The Insider

Navy's technology needs to be detailed at fall industry event
By Linda Hersey
August 10, 2023 at 9:40 AM

Defense industry professionals will have the opportunity to learn about the Navy's technology needs, including for unmanned systems at the Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons' Industry Event 2023 next month.

The PEO(U&W) is hosting the event Sept. 26-28 in Maryland as both an in-person and virtual conference, according to an updated contract opportunity special notice.

The notice, issued Wednesday, is a request for information to identify “potential technologies and capabilities to consider for the future of the Navy from industry.”

The three-day forum is for industry participants to hear firsthand about the technology needs of Naval Air Systems Command, PEO(U&W) and of the “Navy’s unmanned community with the potential for follow-up for briefings,” according to the notice.

The briefings will collect information on technology that industry has developed, the notice stated.

Advance registration is required for each day of the forum.

Opening day is restricted to attendees with final secret-level clearance and will be held in-person only at a site on or near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD.

“Only contractors or subcontractors performing a current DOD or federal intelligence community contract” are permitted, the notice stated.

Individuals need to be registered with their clearance verified to attend the first day of the forum. All registration and security verification materials for day-one attendance need to be submitted by Sept. 18, according to the notice.

Day one topics will cover “the threat, the fight tonight and the fight tomorrow and how industry can help,” the notice said.

The rest of the event is unclassified and open to registered participants, with sessions held in-person and available for live-streaming online. Details will be made available on the registration website.

Day two activities will cover the following:

  • PEO(U&W) portfolio review of strike weapons, targets and mission planning followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session;
  • “Rapid capability insertion” with information on upcoming exercises and events and how industry can participate. Capability briefs will be provided by naval air warfare centers (both aircraft and weapons divisions), fleet readiness centers and the Office of Naval Research. A panel discussion and Q&A session will follow.
  • Presentations on supporting small businesses. Additional presentations and Q&As may also take place.

Day three comprises the second Navy industry outreach event as required under the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act and is described as a “follow-on” to the Navy’s March 1-3 unmanned industry event.

Day three will also include a PEO(U&W) portfolio review of unmanned aviation and mission planning. There will be presentations on aviation, surface and subsurface unmanned systems, AI and autonomy.

The INSIDER daily digest -- August 9, 2023
By John Liang
August 9, 2023 at 2:16 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's E-7 Wedgetail early warning aircraft program, a recent Defense Department cloud workshop, the Army's contested logistics cross-functional team and more.

We start off with more coverage from the recent Air Force Life Cycle Industry Day:

U.K. working out DMS problems with E-7 ahead of U.S. acquisition

DAYTON, OH -- The U.S. will benefit from the kinks in the manufacturing and supply chain for the E-7 Wedgetail that are being worked out by the U.K., which has faced rising procurement costs on its version of the aircraft, senior materiel leaders told reporters last week.

Read our full industry day coverage.

The Defense Department held a cloud workshop this week:

Naval tech leaders prioritize integrating data delivery for warfighters

The Navy and Marine Corps are advancing development of a digital identity services platform -- called a naval identity service -- for managing credential-access capabilities, according to Hank Costa, Marine Corps enterprise services planner, DCI, IC4.

The announcement of the Army's new contested logistics cross-functional team came more than a year after the start of Ukraine's war with Russia, which Army officials have said has driven home the need to ensure the "service’s ability to sustain large-scale combat operations in a contested environment":

Army Futures Command official outlines themes of contested logistics CFT

The Army's new contested logistics cross-functional team will focus roughly on areas such as data-based logistics, autonomous technology and fuel efficiency, an Army Futures Command official said Tuesday.

While the Navy's Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system has faced a series of delays that pushed operational testing from early FY-21 to the middle of FY-24, the program is now progressing through production readiness assessments and holding to its first quarter FY-25 target for full-rate production:

Navy predicts new Super Hornet sensor will begin full-rate production in early FY-25 despite IOC delay

The Navy expects its next-generation F/A-18E/F Super Hornet infrared sensor to enter full-rate production in early fiscal year 2025 even though the system's anticipated initial operational capability date has slipped from the third to the fourth quarter of FY-24.

Here's an update on the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 Transport Layer program:

Lockheed completes CDR for SDA's military satellite constellation

Lockheed Martin has completed the critical design review for the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 Transport Layer program, a part of the SDA's contract awarded to build 42 satellites.

