The INSIDER daily digest -- April 29, 2020

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on industrial base stimulus funding, the Air Force's KC-46 airborne refueling tanker program and more.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) spoke with the news media via teleconference this morning:

Top House defense Dem says DOD doesn't need new industrial base stimulus funds

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) said today he doesn't think the Defense Department should receive industrial base stimulus money in an upcoming COVID-19 rescue package, but the DOD acquisition chief says the department is planning to ask for billions.

Boeing's KC-46 airborne refueling tanker total cost growth is now about $4.6 billion:

Boeing takes $827 million in new KC-46 charges, bringing total cost growth to $4.6B

Boeing announced today it incurred an $827 million pre-tax KC-46 tanker charge in the first quarter of 2020, due to costs associated with its agreement with the Air Force earlier this month on a remote visual system design and “productivity inefficiencies” due to COVID-19 factory disruptions.

Industry analysts believe that the Army's recent retraction of a notice regarding the M109A7 self-propelled artillery unit was actually a jab at BAE Systems, long-standing manufacturer of the unit's hull and chassis:

Army eyeing effort to reverse engineer M109A7 chassis; 'shot across' BAE's bow?

The Army earlier this month published a notice heralding plans to seek industry's help in reverse engineering a technical data package for the M109A7 hull and chassis -- the workhorse of the modernized self-propelled artillery fleet, including early variants of its top priority -- the Extended Range Artillery Cannon.

Jen Santos, deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial policy, spoke in a webinar this week hosted by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance:

Pentagon 'learning more than ever' about supply chain vulnerabilities during COVID-19 crisis

The Pentagon is gaining new insights about risks to its international supply chain due to efforts to monitor and shore up the defense industrial base during the economic downturn caused by COVID-19.

Inside Defense recently interviewed Brig. Gen. Matthew Isler, regional affairs director in the Air Force's international affairs office:

Air Force confronting defense cooperation challenges with allies during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is presenting new challenges for the Air Force's defense cooperation efforts -- from reviewing arms sale requests to moving supplies overseas and transporting aircraft through American bases.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has shifted money from European Deterrence Initiative accounts to pay for the president's southern border wall:

Esper taps Russian deterrence funds to build Trump's border wall

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has ordered the Pentagon to defer $545 million in overseas military construction, including programs that are part of an effort to deter the Russian military in Europe, so the funds can be used to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Navy acquisition executive Hondo Geurts spoke to the news media this week in a telephone roundtable:

Geurts: Navy 'infused' $600M to shipbuilding base in response to COVID-19

The Navy has infused $600 million into the shipbuilding industrial base during the coronavirus pandemic by reducing retainers and withholds, according to a senior service official.