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The Marine Corps is interested in procuring a commercially available, ground-based, long-range cruise missile system to fill operational capability gaps, according to a recent request for information.

The Marine Corps and its Marine Air Ground Task Force may need a new long-range fires capability to meet current and future operational demands, including supporting sea control and countering seaborne fast-attack vessels, the July 31 notice states.

“Accordingly, the Marine Corps is interested in readily available ground-based, long-range cruise missile systems that can attack land and maritime targets designed to provide precision kinetic fires employing the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) and using its Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS) for fire control,” the notice states.

The service prefers systems that can be integrated into its remotely operated ground unmanned expeditionary (ROGUE) vehicle, the notice continues, and systems that can load Tomahawk missiles without non-organic support and operate alongside other weapon and surveillance systems currently in use.

“A complete system would be composed of fire and weapons control, kinetic launch, and reload and resupply system,” the RFI adds.

The notice asks respondents to provide information on their system’s range, size, weight, launch platform requirements and procurement and sustainment costs. Responses to the RFI are requested by Aug. 12.

Aside from the Air Force's B-52 radar modernization program nearing a major cost growth breach, the bulk of this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest deals with the Senate Appropriations Committee's fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill.

The estimated cost for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program jumped from $2.3 billion in 2021 to about $3.3 billion in March, B-52 Deputy Senior Materiel Leader Brian Knight told reporters at the Life Cycle Industry Days conference, toeing the line of acceptable cost growth without yet requiring a notification to Congress for additional oversight:

B-52 radar modernization nears Nunn-McCurdy cost growth breach

DAYTON, OH -- The two programs designed to keep the B-52 Stratofortress bomber flying for the next few decades are facing serious headwinds, including new prices for the Radar Modernization Program nearing the Nunn-McCurdy Act cost growth thresholds, officials said this week.

The rest of our coverage looks at the Senate's FY-25 defense spending bill:

Senate appropriators would give NGAP another $280 million as Air Force calls it a priority program

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a defense spending bill that would inject the Air Force's Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion efforts with $280 million above the service's fiscal year 2025 request, according to legislative documents.

Senate appropriations bill excludes second Virginia sub but funds shipset

The Senate Appropriations Committee's draft defense spending bill would increase shipbuilding spending by $3.4 billion but fund only one Virginia-class submarine in fiscal year 2025, teeing up a showdown between appropriators and authorizers over the future of the Virginia program.

Lawmakers look to redirect RDER toward second Replicator tranche

Senate appropriators say they want to slow the growth of the Pentagon's Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve in favor of the Replicator program which aims to field thousands of attritable, autonomous drones by August 2025 to counter China.

Senate appropriators slash MQ-25 procurement, allotting funding solely for industrial base

Senate appropriators are proposing a major cut to the Navy's MQ-25 Stingray uncrewed aircraft program, slashing over $450 million from the service's fiscal year 2025 budget request.

Senate appropriators adding flexibility for counter UAS spending

The Senate Appropriations Committee, in its fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill, wants to give the Army more flexibility for funding counter unmanned aerial systems and is urging the service to eliminate bureaucratic red tape.

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Senate's version of the FY-25 defense spending bill, plus industry news from HII, Boeing and more.

The Senate Appropriations Committee today released its version of the report accompanying the fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill:

Senate appropriators advance bill to increase defense budget above spending cap

Senate appropriators are highlighting some of the key investments in their fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill, which would increase the Defense Department's budget by 3.3%, or more than $27 billion above what Congress enacted in FY-24.

Document: Senate appropriators' FY-25 defense spending bill report

HII executives discussed their company's quarterly earnings this morning:

HII claims record second-quarter revenues, SSN-798's delivery timeline shifts

Shipbuilder HII experienced record second-quarter revenues of $3 billion -- up 6.8% compared to last year’s second quarter -- and a recent boost in hiring to keep the company on track to achieve its goal of 6,000 new hires by the end of the year, according to CEO Chris Kastner on today’s earnings call.

Boeing's KC-47 tanker program continues to suffer setbacks:

Boeing's KC-46A records new Category 1 deficiency, $391 million loss in second quarter

DAYTON, OH -- The embattled KC-46A Pegasus tanker is now dealing with seven issues that could result in significant damage to the air vehicle or death of an operator, Kevin Stamey, the Air Force's program executive officer for mobility and training aircraft, told reporters Tuesday.

The new Guam Defense System Joint Program Office doesn't have the funds needed to hire personnel and pay for software development associated with integrating elements of the system:

Fledgling JPO Guam Defense System is 'coalition of the willing,' eight-person shop

The new Joint Program Office in support of the Guam Defense System is hamstrung by a lack of funding, relying on a "coalition of the willing" and eight staff members to execute one of the U.S. military's most pressing engineering and software challenges while waiting for lawmakers to approve funding to hire staff and tackle the project in earnest.

The Air Force's top civilian spoke this week at the Life Cycle Industry Days conference:

Kendall: The next Air Force tanker could be part of an FY-25 quick-start

DAYTON, OH -- The Air Force's next-generation refueling fleet may come down the line sooner than previously expected, and with greater capability, after a potential injection from the service's quick-start authority in fiscal year 2025, according to service Secretary Frank Kendall.

BAE Systems will build additional self-propelled howitzers for the Army after receiving a $274.4 million contract, the Defense Department announced Wednesday.

The Pennsylvania-based company will produce the M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers and M992A3 ammunition carrier vehicles by an estimated completion date of Jul. 31, 2026, with work being completed in York, PA, according to the July 31 announcement.

