The Insider

By Abby Shepherd
April 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- Unmanned surface vessel developer Saildrone -- in partnership with Thales Australia -- recently successfully integrated an autonomous payload with its Surveyor USV, both companies announced during Sea-Air-Space.

In recent sea trials funded by the Office of Naval Research, Thales’ BlueSentry thin-line towed array sonar system was paired with Saildrone’s Surveyor. When integrated, the project demonstrated the two components “can effectively detect and classify both underwater and surface threats and report this information to decision makers in real time,” according to a Saildrone news release.

During the trial, the USV and BlueSentry sonar system operated for 26 continuous days, maintaining uptime greater than 96%. The system uses Starlink and Iridium satellites to secure data transmission, according to the release.

“The acoustic performance of the BlueSentry array, paired with a platform as silent and capable as the Saildrone Surveyor, represents a considerable step forward in undersea observation,” Saildrone CEO Richard Jenkins said in a news release. “The extreme endurance of the system allows us to put eyes and ears in places that were previously out of reach, at a cost point orders of magnitude below traditional manned surveillance platforms.”

The sea trials follow recent moves by Saildrone to improve operations in GPS-denied environments. The company announced a new positioning system in March, one that allows USVs to operate in places with no access to GPS.

By John Liang
April 4, 2025 at 1:05 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Russia's military manpower buildup, plus Army Materiel Command's use of AI in its supply chain and more.

Gen. Christopher Cavoli, the head of U.S. European Command, testified this week at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing:

EUCOM warns of Russian land buildup as Army eyes cuts in wake of Hegseth budget drill

The Army is reportedly weighing the most significant troop reduction in years, even as military commanders in Europe warn that Russia is reconstituting its land forces at a speed and scale which could challenge NATO deterrence before the alliance fully rebuilds its own.

Document: EUCOM, AFRICOM FY-26 posture statements

Inside Defense recently chatted with a senior Army Materiel Command official in Alabama on the sidelines of a big AUSA convention:

Army Materiel Command wants to use AI to identify critical supply chain gaps

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- When Richard Martin, the director of supply chain management at Army Materiel Command, wants to find out more information about a long-lead item, he can see how many vendors are on contract and which ones have delivered on time. But Martin and his AMC team want to know more.

(Read our full AUSA coverage.)

Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman spoke to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission this week:

Space Force needs S&T funding to compete with China’s space efforts

The Space Force will need to secure more funding for early-stage developments that have the potential to fail if the U.S. hopes to remain competitive with China in future space capabilities, according to the service's top officer.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS), in a Washington Post op-ed, wrote this week that the "opening salvo" of the reconciliation package, combined with his acquisition reform proposal and an "additional real growth" in the defense topline for fiscal year 2026, would be akin to a good "opening act":

Wicker sees GOP budget resolution as 'opening act' for major defense surge

Senate Republicans have proposed a budget reconciliation package that would pump $150 billion into the U.S. defense topline in the coming years, with one senior GOP chairman laying out an ambitious vision for new spending and reform that he says would mirror the Reagan and Eisenhower eras.

The first GENUS regional repair element will be housed within the Support Center Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan and operated by the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex:

First Air Force GENUS nodes to stand up in Japan in three to five years

The Air Force Sustainment Center is finalizing plans with Japan to establish the first Regional Repair Facility via the Global Enterprise Network for Universal Sustainment in the next three to five years, Inside Defense has learned, but a pilot program could arrive in as soon as one year.

By Nick Wilson
April 4, 2025 at 11:29 AM

The first operational unit of a developing passive sensing and targeting system designed by L3Harris for use on Navy surface ships is expected to be installed aboard an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in 2027 and integrated with the vessel's Aegis Combat System, according to company executives.

L3Harris was selected by the Navy to build this system -- the Shipboard Panoramic Electro-Optic/Infrared (SPEIR) -- in 2022, receiving an initial $205 million award with a potential value of up to $593 million if all options are exercised.

