The Insider

Army picks 3dB Labs to prototype electromagnetic spectrum new start
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.

The INSIDER daily digest -- April 2, 2025
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.

The INSIDER daily digest -- April 1, 2025
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.

Colby's nomination for DOD policy chief moves forward
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.

Applications for inaugural OSC loan total $8.9B, 'significantly exceeding' $984M available
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.

Army places $95 million order for autonomy-ready heavy tactical vehicles
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.

DIU, AUKUS innovation counterparts launch second trilateral maritime solution challenge
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.

Former Army EW chief named to senior DOD cyber policy post
By Theresa Maher
March 31, 2025 at 1:49 PM

The Defense Department has named former Army official Laurie Buckhout as its new cyber policy chief, according to an announcement today.

Buckhout, an Army veteran who served as chief of the service’s electronic warfare division from 2006 through 2010, began her new job as deputy assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy on March 17, DOD said.

After retiring from the Army, Buckhout was a member of the team conducting the 2013 Defense Science Board Summer Study on 21st Century EMS Operations, served as international vice president and president of the Association of Old Crows and returned to government as a member of the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee for the Commerce Department from 2016 to 2019.

Buckhout also founded Corvus Consulting, a strategic consulting group specializing in electronic warfare and cyberspace operations. It sold to information technology company Castellum in 2019 -- where she served as chief strategist that same year until 2023.

She also lost the race for a North Carolina congressional seat to incumbent Rep. Don Davies (D) in November.

Buckhout said in the release she “could not be happier to be once again serving [her] country under our 29th Secretary of Defense, Secretary Hegseth.”

“The Defense Department’s cyber warriors,” she continued, “are some of the most powerful force multipliers in our arsenal to deter aggression, secure our borders, and assist our allies in strengthening their own defenses.”

The INSIDER daily digest -- March 31, 2025
By John Liang
March 31, 2025 at 1:13 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on U.S. Transportation Command's current posture, plus thousands of civilians in Army Materiel Command opting to participate in the service's deferred resignation program, the Space Development Agency’s data transport satellites and more.

The House Armed Services readiness and seapower and projection forces subcommittees gathered last week to discuss U.S. Transportation Command's current posture:

Lawmakers debate merits of raising limit on foreign, used vessel purchases

Several lawmakers pushed back last week against U.S. Transportation Command Commander Gen. Randall Reed's request to raise the limit on buying foreign-made and used ships, arguing for resources to be shifted to domestic shipbuilding instead.

Document: TRANSCOM chief's FY-26 posture statement

The Pentagon, under the Trump administration, has set a goal of cutting between 5% and 8% of its global civilian workforce:

About 2,500 civilians in Army Materiel Command have opted for deferred resignation

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- About 2,500 civilians in Army Materiel Command have opted to participate in the service's deferred resignation program, according to a leader from the command.

Solicitations for Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 Transport Layer satellites -- part of SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture -- may be rescinded:

Air Force may cancel SDA Transport Layer development, award contracts to SpaceX, senator says

The Air Force is considering canceling development plans for the Space Development Agency’s data transport satellites in favor of awarding SpaceX contracts to provide that service with its Starshield constellations, according to Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND).

An Air Mobility Command spokesperson recently said the organization doesn't know how the yearlong continuing resolution will affect autonomy projects:

Reliable Robotics to continue KC-135 autonomy work despite funding uncertainty

An ongoing Air Mobility Command effort to add autonomous flight capabilities from Reliable Robotics to its aging KC-135 Stratotanker fleet will continue in some form whether it receives money through the yearlong continuing resolution or not, according to the service and a company official.

The head of Army Futures Command spoke recently at the Association of the U.S. Army's annual Global Force conference:

Rainey says Army must replicate UAS threat for training at 'ridiculously low' price point

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Gen. James Rainey, the head of Army Futures Command, is emphasizing to industry that the service needs to acquire significantly more low-cost drone options for training at home stations.

GE Aerospace awarded subcontract for avionics work on FLRAA
By Dan Schere
March 31, 2025 at 9:57 AM

GE Aerospace was awarded a subcontract to "design, develop and deliver" avionics systems for the Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, the company announced today.

Bell Textron won the contract for FLRAA in late 2022, and the program entered milestone B last summer.

FLRAA will eventually begin operation as the successor to the Black Hawk helicopter starting around 2030, although officials have said it will not be a one-for-one replacement and Black Hawks will continue flying until the 2070s.

GE Aerospace is involved in the development of the “digital backbone,” according to a press release from the company. This allows changes to be made to the system “without going to the systems integrator, which optimizes the cost and speed of change” by moving data quickly through the aircraft.

