The Insider

Navy publishes inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Strategy
By Nick Wilson
December 19, 2024 at 3:52 PM

The Navy released its first Advanced Manufacturing Strategy today intended to expand the service's use of technologies like additive manufacturing and 3D printing for construction, repair, re-work and the reverse engineering of parts.

The strategy includes three lines of effort, starting with “harness cutting-edge commercial capabilities for strategic advancement.” Under this effort, the Navy will look to expand the use of advanced tech in shipbuilding and weapon acquisition programs through various collaborations with industry.

The second line of effort, “modernizing organic depots and strengthening intermediate capabilities,” will see the Navy pushing to upgrade technology and train personnel within its public shipyards and other government-run installations, the document states.

The third and final line of effort, “strengthening warfighter self-sufficiency for mission success,” focuses on equipping forward-operating forces with advanced manufacturing tech to enable on-the-ground repairs and “on-demand manufacturing support,” the document indicates.

The new strategy, which aligns with the National Defense Strategy and the National Defense Industrial Strategy, implements recommendations provided by the Navy’s Science and Technology Board on opportunities to leverage additive manufacturing, according to a service announcement.

In addition to 3D printing and additive manufacturing, the strategy targets technologies including subtractive manufacturing, cold spray and directed-energy deposition and coatings removal, robotics and automation, data analytics as well as advanced machining.

“The leveraging of these cutting-edge innovations will allow the Navy and Marine Corps to maintain dominance. The department will continue to expand advanced manufacturing efforts in order to deliver lethal and affordable capabilities to the warfighter at the speed of relevance,” said Navy acquisition chief Nickolas Guertin in a statement included in the release.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Dec. 19, 2024
By John Liang
December 19, 2024 at 2:10 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the cyber battlespace, the Switchblade loitering munition system and more.

A new Defense Science Board report on the cyber battlespace is in the works:

DOD deputy tech chief seeks insight on cyber battlespace, citing 'major shift'

Pentagon deputy technology chief David Honey is directing the Defense Science Board to conduct a study on "all facets of battlespace management" with regards to the cyber domain.

The Government Accountability Office provided Inside Defense with more details around its denial of a protest by unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer Mistral Inc. for the Switchblade loitering munition system:

GAO: Army’s AeroVironment Switchblade award was justified

The Army’s decision to award a $990 million contract to AeroVironment for the Switchblade loitering munition system without a full and open competition was justified based on temporary acquisition authorities granted by Congress in the Fiscal Year 2023 and 2024 National Defense Authorization Acts, according to the Government Accountability Office.

The Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act would require the president to appoint a "maritime security adviser" to coordinate national maritime affairs and policy, as well as update the National Maritime Strategy:

New bipartisan, bicameral bill proposes overhaul of maritime security and industry

Lawmakers unveiled legislation today aiming to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and maritime industries through several key efforts, including the establishment of a new position within the White House to direct national maritime security policy.

A series of Self-Propelled Howitzer prototype demos will wrap up before the start of the new calendar year on schedule:

Self-propelled howitzer demos to wrap this month, competitive testing to follow

As the Army nears the end of its "road show" scouting systems across the world for its Self-Propelled Howitzer Modernization (SPH-M) program, its findings are guiding preparations for the next step: a competitive evaluation at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ, in fiscal year 2026.

Sen. Tim Kaine, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee, spoke about Virginia-class submarines this week:

Kaine calls for improved production and oversight as Senate votes to boost Virginia sub funding

Comprehensive reform is needed in the shipbuilding industry on all fronts, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) told reporters hours before the Senate voted 85-14 to approve increased submarine program funding in the compromise fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill.

DSB to study joint force nuclear survivability amid growing adversarial threats
By Shelley K. Mesch
December 19, 2024 at 12:34 PM

Defense Under Secretary Heidi Shyu has tasked the Defense Science Board with studying and providing recommendations on how prepared the Defense Department is to survive against and respond to a nuclear attack, according to a letter posted this week.