The program completed its critical design review in March 2024 and is now expected to deliver a “demonstration asset” later this year to begin testing with the Navy, according to Jon Rambeau, president of integrated mission systems at L3Harris.

The passive system uses electro-optic and infrared (EO/IR) imagery sensors and is designed to complement the active radar systems already used on surface ships, Rambeau told reporters ahead of the Navy League's annual Sea-Air-Space conference.

“This is really designed to complement the active radar systems that are onboard surface ships, so that they can operate ‘lights out,’ and turn that radar off when they don't want to be exposed and identify themselves as a target, and instead use a passive system that doesn't emit any energy to be able to do long-range detection, categorization and tracking of targets,” he said.

In addition to this “lights out” application, Rambeau said SPEIR will improve upon existing systems by providing a longer-range detection capability and by using artificial intelligence to identify and classify targets.

“You may not get the range of a SPY radar, but you will get a very long-range, accurate EO/IR that will give you a visual picture of what it is out there with a fairly high resolution in many cases,” he said. “It should be able, with the AI capability, to start working through a catalog of known assets to categorize and prioritize threats.”

To date, the program has successfully completed six software build reviews and three design verification test events at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division in Indiana and at the Directed Energy Systems Integration Laboratory (DESIL) in California, an L3Harris spokesperson told Inside Defense.

L3Harris is currently procuring materials to support engineering development model unit builds in 2025 and the start of system level environmental and functional qualification testing in late 2025, the spokesperson said.

By Dominic Minadeo
April 4, 2025 at 10:44 AM

The Army will brief industry in late April on the service's projected program goals and potential contracting plans for the next two fiscal years to give companies an idea of how to compete, according to an announcement posted today.

Contractors, small businesses and academia will gather at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD on April 22 and April 23, for what the Army calls the “Advance Planning Briefing to Industry,” where program executive offices and Army commands will lay out their outlook for the next couple years.

“The APG APBI will identify and showcase potential contracting opportunities that are closely tied to the organization’s roadmap, enabling industry stakeholders to prepare and respond to emerging needs,” the announcement reads.

Day one will include briefings from Communications-Electronics Command, Combat Capabilities Development Command, Army Test and Evaluation Command and the joint program executive office for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense.

Day two will follow with presentations from the intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors PEO and the command, control, communications and network PEO, according to the release.

Aside from the main briefings at Myer Auditorium, the Army is also offering additional in-person and one-on-one sessions for certain programs at the Mallette Training Facility at APG during the two-day event.

By Theresa Maher
April 3, 2025 at 4:59 PM

The Pentagon's innovation arm announced today the launch of its anticipated digital marketplace for pre-approved commercial manufacturing companies to partner with commercial defense technology vendors.

The announcement marks one of the first flagship initiatives out of the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue Manufacturing program, the Blue Manufacturing Marketplace, aimed at establishing “a pre-vetted catalog of trusted advanced manufacturing companies capable of scaling defense technology production,” DIU said.

The initial cohort will identify trusted manufacturing partners across six categories for department needs, according to DIU. That includes parts production for large and small-format metal additives, composite or ceramic additives and automated metal machining and forming. It would also include partners enabling automated and advanced post-processing and 3D-printed tooling.

The announcement comes just under a month after Liz Young McNally, DIU’s deputy director of commercial operations, teased its arrival to attendees at the Reagan National Security Innovation Base Summit in early March.

Young McNally described the process of building the marketplace, in which manufacturing companies would submit applications, DIU would vet them and after the manufacturers were in the system, the marketplace would enable a matching function so defense technology vendors could better find them.

“In the short term,” DIU said in the release, “a successful Marketplace will enable technology companies to seamlessly identify and work with trusted manufacturing entities. Longer-term success will enable the DOD and USG to have a stronger U.S. and partner based supply chain for scaling needed technologies.”

The marketplace is meant to be an evolving solution, DIU and Young McNally have pointed out.

“We’re going to iterate as we go,” she said in early March.

The DIU release echoed that sentiment, saying the organization plans to continue building out other areas in advanced manufacturing in the coming year.

