The INSIDER daily digest -- Jan. 9, 2023

By John Liang / January 9, 2023 at 1:36 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Space Force's Missile Track Custody program, upgrades to the Navy's Zumwalt-class destroyers and more.

Sensors developed by Boeing and Raytheon Technologies passed critical design reviews in November, though it wasn’t clear whether Space Systems Command would move forward with prototypes from both or push down to a single vendor:

SSC picks Boeing, Raytheon to move forward with Missile Track Custody prototypes

The Space Force has selected teams from Boeing's Millennium Space Systems and Raytheon Intelligence & Space to proceed with building prototypes for the service's Missile Track Custody program, according to a Space Systems Command official.

The Navy plans to outfit each of its three DDG-1000s with hypersonic strike missiles, removing the Advanced Gun System the service planned to field on the warship:

HII solidifies sole-source contract for hypersonic weapon install on Zumwalt

Shipbuilder and defense technology company HII has been awarded an advanced planning contract to upgrade the Navy’s stealth destroyer Zumwalt (DDG-1000), which will include adding long range hypersonic missiles to the ship class.

The FY-23 omnibus spending package includes $517.9 million for Hypersonic Defense, an increase of $292.5 million above the $225.4 million the Pentagon originally required this fiscal year:

MDA, armed with a $300M boost for GPI, set to accelerate development

The Missile Defense Agency is accelerating development of a counter-hypersonic weapon after Congress injected nearly $300 million for the Glide Phase Interceptor project in fiscal year 2023, raising development spending on the Hypersonic Defense program to more than half-a-billion dollars this year following a classified independent cost assessment completed for the GPI last fall.

Connecticut lawmakers are backing Sikorsky's protest of a billion-dollar contract awarded to Textron's Bell last month:

Connecticut lawmakers are supporting bid protest to FLRAA contract

Connecticut's congressional delegation is throwing its support behind Sikorsky and Boeing's protest of the Future Long Range-Assault Aircraft contract, awarded to Textron's Bell last month.

More Army helicopter news, in case you missed it on Friday:

Army anticipates possible production of up to 120 Black Hawks between 2028 and 2033

The Army is planning for the possibility of up to 120 additional UH-60M helicopters to be produced between 2028 and 2033, according to a follow-on production sources-sought notice posted on Friday.

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