Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
This first INSIDER Daily Digest of 2023 has a deep dive into the Air Force's airborne refueling tanker recapitalization effort, an Army helicopter contract protest and all the other news posted during the holiday week.
We start off with a deep dive into the Air Force's airborne refueling tanker recapitalization efforts:
Ahead of a KC-Y RFP, experts weigh anticipated requirements, key features of KC-46 and LMXT
Early this year, the Air Force expects to release requirements for its KC-Y refueling tanker, setting off an acquisition process for a platform that plays a key role in the U.S. military's ability to project power and may cap an on-again, off-again rivalry between two airframes: the Boeing 767 jetliner-derivative KC-46 Pegasus, and the Airbus A330, which has now partnered with Lockheed Martin for U.S. military conversion and is being pitched as the LMXT.
Bell may have to wait a little bit longer to begin work on the Army's next-generation helicopter:
Sikorsky, Boeing protest Army's decision to award FLRAA contract to Bell
Sikorsky and Boeing have filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office against the Army's decision to award the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft contract to Bell.
Here's all the other news we posted during the holiday week:
Defense bill strikes progress payment incentive pilot
The newly enacted Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act has stripped a Senate provision that would have created a new progress payment incentive pilot program, opting for the Government Accountability Office to study the issue.
Cloud computing is the next game-changer, 18th Airborne CTO says
Cloud computing will fundamentally transform the Army's ability to empower commanders to operate from anywhere in the world while improving soldiers' lives, the chief technology officer for "America's Contingency Corps" told Inside Defense.
Congress approves termination of Navy's 'Snakehead' LDUUV program
House and Senate appropriators are supporting the Navy's decision to fully divest from its large unmanned undersea vehicle program and are directing the service to pivot to commercially available UUV technology.
CENTCOM tech chief works to build 'muscle memory' in development cycle
In her first couple months on the job, U.S. Central Command's first-ever technology chief is pushing officials toward "building the muscle memory" for repeated capability iteration.
Army says improving data quality is a priority in addressing GAO predictive maintenance recommendations
In order to address a series of recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office on predictive maintenance listed in a report earlier this month, Army officials say the service must improve its quality of data on the condition of systems.
Cooper talks space policy ahead of retirement
As he prepares to retire from Congress, Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), one of the chief lawmakers responsible for creating the Space Force and chair of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, said space "is in good shape" under new leadership that's set to take charge in the House but larger cultural shifts are still needed.
Space Force CTIO takes inspiration from video games for digital architecture
The Space Force is advancing efforts to create its own version of the metaverse, which it is calling SpaceVerse, as part of its core focus to build itself into a digital service, according to Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Lisa Costa.