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The House Appropriations defense subcommittee has included $240 million for procurement of MQ-1C Gray Eagle 25M unmanned aircraft systems in its draft defense spending legislation for fiscal year 2025.

The aircraft would be used in the Army National Guard, according to a bill summary released with the bill text Tuesday morning.

The GE25M is a modernized version of the Gray Eagle that maker General Atomics states is built for multidomain operations capability and can be used in active duty and National Guard units. It features a multimode radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors and can “host a wide range of additional kinetic and non-kinetic payloads,” according to the company.

In recent years, the Army has not included funding in its base budgets for procurement of additional Gray Eagles due to having already met its acquisition goal of 204 aircraft by the end of 2019. However, in the years since, Congress has continued to provide funding to procure additional aircraft beyond that total. In FY-23, Congress included $350 million in its defense spending legislation for the procurement of 12 Gray Eagles for the Guard.

Separately, General Atomics announced May 31 that the Army had ordered 12 of the new GE 25M aircraft that are being paid for with FY-23 congressional funding. Leaders in the Guard asked for the aircraft in order to ensure its divisions “mirror the active component in being Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) capable, deployable and better able to team with newly formed Division Artillery Brigades,” according to General Atomics. The aircraft can also support homeland defense, disaster response and other domestic missions.

Adding the new Gray Eagles to the Guard will give its divisions “divisional reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition for the first time.”

Patrick Shortsleeve, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ vice president of DOD Strategic Development, said in a statement last week that the Gray Eagle platform has a “proven record of performance with over a million hours of safe operations, including automatic takeoff and landing capability.”

“The aircraft excels as an enabler for fires, maneuver, network and intelligence operations. It is also an integral part of the Army aviation team, working closely with manned rotary-wing systems to achieve overmatch against pacing threats,” he said in the statement.

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee's military spending bill and more.

Here's our preliminary coverage of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee's fiscal year 2025 spending bill:

House defense appropriators draft bill without additional sub and would increase F-35 buys

The House Appropriations defense subcommittee has released a draft version of the fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill that differs in several ways from their colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee, specifically by forgoing funds for an additional Virginia-class submarine and increasing procurement for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

House appropriators break with authorizers on shipbuilding, cutting frigate, LSM and second VA sub

A draft defense spending bill released today by House appropriators would fund only four battle force ships and only one Virginia-class submarine in fiscal year 2025, marking a significant break from both the Navy's budget request and from House authorizers' defense policy bill.

Gen. James Rainey, the head of Army Futures Command, spoke this week at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event:

Rainey: It is too early to set up a drone branch for the Army

The Army's top modernization officer says it is too early to set up a drone branch for the service, becoming the latest service official to oppose a congressional proposal supporting the idea.

The U.S. ambassador to NATO spoke to the media this week at a Defense Writers Group breakfast:

NATO looks to give global arms industry clearer demand signals by sharing defense plans

U.S. NATO Ambassador Julianne Smith said today the alliance intends to make new defense production announcements at a key summit in July that could give arms manufacturers insight into NATO's defense planning guidance in the hopes the information will serve as a multiyear "demand signal" to spur new investments in munitions capacity.

The Defense Innovation Unit and Air Force Armament Directorate are working on a new autonomous vehicle program:

DIU, Air Force Armament Directorate announce four companies selected for enterprise test vehicle project

The Defense Innovation Unit and the Air Force Armament Directorate (EB) announced today that the partnership selected four companies that will support their Enterprise Test Vehicle (ETV) project.

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Defense Innovation Unit, the Marine Corps' Amphibious Combat Vehicle program and more.

The Defense Innovation Unit and Air Force Armament Directorate are working on a new autonomous vehicle program:

DIU, Air Force Armament Directorate announce four companies selected for enterprise test vehicle project

The Defense Innovation Unit and the Air Force Armament Directorate (EB) announced today that the partnership selected four companies that will support their Enterprise Test Vehicle (ETV) project.

More DIU news:

DIU updates Blue UAS program, adding new systems

After receiving user feedback, the Defense Innovation Unit has updated its Blue Uncrewed Aerial System program, including adding approved capabilities to its "Blue List," increasing the program's framework options and reducing update approval time through consistent software monitoring.

The Marine Corps' Advanced Amphibious Assault program office is polling industry to see if "more than one vendor" can produce an ACV-30 turret system:

Marine Corps seeks additional vendors capable of building remote turret system for ACV-30

The Marine Corps is testing the waters to see if any additional vendors can produce a remotely operated turret system for the Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm cannon variant, according to a sources-sought notice published late last week.

The Pentagon's Open Data and Application Government Owned Interoperable Repositories is meant to be a multivendor ecosystem that purchases the infrastructure needed so the government can own its data:

CDAO announces new 'Open DAGIR' approach to government and industry data collaboration

The Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office today announced its intent to embark on a new approach to accessible government data and a smoother acquisition process for digital capabilities through enterprise-level contracts and licenses called Open DAGIR.

