The INSIDER daily digest -- April 2, 2024

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has coverage of a new Marine Corps "Fragmentary Order," the Army's plan to buy fewer Abrams main battle tanks, the Pentagon's latest legislative proposals package and more.

Titled "Maintain Momentum," a new "Fragmentary Order" issued by the Marine Corps' top uniformed officer indicates the service will continue its force design experimentation and modernization campaign:

Smith releases interim guidance affirming Marine Corps modernization trajectory

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith today released a "Fragmentary Order" document, intended to provide interim direction for the force ahead of an official Commandant's Planning Guidance, that reaffirms the service's force design modernization trajectory.

The Army plans to buy 140 Abrams main battle tanks for $3.6 billion following a decision last September to cancel development on an upgrade package:

Army seeks $873M in cuts to Abrams procurements for the next five years

The Army wants to cut $873 million from its Abrams program over the next five fiscal years, pulling the money and 45 tanks from its new spending plan, according to the first public accounting of a decision last fall to scrape a planned modernization project in favor of a new engineering upgrade.

The Pentagon recently submitted its second fiscal year 2025 legislative proposal package:

Pentagon proposes streamlining milestone B decision process

The Defense Department is asking Congress to consider legislation that would allow for the streamlining of the milestone B phase of the weapon system acquisition process, which, according to DOD, currently suffers from a "bureaucratic bottleneck."

New DOD legislative proposal seeks to bridge 'valley of death'

The Defense Department has sent Congress a legislative proposal intended to help small companies bridge the "valley of death" by hastening the progression of critical technologies from prototype to production.

Document: DOD's second FY-25 legislative proposals package

The National Guard Bureau has sent lawmakers its fiscal year 2025 unfunded priorities list:

National Guard Bureau submits $2.7B unfunded list including aircraft buys

The National Guard Bureau has sent Congress a $2.7 billion unfunded priorities list for fiscal year 2025, highlighting an unmet need for various readiness spending as well as big-ticket aircraft -- like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter -- that could not be procured due to "fiscal constraints," according to a document obtained by Inside Defense.

Document: National Guard Bureau's FY-25 unfunded priorities list