Monday, May 13, 2024
Monday, May 13, 2024
Missile defense and Army news dominate this Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest.
The Missile Defense Agency successfully tested the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system yesterday. We heard from MDA Director Vice Adm. Jim Syring today about what comes next:
Pentagon delays first salvo test of GMD system
The Missile Defense Agency has set a new date for the next assessment of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, which would represent a delay of at least eight months.
Related: MDA says ICBM-class target intercepted in flight test of Ballistic Missile Defense System
Also yesterday, the Government Accountability Office released its annual Ballistic Missile Defense report:
GAO: MDA's new exoatmospheric kill vehicle 'in jeopardy' of terminal cost growth
The Missile Defense Agency's plan for the Redesigned Kill Vehicle -- a multibillion-dollar development project to improve the nation's defenses against a potential North Korean or Iranian intercontinental ballistic missile -- lacks Defense Department-wide support and is "in jeopardy" of meeting a fate similar to a terminated 2013 MDA project deemed too expensive.
Document: GAO's 2017 report on BMD
Army budget documents indicate a SHORAD shoot-off will occur in the fourth quarter of FY-17:
Army seeks 'interim solution' for Maneuver SHORAD in FY-18
The Army plans to spend $20 million in fiscal year 2018 to facilitate development of short-range air defense capabilities for its maneuver formations -- a key deficiency highlighted by service leaders.
The Army is seeking nearly $1 billion for remanufactured Apaches in FY-18:
Army to spend $4.6 billion on aircraft procurement in FY-18
The president's budget request for fiscal year 2018 includes $4.6 billion for Army aircraft procurement, with multiyear buys of the AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk dominating the spending.
The Army's FY-17 budget "stopped the bleeding" and highlighted the need to improve ground vehicles, according to a senior service official:
Army's FY-18 budget request includes funds for ground vehicle upgrades
The Army's budget request for fiscal year 2018 continues the service's trend of incrementally improving its ground vehicles, according to budget justification documents and the testimony of senior leaders.
Army budget documents outline the service's intent to increase GMV procurement in future years:
FY-18 budget request increases Ground Mobility Vehicle procurement
The Army's fiscal year 2018 budget request seeks to buy 100 Ground Mobility Vehicles, the service's FY-17 new-start program for a platform designed to increase the mobility of its infantry brigade combat teams.
The Army plans to begin prototyping the next infantry fighting vehicle prior to crafting the next tank:
FY-18 budget request includes NGCV prototype funding
The Army is requesting $32.7 million in the fiscal year 2018 base budget for research, development, test and evaluation funding for the next-generation combat vehicle prototype, according to budget justification documents.
The Army has a strategy for developing capabilities focused on defending the network:
Milley: Army's cyber branch in 'early stages' of growth
The Army is continuously expanding its cyber capabilities with expectations for the branch to grow, according to Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.