Tanika Watson, GE Aerospace’s general manager for future vertical lift, said in a statement Monday that the digital backbone “provides the framework to make aircraft system modifications and realize the benefits of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) designs from the outside of Future Vertical Lift programs.”

“Entering this next phase enables us to continue advancing the digital backbone for the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift programs,” Watson said.

The week ahead
By Tony Bertuca
March 31, 2025 at 5:00 AM

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

Monday

The Hudson Institute hosts a discussion on autonomous military systems.

Tuesday

The House Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on national security challenges in North and South America.

The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on the nomination of retired Lt. Gen. John Caine to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Wednesday

The House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee holds a hearing on small unmanned aerial systems and counter-SUAS.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts a discussion on artificial intelligence and defense production.

Thursday

The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command.

WH letter highlights emerging technology areas increasingly eyed for DOD use
By Theresa Maher
March 28, 2025 at 11:41 AM

President Trump emphasized areas of emerging technology with increasing focus for military applications in a Wednesday letter to the administration’s leader for science and technology policy.

The letter tasks Michael Kratsios, director for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, with providing insight on three key topics of interest for the administration -- including ways in which the United States can “secure its position as the unrivaled world leader” in critical and novel areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum information science and nuclear technology.

“Rival nations are pushing hard to overtake the United States, and we must blaze a bold path to maintain our technological supremacy,” Trump writes to Kratsios.

All three topics of concern mentioned are included in a list of 14 “critical technology areas vital to maintaining the United States’ national security,” as identified by the Defense Department. In that vein, they’ve each seen increased attention, investment and adoption across the department recently.

Quantum information science

The Defense Innovation Unit announced earlier this month that it is set to field and test quantum sensing systems -- a technology falling under the quantum information science category -- for military applications as part of its Transition of Quantum Sensors project.

The announcement came nearly five months after a bipartisan Senate duo sent a letter to then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in October seeking insight into the department’s use of quantum sensing technology to maintain a strategic advantage over the nation’s adversaries.

It also came nearly seven months after a Defense Science Board study pointed to the potential application of quantum inertial sensors as GPS alternatives.

Artificial intelligence

The U.S. Army is developing a plan, in collaboration with the other services, to create an artificial intelligence-enabled fire-control network to support the “Golden Dome” executive order, a service official told Inside Defense earlier this week.

It comes after DIU awarded a prototype contract earlier this month for its Thunderforge initiative -- aimed at integrating AI into military planning and wargaming -- which it plans to initially deploy for use by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. European Command.

Nuclear Technology

The Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a contract modification valued at $383 million in late January for the next life extension of the Trident II D5 missile -- to design and develop a modernized version of the submarine-launched, nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile. It would aim to extend operational service for the sea leg of the nuclear triad through 2084.

Earlier that week, a DIU official said at the West 2025 conference that the Pentagon’s innovation arm was in the process of evaluating vendor proposals to deliver a nuclear power source for military installations.

The INSIDER daily digest -- March 28, 2025
By Thomas Duffy
March 28, 2025 at 11:23 AM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest begins with a Pentagon review of existing advisory boards, some thoughts on keeping DOD software buys simple, the Navy testing some underwater vessels, Navy amphibious ship requirements news, ‘Signalgate’, and more.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office is looking at the number and function of Pentagon advisory boards:

Pentagon launches review of advisory boards

The Defense Department has paused the work of its advisory boards pending a 45-day review, though a committee dedicated to military diversity, equity and inclusion has already been terminated, according to a new memo from Joe Kasper, chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Some comments from analysts on how DOD buys software programs:

Think tankers urge DOD to keep software procurement simple

A panel of think tank analysts want the Pentagon to think more simply about software acquisition, according to a report released this week.

The Navy has set up an underwater course to test out some of its unmanned systems:

Navy uses underwater course to test-run UUVs, preps for more deployments next year

As a variety of unmanned underwater vehicles are prepped for deployment in the next year, the Navy has implemented a “confidence course” to test-run UUVs -- a course that has held dozens of runs in the past year, according to an official.

A Virginia senator is looking at how ‘ready’ the Navy’s amphibious ships are:

Congress may look to tighten amphib readiness requirements in future authorization legislation

Congress may tighten amphibious warship readiness requirements in future authorization legislation to ensure vessels sidelined by extended maintenance problems are not designated “operational” by the Navy and counted toward the service’s legal requirement to maintain a minimum of 31 amphibious vessels, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said yesterday.

The Space Force has made a new rocket available for launch missions:

Space Force certified ULA’s Vulcan for NSSL

The Space Force has certified United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket for National Security Space Launch missions, the service announced today, ending the lengthy delays that had plagued the program.