“Fiscal [year] 2023 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, Army funds in the amount of $274,426,742 were obligated at the time of the award,” the announcement adds.

Each Paladin is paired with the M992A3 Carrier Ammunition Tracked vehicle, which stores and transports the artillery rounds.

Wednesday’s announcement follows a $579 million July 3 contract in which BAE would produce the M109A7 and M992A3 at their facilities in York, PA; Sterling Heights, MI; Aiken, SC; Elgin, OK; and Anniston, AL.

For FY-25, the Army plans to procure 20 Paladin systems for $417 million and 155 systems for $2.7 billion by FY-29, according to service budget documents.

The Army initially intended to replace a portion of the Paladins with the Extended-Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) howitzer a modified M109 with a longer gun tube but cancelled the program in March after prototyping revealed technical issues.

Following the ERCA cancellation, the Army opted to use the remaining funds to assess existing howitzers and plans to hold capability demonstrations with industry manufacturers beginning in August 2024 at the Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, AZ.

During a May 2 round table with reporters, Army acquisition chief Doug Bush said “around eight or nine” contractors are “interested in some form or fashion” in participating in the capability demonstrations.

The U.S. government awarded a $2 billion contract to Raytheon today on behalf of Poland for the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, a major component of Warsaw's plan to invest $15 billion into integrated air and missile defense capabilities.

The announcement does not say how many radar Poland will receive under the contract; last September Raytheon announced a deal with Poland for a dozen LTAMDS.

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has coverage of the Air Force Life Cycle Industry Days conference and more.

We start off with news from the Life Cycle Industry Days conference:

Kendall: The next Air Force tanker could be part of an FY-25 quick-start

DAYTON, OH -- The Air Force's next-generation refueling fleet may come down the line sooner than previously expected, and with greater capability, after a potential injection from the service's quick-start authority in fiscal year 2025, according to service Secretary Frank Kendall.

Joint Simulation Environment may be used for B-21 training and testing

DAYTON, OH -- The Air Force may use the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program's Joint Simulation Environment for training and testing for the B-21 Raider nuclear bomber, according to the program executive officer.

Decision on current NGAD design months away, Kendall says

DAYTON, OH -- Determining whether the current plan for the sixth-generation fighter jet is the right fit for the Air Force's fleet will take a few more months, according to Secretary Frank Kendall, delaying the schedule for the program, which expected a contract to be signed this summer.

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife spoke this week during an online event hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies:

Army, Air Force looking to lock in agreed FY-26 air base air defense investments this fall

The Army and Air Force are aiming this fall to jointly identify investments needed to provide air base air defense -- a source of friction between the two services for most of the last seven decades -- once analytical teams complete ongoing studies that aim to recommend how best to defend against highly complex threats.

We also have the latest CMMC news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

NDIA sees potential 'bottlenecks' for CMMC assessments, issues around CUI as rulemaking process moves forward

The National Defense Industrial Association is concerned over the Defense Department's ability to have enough capacity for the demand in assessments once the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program gets up and running following the conclusion of the rulemaking process.

(Editor's Note: A previous version of this story indicated that Oshkosh's tactical truck sales would offset the loss of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle contract. The story has been amended to indicate that the company expects tactical contract extensions following the loss of the JLTV contract.)

Oshkosh expects contract extensions for heavy and medium tactical trucks following a production drawdown for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, company executives said during a quarterly earnings call today.

The Wisconsin-based company reported a 20.2% sales increase in their defense segment during the second quarter of 2024, driven by higher tactical truck sales.

“While domestic JLTV production will wind down in early 2025, we continue to supply the [Defense Department] on many important programs including [Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles] and [Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle] programs,” John Pfeifer, the company's president and CEO, said during an earnings call.

Overall, the company reported an 18% sales increase from the same quarter last year, an increase of $433.8 million to $2.85 billion, driven by organic sales in all segments, according to a company statement.

“We believe these key programs as well as other programs such as Stryker [Medium Caliber Weapon System] and the Rogue Fires family of carriers provide enhanced profitability and important visibility for the business into the future,” Pfeifer added during the call.

The MCWS program intends to arm a portion of the Army’s Stryker infantry carrier vehicles with 30mm cannons while the Marine Corps Rogue Fires program uses the JLTV as a wheelbase for coastal anti-ship missiles.

The JLTV is designed for combat operations and will replace a portion of the Army’s humvees.

In January 2023, the Army awarded AM General a follow-on production contract for the JLTV. In June 2023, the Government Accountability Office denied Oshkosh's protest of the decision.

Oshkosh will continue to produce the JLTV for the Army in 2025 along with international orders. Last December, the company announced it would produce the vehicle for Israel.

Pfeifer added that the company received a $232 million order for the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles, which will be the last order of the current contract for the vehicles but expects a five-year extension to the contract in August 2024.

He added he expects a similar extension for the FMTV in early 2025.

The company is developing the A2 variant of the FMTV, which features a more powerful engine, and improved capabilities compared to the previous A1 variant.

Oshkosh is also competing with Textron, HDT and General Dynamics for the Robotic Combat Vehicle, an unmanned vehicle designed to operate alongside manned units.

Additionally, the company faces Navistar, Mack Defense as well as a joint bid American Rheinmetall and General Motors Defense for the Common Tactical Truck, a replacement program for the FHTV.

Pfiefer added that orders for the company’s Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, a new mail carrier vehicle for the United States Postal Service, will "exceed the decline of JLTV revenue from 2024 to 2025."