Saturday, April 20, 2024
Saturday, April 20, 2024
This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has a story on a delay to the SM-3 Block IIA program, plus a plethora of service budget news.
The Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptor program has been delayed yet again:
Griffin directs independent review of SM-3 Block IIA reliability, further delaying production
The Pentagon's top weapons development official directed an independent assessment of Raytheon's Standard Missile-3 Block IIA guided missile to scrutinize the reliability of the new ballistic missile interceptor in advance of considering a proposal to transition the weapon -- the first such interceptor developed with a foreign partner -- from development to production.
The Air Force's acquisition chief was on Capitol Hill this morning, testifying about his service's FY-20 budget request:
Air Force predicts six- to eight-month delay in B-2 DMS modernization delivery
Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper told lawmakers today he expects there will be a six- to eight-month delay to the B-2 Defensive Management System modernization effort as prime contractor Northrop Grumman works to implement a new agile software development program.
Related Air Force budget news:
USAF looks for boosts in missile procurement, hypersonics research
The Air Force is seeking to expand its missile inventory and hypersonics research, according to its fiscal year 2020 defense budget request.
Air Force requests nearly $36M for ABMS in FY-20
The Air Force is requesting $36 million for research and development for the Advanced Battle Management System in fiscal year 2020, according to spokeswoman Capt. Cara Bousie.
More coverage of the new Space Development Agency:
Griffin: SDA to oversee new proliferated space comms transport layer
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin told reporters today the first priority of the Pentagon's new Space Development Agency is to create a space sensor and communications transport layer in low-Earth orbit.
Related, in case you missed it yesterday:
A Navy official gave Inside Defense some news about the service's Large Unmanned Surface Vessels:
First two LUSVs will be SCO's Overlord design, remaining eight to be competed
The first two Large Unmanned Surface Vessels the Navy plans to purchase in fiscal year 2020 will be procured from the Strategic Capabilities Office's Overlord program, while the remaining eight will be a new design based on market research, a Navy spokesman told Inside Defense.
More Navy ship news:
Navy raises price estimate on FFG(X) in new budget
The Navy's fiscal year 2020 budget confirms the lead ship procurement cost for the service's next-generation frigate will be $1.3 billion, a figure that is slightly higher than previous projections stated by Navy officials.