DOD is looking for some ‘out of the box’ thinking for missile defense efforts:

Pentagon invites nontraditional industry players to help build next-gen missile shield

The Pentagon is opening the door to a broader swath of U.S. industry to accelerate the development of a next-generation missile defense architecture -- an initiative that could dramatically reshape the nation’s approach to countering strategic missile threats from Russia, China and other adversaries.

The Senate Armed Services Committee wants answers on ‘Signalgate’:

Senior Senators want Pentagon IG to investigate ‘Signalgate’

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) want the Pentagon’s inspector general to conduct an expedited investigation of the Signal group text in which senior Trump administration officials inadvertently shared plans related to an airstrike against Houthi militants with a journalist.

The INSIDER daily digest -- March 27, 2025
By Thomas Duffy
March 27, 2025 at 11:42 AM

Today’s INSIDER Daily Digest starts off with the aircraft carrier industry warning of production interruptions without more funding, the Space Force is examining how it writes requirements, some cyber CMMC news, the Army has had its LTAMDS buy cut in half in 2025, and more.

The folks who build aircraft carriers say there could be productions slowdowns if the Navy doesn’t get more money:

Industry warns of ‘cold’ production lines for aircraft carriers, asks for more AP funding

Aircraft carrier industrial base members prepared today to plead their case on Capitol Hill, asking for $600 million in advanced procurement funding for the fifth Gerald R. Ford-class carrier (CVN-82) in fiscal year 2026, and for contract awards to be granted no later than FY-29.

Space Force officials are looking at how they write program requirements:

Space Force reworking requirements-writing process to harness industry innovation

The Space Force is refining its requirements-writing process to be more flexible and allow greater industry innovation while still ensuring new programs will meet mission needs, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said today.

Looks like a key date for the CMMC program may be slipping:

Timing for second CMMC rulemaking could face hurdles amid Trump directives on deregulation

The Defense Department's plan to finalize the second rulemaking for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program by mid-2025 is starting to slip as the Pentagon works to meet requirements from President Trump’s Jan. 31 executive order on deregulation.

The recently passed continuing resolution has given the Army some, but not all, of the money it needs in 2025 for the LTAMDS effort:

Army got back some LTAMDS funding in CR, but will have to wait on buying two prototypes

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- The Army’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor program won’t experience quite as steep a cut under the recently passed continuing resolution, compared with congressional appropriators’ original marks. But the service still won’t be able to purchase two of the four prototype radars it had planned to procure in fiscal year 2025, the program executive officer says.

An Army UAS endeavor will see significant growth through its next phase:

Army 'Transforming in Contact' initiative's next phase will include thousands of drones, counter drones

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- The Army's "Transforming in Contact" initiative, started more than a year ago, will grow significantly in its next phase to include thousands of unmanned systems, counter UAS systems and mobility platforms, a service official said today.

While layoffs are occurring across the government, the Navy’s civilian workers are mostly unaffected:

Navy's civilian workforce is largely intact amid Trump admin layoffs, service officials say

Civilian Navy personnel involved in the design, construction and maintenance of the service's fleet have largely been spared from the sweeping federal layoffs being carried out by the Trump administration, two Navy officials told lawmakers today.

Senior GOP and Dem senators ask Pentagon IG to investigate Signal group chat incident
By Tony Bertuca
March 27, 2025 at 10:42 AM

The Republican and Democrat leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee have sent a letter to the Defense Department inspector general asking for an investigation in the Signal group chat controversy that has ensnared senior Trump administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The letter, sent by Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), asks the IG investigate the incident detailed in a March 24 story in The Atlantic, which reports that editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently added to a group chat on Signal in which senior Trump administration officials discuss the details of an imminent U.S. airstrike on Houthi militants in Yemen.

“This chat was alleged to have included classified information pertaining to sensitive military actions in Yemen,” the letter states. “If true, this reporting raises questions as to the use of unclassified networks to discuss sensitive and classified information, as well as the sharing of such information with those who do not have proper clearance and need to know.”

Hegseth, according to the Signal text chain released by The Atlantic, introduced information into the chat that included operations details related to the U.S. attack plan, including timing, weapons and sequencing information.

Hegseth, who is traveling to Asia this week, has said the information he included in the Signal group chat was not classified. Lawmakers and former defense and intelligence officials, however, dispute that and some have called for his resignation.

Wicker and Reed are asking the IG to provide “the facts and circumstances” surrounding the Signal chat incident as well as an “assessment of DOD classification and declassification policies and processes and whether these policies and processes were adhered to.”

The IG’s investigation, according to the letter, should also include an “assessment of whether any individuals transferred classified information, including operational details, from classified systems to unclassified systems, and if so, how.”