The INSIDER daily digest -- April 26, 2024

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Western countries' plans to stockpile weapons in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, plus the Air Force's effort to get a certain air-to-air missile under multiyear procurement and more.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with a small group of reporters yesterday about the effect of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Western countries' weapons stockpiles:

White House natsec adviser sees the 'collective West' stockpiling weapons for years ahead

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he believes the U.S. defense industry continues to underestimate just how much money the "collective West" is going to invest in stockpiling weapon systems needed to deter Russia and China in the coming years, regardless of what happens in the Ukraine conflict.

Without the additional dollars that are allotted via a multiyear contract, the Air Force says it is no longer economically feasible to bring its munitions inventory to scale as anticipated, particularly for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile:

Without FY-24 funding for multiyear procurement, AMRAAM enters single-year buying strategy

The Air Force sought to pursue several simultaneous multiyear procurement strategies for its munitions sets in the fiscal year 2024 budget, but Congress has excluded the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile from the plan, Inside Defense has learned.

Planned for late July to early August at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, a sensor exercise will consist of a port or harbor security scenario that will test the ability of sensors that can "detect, track and identify Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV)," according to a notice issued this week:

Navy seeks industry help on unmanned vessel detection

The Navy's Joint Prototyping and Experimentation Maritime Program plans to test the ability of sensors to detect unmanned vessels later this year and is requesting industry input on this type of technology, according to a request for information posted Monday.

The ranking member on the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee has been a vocal critic of the Navy's move to reduce Virginia procurement to only one boat in fiscal year 2025:

HII delivers Virginia sub New Jersey in a sign of industrial base improvement, advocates say

HII's Newport News Shipbuilding today announced it has delivered the Virginia-class submarine New Jersey (SSN-796) to the Navy, a milestone that demonstrates "forward momentum" for the struggling submarine industrial base, according to advocates in Congress.

More defense contractor earnings:

Oshkosh Defense sales increase by $24M

Oshkosh Defense sales rose by $23.8 million in the first quarter of 2024, marking a 4.6% increase from the same quarter last year, company executives reported this week.

Textron helicopter revenue increases by $106M

Textron's helicopter sales increased by $106 million in the first quarter of 2024, company executives reported during a quarterly earnings call this week.

Honeywell reports $558M revenue increase in aerospace

Honeywell's aerospace segment revenues rose by $558 million, an 18% increase from the same quarter last year, company executives announced this week.