The Insider

By Shelley K. Mesch
November 6, 2024 at 12:48 PM

The Space Force plans to award as many as four contracts for its Protected Tactical Satellite Communications-Global effort, according to the program's request for proposals posted online yesterday.

The contracts would create a pool of vendors with indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts for PTS-G, according to the notice, and the service would award the first design and demonstration delivery order.

PTS-G would create a proliferated network of communications satellites in geostationary orbit, the service has said, and would use “commercial solutions for inexpensive, quick-to-launch small GEO communications satellites” to provide assured warfighter communications.

The service requested $248 million to fund the new-start program in fiscal year 2025 for PTS-G, according to justification documents released with the request in March. That budget has not yet been passed by Congress.

PTS-G would fill the gap between the focused PTS-Resilient capabilities and the more broad but less assured capabilities from MILSATCOM and commercial services, a gap which the Space Warfighting Analysis Center called out. It would also increase global capacity for SATCOM.

By John Liang
November 6, 2024 at 9:59 AM

HII announced today that its board of directors has elected Kari Wilkinson to serve as president of the company's Newport News Shipbuilding division, effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Wilkinson will succeed Jennifer Boykin, who is retiring from her position after 37 years with the company, according to an HII statement.

Boykin will stay on in an advisory capacity through March "to support a seamless transition to Kari," HII CEO and President Chris Kastner said in the announcement.

Wilkinson has served as president of HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division since 2021, where she has overseen the Navy's amphibious assault and surface combatant ship programs.

By John Liang
November 5, 2024 at 1:49 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Army helicopters, cybersecurity, missile defense and more.

We start off with some Army helicopter news:

Army says it remains committed to FLRAA, even with change in approach to aviation

In spite of a change in philosophy to its overall acquisition approach, and a shakeup that saw the cancellation of one long-term aircraft program earlier this year, Army leaders remain publicly confident that the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft will come to fruition.

Army Futures Command recently stood up its newest All-Domain Sensing Cross-Functional Team, which officially began its mission Oct. 16 and will work in tandem with partners in the Defense Department to streamline technology development, capabilities and processes:

Harnessing the senses: Army Futures Command's newest CFT hopes to standardize sensor technology for the future force

The Army, along with the joint services, has been investing in and developing effective sensors -- perhaps without taking full advantage of them, a senior official said Oct. 31.

The Missile Defense Agency, in a Selected Acquisition Report to Congress made public last month, detailed changes to near-term procurement plans:

MDA pegs cost of Missile Defense System at $246B, prioritizes SM-3 Block IIA over IB

The Defense Department last year traded away 153 Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors as part of a decision to terminate production of the guided missile interceptors in exchange for buying a dozen Standard Missile-3 Block IIA variants, according to a report to Congress.

Document: DOD modernized SAR on the MDS program

Last but by no means least, the latest CMMC news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

Electric sector group seeks clarity on DOD definition of CUI amid CMMC rulemaking process

The Edison Electric Institute is asking the Defense Department to scope what is considered controlled unclassified information in the context of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, building on comments submitted in February to reflect the current situation with the acquisition-focused proposed rule.

Procurement group urges Pentagon to clarify how contracting officers will set CMMC maturity level requirements

The Coalition for Government Procurement is asking the Defense Department to provide guidance on when requirements under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program will go into effect for specific contracts, in response to a proposed rule to make changes to the Pentagon’s acquisition regulations.

By Nick Wilson
November 5, 2024 at 11:16 AM

Norwegian contractor Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace has received a $329 million award to build 175 medium-caliber cannon remote turret systems for the Marine Corps' Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm cannon variant, according to a Nov. 4 announcement.

Under the award, Kongsberg will deliver its Protector Remote Turret 20 (RT-20) system for full-rate production ACV-30s, with work expected to conclude by June 2028, the notice states.

Last spring, the Marine Corps posted a solicitation seeking additional vendors that might be capable of building these turrets, though the government lacked the ACV technical data package.

Vehicle maker BAE Systems had already been working closely with Kongsberg to integrate the RT-20 turret onto the ACV. Three production-representative test vehicles, delivered to the government in February, are equipped with the RT-20.

According to a separate announcement from Kongsberg, the Nov. 4 award signals the start of full-rate production for the ACV-30. The initial award under the contract is worth $51 million, the notice states, covering long-lead subcomponents of the turret systems.

“This agreement is an important milestone for the U.S. Marine Corps ACV-30 program, enabling rapid deliveries when full-rate production starts,” Kongsberg President Eirik Lie said in a statement included in the release. “We are pleased that U.S. Marine Corp has selected the highly advanced 30mm PROTECTOR remote turret system from Kongsberg in the program.”