Northrop delivers two critical components of ASBM
By Apurva Minchekar
August 9, 2023 at 12:15 PM

Northrop Grumman delivered two critical satellite constellations of the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission, which will provide protected satellite communications to the Northern polar region, according to an Aug. 7 announcement.

“Our work to deliver protected polar satellite communications will fill a critical need for our customers,” Tom Wilson, Northrop’s Space Systems corporate vice president and president, said.

The mission will use Northrop’s GEOStar-3 platform, which includes the main satellite structure and systems essential to maintain operations, according to the announcement. The company would also be providing the payload and ground system for the mission.

Additionally, satellites will also carry multiple hosted payloads, including an X-Band payload for the Norwegian Defense Ministry; a Ka-Band payload for Inmarsat, a British mobile satellite service; and the Norwegian Radiation Monitor payload commissioned by the European Commission.

Recently, Space Systems Command accepted the formal delivery of the Control and Planning Segment ground system, which is currently transitioning to the operational phase, preparing the ground system for early operations with the two on-orbit operational Enhanced Polar System payloads.

Northrop will also provide support to the two EPS-Recapitalization payloads after the mission launch, the announcement states.

In February 2020, a Pentagon official said the EPS-R would prevent a coverage gap in the protected polar satellite communications, until the mid-2030s, for warfighters in the North Polar Region, in a benign and contested environment.

ASBM is a collaboration between Northrop, the U.S. Space Force and Space Norway, owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, and is now preparing the next phase of pre-launch.

SDA expands its LEO mission to Grand Forks AFB
By Apurva Minchekar
August 8, 2023 at 3:12 PM

The Space Development Agency is building a satellite testing center at Grand Forks Air Force Base, ND to expand its low-Earth satellite mission and expects to complete it by 2026, according to an announcement yesterday.

“The Space Development Agency’s presence at Grand Forks Base is critical to the agency’s success, both in terms of geography and because it allows our proximity to some of today’s most important warfighting missions,” SDA Director Derek Tournear said, who was accompanied by Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) at Grand Forks.

According to the announcement, SDA will have the operations center and test and checkout center at Grand Forks and the operations center at Redstone Arsenal, AL -- with construction costs for all three facilities totaling $30 million.

Hoeven, who is a member of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, was able to acquire $18 million in construction funding in fiscal year 2022 for two operational centers; $4 million in FY-2023 to start the construction of the TCC with an additional $4 million in FY-24; and expects $4 million in FY-25.

Additionally, the SDA has awarded a $325 million operations and integration contract to establish the Space Networking Center to General Dynamics Mission Systems and Iridium in FY-22.

“The Space Networking Center will support the first layer of the SDA’s satellite operations, which is designed to transport data and facilitate communications,” the announcement reads.

Tournear said the addition of the SDA Test and Checkout center will enable the agency to “support near-continuous launch into the future.”

The INSIDER daily digest -- August 8, 2023
By John Liang
August 8, 2023 at 2:07 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet's next-generation infrared sensor, the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 Transport Layer program and more.

While the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system has faced a series of delays that pushed operational testing from early FY-21 to the middle of FY-24, the program is now progressing through production readiness assessments and holding to its first quarter FY-25 target for full-rate production:

Navy predicts new Super Hornet sensor will begin full-rate production in early FY-25 despite IOC delay

The Navy expects its next-generation F/A-18E/F Super Hornet infrared sensor to enter full-rate production in early fiscal year 2025 even though the system's anticipated initial operational capability date has slipped from the third to the fourth quarter of FY-24.

We have an update on the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 Transport Layer program:

Lockheed completes CDR for SDA's military satellite constellation

Lockheed Martin announced today it has completed the critical design review for the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 Transport Layer program, a part of the SDA's contract awarded to build 42 satellites.

Defense Department leaders are working to finalize a memorandum of agreement that codifies roles and responsibilities for the missile defense of Guam:

DOD still working to sort out defense of Guam organizational roles and responsibilities

Pentagon leaders are working to clarify lanes of responsibility for the defense of Guam, an unusually complex project -- even for the Defense Department -- that involves many intertwined organizational, functional and technological dimensions in a high-stakes, quick-moving project deemed crucial to defending, if necessary, Taiwan from China beginning in 2024.

While the Navy initially planned to buy 13 of the flight II Landing Platform Dock amphibious warfare ships, its fiscal year 2023 budget proposed truncating production after just three vessels:

Navy signals intent to procure at least three more LPDs

The Navy is planning to issue a solicitation to shipbuilder HII for long-lead-time materials and detail, design and construction of three amphibious warships -- LPD-33, LPD-34 and LPD-35, according to a presolicitation notice published Friday.

