The Insider

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 16, 2025
By John Liang
May 16, 2025 at 2:04 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's transformation initiative, foreign military sales, Navy civilian worker losses and more.

We start off with continuing coverage of the Army Aviation Association of America conference:

Army aviation leaders to give top brass 'options' on transformation initiative

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army aviation portfolio was already on the road to transformation before Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's major restructuring memo, according to a senior service leader.

In the face of Army shakeup, OEMs Sikorsky, Boeing insist they can adapt

NASHVILLE, TN -- It has been just two weeks since the Army announced one of the more major service restructurings in recent years, and one that will see a significant scaling back of manned aviation platforms.

(Read our full Quad-A coverage.)

The House Armed Services intelligence and special operations subcommittee held a hearing this week on the "Defense Intelligence Enterprise Posture":

Defense intel chiefs expect challenges amid personnel cuts, new border missions

Top U.S. defense intelligence officials told House lawmakers today that they expect to be impacted by the 5% to 8% civilian personnel cut mandated by the Trump administration amid the stress of a new mission to help seal the southern border from the flow of illegal migrants, but they struck chords of optimism, pledging to do more with less.

Document: House hearing on the defense intel enterprise

The House Appropriations Committee held a Navy oversight hearing this week:

Lawmakers question Navy personnel cuts; officials see opportunity to streamline maintenance and acquisitions

The Navy is losing approximately 16,000 civilian workers to layoffs and voluntary resignations, according to a prominent House appropriator, who questioned reductions to public shipyard labor and other hard-to-replace personnel while service officials pointed to opportunities to “rebalance” their enterprise.

Document: Navy, Marine Corps FY-26 posture statements

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) this week said she is "not happy" with how the White House Office of Management and Budget is handling the defense budget situation, echoing concerns expressed by others in her party earlier this month:

Fischer 'not happy' with OMB after 'smoke and mirrors' surrounding FY-26 budget proposal and reconciliation bill

Lawmakers are continuing to express their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 defense spending request, as they hold concurrent hearings on Capitol Hill to sort through budget priorities across the Defense Department.

President Trump spoke this week about next-generation fighter aircraft during a business leaders meeting in Doha, Qatar:

Trump reveals potential for new 'F-55' jet and upgrades to F-22

President Trump today said he wants to give the U.S. military's fifth-generation fighters a makeover, including by overhauling the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with a twin engine and a "super upgrade."

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) questioned a panel of expert witnesses this week, saying DOD needs a "dramatic shift in mindset" when it comes to the foreign military sales system:

Senate Armed Services Committee eyes new round of FMS reforms

The Senate Armed Services Committee convened today to consider potential reforms to the U.S. foreign military sales process, including a possible reorganization at the Pentagon.

Document: Senate hearing on FMS

Navy to hold industry day for Future USV
By Abby Shepherd
May 16, 2025 at 1:30 PM

The Navy plans to hold an industry day next month for a new open-ocean, high-endurance, non-exquisite, autonomous vessel to show industry members how it would fit into an evolving surface force.

The June 17 industry day -- held by the Navy’s Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants -- will highlight the vessel that will be up to commercial standards, with an ability to support two 40-foot-equivalent-unit containerized payloads weighing up to 80,000 pounds, according to a notice posted Friday.

“Future USV Industry Day will provide an overview of the Future USV Program vision and objectives; the program schedule; and the engineering/technical requirements and objectives,” the notice states.

A request for information will be released prior to the industry day, according to the notice, which will be held in Washington, DC and will only be open to Defense Department contractors.

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 15, 2025
By John Liang
May 15, 2025 at 2:22 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has coverage of this year's Army Aviation Association of America conference in Nashville, along with news on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and more.

We start off with coverage of this year's Army Aviation Association of America conference:

Mingus: 101st Airborne Division will be first to receive FLRAA

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army's 101st Airborne Division based at Ft. Campbell, KY will be the first division to receive the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus said during the Army Aviation Association of America conference here.