By Tony Bertuca
April 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM

The Pentagon inspector general’s office has sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth notifying him that an investigation has begun into the so-called "Signalgate" controversy at the behest of two senior senators.

The IG says its investigation, initiated at the request of Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) will focus on “recent public reporting on the Secretary of Defense's use of an unclassified commercially available messaging application to discuss information pertaining to military actions in Yemen in March 2025.”

Last month, The Atlantic reported that senior members of President Trump’s cabinet, including Hegseth, discussed military plans and operations related to a March 15 airstrike against Houthi militants in Yemen over Signal, a commercial messaging app, and mistakenly included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of the magazine, in the group chat while active military missions were discussed and executed.

Atlantic later published additional information that was allegedly introduced to the text chain by Hegseth and included a timeline for the imminent attack and what U.S. weapons were to be used.

The objective of the investigation, according to the IG, is to determine the extent to which Hegseth and other DOD officials complied with policies and procedures “for the use of a commercial messaging application for official business” and whether officials complied with classification and records retention requirements.

Congressional Democrats have been most vocal in their criticism of Hegseth and national security adviser Mike Waltz, who created the text chain that inadvertently exposed sensitive attack plans to a journalist.

Hegseth maintains that he did not discuss classified information in the text chain.

“No names. No targets. No locations. No units. No routes. No sources. No methods,” he wrote on X. “And no classified information.”

By John Liang
April 3, 2025 at 2:15 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on repair facilities in the Indo-Pacific region, the Army's nascent tethered surveillance program and more.

The first GENUS regional repair element will be housed within the Support Center Pacific at Kadena Air Base, Japan and operated by the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex:

First Air Force GENUS nodes to stand up in Japan in three to five years

The Air Force Sustainment Center is finalizing plans with Japan to establish the first Regional Repair Facility via the Global Enterprise Network for Universal Sustainment in the next three to five years, Inside Defense has learned, but a pilot program could arrive in as soon as one year.

The Army's new tethered surveillance program aims to improve the service's ability to monitor and respond to threats in complex operational environments through long-dwell, multisensor aerostat systems:

Army rolls out $4.2 billion aerostat project to boost battlefield surveillance

The Army is prepared to commit as much as $4.2 billion over the next decade to modernize its tethered surveillance capabilities, awarding a multivendor contract to 10 firms to develop and deliver upgraded versions of its Persistent Surveillance Systems-Tethered (PSS-T).

The latest cyber defense news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

Pentagon plans to include operational technology, Internet of Things in next stage of zero-trust adoption

The Pentagon is setting zero-trust implementation goals for operational technology and the Internet of Things, according to acting Chief Information Officer Katie Arrington and program manager Randy Resnick, who provided updates at a symposium on the Defense Department's efforts to meet a fiscal year 2027 deadline for adopting zero trust.

Pentagon acting CIO Arrington outlines aggressive approach to zero-trust planning

Katie Arrington is committed in her new role as acting chief information officer at the Pentagon to taking an aggressive approach to implementing zero trust across the Defense Department through enforcing high standards for budget priorities and working to change the acquisition landscape.

At least one senator is warning of the adverse effects a trade war would have on the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base:

Senators cite shipbuilding costs amid bipartisan push to cancel Canada tariffs

United States shipbuilding is at risk under President Trump's tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, according to Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who is leading a bipartisan push in the Senate to end a 25% tariff levied on the majority of Canadian goods.

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), a vocal supporter of his home state's military installations, during a hearing this week spotlighted the aging F-15C fleet currently flown by the Louisiana Air National Guard and questioned why the Air Force would send the latest air superiority fighters abroad when domestic bases are still flying decades-old aircraft:

Higgins presses for F-15EX fighters to defend U.S. homeland instead of overseas bases

A Louisiana lawmaker challenged the Air Force's plan to deploy next-generation F-15EX fighter jets to Japan, arguing the most advanced variant of the twin-engine aircraft should instead be stationed on U.S. soil -- specifically at the 159th Fighter Wing based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans.

