The INSIDER daily digest -- May 8, 2025

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's transformation initiative, plus coverage of various Air Force aircraft programs and more.

We start off with coverage of the effects of the Army's new transformation initiative:

Army canceling Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems program

The Army is canceling its Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems program as part of its comprehensive transformation initiative, a service spokesman confirmed today.

Appropriators interested in the Army's big plans, but want more information

Appropriators in Congress expressed a sense of cautious optimism about a comprehensive Army transformation plan unveiled last week, but without details about the fiscal year 2026 budget and other pieces of information, they still have questions.

Mingus says divestment from humvee, JLTV will not occur 'overnight'

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus told lawmakers Tuesday that despite the service's plan to no longer procure the humvee and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, those platforms will "not go away overnight" but rather, the divestment will occur "over time."

Document: Military vice chiefs' testimony on military readiness

Some news on the next-gen Air Force One:

Boeing says it can deliver new presidential jet by 2027 if USAF changes robust requirements

Boeing has told the Air Force it can deliver the first VC-25B jet -- the eventual replacement for presidential aircraft Air Force One -- by 2027, if some of the program's requirements are altered, according to a top service official.

A component of the Air Force's B-52 bomber has suffered a Nunn-McCurdy cost breach:

B-52 RMP breaches 'significant' cost-growth threshold

The beleaguered B-52 Radar Modernization Program breached a statutory cost-growth threshold, requiring the Air Force to report the jump in price to Congress.

Some Air Force tanker news:

Air Force to restart KC-46 deliveries next week; cracking issue resolved

The Air Force and Boeing have found a fix for cracking found on the structure of the KC-46 Pegasus, a top service official said today, following a Feb. 27 decision to temporarily pause all tanker deliveries until the issue was resolved.

KC-46 Remote Vision System fix delayed to summer 2027

The planned upgrade for the KC-46 Pegasus' Remote Vision System is now expected to field 18 months behind an already delayed schedule, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said yesterday, resulting in a new delivery date about three years behind the initial plan.

MDA Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins acknowledged the agency’s decision last year to down-select a prime contractor ahead of schedule -- triggered by budget pressure -- has set the program back by several years. But he told the House Armed Services Committee strategic forces panel on April 30 that the agency is now actively assessing options to recover lost time:

MDA reconsiders Glide Phase Interceptor timeline, less than a year after delaying it

Less than a year after an early acquisition decision forced a delay in the Pentagon's flagship hypersonic defense effort, the Missile Defense Agency is now exploring ways to accelerate the Glide Phase Interceptor program to better align with the advancing threat.

Document: House hearing on missile defense