Even with program ending, Army leaders say FTUAS-like capabilities are still needed

NASHVILLE, TN -- Army leaders insist the service will still pursue acquiring tactical unmanned systems capabilities that provide surveillance and reconnaissance, but in a fashion that differs from the now-cancelled Future Tactical UAS effort.

ITEP survival hinges on FY-26 budget

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army hasn't officially dropped its program for a wholesale new helicopter engine, but the system's future largely weighs in the balance of a constricted fiscal year 2026 budget amid shifting priorities, according to a senior leader.

No cancellation cost on JLTV contract, Army leader says

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army's first order of the A2 variant of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles will be its last, a senior leader told reporters Wednesday.

(Read our full Quad-A coverage.)

More JLTV coverage:

JLTV costs will rise for Marine Corps after Army's exit, commandant says

The Marine Corps anticipates Joint Light Tactical Vehicle unit costs to rise following the Army's cancellation of future JLTV procurement, Commandant Gen. Eric Smith told lawmakers today, saying his service branch is still assessing the full impact of the Army's abrupt exit from the joint program.

Acting Navy Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations & Environment Brenda Johnson-Turner testified on Capitol Hill this week:

Official: Navy plans to move ahead with nuclear power site development, despite DOD reversal on climate pledges

The Navy has witnessed substantial interest from industry experts and developers on a potential expansion of clean energy generation through nuclear power sites on underutilized military land, an official told lawmakers Wednesday.

Document: DOD energy, installations and environment officials' FY-26 testimony

The Joint Fires Network, or JFN, is an ambitious effort to knit together the sensors, weapons and decision-making tools of the U.S. military and its partners:

Congress eyes $400 million expansion for Pentagon's Joint Fires Network

A House proposal to add $400 million to the Pentagon's Joint Fires Network marks a sharp escalation in support for a system the Defense Department views as central to future high-end warfare.

Last but by no means least, some news on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program:

F-35 Lots 18 and 19 may be combined; award now expected late June

The Air Force and Lockheed Martin are in talks to accelerate the contract award for Lot 19 of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter "potentially into the second quarter" by combining it with Lot 18, according to company Chief Financial Officer Evan Scott.

Senate confirms Michael as DOD chief technology officer
By Theresa Maher
May 14, 2025 at 6:28 PM

The Senate voted 54-43 today to confirm former Uber executive Emil Michael as under secretary of defense for research and engineering.

The move comes more than a month after the Senate Armed Services Committee advanced Michael’s nomination to the full chamber for confirmation.

Michael -- who most recently held the position of CEO for special purpose acquisition company DPCM Capital -- also served in President Trump’s first administration as special assistant to the defense secretary.

DPCM Capital in 2022 bought a quantum computing company that would later be identified as an approved vendor for Defense Department contracts. The business, D-Wave Systems, received an “awardable” designation in October 2024 from Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace -- a digital repository housed in the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office housing videos of emerging technology solutions that have been pre-vetted for DOD awards.

Michael is one of several top Pentagon officials in the Trump administration with private-sector experience who have highlighted that background as an asset.

“We should be working with private industry more,” Michael told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing in late March. “If you take artificial intelligence, there’s a lot of money being spent, and a lot of research and a lot of dollars. We shouldn’t have to duplicate that in every area of the government. We should be leveraging where they’re spending more and doing ahead and making.”

He also spoke about the potential for private capital to support the defense industrial base in his answers to advance policy questions from lawmakers.

“Venture capital and private equity investment in defense technologies could play an even bigger role in the revitalization of the defense industrial base,” Michael wrote.

He said such investments would be particularly beneficial for “small businesses seeking to gain entry and provide innovative solutions to meet evolving warfighter demands, delivering breakthrough, war-winning capabilities.”

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 14, 2025
By John Liang
May 14, 2025 at 2:11 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft, lawmakers' concerns over the reconciliation bill and more.