By Shelley K. Mesch
April 2, 2025 at 4:17 PM

The Air Force along with the Army and Navy will hold an industry day Friday, May 9 on their contributions to the Defense Department's Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control effort, according to a notice posted today.

The Air Force’s program executive officer for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management will host the information session in Chantilly, VA.

“The purpose of this industry day is to articulate the direction of each service’s respective contributions to” CJADC2, according to the notice.

The morning session will be unclassified before moving to a classified briefing.

Only 190 attendees will be allowed, and registration closes April 9.

By Dominic Minadeo
April 2, 2025 at 2:29 PM

The Army has awarded an other transaction agreement to the Ohio-based engineering firm 3dB Labs to build a prototype of the Spectrum Situational Awareness System, according to a press release the service put out today.

The $6.1 million OTA was awarded through the Consortium for Command, Control and Communications in Cyberspace, and it spans a 14-month performance period where 3dB Labs will build and demonstrate the capability, designed to modernize how the Army uses the electromagnetic spectrum, according to the release.

“S2AS directly enhances the survivability and effectiveness of our soldiers on the battlefield,” Ken Strayer, project manager for Electronic Warfare and Cyber, said in a statement. “By integrating feedback from Transformation in Contact (TiC) units, including Electronic Warfare Soldiers and Spectrum Managers, we’re ensuring the system is specifically tailored to meet their operational needs.”

The Army requested $9.3 million for S2AS, a new start program, in fiscal year 2025. After passing the Pentagon’s first-ever yearlong continuing resolution last month, congressional appropriators suggested cutting that figure in half in project level adjustment tables sent by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

The system will be an integral part of the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control effort, as it will allow commanders to spot themselves on the electromagnetic spectrum and adjust as needed to “allow them to reposition or mask their own capabilities or limit their [electromagnetic] signature,” Strayer said back in December.

“They can maintain the ability to communicate while also picking up any unknown things going on in the environment that may be impacting the Army’s ability to communicate,” he said.

S2AS has a “flexible, modular architecture” designed for deployment in both the hands of soldiers or on vehicles, depending on the mission, according to the release. The program is on schedule with an operational demonstration planned for FY-26 and the first unit issued in FY-27.

“Modernizing spectrum awareness capabilities will enhance commanders’ ability to visualize and control the electromagnetic environment, enabling more effective decision making and improving protection to win the fight for spectrum dominance,” Maj. Cedric Harris, assistant product manager for electronic warfare integration, said in a statement.

By John Liang
April 2, 2025 at 1:30 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's Next Generation Command and Control network upgrade program, the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system and more.

We start off with coverage of the Army's Next Generation Command and Control network upgrade program:

Army gives industry 'short window' for NGC2 feedback before next steps

The Army posted a call for industry feedback on its wholesale network upgrade program, Next Generation Command and Control, yesterday evening after telling reporters on Monday that an announcement was imminent.

Army readying NGC2 for division-level experiment next year

The Army is gearing up to inform industry on how to compete in next steps of its Next Generation Command and Control program as it pivots toward scaling to the division level at next year's Project Convergence Capstone 6, just weeks after it finished this year's experiment, service officials said during a roundtable at the Pentagon Monday.

Plus news on Golden Dome and other missile defense systems:

NORTHCOM, SPACECOM drafting 'Golden Dome' capability requirement

The Pentagon is moving forward with a formal plan to define requirements for "Golden Dome for America," a Trump administration initiative to build a next-generation missile and air defense system to protect the U.S. homeland.

Caine backs Golden Dome as 'natural candidate' for joint program

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. John Caine, nominated to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told senators today he believes the burgeoning Golden Dome missile defense architecture has all the characteristics of major defense systems that are managed by the Pentagon as joint programs.

Glide Phase Interceptor program not 'set up for success,' MDA official warns

The Pentagon's marquee effort to build an interceptor capable of defeating hypersonic missiles during their glide phase is at risk of slipping further behind adversary threat advances unless Congress and defense leadership move quickly to inject new funding, a senior Missile Defense Agency official said this week.

