Thursday, April 25, 2024
Thursday, April 25, 2024
This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the defense industry's need for additional funding to pay for COVID-19 costs and more.
The chief executives of BAE Systems, Boeing Defense, General Dynamics, Huntington Ingalls Industries, L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies and Textron are telling the Pentagon more money will be needed to pay for COVID-19 costs:
Defense executives say they will submit anticipated section 3610 costs this week
In a new letter sent to the Pentagon this week, eight of the largest defense contractors say they are preparing their estimated costs related to COVID-19 relief legislation and warn the Pentagon will need additional funding to cover these expenses.
In related news, Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord recently spoke about COVID supply chain challenges:
Pentagon acquisition chief calls to 're-shore as much as possible' in wake of COVID supply chain challenges
Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord says the United States should "re-shore" the production of key capabilities like microelectronics after the COVID-19 crisis exposed weaknesses in the Defense Department's supply chain.
The Navy is developing fleet concepts of operations based on the large and medium unmanned surface vessels' initial capabilities that would include missile defense:
Navy mulling BMD mission for unmanned surface vessels
The Navy is considering tasking its new unmanned surface vessels with the ballistic missile defense mission, a move that could free up guided-missile destroyers and push the service toward the more distributed fleet it is seeking.
Nand Mulchandani, who took over as acting Joint Artificial Intelligence Center director last month, recently dispelled a perception that major technology firms will not work with the Defense Department:
Pentagon AI director says DOD has 'overwhelming support' from Google, major tech companies
The Pentagon is working with major U.S. technology companies on a range of artificial intelligence projects, including software to help streamline warfighting operations, according to the head of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center.
The Army is asking Congress to reprogram nearly $24 million to boost fiscal year 2020 accounts of three projects: a hit-to-kill variant of the Excalibur guided artillery round, a new long-range variant of the Precision Guidance Kit, and the XM113 Increment 2 high explosive munition:
Army seeks nearly $24M to boost Long Range Precision Fires munitions projects
The Army is looking to increase funding this summer for a trio of munitions projects for the service's top modernization priority -- the Extended Range Cannon Artillery system, including bolstering funds for an effort that seeks to satisfy U.S. Army Pacific Command's desire for a Multi-Domain Cannon Artillery capability.