In an infographic posted on the social media site X, the Air Force's top uniformed officer highlighted the kinds of characteristics the NGAD family of systems will bring to the service’s future fleet to complement the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15EX Eagle II:

Air Force sets sights on more than 185 F-47s, dubbed 'stealth++'

The Air Force anticipates it will purchase more than 185 Boeing-made F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft, according to service Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.

Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) told reporters today on a Defense Writers Group call that Congressional Republicans' reconciliation bill is "an extraordinary mistake":

Senior defense Dem warns of losing lawmaker oversight via reconciliation, yearlong CR

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), an appropriator and the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said today he is concerned the GOP's reconciliation bill, though it increases funding for defense, could undermine Congress' authority and give the Pentagon a "slush fund."

A senior Republican appropriator had a similar warning:

McConnell: White House 'skinny budget' sets stage for defense investment 'cliff'

Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today said he opposes the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 defense spending request because of its reliance on a "budgetary sleight of hand" that masks a failure to pursue real and sustained growth in Pentagon buying power.

More Golden Dome coverage:

Guam's $8 billion missile shield fuels questions about Golden Dome costs

The U.S. military's top official overseeing missile defense for Guam told Congress the cost of developing a 360-degree integrated air and missile defense architecture for the Western Pacific island is approximately $8 billion, offering the first public accounting of a system Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth views as a model for Golden Dome for America.

DIA forecasts surge in adversary missile inventories by 2035, arguing Golden Dome need

A new U.S. intelligence assessment forecasts a sweeping expansion of adversary missile arsenals over the next decade, with China projected to make the most dramatic quantitative gains -- far outpacing Russia, North Korea and Iran -- in long-range and precision strike capabilities.

Document: DIA's Golden Dome threat analysis

Honeywell satellite system chosen for upgrade to Army ISR demonstrator aircraft
By Dan Schere
May 14, 2025 at 9:00 AM

NASHVILLE, TN -- Honeywell's JetWave X satellite communication system has been selected to upgrade the Army's Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System (ARES), the company announced this morning, ahead of the Army Aviation Association of America's conference here.

ARES is an Army demonstrator aircraft owned and operated by L3Harris, which features a Bombardier 6000/6500 business jet. It is one of the demonstrator aircraft the Army’s ISR task force has used in recent years to help inform future multidomain sensing requirements.

JetWave X is meant to give soldiers “improved connectivity around the globe,” and will allow the Army to transmit “mission-critical information at higher data rates than currently available,” according to the company. The system is meant to provide greater network flexibility by having the capability to connect to any Viasat Ka-band satellite and has “open architecture” that “ensures compatibility with future Ka-band networks.”

Matt Milas, the president for defense and space of Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, said in a statement Wednesday that “today’s pilots need access to real-time data with uninterrupted connectivity to make mission-critical decisions.”

“Honeywell is proud to provide ARES with JetWave X, the only multinetwork satellite communications system for government aviation that seamlessly connects to the Inmarsat Global Xpress, ViaSat-3 and other Ka-band constellations,” he said.

Senate confirms Meink as Air Force secretary
By Shelley K. Mesch
May 13, 2025 at 4:13 PM

The Senate confirmed Troy Meink as Air Force secretary Tuesday in a 74-25 vote.

During his confirmation hearing in March, Meink committed to increasing the number of aircraft in the Air Force fleet and fielding new platforms to boost the size of the fleet and drive down the average age.

Meink, who most recently served as principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, is expected to bring a new level of space expertise to the department that includes both the Air Force and Space Force.

President Trump named Meink as his pick for the department’s top civilian in January.

Before entering his role at NRO in 2020, he served as the director of geospatial intelligence systems acquisition at the spy agency. He had also served as deputy under secretary of the Air Force for space.

Meink began his career as a KC-135 Stratotanker navigator in the 1980s.