The Marine Corps plans to procure 80 ACV-30s in fiscal year 2025 and expects the variant to achieve initial operational capability in the third quarter of FY-26, budget documents indicate.

This FY-25 procurement profile reflects a reduction of 24 vehicles compared to earlier plans due to program cost growth and funding cuts imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act. The Marine Corps included $340 million for added ACV-30 procurement on its unfunded priority list.

According to budget documents, a higher-than-expected vendor proposal was largely attributed to the transition to procuring the ACV-30 variant, which is more complex than the prior two ACV variants due to the turret weapon system. In September, a service spokesperson told Inside Defense negotiations over cost mitigation measures were ongoing.

By Tony Bertuca
November 4, 2024 at 4:02 PM

The Defense Department says the military intelligence program appropriated by Congress was $29.8 billion in fiscal year 2024, a slight increase over the $29.3 billion DOD sought.

The department said in an Oct. 31 statement that the MIP budget is “aligned to support the National Defense Strategy,” which puts China as DOD’s top priority.

“The department determined that releasing this topline figure does not jeopardize any classified activities within the MIP,” DOD said. “No other MIP budget figures or program details will be released, as they remain classified for national security reasons.”

Meanwhile, DOD has requested $28.2 billion for FY-25, which, if enacted, would be a $1.6 billion reduction from what Congress appropriated for FY-24.

By John Liang
November 4, 2024 at 2:04 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on a nascent Army All-Domain Sensing Cross-Functional Team, the Missile Defense System's overall cost and more.

Army Futures Command recently stood up its newest All-Domain Sensing Cross-Functional Team, which officially began its mission Oct. 16 and will work in tandem with partners in the Defense Department to streamline technology development, capabilities and processes:

Harnessing the senses: Army Futures Command's newest CFT hopes to standardize sensor technology for the future force

The Army, along with the joint services, has been investing in and developing effective sensors -- perhaps without taking full advantage of them, a senior official said Oct. 31.

The Missile Defense Agency, in a Selected Acquisition Report to Congress made public last month, detailed changes to near-term procurement plans:

MDA pegs cost of Missile Defense System at $246B, prioritizes SM-3 Bk IIA over IB

The Defense Department last year traded away 153 Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors as part of a decision to terminate production of the guided missile interceptors in exchange for buying a dozen Standard Missile-3 Block IIA variants, according to a report to Congress.

Document: DOD modernized SAR on the MDS program

The latest CMMC news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

Procurement group urges Pentagon to clarify how contracting officers will set CMMC maturity level requirements

The Coalition for Government Procurement is asking the Defense Department to provide guidance on when requirements under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program will go into effect for specific contracts, in response to a proposed rule to make changes to the Pentagon's acquisition regulations.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin says the service is being hurt by continuing resolutions:

Allvin: Yearly CRs contribute to a 'death by 1,000 cuts' to Air Force programs

Year after year, long-term continuing resolutions have strangled the defense budgetary process, which Air Force officials say is exhausting time that could have been spent on advancing capabilities and blurring the service's vision about what it might need to maintain superiority over the nation's adversaries.

GA-ASI and BAE are teaming up to bring some new EW capabilities to the Air Force’s CCA program:

General Atomics, BAE collaborate on electronic warfare capabilities for CCAs

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and BAE Systems are working together to build autonomous electronic warfare functions for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, GA-ASI announced.

By Dan Schere
November 4, 2024 at 1:39 PM

The Army's Program Executive Office C3T and network cross-functional team will host its 13th technical exchange meeting next month in Savannah, GA, according to a government notice.

The meeting, which will take place Dec. 10 and 11, will build on previous TEMs with “technical discussion, operational feedback and strategic government/industry sessions.” The topics will include:

  • Next Generation Command and Control
  • Priority Enterprise Capabilities for a Unified Network Enabling Tactical Effects
  • Supporting Commanders with Predictive Capabilities

The Army will also be partnering with the University of Texas System at TEM 13 to introduce an “academic track,” which will better connect “basic and applied research being conducted in academia” on topics of interest for the service.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George has said modernizing the network is the service’s No. 1 priority when it comes to transformation.

By Nick Wilson
November 4, 2024 at 12:50 PM

The Navy is in the early stages of a novel plan to funnel private money into the submarine industrial base. For the private equity group tapped as the service’s partner in this effort, tax incentives, enduring demand for submarines and a tenant-focused business model make this foray into shipbuilding a low-risk venture with promising returns.