In fiscal year 2023, contractors Kaman and Leidos secured rapid prototyping contracts to develop solutions for the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle-Expeditionary Logistics program:

Marine Corps prepares for July flight test of mid-sized logistics drones

The Marine Corps is preparing for an initial "fly-off" test that will evaluate two drone prototypes competing for a future program of record that will field a medium-size uncrewed aircraft system to deliver supplies to forward-deployed forces.

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on uncrewed aircraft systems being developed by both the Defense Innovation Unit and Marine Corps along with the Pentagon seeking accessible government data and more.

The Blue UAS program, which began in 2020 in response to legislation in the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting Defense Department procurement of foreign-made UAS, aims to accelerate and scale the prototyping phase of reliable commercial UAS technology:

DIU updates Blue UAS program, adding new systems

After receiving user feedback, the Defense Innovation Unit has updated its Blue Uncrewed Aerial System program, including adding approved capabilities to its "Blue List," increasing the program's framework options and reducing update approval time through consistent software monitoring.

Open DAGIR, which stands for Open Data and Application Government Owned Interoperable Repositories, is meant to be a multivendor ecosystem that purchases the infrastructure needed so the government can own its data, procures enterprise licenses for mature applications and creates a competitive environment for future software development, according to the Defense Department:

CDAO announces new 'Open DAGIR' approach to government and industry data collaboration

The Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office today announced its intent to embark on a new approach to accessible government data and a smoother acquisition process for digital capabilities through enterprise-level contracts and licenses called Open DAGIR.

In fiscal year 2023, contractors Kaman and Leidos secured rapid prototyping contracts to develop solutions for the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle-Expeditionary Logistics program, solutions which are scheduled to be test-flown in July:

Marine Corps prepares for July flight test of mid-sized logistics drones

The Marine Corps is preparing for an initial "fly-off" test that will evaluate two drone prototypes competing for a future program of record that will field a medium-size uncrewed aircraft system to deliver supplies to forward-deployed forces.

A House lawmaker is planning to introduce an amendment to the fiscal year 2025 defense policy bill that would require the placement of Apache helicopters at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, MI, if the bill is passed by both the House and Senate:

Michigan congressman wants Apache helicopters for Selfridge Air National Guard Base

Without a clear commitment from the Air Force to replace retiring A-10 Thunderbolt IIs at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, MI, with another fighter mission, a Michigan congressman is now asking the Army to deliver AH-64E Apache helicopters to the installation, according to documents shared exclusively with Inside Defense.

Document: Lawmaker's letter on basing Apaches at Selfridge

The chief executive of HII spoke this week about how his company is working to bolster its labor force:

HII CEO talks bolstering workforce, fighting back against delays

Labor is shipbuilder HII’s “biggest risk,” CEO Chris Kastner said Wednesday, and the company is implementing several programs and incentives to mitigate this -- amid a decline in the company’s workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on HII's efforts to bolster its labor force, the Army's Maven Smart System prototype, the Air Force's Sentinel ICBM program and more.

The chief executive of HII talked yesterday about how his company is working to bolster its labor force:

HII CEO talks bolstering workforce, fighting back against delays

Labor is shipbuilder HII’s “biggest risk,” CEO Chris Kastner said Wednesday, and the company is implementing several programs and incentives to mitigate this -- amid a decline in the company’s workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Army Contracting Command in Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, led the “firm-fixed-price” contract for the Maven Smart System prototype, which is meant to allow users to scan the battlefield to predict, screen and counter threat activity:

Army awards $480M contract to Palantir for Maven Smart System prototype

Palantir has received a $480 million contract to supply the Army with its Maven Smart System prototype, the Defense Department announced yesterday.

The House Armed Services Committee’s Chairman’s mark of the fiscal year 2025 defense policy bill would authorize the Air Force's modification of its in-service aircraft request for $55 million in FY-25 for SLP-A, which is considered a Sentinel capability improvement, according to Air Force budget documents:

Sentinel SLP-A finds FY-25 new-start backing in draft legislation

The Air Force has secured backing in draft legislation for new-start procurement authorization in fiscal year 2025 of the Secondary Launch Platform-Airborne (SLP-A) for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program, even as the Pentagon works to revise the program in the wake of cost growth that triggered a statutory acquisition review.

Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Pat Fallon (R-TX) have proposed an amendment that would task the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and the director of the Office of Strategic Capital with forming a new dual-use technology program:

Bipartisan amendment seeks pilot program to accelerate DOD technology buys

A proposed bipartisan amendment to the House version of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill seeks to establish a pilot program at the Pentagon to incentivize new investment in dual-use military technologies.