As secretary, Meink will be overseeing several major acquisition programs, including the over-cost and behind-schedule LGM-35A Sentinel nuclear missile modernization, the B-21 Raider bomber and the recently announced F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter.

As the head of the Space Force, he will also play a major role in the Golden Dome homeland defense system, that was laid out in an executive order by Trump earlier this year.

DIU awards 12 new contracts under combined space network portfolio
By Theresa Maher
May 13, 2025 at 3:50 PM

The Defense Innovation Unit awarded 12 new contracts for its project aimed at combining government and commercial space-related capabilities into one connected network, the agency announced yesterday.

The Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA) initiative, according to DIU, will build the technical and programmatic foundation to pilot an operational commercial and government space network by 2026.

The latest awardees include Capella Space Corp., EdgeCortix, Eutelsat America Corp. and OneWeb Technologies, Fairwinds Technologies and AST Space Mobile, Illumina Computing Group, Lockheed Martin Space, MapLarge, SES Space & Defense, Skycorp Incorporated, SkyFi, Ursa Space Systems and Viasat.

They’ll join existing HSA vendors SpiderOak Mission Systems, Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Microsoft Azure Space, Aalyria, Anduril, Atlas and Enveil to prototype their capabilities in operational demonstrations across several combatant commands starting this summer and continuing through the next year.

“DIU partnered closely with the U.S. combatant commands to assess operational needs, prototype software architectures, and chart effective transition pathways,” the release said.

Areas of responsibility where operational demonstrations will take place include U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, European Command, Central Command and Southern Command, DIU said.

“Success with these demonstrations will be moving the department closer to realizing an operational, resilient and hybrid space architecture,” DIU said.

Golden Dome Industry Summit rescheduled to June 11
By Jason Sherman
May 13, 2025 at 3:38 PM

The Pentagon has rescheduled a high-profile summit intended to draw nontraditional companies into its next-generation missile defense initiative, pushing the event from its original April 29 date to June 11.

The Golden Dome for America Industry Summit will now take place at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL, according to an updated announcement from the Missile Defense Agency published May 13. The one-day event remains unclassified.

MDA said the summit is designed to engage both traditional defense contractors and commercial tech firms that have not previously worked with the Pentagon. The event aims to provide insight into acquisition, prototyping and testing pathways that could shape what officials describe as a transformational missile defense architecture for the U.S. homeland.

Originally scheduled for April 29, the summit was delayed due to what officials called logistical adjustments and high industry interest. All attendees must now re-register by May 29, according to the notice.

The Golden Dome initiative, launched by the Trump administration earlier this year, seeks to build a layered missile shield against threats ranging from hypersonic weapons to nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles -- expanding the traditional focus beyond rogue states to include peer adversaries like Russia and China.

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 13, 2025
By John Liang
May 13, 2025 at 3:07 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the White House's proposed "skinny budget," plus Army aviation and more.

A senior Republican appropriator is warning against the Trump administration's proposed defense budget:

McConnell: White House 'skinny budget' sets stage for defense investment 'cliff'

Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today said he opposes the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 defense spending request because of its reliance on a "budgetary sleight of hand" that masks a failure to pursue real and sustained growth in Pentagon buying power.

Here's a curtain-raiser for this week's Quad A conference in Nashville:

Vision for Army aviation becoming further unmanned with latest shakeup

A year ago, the Army was already placing its aviation emphasis on drones, satellites and other unmanned technologies, having canceled the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft along with the RQ-7 Shadow drone as part of the February 2024 aviation "rebalance.”

The Missile Defense Agency recently published an Advanced Capability Concepts solicitation outlining an expansive vision to harness disruptive technologies that could redefine how the U.S. military deters and defeats missile threats:

MDA unveils sweeping solicitation with eye toward breakthrough capabilities

The Pentagon is opening the gates to an aspirational new era in missile defense development, publishing a wide-ranging, five-year solicitation that seeks paradigm-shifting approaches to delivering interceptors, battle management, electronic warfare, space systems, artificial intelligence and more.

