The Insider

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on efforts to prop up the U.S. shipbuilding industry, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a recent "report card" on defense innovation and more.

The U.S. shipbuilding industry is struggling to meet cost and schedule targets on most of the Navy’s surface ship and submarine programs:

Trump announces new White House shipbuilding office, tax incentives for industry

The Trump administration is creating a new "office of shipbuilding" within the White House, President Trump announced last night during his address to Congress, saying the office will offer unspecified tax incentives intended to revitalize the United States shipbuilding industry.

Our latest coverage from this year's AFA Warfare Symposium in Colorado:

Lockheed: F-35s to feature some Block 4 capabilities this summer with new TR-3 release

DENVER -- Lockheed Martin will take the next step this summer in its yearslong sprint to outfit the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with new mission system hardware, a company executive told Inside Defense, when the aircraft is slated to get another Technology Refresh-3 configuration release and early Block 4 capabilities.

Optical terminals integral part of upcoming MW/MT satellites

DENVER -- Optical communications terminals, or laser sensors, are a needed capability for missile warning/missile tracking satellites going forward because they are faster, smaller and need less power than the capabilities currently in use, a Space Force official said today.

(Read our full AFA Warfare Symposium coverage)

The U.S. government scored "F-" again on its ability to provide adequate and reliable funding to procure and scale critical technology solutions -- its second consecutive below-failing grade in that area:

Reagan Institute 'report card' gives government another 'F-' on defense innovation

Key indicators for the defense innovation base remain at subpar levels amid another stalled appropriations cycle, but contributions from private-sector and non-governmental players prove "there's reason for some optimism and enthusiasm," according to Roger Zakheim, director at the Ronald Reagan Institute.

From bureaucratic inefficiencies to leadership voids and funding uncertainties, skeptics warn that without fundamental changes, the Trump administration's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system could falter before it even takes off:

Ambitious Golden Dome domestic air defense plan faces early expert scrutiny

The Pentagon's Golden Dome for America missile defense initiative is encountering sharp criticism from former military officials and defense experts who argue the project is at risk of repeating past mistakes.

The anticipated Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band contract consists of a base for Lot VI and options for Lots VII and VIII, which would include up to 45 shipsets -- with two pods per shipset -- and other support equipment and data for both the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force:

Navy aims to award Raytheon next three lots of NGJ-MB

The Navy intends to award Raytheon Technologies a contract for potentially three lots of its next-generation airborne electronic attack jamming system, which is set to replace the legacy ALQ-99 jamming pods on EA-18G Growlers.

The Medium Multipurpose Equipment Transport vehicle will boost "flexibility and responsiveness" of logistics operations for the Army by carrying more equipment and offering more power:

Army to bring upsized unmanned transport vehicle requirement to AROC this spring

The Army is "poised" to take a draft requirement for a medium-sized, teleoperated cargo-carrying vehicle to the Army Requirements Oversight Council for approval this spring, senior service officials announced at last week's Tactical Wheeled Vehicles Conference in Reston, VA.

Elbridge Colby was on Capitol Hill this week testifying regarding his nomination to become the Pentagon's policy chief:

Colby promises 'realistic' defense strategy backed by U.S. industrial might

Elbridge Colby, nominated by President Trump to serve as the under secretary of defense for policy, said today that developing the U.S. defense industrial base should be a key part of any new National Defense Strategy that makes deterring China its No. 1 priority.

Document: Colby's USD(P) nomination APQs

MAPS Gen II, built by RTX subsidiary Collins Aerospace, gives vehicle crews access to accurate PNT data in GPS-denied or degraded zones through anti-spoofing and anti-jamming protection:

FRP approved for Army's next-gen mounted PNT system, fielding to follow

The Army announced today it has approval to kick off full-rate production for the second generation of its Mounted Assured Positioning Navigation and Timing System, marking one step closer to fielding the capability to Stryker Brigade Combat Teams.

DENVER -- In a sign of changing sentiments within senior Air Force leadership, each of the service's generals scheduled for media availabilities at the Air and Space Forces Association's Warfare Symposium canceled.