The Marine Corps is strengthening its defenses against small drones:

Small drone defense at Marine Corps sites to grow

The Marine Corps is enhancing five small unmanned aerial system defense platforms fielded at undisclosed U.S. military sites, with plans to add the high-tech equipment at other installations.

DARC Site-2 will be operational in June 2028 and Site-3 in June 2029
By Apurva Minchekar
August 8, 2023 at 12:41 PM

The Space Force's new deep space radar system at Site-2 and Site-3 is expected to be operational in June 2028 and June 2029, respectively, according to an Aug. 7 notice.

The Defense Department awarded Northrop Grumman a sole-source contract to complete the fielding of Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability Sites 2 and 3 as well as to provide logistics support for operations and support for all 3 sites and the Mission Operations Center.

“Site 1 [contract logistics support] limited to two years following Site-1 operational acceptance; sites 2 and 3 CLS limited to one year each following each site operational acceptance; and the training of site operations and maintenance personnel for all three sites and the MOC,” the service noted.

According to the notice, the estimated contract award date for fielding action is in December or the first quarter of the calendar year 2024.

Recently, Frank Calvelli, Air Force assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration, in his April written testimony to the Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, said the three DARC sites would be in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.

The service is expecting to complete Site-1 construction by the fourth quarter of calendar year 2025, which will include the construction of roads, buildings, utilities, foundation and installation of antenna structures.

Meanwhile, the Government Accountability Office has reported that the program is estimated to take an additional year to complete the program beyond the middle-tier acquisition timeframe of five years, indicating a schedule risk.

The DARC is a ground-based radar that will be responsible for providing the Space Force with 24/7 weather capabilities to detect, track, identify and characterize objects in deep space.

Army awards first of four multiyear contracts for increasing artillery production
By Dan Schere
August 7, 2023 at 1:38 PM

The Army awarded the first of four multiyear contracts this month that will support artillery production as the war in Ukraine continues, service acquisition chief Doug Bush said on Monday.

The $162 million contract was for M1128 projectiles and was awarded to IMT Defense Corp. in Westerville, OH, Bush said during a media briefing at the Pentagon Monday. The multiyear contract spans fiscal year 2023 through FY-27, he said.

The Pentagon has sought to increase the number of multiyear contracts as the United States continues to supply Ukraine with weapons and equipment during its war with Russia.

“That’s something we have had the authority to do for a while,” Bush said of the multiyear contracts.

“I think the conflict raised the importance of doing it to strengthen the industrial base. And, of course, the other multiyear under discussion requires congressional approval. These four we’re doing are under the threshold, and we’re able to execute them this year based on language we received for fiscal year 23.”

Bush said that there are various hurdles that have to be overcome when it comes to increasing artillery production, such as establishing new production lines, filling the shells with explosives and producing the charges that go behind the shells. The Army’s current rate of production is 24,000 rounds per month, and Bush said that will soon increase to 28,000 per month. By FY-25, the service aims to get to between 80,000 and 85,000 rounds per month, he said.

“If you do the math on the 80,000 to 85,000 a month, I mean that’s a million a year. So, between supporting Ukraine, replenishing ourselves and supporting other allies, we expect to use that capacity. That’s the overall reason we’re doing it,” he said.

The INSIDER daily digest -- August 7, 2023
By John Liang
August 7, 2023 at 1:22 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the missile defense of Guam, the Navy's plans to buy fewer flight II Landing Platform Dock amphibious warfare ships and more.

Defense Department leaders are working to finalize a memorandum of agreement that codifies roles and responsibilities for the missile defense of Guam:

DOD still working to sort out defense of Guam organizational roles and responsibilities

Pentagon leaders are working to clarify lanes of responsibility for the defense of Guam, an unusually complex project -- even for the Defense Department -- that involves many intertwined organizational, functional and technological dimensions in a high-stakes, quick-moving project deemed crucial to defending, if necessary, Taiwan from China beginning in 2024.

While the Navy initially planned to buy 13 of the flight II Landing Platform Dock amphibious warfare ships, its fiscal year 2023 budget proposed truncating production after just three vessels:

Navy signals intent to procure at least three more LPDs

The Navy is planning to issue a solicitation to shipbuilder HII for long-lead-time materials and detail, design and construction of three amphibious warships -- LPD-33, LPD-34 and LPD-35, according to a presolicitation notice published Friday.

