The INSIDER daily digest -- Jan. 27, 2023

By John Liang / January 27, 2023 at 2:11 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news from L3Harris Technologies and Northrop Grumman's quarterly earnings calls plus the status of the Army's Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System's Enhanced Alternative Warhead, the Air Force's F-15EX lot 1 contract and a secret SM-3 Block IIA interceptor test launch.

L3Harris Technologies executives talked about the company's quarterly earnings this morning:

L3Harris CEO says hypersonics could be 'crown jewel' of Aerojet Rocketdyne acquisition

L3Harris Technologies' proposed acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne is a way to branch into the missiles market, L3Harris CEO Chris Kubasik said Friday, adding that hypersonic missile technology could be the "crown jewel" of the acquisition, L3Harris CEO Chris Kubasik said Friday.

We have a status update on the Army's Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System's Enhanced Alternative Warhead:

Preliminary design review for GMLRS' Enhanced Alternative Warhead scheduled for current fiscal year

A preliminary design review for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System's Enhanced Alternative Warhead (EAW) is scheduled for fiscal year 2023, and operational testing for the full system is to take place in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, according to Army officials.

. . . along with a scoop on the Air Force's F-15EX lot 1 contract:

Air Force, Boeing definitize F-15EX lot 1 contract

The Air Force and Boeing have definitized the F-15EX lot 1 contract, setting the flyaway price of six remaining fighters in the lot at $80.5 million each, Inside Defense has learned.

The Missile Defense Agency secretly launched a Standard Missile Block IIA interceptor last year:

MDA acknowledges clandestine SM-3 Block IIA experiment of classified capability

The Missile Defense Agency executed a covert launch of the nation's most advanced Aegis guided missile interceptor over the Pacific Ocean, keeping under wraps until now an experiment -- which one senior Pentagon official also called a developmental test -- of a highly classified potential new capability for the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA.

Northrop Grumman executives also talked about their company's earnings this week:

Northrop Grumman shares B-21 roadmap during year-end earnings call

Northrop Grumman remains on track for a flight test of the Air Force's B-21 Raider later this year and is anticipating a low-rate initial production purchase of five of the bombers, executives said during the company's year-end earnings call Thursday.

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