Document: MDA solicitation for advanced capability concepts

More MDA news:

MDA plans overhaul of missile defense targets with industry callout

The Missile Defense Agency wants to overhaul the payload systems it uses to test U.S. missile defense systems, launching a formal request for information to expand the flexibility, speed and realism of future target vehicles.

Document: MDA's 'payload next' RFI

In a recent exercise, the Army's 18th Airborne Corps led a joint forcible entry operation across land, air, maritime and special operations with satellites, high-altitude balloons, long-range precision fires, myriad launched effects and lots of robots:

Lessons from Project Convergence are shaping the Army's future robotics buys

The Army tried something new at its fifth Project Convergence experiment this year: Invading the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA, with around 250 technologies that yielded plenty of ideas for how soldiers and robots might fight together in the future.

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 12, 2025
By John Liang
May 12, 2025 at 1:14 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on a recent Army Project Convergence experiment, plus missile defense payload systems and more.

In a recent exercise, the Army's 18th Airborne Corps led a joint forcible entry operation across land, air, maritime and special operations with satellites, high-altitude balloons, long-range precision fires, myriad launched effects and lots of robots:

Lessons from Project Convergence are shaping the Army's future robotics buys

The Army tried something new at its fifth Project Convergence experiment this year: Invading the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA, with around 250 technologies that yielded plenty of ideas for how soldiers and robots might fight together in the future.

In a recent request for information, the Missile Defense Agency's Targets Program "is seeking innovative solutions to provide capable, flexible, high-quality Reentry Vehicles and payloads that can be rapidly adapted to meet future testing requirements":

MDA plans overhaul of missile defense targets with industry callout

The Missile Defense Agency wants to overhaul the payload systems it uses to test U.S. missile defense systems, launching a formal request for information to expand the flexibility, speed and realism of future target vehicles.

Document: MDA's 'payload next' RFI

More missile defense news:

C2BMC upgrade this summer to support Guam defense, hypersonic threats, more

The Pentagon is set to deliver a command and control upgrade to its global missile defense network this summer, enhancing the ability of U.S. forces to detect, track and respond to increasingly complex missile threats, including cruise missiles and maneuverable hypersonic weapons while also strengthening protection for the U.S. homeland and Guam.

Document: House hearing on missile defense

Michael Obadal submitted answers to advance policy questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding his nomination to become Army under secretary:

Army under secretary nominee stresses need for 'layered' authorities to defend against drone incursions

Michael Obadal, the Anduril executive nominated by President Trump to be the next Army under secretary, said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today that the Army must do a better job of weaving together various authorities between the federal government and state and local governments when it comes to protecting the United States from drone incursions.

Document: Obadal's Senate nomination APQs

An updated milestone B test and evaluation master plan for the Navy's Stingray uncrewed aircraft system was expected to be submitted to DOT&E before the end of March, but that hasn't happened yet:

DOT&E 'not consulted' in Navy decision to forgo updates to MQ-25 MS-B TEMP

The Pentagon's chief weapons tester was not consulted and did not sign off on a Navy decision to forgo a milestone B test and evaluation master plan update for the MQ-25 Stingray program, despite the service's initial plan to submit the update to the office of the director of test and evaluation by the end of March.

The week ahead
By Tony Bertuca
May 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM

Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several public events this week, including congressional hearings.

Tuesday

The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing for several senior defense nominees.

The Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee holds a hearing on U.S. missile defense.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts a conference on global security, industry innovation and the future of U.S. military power.

Wednesday

The House Appropriations defense subcommittee holds a hearing on the Navy and Marine Corps.

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee holds a hearing on national security space.

Thursday

The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on the foreign military sales system.

The House Armed Services intelligence and special operations subcommittee holds a hearing on the U.S. defense intelligence enterprise.

Politico hosts its Security Summit.