“Vladimir Putin’s veiled threats to use nuclear weapons in the conflict with Ukraine, for example, have led to questions not only about how to deter the use of nuclear weapons, but also about the ability of United States (U.S.) forces to survive, respond and prevail following another country’s use of nuclear weapons,” Shyu wrote in the letter dated Nov. 19.

North Korea’s nuclear advancement and the potential of Iran’s nuclear program also concern Shyu, she wrote, as they raise the potential of “opportunistic aggression accompanied by small-scale nuclear use in a second or third theater.”

The DSB’s Permanent Subcommittee on Threat Reduction will assess:

  • A spectrum of options for adversary nuclear employment including the number of weapons used, yield, employment method and troop exposure.
  • DOD directives and governance including the roles and responsibilities of combatant commands.
  • Access and maneuverability of the joint force in military and humanitarian response.
  • Nuclear survivability of weapon and communications systems and architecture.
  • Medical response and operations.
  • Coordination with allies and international organizations.
  • Technical and operational standards, capabilities and expertise to support the above.

Each service needs to coordinate on its nuclear survivability methods, she wrote, to maintain a balanced joint force.

Hegseth hearing scheduled for Jan. 14
By Tony Bertuca
December 19, 2024 at 10:57 AM

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s pick for defense secretary, is scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Jan. 14.

Hegseth tweeted that he will be prepared for the hearing following public statements about the date from Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), who is expected to become committee chairman next year.

“See you January 14,” Hegseth tweeted.

The nomination of the former Fox News host is controversial as he faces questions about his lack of Pentagon experience and allegations of sexual assault, mismanaging funds of a veterans organization he once led, and drinking on the job. Hegseth has denied all allegations and wrongdoing.

Trump, meanwhile, continues to publicly support Hegseth as the nominee works to shore up Republican votes.

Navy awards over $3.4 billion to Northrop Grumman for TACAMO aircraft
By Abby Shepherd
December 18, 2024 at 5:56 PM

The Navy has awarded over $3.4 billion to Northrop Grumman for the engineering and manufacturing development of the E-130J, the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission aircraft, according to a contract announcement Wednesday.

The contract includes funding designated for integration laboratories, training courses and devices, product support and the test and delivery of three engineering development model aircraft, according to the announcement.

Collins Aerospace and Lockheed Martin will be the designated subcontractors.

“This contract provides for the design, development, and integration of mature subsystems, to include Collins Aerospace’s Very Low Frequency into the government-furnished C-130J-30 air vehicle,” the announcement states.

The Navy’s program for airborne nuclear command, control and communications will replace the aging E-6B aircraft and is set to transition to a major capability acquisition pathway in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, a Navy spokesperson told Inside Defense in August.

Army awards Palantir $400M follow-on contract for Vantage
By Dan Schere
December 18, 2024 at 4:01 PM

The Army has awarded Palantir a $400 million contract to support the Army Vantage program as it transitions to be the Army Data Platform, the technology company announced today. The contract is for a period of up to four years.

The Army initially selected Palantir for the Vantage program in 2019 and awarded the company a $458 million production agreement at that time.

Vantage has supported more than 100,000 users to date and reached record high usage this year, according to Palantir.

The Army Data Platform will “continue all current capabilities and carry over the Vantage infrastructure to align with Army data policy and plans,” according to the company. The data platform will also expand to include “mission owners across the entire Army enterprise.” The mission owners will be able to bring new requirements to the platform, according to Palantir.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Dec. 18, 2024
By John Liang
December 18, 2024 at 2:48 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon's annual report on the Chinese military, the continuing resolution released by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and more.

The Defense Department has released its annual assessment of Chinese military capabilities:

DOD estimates actual Chinese military spending between $330B and $450B

China’s military budget is anywhere between 40% and 90% more than the amount publicly disclosed by the government in Beijing, according to the Defense Department's annual assessment of Chinese military capabilities.

Document: DOD's 2024 China military power report

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) unveiled a continuing resolution to fund the government through next March:

House GOP stopgap bill contains $14.6 billion in submarine funds

A massive, 1,547-page stopgap continuing resolution unveiled by the House GOP last night runs through March 14 and would, among a host of other provisions, provide $14.6 billion in funding for the Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine programs.

