The INSIDER daily digest -- July 24, 2024

By John Liang / July 24, 2024 at 1:57 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin earnings, the Office of Strategic Capital's nascent loan program and more.

We start off with coverage of General Dynamics' and Lockheed Martin's quarterly earnings:

Hiring is improving at General Dynamics' shipyards, though supply chain issues persist

General Dynamics' shipbuilding businesses have experienced improved hiring and reduced attrition over the past year, company executives reported today, saying they are beginning to see momentum build as their shipyards work to meet the Navy's production and maintenance demands.

F-35 deliveries to exceed production in coming years, Lockheed Martin CEO says

Amid the decision to resume deliveries of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters outfitted with a truncated version of the Technology Refresh-3 upgrade, Lockheed Martin announced strong growth in a second quarter earnings call Tuesday.

The Office of Strategic Capital today announced the release of a Federal Register notice and accompanying request for information regarding its new loan program:

OSC searching for industry input on new loan program

The Office of Strategic Capital is seeking public input to sculpt the layout of the Defense Department’s new loan program aimed at procuring critical technologies.

The Senate Armed Services Committee, in its mark of the fiscal year 2025 defense policy bill, directs the Pentagon to report on the potential for high-flying balloons packed with sensors to augment protection of deployed U.S. troops as well as harden domestic airspace:

A decade after canceling JLENS, lawmakers now interested in dirigibles for air defense

Congress, which in a fit of emotion nearly a decade ago terminated the U.S. military's main dirigible project that looked deep over the horizon to detect cruise missiles, is once again interested in the potential of airships and aerostats to help defend against not only cruise missiles but also ballistic and hypersonic threats as well as drones.

Continuing coverage of the Air Force's budget-challenged Sentinel ICBM program:

Air Force reassessing how to meet Sentinel requirements following certification

While it's creating a new acquisition strategy for the Sentinel nuclear missile program, the Air Force will be reassessing how the program can meet the requirements set by U.S. nuclear policy for the ground leg of the triad, according to the service under secretary.

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