A liquid hypersonic engine currently under development can maneuver objects in orbit without fully depleting its propellant store, making it a key defense technology ready for use against Russian and Chinese anti-satellite systems:

Ursa Major tests liquid hypersonic engine, drawing combatant command and PEO interest

Ursa Major has announced it has "hot fire" tested Draper -- its developmental liquid hypersonic engine -- over 50 times since March, meeting the project's 12-month timeline through a contract with the Air Force Research Lab, noting new interest from a U.S. combatant command and a program executive office.

A new Defense Department inspector general's report determines "whether the Army effectively managed contractor execution of storage, maintenance, and accountability requirements for Army Prepositioned Stock–5 equipment in accordance with Federal and DOD regulations and whether Army contracting officials reviewed and approved invoices to verify contractor‑reported costs before payment":

DOD IG: Army delivered inoperable equipment to units in Middle East

Army units deployed in Europe and the Middle East received inoperable equipment after being stored in poor environmental conditions, impacting their mission readiness, according to an audit report from the Defense Department's inspector general.

Document: DOD IG audit of Army's management of prepositioned stock-5 equipment

The Air Force is asking industry whether it can construct a sturdy shelter fit to protect F-15E Strike Eagles from small unmanned aerial systems, according to a request for information posted today.

“Small Unmanned Aerial Systems disrupt airfield operations and agencies have limited response capabilities due to restrictions on countermeasures posed by the Federal Aviation Administration,” the service said in the solicitation. The FAA bars the Pentagon from using kinetic means within the homeland airspace to protect the nation's bases, systems and other infrastructure.

The new passive barriers, which are needed to “prevent a Group 1 or Group 2 sUAS from making physical contact with an F-15E Strike Eagle using commercial-off-the-shelf material,” will be tacked onto existing Big Top Shelters, or fabric structures already built to store the jets and other assets.

Any material selected will need to be strong enough to stop one or more 55-pound drones traveling 125 miles-per-hour, the posting stated, and any gaps in the material or design should not be larger than six inches.

These kinds of barriers typically have no moving parts but can deter threats by absorbing energy caused by impact and transferring it to the structure’s foundation. The Air Force said in the request the chosen material should be flame-retardant, low-weight and able to be swiftly opened or closed. Likewise, the F-15E housed inside “needs to be tightly secured in both open and closed positions,” the service said.

Wednesday’s announcement doesn't necessarily indicate the government is committed to purchasing the barriers.

“All interested firms should submit a capabilities package that outlines the firm’s capabilities in providing the required services. The capabilities package should be brief and concise, yet clearly demonstrate an ability to meet the stated requirements,” the service said in the posting. “After reviewing all packages, firms will be contacted about the possibility and interest of conducting an onsite demonstration of their capabilities on an actual shelter.”

The notice comes as the Air Force and other services are working to bolster military bases against a growing mass of low-cost and attritable threats from foreign adversaries. A senior defense official told reporters on May 8 there are about two to three random instances per week of drones flying near U.S. military bases in America. These have not necessarily been nefarious, the official said at the time, and are more likely to be hobbyists. But, they said, these kinds of incursions are still a cause for concern.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is moving ahead with an effort to develop small, ship-launched drones, clearing six companies to advance their designs into a 10-month maturation phase, according to a May 22 agency announcement.

DARPA began this effort, dubbed the advanced aircraft infrastructure-less launch and recovery (ANCILLARY) program, in 2023 when it selected nine contractors for an initial concept design phase to develop autonomous vertical takeoff and landing ‘X-planes’ with Navy and Marine Corps missions in mind.

This initial crop of contractors has now been narrowed down to six competitors -- AeroVironment, Griffon Aerospace, Karem Aircraft, Method Aeronautics, Northrop Grumman and Sikorsky.

Design maturation efforts will focus on “reducing system risks through refined higher-fidelity design and analysis and by conducting component and configuration hover testing,” according to the announcement.

At the conclusion of this 10-month phase, the companies will submit competitive proposals for phase II of the effort, consisting of detailed design, fabrication and flight testing, the notice continues. X-plane flight testing is expected to begin in early 2026.

“The goal of ANCILLARY is to increase small vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial system (UAS) capabilities by a factor of three over the current state-of-the-art flying today,” said program manager Steve Komadina in a statement included in the release.

“Our performers are searching for innovative ways to increase payload weight and range/endurance of small, ship-launched UAS by means of novel configurations, propulsion and controls while also removing the need for special infrastructure,” Komadina’s statement continued.

The drones are intended to be deployed and retrieved from Navy ships without large, mechanical launchers or recovery equipment. They will take off and land vertically while carrying “significant payload,” DARPA’s notice adds.

According to a separate notice from AeroVironment announcing the company’s progression into the next program phase, DARPA is targeting a 450-nautical-mile mission radius, over 12 hours of endurance and a 60-pound payload capacity for the system.

While the resulting UAS is intended mostly for use in Navy and Marine Corps missions, other service branches including the Army and Air Force are also interested in the technology for logistics and offensive strike missions, according to DARPA’s notice.