The INSIDER daily digest -- June 23, 2023

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Senate Armed Services Committee releasing a summary of its version of the fiscal year 2024 defense policy bill, plus NORAD seeking a string of passive radars in the far north, plus the debate over which engine should replace the one currently on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and more.

We start off with the Senate Armed Services Committee releasing the executive summary of its version of the fiscal year 2024 defense authorization bill:

Senate Armed Services Committee backs emergency supplemental in defense bill

The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 24-1 to pass its version of the fiscal year 2024 defense authorization bill, voicing support for an emergency supplemental to boost the Pentagon's budget beyond the cap agreed to in a recent congressional debt limit deal.

Document: Senate authorizers' summary of the FY-24 defense policy bill

Talon Archer, developed and deployed using commercial-off-the-shelf technology as a prototype in 2017 through the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Quick Reaction Special Projects, adopted in 2020 by the Air Force Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) program, is now being used to bolster the North Warning System sensor network:

NORAD eyes requirement for string of new passive sensors in the high North

The Defense Department would like to field a string of passive radars in remote locations well north of the Arctic Circle as part of an effort -- details of which were previously classified -- to extend the sensor reach of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command to feed alerts as well as actionable information to U.S. and Canadian military leaders.

Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President of Aeronautics Greg Ulmer said at the Paris Air Show this week that he would like to see the Adaptive Engine Transition Program for upgrading the F-35’s engine rather than the Defense Department-backed Engine Core Upgrade to the current F135 engine:

Lockheed Martin exec backs AETP as Congress works on approving ECU for F-35

As Congress is working on its fiscal year 2024 defense spending and policy bills, a Lockheed Martin executive has announced he backs the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter re-engine option that the Pentagon nixed months ago.

An amendment to establish the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile program was introduced by House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee Chairman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and was approved by a voice vote that fell largely along party lines, with Democrats including full committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) arguing against the measure:

Defense policy bill would make SLCM-N an official program of record

The House Armed Services Committee has approved an amendment to the annual defense authorization bill that would create an official program of record for nuclear sea-launched cruise missile development.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) said during a hearing this week that lawmakers should keep working to increase defense spending as well as non-defense funding for fiscal year 2024:

Senate appropriators discuss defense supplemental spending deal

Senior Senate appropriators voiced bipartisan support this week for potentially passing a supplemental defense spending bill that would go above the statutory cap Congress agreed to in a debt limit deal last month.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) wants to assess the real costs of retrofitting the Minuteman III facilities for the new Sentinel nuclear missile before setting firm fixed-price contracts for later production lots:

Sentinel ICBM silo construction may be done with cost-plus contracts

The House Armed Services Committee approved Wednesday an amendment to the fiscal year 2024 defense policy bill that would allow the Defense Department to award cost-plus incentive-fee contracts for construction projects for the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program's facilities.