The INSIDER daily digest -- June 4, 2025

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon's proposed cuts to the office of the director of operational test and evaluation, Northrop Grumman building a new missile factory in Maryland and more.

We start off with a deep dive into the Pentagon's proposed cuts to the office of the director of operational test and evaluation:

Budget cuts to DOD's independent weapons testing office draw fire, raise eyebrows

“I hope this damn thing works . . .”

It’s the caption of a military cartoon that Robert Behler, the Pentagon's former chief weapons tester, says once hung outside his office -- depicting a World War I soldier preparing to throw a hand grenade.

Northrop Grumman is building a new 57,000-square-foot Propulsion Innovation Center in Elkton, MD, which is part of a $100 million investment to meet the Pentagon’s increasing needs for solid-rocket motor propulsion and hypersonic airbreathing propulsion:

Northrop Grumman aiming to nearly double solid-rocket motor production rate by 2029

ELKTON, MD -- Northrop Grumman plans to double its solid-rocket motor production from 13,000 per year, as of 2024, to 25,000 in 2029.

Inside Defense got a chance to tour GE Aerospace's headquarters this week:

GE Aerospace in talks with Army leaders on how ITEP could speed up, save money

CINCINNATI -- GE Aerospace's defense segment is in ongoing discussions with Army leaders on a plan to accelerate the service's program for a next-generation helicopter turbine engine, the fate of which lies in the forthcoming fiscal year 2026 budget request, company officials told reporters at a tour of its headquarters here on Monday.

The Project G.I. prize challenge comes as adversary nations' adoption of uncrewed system capabilities increases in speed and scale, requiring the Defense Department to "identify, assess and integrate next-generation UxS solutions at a faster pace to maintain tactical and strategic overmatch," DIU said this week:

DIU seeking 'ready now' uncrewed systems via $20M 'Project G.I.' prize challenge

The Defense Innovation Unit is looking for "ready now" uncrewed systems enabling enhanced mission effectiveness for small military cells operating in contested environments, the organization said in an open call for its latest prize challenge issued this week.

Later this week, the Navy will release a memo on incentive structures for program officers, specifically incentivizing them to seek out commercial technological solutions:

Memo on incentives for acquisition workforce coming soon, Navy official says

Though technology and artificial intelligence adoption can be particularly difficult for the Navy -- due to ships being away at sea, difficulty obtaining data rights and a lack of connection between computer programs -- there are solutions and plans in place to counter these problems, according to a Navy official.

BAE Systems will build 10 satellites designed for medium-Earth orbit through a firm, fixed price other transaction authority agreement:

BAE wins $1.2 billion for MW/MT Epoch 2 satellites

The Space Force awarded BAE Systems a $1.2 billion contract for the second slate of Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking satellites, Space Systems Command announced this week.

The Missile Defense Agency announced late Monday that the Golden Dome Industry Summit, originally rescheduled for June 11 in Huntsville, AL, will not take place:

Pentagon cancels Golden Dome industry summit two weeks after presidential launch

The Defense Department abruptly canceled -- again -- a high-profile industry summit for the Golden Dome for America missile defense initiative, marking a sputtering start for the Trump administration's marquee military modernization project -- an estimated $175 billion project launched with fanfare at the White House two weeks ago.