Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort, the military's future use of 5G technologies, the Army's munitions industrial base and more.
We start off with news on an Air Force effort to develop autonomous, uncrewed aircraft that can link up and team with traditional platforms:
'Significant investment' in CCA coming in Air Force's FY-24 budget request, official says
The Air Force will be requesting a "significant investment" for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort in the coming budget request, officials leading the program said Thursday.
A new coalition of 5G providers is showing its wares to the Defense Department:
GDIT-led 5G coalition seeks to provide 'holistic' solutions for DOD, government
A recently announced coalition led by General Dynamics Information Technology seeks to provide "holistic" 5G capabilities and solutions to the military and other government agencies, according to a company executive.
The Army's acquisition chief spoke this week at an event in Texas hosted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency:
Bush: Munitions industrial base improvements are 'vitally important'
The Army's acquisition executive on Wednesday added to a growing chorus of senior government officials calling to modernize the service's ability to make munitions, continuing to highlight an issue that has increased in relevance as the Pentagon has shipped weapons to Ukraine.
Since 1995, the solid-rocket motor industry has consolidated from six U.S. manufacturers to two: Aerojet Rocketdyne and Northrop Grumman (which in 2018 acquired Orbital ATK). A potential new supplier appears to be throwing its hat into the ring:
Albuquerque start-up pitches new booster to help DOD surge hypersonic weapon production
X-Bow Systems -- a New Mexico-based start-up that claims to bring 21st-century manufacturing technologies and know-how to solid-rocket motor production -- has answered the Pentagon's call for a potential new domestic supplier of boosters needed to power Army and Navy plans to scale production of long-range hypersonic strike weapons.
We have more military spending details about the proposed Ukraine supplemental budget request:
New Ukraine supplemental seeks funds for DOD missile procurement and development
The White House's new emergency supplemental budget request to continue aiding Ukraine in its fight against Russia contains nearly $22 billion for the Defense Department, according to an Office of Management and Budget document that breaks down some of the proposed spending.