Saturday, June 22, 2024
Saturday, June 22, 2024
This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest is all about the House Appropriations Committee’s fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill. Our coverage looks at Air Force spending, Army trucks, the Defense Department’s Replicator program, and more.
House appropriators want more information on DOD’s plans for the Replicator effort:
House appropriators want Replicator tranche 2 investment plans, push DIU funding
House appropriators are seeking a detailed plan of Replicator's tranche 2 requirements and want to funnel millions into the Defense Innovation Unit to better transition developmental technology into the field, according to a document obtained by Inside Defense.
We took a look at how House lawmakers have reviewed the Air Force’s FY-25 budget request:
Air Force sees small hits in House appropriators' draft spending bill report
The Air Force may be allowed to pursue planned divestments of legacy aircraft to boost funds for innovation, but the service should "better balance near-term readiness with modernization for the future" in upcoming budget requests through at least 2028, according to a draft version of the fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill from the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
House appropriators see the need for more Black Hawk helicopters for the Army National Guard:
House appropriators propose increasing Black Hawk procurement for Army National Guard
The House Appropriations defense subcommittee, in the report accompanying its draft defense spending bill, has included an additional $60 million for the UH-60 M model Black Hawk helicopter above the Army's fiscal year 2025 request.
The Space Force’s plan for a new GPS constellation is being questioned by House lawmakers:
House appropriators question Resilient GPS quick-start program
The House Appropriations defense subcommittee is skeptical of the Space Force's decision to pursue a constellation of GPS satellites as a means for maintaining positioning, navigation and timing, according to a draft report accompanying the fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill.
The subcommittee’s report would deny the service’s request -- which was not part of the official budget request -- to realign $77 million for Resilient GPS, a program that would place 20 small GPS satellites on orbit.
And House appropriators are scrutinizing the Army’s plan for buying heavy tactical trucks:
Appropriators concerned Army tactical truck program could reduce competition and increase costs
House appropriators want the Army to analyze its heavy tactical truck program after expressing concern the current acquisition approach could reduce competition and increase costs.
In the report accompanying the fiscal year 2025 defense appropriations bill obtained by Inside Defense Wednesday, the House Appropriations defense subcommittee requests the Army acquisition secretary to submit an analysis of alternatives to the Common Tactical Truck (CTT) within 120 days following enactment of the bill.