The INSIDER daily digest -- Nov. 8, 2024

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Navy's Columbia-class submarine program, expected increases in weapons transfers to Ukraine during the Biden administration's last days and more.

We start off with coverage of a Defense Department Selected Acquisition Report that has a new cost estimate of the Navy's Columbia-class submarine program:

Columbia submarine program price tag climbs 10%; total cost estimate now $139 billion

The Columbia-class submarine program -- the Navy's once-every-two-generations modernization project that commands an outsized portion of the service's investment resources -- is now estimated to cost $139 billion, $12 billion more than the Pentagon originally estimated.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said yesterday that DOD will be making frequent announcements in the coming weeks on immediate U.S. weapons transfers to Ukraine made via Presidential Drawdown Authority, of which some $4 billion remains:

DOD looks to move billions in weapons to Ukraine before Trump is sworn in

The Defense Department is committed to providing Ukraine with about $6 billion in military assistance before the end of President Biden's term on Jan. 20, when former President Trump, who has criticized U.S. support of Ukraine in its fight against Russia, returns to office.

Army Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, program executive officer for ground combat systems, said this week about the XM30 program that "[t]here's a lot of holes in our knowledge that we now actually can see live in real time":

XM30 digital design shows promise, gaps in typical review process, official says

The model-based tests the Army is running on its replacement for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the XM30, have been so insightful they've shown just how much knowledge the service lacks without them, a senior official said during a web event Wednesday.

China is a military threat the U.S. needs to prepare for, Teal Group analyst JJ Gertler told Inside Defense:

Air Force restructuring likely to stay intact under Trump, modernization questions take the fore

The Air Force's restructuring plan will likely continue forward under the Trump administration, according to analysts, but modernization efforts could change.

We end with a look at how a second Trump administration would influence missile defense policy:

Missile defense enterprise could see massive expansion under next Trump administration

The Pentagon's missile defense enterprise could be poised for a major expansion under the next Trump administration, including tripling the planned buy of Next Generation Interceptors, accelerating the Glide Phase Interceptor development and defending the nation against not just North Korean threats, but also Russian and Chinese ICBMs.