Top officials routinely meet with reporters in roundtable interviews at industry conferences, and many were scheduled here this week. Commanders for Air Forces Europe and Africa, Pacific Air Forces and Air Combat Command, among others, backed out either a couple days or just hours before.

Space Force officials, however, continued to participate in the roundtable interviews with reporters, including Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman and heads of the service’s commands.

There was no directive from top officials to cancel the appearances, a defense official familiar with the subject told Inside Defense. Each commander’s team individually canceled their appearances with media, the official said.

“No guidance came down that said, ‘stop,’” the official said.

Air Force Public Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Generals are likely canceling these media availabilities as a “direct result,” former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told Inside Defense, of the Trump administration’s firing of top officers and a purge of content relating to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

“This administration has created a climate of fear in the military and civilian workforce in DOD that is unprecedented and hugely debilitating,” Kendall said. “People are afraid to say anything publicly that might be remotely interpreted as at odds with the Trump administration or Secretary Hegseth.”

Kendall has been an outspoken critic of the administration since Trump took office, recently penning an op-ed in The New York Times condemning the removal of the judge advocates general of the services.

While generals are canceling media-only engagements, AFA Director of Communications Amy Hudson told Inside Defense “there has been no impact to AFA’s programming.”

“We still have more than 130 speakers on our agenda in 36 sessions,” she said.

Additional reporting by Vanessa Montalbano

The first prototype in the No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program will begin a multimonth, at-sea testing period this spring after the vessel's construction concluded in February, according to a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency notice.

This prototype unmanned surface vessel, the USX-1 Defiant, was built to operate for long periods of time -- up to a year -- with no human intervention or maintenance. The USV is a 180-foot-long, 240-metric-ton “lightship” that will soon begin “extensive in-water testing, both dockside and at sea,” the announcement states.

The NOMARS initiative was launched by DARPA in 2020 and is scheduled to transition to the Navy’s unmanned maritime systems program office (PMS 406) in 2025, officials said last year. Contractor Serco was selected to build the first prototype, Defiant, in 2022.

“The NOMARS program aims to challenge the traditional naval architecture model, designing a seaframe (the ship without mission systems) from the ground up with no provision, allowance or expectation for humans on board,” the DARPA notice states.

In eliminating human manning considerations from the ship’s design, NOMARS is meant to deliver advantages including size, cost, reliability, hydrodynamic efficiency, survivability to sea-state and survivability against adversaries via stealth and tampering resistance, the notice continues.

In January, the Navy and DARPA announced they had completed a first-of-its-kind sea test in which a USV was refueled without any help from onboard personnel.

The test used the USVs Ranger and Mariner to demonstrate refueling technology designed by Serco for use aboard the NOMARS Defiant. The next at-sea refueling test is expected to utilize Defiant during the upcoming sea trials.

As the NOMARS effort progresses, the Navy’s plans for operationalizing an unmanned fleet continue to evolve, with doubts emerging over the future of the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel prior to its expected transition to an official program of record in fiscal year 2027.

Following calls from lawmakers, the service is now considering funding a new Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) program combining elements of the Large and Medium USV programs, a service spokesperson told Inside Defense in February.

(Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information.)

The Pentagon last night confirmed that all U.S. military aid to Ukraine has been paused, following a tense public meeting in the Oval Office last week between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Additional information about the pause was not provided.

The United States has provided Ukraine with about $65 billion in military aid since the start of the Russian invasion, with the vast majority of the funds going to U.S. defense contractors to either supply weapons to Kyiv directly or replenish (and sometimes upgrade) weapons being transferred from U.S. stocks.

Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, released a statement blasting Trump for stopping the aid.

“President Trump says he is focused on a peace agreement. If that’s true, then the last thing that he should do is cut Ukraine off at the knees,” Smith said. “The only way that Ukraine will be able to negotiate with Russia from a position of strength is if Ukraine has the means to defend itself against Putin’s ongoing and unjust war. The most important piece of that is U.S security assistance to ensure Ukraine’s survival -- there will be no negotiation if Ukraine is destroyed.”