Designed to replace the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the XM30 is a middle tier acquisition rapid prototyping program that’s in its digital design phase, where Army leaders are evaluating and tweaking details and components before it builds prototypes:

XM30 milestone B decision pushed to the summer, halting IG audit

The Army's next-generation, optionally manned fighting vehicle missed its scheduled deadline for a milestone B decision yesterday as the service says it's looking toward the summer to pivot instead, inadvertently ending an audit from the Pentagon's inspector general.

By John Liang
April 1, 2025 at 2:56 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Golden Dome missile defense system, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directing "the realignment of the Defense Department's civilian workforce" and more.

Senior defense officials spoke at a number of forums hosted by the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance:

After suffering a bruising critique, MDA publicly lobbies for role to lead Golden Dome

A senior Missile Defense Agency official today pushed back against recent criticism that the organization lacks the agility and structure to lead the Trump administration's ambitious "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative, casting MDA as uniquely equipped to integrate and deliver a homeland shield against modern missile threats.

VCSO: Boost-phase intercept may be technically feasible, but cost remains the rub

The Pentagon’s No. 2 space officer says advances in technology may have made space-based, boost-phase missile interception technically feasible, a shift from decades of skepticism -- though he cautioned that the real hurdle may lie in cost and organizational complexity.

The Missile Defense Agency recently published a Multiple Authority Announcement, a planned five-year initiative that consolidates traditional and nontraditional acquisition pathways under a single contracting vehicle and will serve as a gateway for future solicitations focused on what it hopes to be breakthrough defense capabilities:

Pentagon unveils broad acquisition framework in prelude to Golden Dome launch

The Missile Defense Agency has unveiled a comprehensive new framework to streamline its acquisition of next-generation missile defense technologies, consolidating a broad range of contracting authorities under a single umbrella -- a move that comes as the Pentagon seeks assistance from non-traditional suppliers for its Golden Dome project.

In a March 28 memo, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directs "the realignment of the Defense Department's civilian workforce":

Hegseth seeks plans to 'right-size DOD'

Senior Pentagon officials have until April 11 to submit new proposals to cut, consolidate and restructure the Defense Department, including U.S. combatant commands, according to a new memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Document: Hegseth memo on 'workforce acceleration & recapitalization initiative'

The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing last week to consider the nominations of Troy Meink to be Air Force secretary, Michael Duffey to be under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and Emil Michael to be under secretary of defense for research and engineering:

DOD acquisition nominee prioritizes speed, incentives for risk-taking

Michael Duffey, nominated to be under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that he believes wars of the future will be “won on the factory floor” just as much as on the battlefield.

Pentagon nominee for acquisition chief to consider CMMC impact on businesses if confirmed

Michael Duffey, nominee for under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, weighed in on the future of the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program ahead of his recent Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing.

SECAF nominee commits to increasing number of aircraft in fleet, fielding younger platforms

Troy Meink, President Trump's nominee to be the next Air Force secretary, today committed to adding more aircraft to the service’s aging inventory, telling lawmakers the current fleet is the oldest and smallest in the Air Force’s history.

Document: Meink, Duffey, Michael, Bass nomination APQs

PrSM is designed to replace the Army Tactical Missile System, and Increment One has a baseline range of 400 kilometers:

Army awards nearly $5B contract for Precision Strike Missiles

The Army awarded prime contractor Lockheed Martin a $4.9 billion contract to produce more Precision Strike Missiles last week, the Pentagon announced Friday.

As part of an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1, two new companies will be able to compete for upcoming launch missions over the next four years:

Rocket Lab, Stoke Space join Space Force NSSL roster with $5.6B IDIQ ceiling

The Space Force awarded Rocket Lab and Stoke Space contracts of up to $5.6 billion to join the roster of launch providers available to the service for future missions.

