Thursday, October 30, 2025
Thursday, October 30, 2025
This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on proposed U.S. troop withdrawals from Romania, an Infantry Squad Vehicle quickly deploying a mortar system in the field, domestic shipbuilding and more.
Republican lawmakers aren't happy with proposed U.S. troop withdrawals from Romania:
GOP chairmen oppose U.S. troop cuts in Romania, worry about further reductions in Europe
The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services committees said today they "strongly oppose" the Trump administration's decision to reduce U.S. troop presence in Romania -- the eastern flank of NATO.
The Army recently held a test event with the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment at Schofield Barracks, HI, under the service's second iteration of Transforming in Contact:
Global Military Products' mortar-carrying ISV-U shrinks deployment time 225547
Army soldiers driving two utility versions of the Infantry Squad Vehicle last week on Oahu, HI, pulled into a field, unfolded an 81mm mortar system out of the back, simulated firing off six rounds and peeled out, all in about a minute and 15 seconds, a video shared with Inside Defense shows.
President Trump is in Asia this week for a series of summits and meetings where critical minerals are a topic of discussion:
In new minerals deal, U.S. eyes price floors to counter unfair practices
In newly signed critical minerals agreements with Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia, the U.S. has secured commitments to combat unfair and nonmarket trading practices via pricing measures, with the texts of all but the Japan deal referring specifically to the use of price floors.
The Senate Coast Guard, maritime and fisheries subcommittee held a hearing on domestic shipbuilding this week:
Senators appear receptive to SHIPS Act, express concern for state of domestic shipbuilding
Senators expressed bipartisan support today for a rebuild of the domestic commercial shipbuilding industry -- a goal that could be supported by the SHIPS Act, currently working its way through the Senate Commerce Committee.
Document: Senate hearing on reviving commercial shipbuilding
The lapse in appropriations has kept about 80% of the AFRL and AFWERX civilian workforce from returning to work, according to an Air Force Materiel Command spokesperson:
AFRL operating with skeleton crew during government shutdown
A majority of the engineers, scientists and other expert government civilians working within the Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX -- the service's innovation arm -- have been furloughed due to the prolonged government shutdown, a spokesperson told Inside Defense.