Document: FY-25 continuing resolution

Don't expect to see a public version of the Government Accountability Office's annual missile defense assessment anytime soon:

Annual MDA audit now classified 'CUI,' loss of transparency in new missile warfare era

Bowing to Defense Department "sensitivity concerns," congressional auditors will not make public the 2024 annual review of the Missile Defense Agency's work -- the first time in more than two decades the Government Accountability Office will cloak its report on MDA's progress in meeting the acquisition goals and objectives of a $246 billion project.

A new, experimental sub-10-inch-diameter solid-rocket motor took four months from concept to successful test:

Ursa Major, Raytheon advanced long-range SRM completes successful Army missile flight test

Solid-rocket motor startup Ursa Major and defense prime Raytheon teamed up to develop an advanced long-range, solid-rocket motor, which has completed a successful missile flight test for the Army, the companies announced Wednesday.

The head of the Space Development Agency spoke this week at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event celebrating the Space Force's fifth anniversary:

Lacking FAA approval, SDA runs costly tests outside of U.S.

The Space Development Agency has resorted to testing its Link 16 connections outside of the U.S. as Federal Aviation Administration approval remains out of reach, leading to extended timelines and higher costs, SDA director Derek Tournear said.

A bipartisan House task force report on artificial intelligence released this week "encapsulates a targeted approach that balances the need to promote vibrant AI innovation while safeguarding Americans from potential harms as we enter an era of widespread adoption of AI":

House task force sees AI as 'critical' for national security

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers released its findings and recommendations on artificial intelligence policy today, largely backing existing Pentagon efforts and warning of the increased use of AI by potential U.S. adversaries.

Document: House report on AI

A new Government Accountability Office report finds that the Navy's cruiser modernization effort "has been plagued with problems like schedule delays, wasted costs and poor-quality work":

Navy mismanaged contractors and 'wasted' nearly $2 billion in botched cruiser modernization plan, GAO finds

The Navy's mismanagement of an effort to modernize seven Ticonderoga-class cruisers has "wasted" nearly $2 billion and failed to deliver the intended service life extensions for most of the ships, according to a new report from government auditors that provides six recommendations to avoid similar pitfalls in future surface ship modernization plans.

Document: GAO report on Navy cruisers

Senate passes final FY-25 defense authorization bill
By Tony Bertuca
December 18, 2024 at 1:07 PM

The Senate voted today 85-14 to pass the final version of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill, sending the $895 billion piece of legislation to President Biden for his signature.

Biden is expected to sign the bill into law, making it the 64th consecutive year the legislation will be passed.

The bill, which passed the House last week 281-140, includes numerous provisions related to U.S. military policy and honors the spending cap set by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Democratic lawmakers have noted their opposition to a controversial provision in the bill “airdropped” by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) that would block the military’s health care program, TRICARE, from covering transgender medical treatment for the children of servicemembers.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI), prior to the bill’s passage, acknowledged the concerns of Republicans, who hoped to see a higher topline that broke the FRA cap and Democrats, who had sought to remove the transgender provision.

“Ultimately though, we have before us a very strong National Defense Authorization Act,” he said. “I am confident it will provide the Department of Defense and our military men and women with the resources they need to meet and defeat the national security threats we face.”

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the ranking member of the committee who is expected to become chairman in January when the GOP takes the chamber’s majority, said he hopes Congress will work “early next year” to increase defense spending.

Wicker and his team are working on a proposal to increase defense spending via an upcoming budget reconciliation bill.

Bell announces FLRAA production facility in Texas
By Dan Schere
December 18, 2024 at 9:45 AM

Bell Textron announced Tuesday that the company will build a production facility in Fort Worth, TX to support production of the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft.

The 447,000-square foot factory will focus on component manufacturing, according to a company press release. Bell plans to have the facility ready for when FLRAA, the eventual replacement for the Black Hawk, enters low-rate initial production in 2028. 

Lisa Atherton, president and CEO of Bell, said in a statement Tuesday that the company is “committed to establishing future manufacturing locations to deliver the first fielded aircraft by the early 2030s and do our part to revolutionize U.S. Army aviation.”

