Thursday, June 19, 2025
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Key Issues Defense innovation review Dark Eagle funding Guam JIBM
This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon, Army drones, a recently released Defense Science Board report and more.
The Air Force's top uniformed and civilian officials were on Capitol Hill this week, testifying on hypersonic missiles, Air Force One and other topics:
Air Force may revive ARRW hypersonic program in FY-26
The Air Force's fiscal year 2026 budget request may include procurement dollars for the Lockheed Martin AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon, despite opting in FY-25 to all but kill the hypersonic program, according to service Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.
Meink: Mods to Qatar-gifted Air Force One jet will cost 'less than $400 million'
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said this week that modifying a Qatari jet to serve as Air Force One would likely cost "less than $400 million," despite some experts positing it could cost upwards of $1 billion.
Document: Air Force's FY-26 posture statement
The Army's top civilian and uniformed officials appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday, just a few days after Ukraine carried out an attack against Russia involving 117 drones at a cost of roughly $800 each:
Driscoll says Army must talk with manufacturers of drones being used in current warfare
The Army must create more dialogue with the manufacturers of drones that are being used in current global warfare, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told lawmakers.
Document: Army's FY-26 posture statement
A Defense Science Board report -- released in April -- "examines the current defense industrial base (DIB), considering current economic and security pressures, as well as events from recent history, to understand whether it can meet both foreseen and unforeseen needs in future conflicts."
Outgoing DSB calls for new view of industrial capacity to support Pentagon production
With China outpacing the United States in industrial capacity, the Pentagon must take a broader approach to building the defense production base needed to counter Beijing, according to a new report from a Defense Science Board task force.
Document: DSB study on a 21st century industrial base for national security
On June 3, the Missile Defense Agency terminated the Space-Based Interceptor (SBI) Industry Engagement event, originally planned for late April in Huntsville, AL:
MDA cancels Space-Based Interceptor industry event, halting Golden Dome momentum
The Pentagon has quietly canceled a long-anticipated industry engagement on space-based missile interceptors, dealing another setback to the Trump administration's push to rapidly launch the most ambitious element of its new national missile defense initiative, Golden Dome.