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 9, 2025
By John Liang
May 9, 2025 at 1:32 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's efforts to protect against drone incursions, plus coverage of the Missile Defense Agency's Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications program and various congressional hearings.

Michael Obadal submitted answers to advance policy questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week regarding his nomination to become Army under secretary:

Army under secretary nominee stresses need for 'layered' authorities to defend against drone incursions

Michael Obadal, the Anduril executive nominated by President Trump to be the next Army under secretary, said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that the Army must do a better job of weaving together various authorities between the federal government and state and local governments when it comes to protecting the United States from drone incursions.

Document: Obadal's Senate nomination APQs

The Missile Defense Agency is set to field Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) Spiral 8.2-5.1 to both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command soon:

C2BMC upgrade this summer to support Guam defense, hypersonic threats, more

The Pentagon is set to deliver a command and control upgrade to its global missile defense network this summer, enhancing the ability of U.S. forces to detect, track and respond to increasingly complex missile threats, including cruise missiles and maneuverable hypersonic weapons while also strengthening protection for the U.S. homeland and Guam.

Document: House hearing on missile defense

An updated milestone B test and evaluation master plan for the Navy's Stingray uncrewed aircraft system was expected to be submitted to DOT&E before the end of March, but that hasn't happened yet:

DOT&E 'not consulted' in Navy decision to forgo updates to MQ-25 MS-B TEMP

The Pentagon's chief weapons tester was not consulted and did not sign off on a Navy decision to forgo a milestone B test and evaluation master plan update for the MQ-25 Stingray program, despite the service's initial plan to submit the update to the office of the director of test and evaluation by the end of March.

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee held a hearing this week on "Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities":

Officials: IOC for SLCM-N expected by 2034, shift in command may occur for E-6B mission

Since the establishment of a nuclear-armed, sea-launched missile program office in March 2024, the Navy remains on track to achieve a key milestone by next year, as it assesses potential warhead options and researches how to best integrate the missile into Virginia-class submarines, a service official told lawmakers Wednesday.

Document: House hearing on nuclear forces

The Air Force decided to scrap the silo reuse plan for the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM in the wake of a conversion project of one of the existing test-launch facilities:

Air Force scraps plans to reuse ICBM silos for Sentinel, 10 years into program

The Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile modernization program will not be able to reuse existing silos as it had been planning since the beginning of the effort 10 years ago, potentially threatening the cost of a program that's already known to be massively over budget.

Navy Rear Adm. Kevin Smith spoke this week at the International Mine Warfare Symposium in San Diego, CA:

Navy to receive first full-sized Orca XLUUV this summer as schedule challenges persist

The Navy expects to receive its first full-sized version of the "Orca" Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle from Boeing this summer after the company delivered an initial test and training asset in December 2024, the head of the service's unmanned and small combatants program office said this week.

Darlene Costello, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, testified this week at a House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee hearing:

Costello: T-7 sticking to November 2027 IOC timeline, delivery of first ground-based simulator set for October

The Air Force and Boeing are making significant progress to keep the troubled T-7A Red Hawk training jet in line with Air Education and Training Command's stated target to reach initial operational capability by 2027, the service's top acquisition official told lawmakers this week.

Document: House hearing on USAF projection forces aviation programs and capabilities

Rheinmetall building XM30 prototypes at recently acquired U.S.-based factories
By Dominic Minadeo
May 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM

American Rheinmetall is putting together mock-ups of its bid for the Army's Bradley Fighting Vehicle replacement at U.S. factories it bought last fall, the parent company's CEO announced today.

“The prototype production is running, so I have seen the first prototype,” Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, told analysts in a first-quarter earnings call May 8.

Rheinmetall bought out Loc Performance Products, LLC last November for $950 million, the goal being to get a better grip in the U.S. market as the vendor vies for programs like XM30 and Common Tactical Truck.

“We want to produce the XM30 in one of these factories,” Papperger said.