The Marine Corps is strengthening its defenses against small drones:

Small drone defense at Marine Corps sites to grow

The Marine Corps is enhancing five small unmanned aerial system defense platforms fielded at undisclosed U.S. military sites, with plans to add the high-tech equipment at other installations.

Our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity have the latest on the Pentagon's implementation plans for its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program:

DOD provides early look at assessment process for upcoming CMMC rulemaking

The Pentagon has outlined its expectations for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification assessment process in a recent filing to the White House Office of Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs that provides details on estimated costs for compliance for small business entities and other companies in the defense industrial base.

The Marine Corps' top uniformed officer issued his guidance to the service even though he hasn't been confirmed by the Senate yet:

Smith issues interim Marine Corps guidance as nomination hold drags on

Acting Commandant Gen. Eric Smith today published a Marine Corps force guidance letter affirming the service will continue on its Force Design 2030 trajectory and outlining accelerated modernization, naval integration and organic mobility as warfighting priorities.

Document: Smith's Marine Corps force guidance letter

Cyber workforce plan sets five-year goals for meeting warfighting demands
By Linda Hersey
August 7, 2023 at 12:08 PM

The Defense Department has released a five-year blueprint for stepping up recruitment, development and retention of the military's cyber workforce.

The goal of the fiscal 2023-2027 Cyber Workforce Strategy Implementation Plan is to grow and strengthen the cyber workforce to meet the demands of the current and future warfighting environment, DOD said in the plan’s introduction.

“Successful execution” of the plan is expected to have a “profound impact” on major initiatives currently underway that span zero-trust architecture, joint warfighter cloud capability and joint all-domain command and control, said John Sherman, DOD chief information officer, in the foreword to the plan.

The plan also calls for working with partner nations to enhance U.S. cyber warfare capabilities and interoperability.

The five-year roadmap brings focus to attaining consistency in capabilities across services, developing an enterprise-wide talent management program and facilitating collaboration to strengthen outcomes.

Initiatives involve creating workforce requirements that support identified needs for cyber warfighters and aligning training pipelines with in-demand roles.

A talent development funding program would be established. The “cyber workforce professional development fund” will be fully integrated into planning and execution activities by fiscal year 2027, the plan states.

DOD also seeks to develop an apprenticeship program that will involve “dedicated employment exchanges with the private sector.”

Army acquisition chief says last Abrams tanks destined for Ukraine have been produced
By Dan Schere
August 7, 2023 at 11:27 AM

Doug Bush, the Army's top acquisition official, told reporters Monday morning that the last of the 31 M1 Abrams tanks the United States has committed to Ukraine have been produced.

The Pentagon announced in January that it would be sending the 31 tanks to aid Ukraine in its war with Russia. On Monday, Bush said of this initial set of Abrams, the last has been produced and is ready to be shipped.

“They are done. Now they have to get to Europe and to Ukraine, along with all of the things that go with it. Ammunition, spare parts, fuel, equipment, repair facilities. So, it’s not just tanks, it’s the full package that goes with it,” he said.

Bush said “early fall” remains the estimated timeframe for when the tanks will arrive in Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces will be able to use them.

The week ahead
By John Liang
August 7, 2023 at 5:00 AM

With Congress out of session, senior Pentagon officials will speak at various industry events this week.

Tuesday

Senior defense officials speak in-person and virtually at the annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium that runs through Thursday.

Defense One hosts a virtual "DOD Cloud Workshop."

Wednesday

Missile Defense Agency Executive Director Laura DeSimone speaks at a Defense News webcast.

Thursday

National Security Agency Director Gen. Paul Nakasone speaks at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event.

The INSIDER daily digest -- August 4, 2023
By John Liang
August 4, 2023 at 4:07 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Navy amphibious ships, the acting Marine Corps commandant's latest guidance and more.

Signaling the Navy's intent to procure at least three more of the Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious ships, a notice published this morning comes amidst a continuing debate over amphibious warship requirements and uncertainty as to how many more LPDs the sea service will procure:

Navy signals intent to procure at least three more LPDs

The Navy is planning to issue a solicitation to shipbuilder HII for long-lead-time materials and detail, design and construction of three amphibious warships -- LPD-33, LPD-34 and LPD-35, according to a presolicitation notice published Friday.