The Navy announced the new “public-private collaboration” in September, partnering with the United Submarine Alliance (USA) Qualified Opportunity Fund LP -- a private-equity fund managed by Connecticut-based investment group CapZone Impact Investments LLC -- in what one service official described as a “really big swing” at harnessing private capital for the submarine industrial base.

Read the full story, now available to all.

By Tony Bertuca
November 4, 2024 at 12:26 PM

The Defense Department has announced the transfer of $425 million in U.S. weapons to Ukraine, including air defense interceptors, rocket and artillery munitions, armored vehicles and anti-tank systems.

The Presidential Drawdown Authority package announced Friday contains:

  • Munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS)
  • Stinger missiles
  • Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) equipment and munitions
  • Air-to-ground munitions
  • Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)
  • 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition
  • Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missiles
  • Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems
  • Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers
  • Small arms and ammunition
  • Medical equipment
  • Demolitions equipment and munitions; and
  • Spare parts, ancillary equipment, services, training, and transportation.

“The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated Capability Coalitions to meet Ukraine's urgently needed battlefield requirements and defend against Russian aggression,” DOD said.

The action is the 69th PDA transfer to Ukraine since August 2021.

By Nick Wilson
November 4, 2024 at 12:01 PM

The Navy will extend the service lives of three Ticonderoga-class cruisers, adding a cumulative 10 years of ship use from fiscal year 2026 to 2029, according to a Monday announcement.

The three vessels -- Gettysburg (CG-64), Chosin (CG-65), and Cape St. George (CG-71) -- have all received hull, mechanical, engineering and combat system upgrades in recent years as part of an extended modernization program, the notice states.

"After learning hard lessons from the cruiser modernization program, we are only extending ships that have completed modernization and have the material readiness needed to continue advancing our Navy's mission,” Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said in a statement included in the release.

Gettysburg and Chosin finished their maintenance periods in FY-23 and FY-24 respectively, while Cape St. George is expected to complete its modernization in FY-25.

Chosin was used in a recent at-sea demonstration of the Transferrable Reload At-sea Method (TRAM), a developing technology intended to enable the replenishment of warship missile tubes while the vessels are underway, the announcement notes.

The news follows an Oct. 31 Navy announcement indicating 12 Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyers will have their service lives extended by up to five years each, adding a cumulative 48 ship-years of service life between 2028 and 2035.

By Tony Bertuca
November 4, 2024 at 5:00 AM

Washington think tanks are slated to host several events focused on national security this week. Tuesday is Election Day.

Monday

The Hudson Institute hosts a discussion on navigating GPS vulnerabilities.

Tuesday

Election Day.

Wednesday

The Mitchell Institute hosts a discussion with the a senior leader of U.S. Space Command.

GovExec hosts a discussion on Army readiness.

Thursday

The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts a discussion on ensuring advanced capabilities for U.S. allies.

By Tony Bertuca
November 1, 2024 at 4:26 PM

The INSIDER starts with news from the Air Force chief staff lamenting the ongoing continuing resolution and also includes news about companies teaming up on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the Navy secretary extending the service lives of 12 destroyers and more.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin says the service is being hurt by the CR:

Allvin: Yearly CRs contribute to a ‘death by 1,000 cuts’ to Air Force programs

Year after year, long-term continuing resolutions have strangled the defense budgetary process, which Air Force officials say is exhausting time that could have been spent on advancing capabilities and blurring the service’s vision about what it might need to maintain superiority over the nation’s adversaries.

GA-ASI and BAE are teaming up to bring some new EW capabilities to the Air Force’s CCA program:

General Atomics, BAE collaborate on electronic warfare capabilities for CCAs

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and BAE Systems are working together to build autonomous electronic warfare functions for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, GA-ASI announced today.

The Navy secretary wants 12 destroyers to stay in the fleet longer than planned:

SECNAV announces service life extensions for 12 destroyers

The Navy will extend its operational use of 12 Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyers by up to five years beyond their intended 35-year service lives, according to a Thursday announcement from service secretary Carlos Del Toro.

A selected acquisition report shows plans to increase Patriot missile buys:

Pentagon report estimates increased quantity of PAC-3 MSE missiles through FY-29

The Pentagon expects to have about 500 more Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles than previously anticipated, according to a Selected Acquisition Report dated Dec. 31, 2023, that was released publicly last month.

And shipbuilder HII is working to hire a more seasoned workforce:

HII to pivot to new hiring technique, focus more on experienced workers

Amid program delays and cost increases in the most recent financial quarter, shipbuilder HII is pivoting to a different hiring method by focusing on recruitment of experienced employees rather than a green workforce.