By Tony Bertuca
April 1, 2025 at 2:29 PM

The Senate Armed Services Committee has voted to advance the nomination of Elbridge Colby to be under secretary of defense policy.

The committee did not announce a vote count.

During his March 4 nomination hearing, Colby, who would be one of the primary authors of the Trump administration’s upcoming national defense strategy, said he wants to deliver a “realistic strategy of prioritization focused on China” while working with allies in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

“We don’t have a military that's capable of fighting four adversaries,” he said. "Because the threat is so acute and so realistic, and because of the very real possibility of multifront war, we must have a realistic plan. I feel a special obligation that, if confirmed, I must deliver a strategy that actually deals with that.”

He also emphasized the need to expand the U.S. defense industrial base.

By Theresa Maher
April 1, 2025 at 1:24 PM

The Office of Strategic Capital received requests totaling $8.9 billion for its inaugural loan program targeting domestic manufacturing capabilities, highlighting "the critical need for federal financing to scale domestic manufacturing of technologies vital to national and economic security," the Defense Department said in a release today.

The $8.9 billion requested comes from 200 Part 1 Applications to OSC’s inaugural loan program -- a value “which significantly exceeds” the $984 million in credit available per a September Notice of Funds Availability, DOD said.

Manufacturers who applied spanned “various sizes, growth stages, and sectors” across 38 states, according to DOD.

“OSC has been engaging directly with existing applicants,” according to its website. Part 2 of the application is invitation-only, the September NOFA stated.

The strategic capital office “expects to approve financing and deploy capital to selected applicants later this year,” DOD said.

By Dominic Minadeo
April 1, 2025 at 1:15 PM

The Army has put down a $95 million order for heavy tactical vehicles from Oshkosh Defense, part of which includes orders for the service's first logistics truck designed for autonomy, an Oshkosh press release announced today.

The A2 version of the Army’s Palletized Load System is being built with a “digital backbone” to host the Autonomous Transport Vehicle System, a middle-tier acquisition, rapid prototyping program designed to replace a driver with a suite of robotic sensors. The PLS is capable of transportation missions over short and long distances, known as local and line-haul, as well as resupplying units in the field.

“The PLS A2 exemplifies how Oshkosh Defense is harnessing next-generation autonomy to enable human-machine integration and enhance operational efficiency,” Pat Williams, chief programs officer for Oshkosh, said in a statement. “As the U.S. Army advances its ‘transformation in contact’ initiatives, we remain committed to engineering mission-critical solutions that deliver technologies that can be rapidly integrated within existing operational units.”

The PLS A2 also comes with added protections for soldiers like by-wire and active-safety systems. The order came out of the Army’s $1.5 billion contract with Oshkosh for heavy tactical trucks, awarded back in August.

Production of the PLS A2 will kick off this year, according to the press release.

By Theresa Maher
April 1, 2025 at 10:29 AM

The Pentagon's innovation arm is once again partnering with its counterparts from Australia and the United Kingdom to seek solutions for accelerated scaling that would enable operational advantages across environments, the Defense Innovation Unit announced yesterday.

It’s the second such initiative to come from AUKUS Pillar II -- a defense and security partnership between the U.S. and the two nations aimed at boosting joint defense capabilities.

The launch also comes nearly seven months after winners from the inaugural AUKUS Electronic Warfare Innovation Challenge were announced in September.

DIU, along with Australia’s Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator and the U.K.’s Defence and Security Accelerator, is seeking commercial technology solutions that would “enhance the sensing, interpreting and navigating capabilities of autonomous platforms to provide an operational advantage in all environments,” DIU said.

Solutions should also be operational in a “relevant environment,” which would be at Technology Readiness Level 6, according to the release.

Solutions are also expected to “deliver advantages across capabilities” including but not limited to -- near-real time communications between undersea vehicles, command and control systems, battle management solutions and seabed systems, as well as operations and communications in a contested or congested, dynamic and complex environment, DIU said.

A combined $9 million is expected to be awarded across the AUKUS alliance for three to 10 proposals, and applications close April 28.