fiscal year 2024 to meet the growing demand for operators to run the uncrewed systems.

Up to 20 ships from 13 nations will converge in the North Atlantic between Norway and Scotland this week to demonstrate allied interoperability in a live-fire joint and combined Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) environment, using NATO command-and-control structures:

Major U.S.-European air and missile defense 'live-fire rehearsal' set for North Atlantic

U.S. and European naval forces next week will kick off the 2023 iteration of Formidable Shield, a U.S. 6th Fleet and NATO integrated air and missile defense exercise that will fold in F-35 fighter aircraft from the United States and Norway as well as ground units with advanced air defense and long-range strike capabilities.

The Army is hosting a "network-related technical exchange meeting" this month in Philadelphia for industry, according to a government notice.

The meeting, scheduled for May 24 and 25, will focus on the Army’s Network Capability Portfolio Review, artificial intelligence capabilities and command, control, computers, communications, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, according to the announcement.

The meeting will also feature discussion on the Army’s shift to division formation as the “unit of action” and how that impacts the capability set network design. It will include discussions of priority efforts for Capability Set 27 -- a capability set focused on multidomain capabilities such as higher bandwidth, anti-jamming capabilities, AI and machine learning capabilities, hardened 5G, dispersed mission command computing and convergence.

The event will also include prototype capability opportunities for industry as well as updates on other science and technology programs of record, the notice states.