Bell won the FLRAA contract in December 2022, and the program moved to milestone B this past summer. Army officials have said that even when the new aircraft enter service after 2030, it will not be a one-for-one replacement for the Black Hawk.

Bell has established multiple manufacturing facilities since the Army awarded the FLRAA contract two years ago, and the company plans to continue design maturation and prototyping during the current engineering and manufacturing development stage.

Brig. Gen. David Phillips, the Army’s program executive officer for aviation, said in a statement Tuesday that the service is “committed to delivering the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft providing the speed, range and endurance needed to conduct effective air assault, MEDEVAC and resupply missions for future large scale combat operations.”

“It is great to see our industry partners share in that commitment by investing in state-of-the-art facilities to produce the Army’s first 'born digital' aircraft weapon system,” he said.

DOD maybe can't move remaining Ukraine aid before Trump takes office
By Tony Bertuca
December 17, 2024 at 5:42 PM

A senior defense official acknowledged today that the Pentagon might not be able to use all of its remaining $5.6 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority to rapidly transfer U.S. weapons to Ukraine before President-elect Trump is sworn in.

“We will continue to do drawdown packages for the remainder of this administration but $5.6 billion is a substantial amount of authority, so I would certainly anticipate that there could be remaining authority that could transition and be available for the next administration to use,” said the official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department does plan to exhaust its remaining $1.2 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds before the end of the calendar year. The money from USAI is used to put weapon systems directly under contract with U.S. defense firms, though it may take months or years for the capabilities to arrive on the battlefield.

Trump has long been critical of U.S. aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia and said during a televised speech yesterday that he intends to seek an end to the war by pushing both sides to negotiate for peace.

“He should be prepared to make a deal, that’s all,” Trump said of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said, “has to make a deal too.”

Trump also said he disagreed with the Biden administration’s decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range Army Tactical Missiles Systems to hit targets in Russia.

“I don’t think they should have allowed missiles to be shot 200 miles into Russia,” he said.

The remarks are the latest signal that Trump could seek to end or curtail U.S. military aid to Ukraine when he takes office in January.

“If I were president, that war would have never happened,” Trump said.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Dec. 17, 2024
By John Liang
December 17, 2024 at 11:32 AM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Space Force staffing structure, the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, the Navy's Columbia-class submarine and more.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies held an event today to mark the Space Force’s fifth anniversary:

Rogers calls for more Space Force guardians, pulling billets from Air Force and OSD

The Air Force and Office of the Secretary of Defense should transfer billets to the Space Force to grow the new service without adding to the Defense Department personnel total, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) said today.

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

CMMC accreditation body sets Jan. 2 launch for official assessments, releases updated guidance

The accreditation body behind the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program has announced next steps as the first rulemaking to implement the DOD initiative goes into effect, including a start date for assessments and the release of the assessment process guide.

Info-sharing leaders raise questions over industry needs in CISA incident response plan draft update

Stakeholders from the information technology and defense industrial base are urging the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to consider a wider range of industry needs as part of an effort to update the national cyber incident response plan for the first time in eight years.

Political leaders understand the critical role of modernizing the sea-based leg of nuclear deterrence, Rear Adm. Todd Weeks, program executive officer for strategic submarines, said at an Advanced Nuclear Weapons Alliance Deterrence Center panel this week:

Continued support for Columbia expected from incoming administration, Navy official says

Amid budget negotiations and the upcoming presidential transition, the future of the Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine program is critical, a Navy official said Monday.

During a first-of-its-kind, open-ocean demonstration, Military Sealift Command vessel Washington Chambers (T-AKE-11) was able to connect with Ticonderoga-class cruiser Chosin (CG-65) to aid in the reloading of the latter vessel’s MK 41 vertical launch system "many times" over multiple days in multiple sea states:

Navy reveals fresh details on TRAM demo as lawmakers advance calls for concrete fielding plan

As lawmakers advanced joint authorization legislation calling on the Navy to produce a concrete strategy for delivering an at-sea re-arming capability, service officials last week revealed new details about a successful demonstration of their developing Transferrable Reload At-sea Method (TRAM) conducted in October.