By Thomas Duffy
October 31, 2024 at 4:33 PM

Today’s INSIDER Daily Digest starts with a deep dive into a private funding plan for the Navy’s submarine industrial base, more Microelectronics Commons news, Oshkosh believes it can make up for the loss of a combat vehicle contract with a postal truck, and some cyber news on the zero trust front.

The Navy thinks it has landed on a plan to boost its industrial base funding:

What investors, industry could gain from the Navy’s big bet on private equity

The Navy is in the early stages of a novel plan to funnel private money into the submarine industrial base. For the private equity group tapped as the service’s partner in this effort, tax incentives, enduring demand for submarines and a tenant-focused business model make this foray into shipbuilding a low-risk venture with promising returns.

There seems to be a rare opportunity to speed up national defense microchips:

Microelectronics Commons eyes framework to scale in chip production

There is near-unanimous agreement among stakeholders in Microelectronics Commons that the initiative is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to accelerate the domestic prototyping and production of microchips for national defense, according to one of the program’s leaders.

A new postal truck may make up for a contractor’s lost combat vehicle contract:

Oshkosh to offset lost JLTV contract pains with new postal service van

Oshkosh Defense reported a near 14% uptick in sales for this year’s third quarter despite dropping off in Joint Light Tactical Vehicle deliveries, senior officials reported during an earnings call Wednesday. They chalked up the boost mostly to low-rate production of a new delivery truck for the United States Postal Service, along with sales increases for its heavy and medium tactical vehicles and aftermarket parts.

Civilian agencies have been given some advice on working zero trust issues with the Navy:

Microsoft's Faehl: Civilian agencies should map zero trust work to Navy solution architecture, red teaming efforts

Government leaders plotting the next steps for civilian agencies in their zero trust journey should look to a solution architecture from the Navy as a model for implementation and apply a similar red-teaming approach for assurance, according to Microsoft chief federal security officer Steve Faehl.

By Vanessa Montalbano
October 30, 2024 at 4:40 PM

The Space Force posted its annual request for National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 proposals, offering new companies the chance to enter the vendor pool for these launch services.

This is the first on-ramp opportunity to join the vendor pool since the initial contracts were awarded to Blue Origin, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance in June.

Proposals for the contract are due by Dec. 13, and Space Systems Command plans to announce awards in the spring. Prospective contractors should have plans for a first launch by December 2025.

“Our NSSL Phase 3 strategy is designed to leverage the innovative commercial launch market to diversify our launch solutions with new systems able to launch more risk-tolerant space vehicles to traditionally commercial orbits,” said Col. Douglas Pentecost, SSC’s Assured Access to Space deputy program executive officer. “Emerging launch service providers are able to on-ramp each year to the NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contract when their launch systems are ready giving us more diversity and competition.”

Companies that join the vendor pool will be able to compete for task orders for about 30 missions each year.

Lane 1 vendors do not need to meet the same bar that Lane 2 vendors do, as those are missions with less risk tolerance. Lane 2 vendors must become certified to launch those missions, and currently only SpaceX holds the certification as ULA is waiting to hear whether they secured certification or not.

Lane 2 contracts likely won’t be awarded until the fiscal year 2025 budget is passed.

By Thomas Duffy
October 30, 2024 at 1:34 PM

This midweek INSIDER Daily Digest begins with a look to the future of Army combat vehicles, some bad news for taxpayers on Air Force spending, news from the Microelectronics Commons community, and our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity report on zero trust issues.

The Army says its next combat vehicle will be a very big fuel saver:

New Abrams tank will be first hybrid-electric combat vehicle, Army under secretary says

The newest version of the Abrams tank, known as the M1E3, will be the Army’s first hybrid-electric combat vehicle, leveraging lessons learned from the Ukrainian battlefield, a senior defense official said Monday.

The Air Force bought some really expensive soap dispensers:

Air Force overpaid $149,072 for C-17 soap dispensers

Boeing unfairly charged the Air Force for 12 out of 46 C-17 Globemaster spare part items, including a 7,943% markup for lavatory soap dispensers, according to a report the Pentagon's inspector general released today.

The Pentagon expects to release its next set of microelectronics projects late next year:

Next Microelectronics Commons call for projects to come late next year

The Defense Department plans to release the next Microelectronics Commons call for projects at the beginning of fiscal year 2026, a senior defense official said today.

An industry executive discussed how companies can work through zero trust issues:

Microsoft Federal CTO: Civilian agencies should map zero trust work to Navy solution architecture, red teaming efforts

Government leaders plotting the next steps for civilian agencies in their zero trust journey should look to a solution architecture from the Navy as a model for implementation and apply a similar red-teaming approach for assurance, according to Microsoft Federal chief technology officer Steve Faehl.