This comes as the Army recently postponed the program’s milestone B decision that would launch critical design reviews in the engineering and manufacturing development phase. That turning point had been slated for the end of March, but it should now fall sometime in late June, an Army spokesperson told Inside Defense last month.

But XM30 is still on time, according to Papperger; the Army will choose between Rheinmetall and U.S. prime General Dynamics Land Systems in 2027 -- although by the end of 2026 he expects to “get a smell who will win it.”

“Loc is doing very well,” Papperger went on. “The profitability is good . . . if you see when we bought it, our calculations were lower than we reached at the moment.”

Loc contributed €116 million ($130.2 million) to the Düsseldorf-based company’s total vehicle systems sales growth this quarter, which came out at €952 million ($1.07 billion). That’s nearly double last year’s quarterly figure, a 93% uptick, according to the company.

The acquisition came with four factories -- three in Michigan and one in Ohio -- which Papperger visited a few weeks ago, and he was surprised to see “how big these factories are, how much space we have and how much technology they have.”

Rheinmetall has a workforce of about 1,400, “which is a good team for XM30 and CTT and Loc is really focused on that stuff,” he said. Papperger estimated earlier this month that in the next five years, his company will double its current U.S. sales, which are at $1.1 billion.

“My expectation is that we have a good chance” at winning out on the XM30, he said on the call.

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 8, 2025
By John Liang
May 8, 2025 at 2:52 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's transformation initiative, plus coverage of various Air Force aircraft programs and more.

We start off with coverage of the effects of the Army's new transformation initiative:

Army canceling Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems program

The Army is canceling its Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems program as part of its comprehensive transformation initiative, a service spokesman confirmed today.

Appropriators interested in the Army's big plans, but want more information

Appropriators in Congress expressed a sense of cautious optimism about a comprehensive Army transformation plan unveiled last week, but without details about the fiscal year 2026 budget and other pieces of information, they still have questions.

Mingus says divestment from humvee, JLTV will not occur 'overnight'

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus told lawmakers Tuesday that despite the service's plan to no longer procure the humvee and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, those platforms will "not go away overnight" but rather, the divestment will occur "over time."

Document: Military vice chiefs' testimony on military readiness

Some news on the next-gen Air Force One:

Boeing says it can deliver new presidential jet by 2027 if USAF changes robust requirements

Boeing has told the Air Force it can deliver the first VC-25B jet -- the eventual replacement for presidential aircraft Air Force One -- by 2027, if some of the program's requirements are altered, according to a top service official.

A component of the Air Force's B-52 bomber has suffered a Nunn-McCurdy cost breach:

B-52 RMP breaches 'significant' cost-growth threshold

The beleaguered B-52 Radar Modernization Program breached a statutory cost-growth threshold, requiring the Air Force to report the jump in price to Congress.

Some Air Force tanker news:

Air Force to restart KC-46 deliveries next week; cracking issue resolved

The Air Force and Boeing have found a fix for cracking found on the structure of the KC-46 Pegasus, a top service official said today, following a Feb. 27 decision to temporarily pause all tanker deliveries until the issue was resolved.

KC-46 Remote Vision System fix delayed to summer 2027

The planned upgrade for the KC-46 Pegasus' Remote Vision System is now expected to field 18 months behind an already delayed schedule, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said yesterday, resulting in a new delivery date about three years behind the initial plan.

MDA Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins acknowledged the agency’s decision last year to down-select a prime contractor ahead of schedule -- triggered by budget pressure -- has set the program back by several years. But he told the House Armed Services Committee strategic forces panel on April 30 that the agency is now actively assessing options to recover lost time:

MDA reconsiders Glide Phase Interceptor timeline, less than a year after delaying it

Less than a year after an early acquisition decision forced a delay in the Pentagon's flagship hypersonic defense effort, the Missile Defense Agency is now exploring ways to accelerate the Glide Phase Interceptor program to better align with the advancing threat.

Document: House hearing on missile defense