Space Force releases schedule of upcoming COMSATCOM requests for proposals
By Shelley K. Mesch
December 16, 2024 at 3:50 PM

The Space Force Commercial Satellite Communications Office last week released a provisional schedule for the COMSATCOM services the Defense Department will be seeking in calendar year 2025.

The 18 potential Future COMSATCOM Services Acquisition and COMSATCOM Satellite Business Solutions contracts -- which are subject to change as DOD requirements change -- are related to transponded capacity, subscription services or Complex COMSATCOM solutions.

The schedule provides anticipated request for quote release dates and award dates for the various requested services as well as estimated life-cycle values ranging from less than $300,000 to more than $900 million.

Services will be requested in various areas of responsibility, including the Americas, Africa and the Indo-Pacific, as well as for global operations.

Transponded capacity services would include satellite and bandwidth power requirements.

Subscription services would use contractor-determined waveforms billed on a per-use basis.

Complex COMSATCOM solutions could include satellite transport bandwidth, service-enabling components and other maintenance efforts to allow DOD to “build large, complex and custom satellite solutions,” according to the notice.

GAO denies protest of Aerovironment Switchblade contract
By Dan Schere
December 16, 2024 at 3:32 PM

The Government Accountability Office has denied the protest of a contract awarded in August to AeroVironment worth up to $990 million for the Switchblade loitering munition system, according to GAO's website.

The Army awarded the AeroVironment contract Aug. 27 in support of its lethal unmanned systems directed requirement aimed at equipping infantry battalions with loitering munition systems.

Mistral Inc, a company that produces tactical UAVs, including loitering munitions, filed a protest of the AeroVironment award on Sept. 6. Initially, the Army issued a stop-work order on the contract, however, that was lifted later in September.

The GAO denied Mistral’s protest on Dec. 13, according to the office’s protest database. Additional details were not immediately available.

Army issues sources-sought notice for brigade-level UAS
By Dan Schere
December 16, 2024 at 2:17 PM

The Army issued a sources-sought notice last week to industry for assessing brigade-level uncrewed aircraft systems that will be used in a "follow-on demonstration" supporting maneuver elements.

The Army’s Program Executive Office for Aviation is seeking information on “available, production ready, and cost-effective UAS as an interim capability,” the notice states. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platform for training is required. Additionally, the system must be field-level reconfigurable and include a modular payload capability for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, according to the Army.

The UAS must comply with provisions in the 2020 and 2023 National Defense Authorization Acts that prohibit the Pentagon from buying drones from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, according to the notice.

In addition to the follow-on demonstration, the drone may be used to fulfill a directed requirement or future urgent capability acquisition, the notice states.

In June 2023 the Army approved a directed requirement for company level small UAS. The service then selected Anduril Industries’ Ghost X and Performance Drone Works’ C-100 for the first tranche of the directed requirement. The fielding of those two systems also falls under Tranche 1.2 of the Defense Department’s Replicator initiative.

Pentagon launching new defense industrial base advisory committee
By Theresa Maher
December 16, 2024 at 2:10 PM

The Pentagon is poised to launch a new federal advisory committee tasked with providing recommendations to strengthen the defense industrial base, according to a Federal Register notice published Monday.

The Strategic and Critical Materials Board of Directors (S&CM BOD) will focus on addressing “challenges and opportunities concerning the National Defense Stockpile program,” according to the notice.

The panel will consist of 13 to 20 members and will be chaired by the assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy. Four other cabinet secretaries -- commerce, state, energy and interior -- will each appoint a member to the board. The chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services readiness subcommittees will each designate someone for board membership as well.

The establishment of the board, which was directed by the FY-23 National Defense Authorization Act, follows the release of an implementation plan for DOD’s first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy.

The board’s requirements are detailed in a subsection in the Strategic and Critical Materials Stockpiling Act -- Title 50 of the U.S. Code, Chapter 5, Subchapter III, Section 98.