The INSIDER daily digest -- March 14, 2024

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's KC-46A aerial refueling tanker program, plus cruise missile defense and more.

The KC-46A Pegasus' Remote Vision System 2.0 is experiencing some "schedule pressure":

KC-46A RVS 2.0 awaits FAA certification, 'likely' delayed until 2026

The KC-46A Pegasus' Remote Vision System 2.0 will "likely" arrive in 2026, slipping past its proposed arrival date of October 2025, Air Force acquisition head Andrew Hunter told lawmakers Tuesday.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved a new homeland cruise missile defense policy on Sept. 14, a previously unreported development, completing a tasking set by the 2022 National Defense Strategy to update the policy:

DOD sets new domestic air defense policy as NORAD braces for Chinese military patrols

The U.S. military has adopted new policy guidance for air and cruise missile defense of the homeland just as North American Aerospace and Defense Command top brass are bracing for Chinese military aircraft this year for the first time to penetrate NORAD's air defense identification zone.

The Army also has cruise missile defense plans:

Army launching new effort to develop defensive system for cruise missiles, UAVs

The Army plans to fund a new effort to develop a cannon using a hypervelocity projectile designed to counter, in part, cruise missiles and drones, according to fiscal year 2025 budget documents released Monday.

In June 2023, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro approved a new acquisition plan for MQ-25, one that delayed milestone C production certification to the third quarter of 2025 and included reprogramming money from aircraft procurement to research, development, test and evaluation in fiscal years 2023 and 2024:

With MQ-25 reprogramming approved, Navy awaits Congress' budget maneuvers

Funding to resolve the Navy's MQ-25 Stingray uncrewed aircraft system's obsolescence issues may be available soon now that Congress has approved a service reprogramming request, the Navy announced Monday.

The Army intends to buy 230 Precision Strike Missiles in FY-25, 296 in FY-26, 268 in FY-28 and 234 in FY-29, according to budget justification documents that were released Monday:

Army increasing PrSM purchase in FY-25

The Army plans to accelerate its purchase of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) for fiscal year 2025 as well as in future years -- a move service officials say reflects an urgent need for the weapon.

The Air Force is now targeting the second quarter of 2028 for initial operational capability, instead of 2027:

T-7 milestone C projection slips another four months; now fielded by 2028

The Air Force is pushing the milestone C decision for the T-7 Red Hawk training jet back by four months, from February to May 2025, according to justification documents attached to the fiscal year 2025 budget request.

Last but by no means least, our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity have the latest on the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program:

Small business advocacy office identifies areas for more guidance in CMMC proposed rulemaking

The Office of Advocacy at the Small Business Administration has outlined four areas of concern in the Pentagon's proposed rule to implement the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program.