Thursday, February 6, 2025
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Key Issues Iron Dome industry day F-35 upgrade package ER GMLRS
This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's T-7 trainer jet program, a top Republican lawmaker's push to get defense spending above 4% of gross domestic product, Marine Corps mobility and more.
Under a new approach, the Air Force would purchase four new production-representative T-7 training jet test vehicles from Boeing -- to be delivered in fiscal year 2026 -- using FY-25 research, development, test and evaluation dollars to expand testing capacity:
Boeing could earn up to $250 million to revamp T-7 as milestone C is delayed further
The Air Force is again shifting its development and procurement plans for the T-7A Red Hawk training jet by pushing a critical milestone back one year and offering a ceiling of $250 million to address long-standing delivery delays and a need for updated capabilities, outgoing service acquisition head Andrew Hunter told Inside Defense.
The House Armed Services Committee's top Republican said this week that the panel will exercise oversight on "key defense programs to determine if they actually provide the capabilities we need":
Rogers predicts 'significant savings' at DOD, wants defense spending above 4% of GDP
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) said today he will work to cut underperforming Pentagon programs, while pushing to get defense spending above 4% of gross domestic product, or around $1 trillion.
Mobility is the Marine Corps' top uniformed official's "No. 1 priority":
With poor amphib condition and a delayed LSM award, mobility is the top concern for Marine Corps commandant
Mobility is a top concern for Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith, who today underscored poor material condition among amphibious warships, further procurement delays for the Landing Ship Medium and Congress' routine use of stopgap spending patches as key challenges undercutting the service's readiness.
Some transition advice from the outgoing national security adviser:
Sullivan urges incoming Trump team to keep pushing defense production
Outgoing White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said this week he is encouraging officials from the incoming Trump administration to continue the Biden team's efforts to bolster the U.S. defense industrial base, specifically production of munitions and submarines.
A new Defense Innovation Board report identifies "requirements for fielding UxS at scale":
DIB urges Pentagon to start taking action when it comes to fielding UxS at scale
The Defense Innovation Board's recommendations for how the Defense Department could field unmanned weapon systems at scale center around one common theme -- the Pentagon needs to get out of its own way.
Document: DIB report on unmanned weapon systems
More coverage from this week's Surface Navy Association conference:
Progress in readiness, unmanned technology necessary to meet existential threat of Russia and China, Fleet Forces commander says
As China and Russia strengthen their naval relationship and increase joint patrols, training and port visits in the Pacific, the existing model for force generation -- the Optimized Fleet Response Plan -- is no longer optimal amid the existential threat posed by these two countries, U.S. Fleet Forces Commander Adm. Daryl Caudle said Wednesday.
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems this week announced delivery of a AN/SPY-7(V)1 was made through the Mitsubishi Corp. under a direct commercial sale following acceptance testing:
Lockheed delivers first SPY-7 for Japan's new Aegis missile-defense ship
Lockheed Martin has delivered to Japan the first of four radar arrays for the Aegis System Equipped Vessel, a bespoke ship that will carry the missile defense sensors as part of Tokyo's project to bolster defense of the nation against North Korean ballistic missile attack.
Less than six months after Anduril publicly declared its intentions to develop a facility that would occupy upwards of five million square feet and be "designed to produce tens of thousands of autonomous military systems annually," that facility has now been named:
Anduril to build new 'hyperscale' manufacturing facility in Columbus
Startup defense contractor Anduril announced Thursday that it is set to build its first "hyperscale manufacturing facility," Arsenal-1, in Columbus, OH.