The Marine Corps' top uniformed officer issued his guidance to the service even though he hasn't been confirmed by the Senate yet:

Smith issues interim Marine Corps guidance as nomination hold drags on

Acting Commandant Gen. Eric Smith today published a Marine Corps force guidance letter affirming the service will continue on its Force Design 2030 trajectory and outlining accelerated modernization, naval integration and organic mobility as warfighting priorities.

Document: Smith's Marine Corps force guidance letter

The Marine Corps is strengthening its defenses against small drones:

Small drone defense at Marine Corps sites to grow

The Marine Corps is enhancing five small unmanned aerial system defense platforms fielded at undisclosed U.S. military sites, with plans to add the high-tech equipment at other installations.

Some CMMC news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

DOD provides early look at assessment process for upcoming CMMC rulemaking

The Pentagon has outlined its expectations for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification assessment process in a recent filing to the White House Office of Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs that provides details on estimated costs for compliance for small business entities and other companies in the defense industrial base.

Pentagon offers sneak peak into CMMC requirements for level three in draft model update

The Defense Department is providing a long-awaited preview into its plans for level three of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, in a draft update to an overview publication that describes "security requirements" as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

HII held its quarterly earnings call this week:

HII revenue grows on demand for aircraft carriers, submarines

Higher demand for design and construction of aircraft carriers and submarines in Newport News, VA, buoyed revenue growth at HII, according to second-quarter earnings reported Thursday.

More news from this week's Air Force Life Cycle Industry Day:

USAF is expecting to release Cloud One Next RFP by end of this month

DAYTON, OH -- The Air Force is expecting to release a request for proposals for the Cloud One Next program by the end of August and will award the contract next spring, according to a senior Air Force officer.

Read our full coverage from the event.

As McConville's tenure wraps up, Austin warns of readiness issues caused by military nomination holds
By Dan Schere
August 4, 2023 at 11:33 AM

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated concerns about the blanket hold on more than 300 military nominees in the Senate Friday, during a sendoff for outgoing Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville.

McConville relinquished the position he has held for the past four years Friday during an official “relinquishment of responsibility” ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, VA.

Gen. Randy George, most recently the service’s vice chief, has been nominated by President Biden to be the Army’s next chief of staff and will serve in an acting capacity until confirmed.

George’s nomination along with that of Gen. Eric Smith, the nominee to be the next commandant of the Marine Corps, and 301 nominations for general and flag officers are being held up by Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) blockade, stemming from his opposition to the Pentagon’s leave and travel reimbursement policies for servicemembers seeking abortion services.

Austin said during Friday’s ceremony that “orderly and prompt transitions” of military leaders are needed to ensure U.S. security.

“The failure to confirm our superbly qualified senior uniformed leaders undermines our military readiness. It undermines our retention of some of our very best officers. And it is upending the lives of far too many of their spouses, children and loved ones,” he said.

Austin praised McConville for his leadership in modernizing the Army with capabilities that have included long-range precision fires, next-generation combat vehicles and missile defense.

“The Army also has brought its doctrine into the 21st century. And you’ve created new organizations that can provide more and better capabilities to combatant commanders, and strengthen our partnerships around the world, and sustain the fight wherever and whenever needed,” he said.

Air Force foreign sales up 10% over average
By Shelley K. Mesch
August 4, 2023 at 10:59 AM

DAYTON, OH -- Compared to the previous five-year average, Air Force foreign military sales are up more than 10% with two months still left in fiscal year 2023, officials told reporters this week.

The average had been $18 billion per year, Col. Elwood Waddell said here at Life Cycle Industry Days, but totals by July showed sales of $20 billion with that number still increasing.

“We’ve seen an increase in sales, particularly in the European [area of responsibility] but other places as well,” Waddell said.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter sales saw the biggest increase of any single segment, Waddell said.

Army awards contract to Lockheed for air-to-ground missile system
By Nickolai Sukharev
August 3, 2023 at 4:11 PM

The Army awarded a $500 million contract to Lockheed Martin to manufacture an air-to-ground missile system as part of a foreign sale, according to a Defense Department announcement.

Lockheed Martin will manufacture the air-to-ground missile system in Orlando, FL, for all the services as well as Australia, France, India and the Netherlands, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2026, the announcement says.

The contract follows earlier announcements that the Army approved Lockheed's Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) for full-rate production.

The JAGM has a multipurpose warhead designed to simultaneously acquire multiple targets, including those that are stationary, moving, seaborne and airborne. It can be launched from the MQ-1C UAV, the Army’s Apache helicopters and the Marine Corps’ Viper helicopters.

The missile is a successor to the military’s Hellfire family of missiles.