Trump, who has long been skeptical of providing aid to Ukraine, has been lobbying Zelensky to accept a peace agreement with Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and occupies about 20% of the country. Zelensky, however, has said Ukraine cannot accept any peace without guarantees of future security.

Tension has increased between Trump and Zelensky in recent weeks, with Trump calling him a “dictator,” falsely blaming Ukraine for the Russian invasion and demanding that Kyiv provide billions in future mineral rights to the United States as recompense for past aid and the promise of continued support.

The mineral rights deal was supposed to be signed during Zelensky’s visit to the White House last week, but Trump asked the Ukrainian president to leave after arguments erupted over whether Ukraine was appropriately grateful to the United States and was ready to negotiate.

“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” he said in a Truth Social post. “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he’s ready for Peace.”

UPDATE: Zelensky posted on X today that Ukraine is “grateful” for U.S. assistance and that he is ready to return to the United States and “make things right” with Trump.

“Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be,” he wrote. “It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it in any time and in any convenient format. We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively.”

The Air Force has begun implementing a deferred resignation program for its civilian workforce in accordance with directives from the Office of Personnel Management, the service announced over the weekend.

On Feb. 28, the Air Force began sending email notifications to employees who applied for the DRP program, which has been offered to civilian workers across the federal government by the Trump administration as part of its effort to shrink the federal workforce.

“This voluntary program requires a formal separation agreement between the employee and the [Department of the Air Force], providing a financially supported pathway for eligible employees leaving federal service while enabling the Department of Defense to proactively reshape its workforce,” the announcement states.

The Navy also started implementing a deferred resignation program last week in accordance with OPM, a service spokesperson told Inside Defense. The Army has not yet responded to questions on the subject.

Once approved, participants in the Air Force’s version of the program will receive paid administrative leave until Sept. 30, 2025. During this time, they will “generally not [be] expected to work and are exempt from in-person requirements,” according to an Air Force memo signed by acting Assistant Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Gwendolyn DeFilippi.

The program is open to full-time Defense Department employees who “may be eligible for resignation, early retirement or that have a retirement date between now and December 31, 2025,” the memo continues.

However, there are exemptions to the offer for civilian flight instructors, cyber positions within the force renewal program, working capital fund personnel and foreign military sales personnel, the memo states.

The initial wave of emails is meant to inform applicants of the status of their application and their eligibility. The first wave of emails will be sent to “non-bargaining employees.” Union members will be notified later after “collective bargaining units receive official notice,” the announcement states.

Despite an initial pause, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is now instructing all Defense Department civilians to comply with an Office of Personnel Management email directing them to detail five things they accomplished at their jobs in the past week.

“You will receive an email on Monday, March 3, 2025; reply to that email and cc your supervisor within 48 hours,” Hegseth said in a department-wide memo.

The submissions, which should exclude classified or sensitive information, will be “incorporated into weekly situation reports by supervisors.”

Failure to comply with the OPM directive, Hegseth said, “may lead to further review.”

Employees who are on leave or do not have access to email for a “valid reason” must comply within 48 hours of regaining access.

“Managers of those who do not regularly work in office settings with access to email, e.g. warehouses and shipyards, should address directly with their employees,” the memo said.

"The civilian workforce remains vital to the Department's mission, and your critical contributions support our renewed focus on DOD' s core warfighting objectives under President Trump' s leadership," the memo adds.

The OPM productivity emails, which have been directed by the “Department of Government Efficiency,” were first sent out Feb. 22 but DOD civilians were advised by the Pentagon's Office of Personnel and Readiness to ignore the request.

Hegseth, in a video message released on Sunday, said civilians will now be expected to comply.

"Our civilian patriots who dedicate themselves to defending this nation working for the Department of Defense are critical to our national security," Hegseth said. "As we work to restore focus on DOD's core warfighting mission under President Trump's leadership, we recognize that we cannot accomplish that mission without the strong and important contributions of our civilian workforce."

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who is the public face of the DOGE effort, shared Hegseth’s video on X.

“Much appreciated @SecDef Hegseth!”