The Insider

House looks to jam Senate with yearlong CR that favors DOD ahead of shutdown deadline
By Tony Bertuca
March 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM

Ahead of a Friday night deadline, the House GOP has proposed a stopgap continuing resolution that would fund the federal government through September, adding about $8 billion for defense and cutting non-defense around $13 billion, while also granting the Pentagon authority to spend money on "new-start" programs.

The bill is opposed by Democrats who say it would cut vital domestic spending and not do enough to boost national security.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who has spent weeks trying to get fiscal hardliners to support a CR, has said he wants to pass the bill as soon as Tuesday, relying on only GOP votes and then adjourning the House. Doing so would “jam” the Senate, where the bill would need 60 votes to pass and is opposed by most Democrats.

Johnson issued a dare to Senate Democrats, saying if they voted against the CR the result would be known as the “Chuck Schumer shutdown,” referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Johnson, who has the slimmest majority in the history of the House (218 to 214), will need just about every Republican to back the CR.

Meanwhile, Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) called the CR a “slush fund” and said a short-term measure should be enacted beyond the Friday deadline to give bipartisan negotiators more time.

It is also unclear how much support Johnson’s CR has among Senate Republicans.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told Fox News he did not believe the government would shut down but also withheld his support for the House’s CR proposal because it included only modest funding for defense and border security.

“The CR is terrible on defense and the border,” he said. “I want a commitment. We're going to have more money for border and defense before I vote for the CR, but I think we'll keep the government funded. The only thing we need to be shutting down is Iran's nuclear program, not our government.”

Bipartisan lawmakers introduce bill to maintain fighter force structure
By Vanessa Montalbano
March 7, 2025 at 5:55 PM

Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Jason Crow (D-CO) on Thursday introduced legislation that would maintain each of the Air Force's fighter squadrons as the service seeks to divest older jets and procure more modern ones.

The "Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act" would establish requirements for future fighter purchases to restore and modernize each of the “39 service-retained, combat-coded fighter squadrons available to the secretary of defense,” according to a news release. It would also give Congress significant oversight into how the Air Force chooses to recapitalize the aging fleet.

In its fiscal year 2025 budget request, the Air Force indicated its fleet would reach 4,903 aircraft -- a historic low -- as the service moves to divest 250 aircraft and procure 99.

A majority of the planned divestments would come from aging aircraft or those the service no longer considers combat capable, including the A-10 Warthog and F-15C Eagle. The idea is to prioritize quality over quantity, former Air Force officials have said, so it can put needed dollars that would have been allocated to sustain older platforms into more viable accounts.

Lawmakers have in recent years turned down efforts to reduce the legacy fleet, arguing it would significantly impact service preparedness. As a result, the Air Force in FY-25 only had enough purchasing power to ask for 60 new stealth fighters -- 18 F-15EX Eagle II jets and 42 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters -- rather than its stated goal of buying at least 72 annually, leaders from the previous administration indicated in the budget proposal.

The government is operating under a continuing resolution until at least next week while lawmakers continue to tease out the details of a final FY-25 spending bill.

If enacted, the legislation would “also prioritizes recapitalization of USAF Active Duty, Guard and Reserve units that are based in the homeland to improve the readiness of our Total Force fighter formations,” the news release stated. “Over the last 30 years, the Air Force fighter force structure has been reduced by nearly 60%, while the average age of fighter aircraft has increased by 200%.”

The FY-24 National Defense Authorization Act included a provision requiring the Air Force secretary to establish a “long-term tactical fighter force structure, recapitalization, training and sustainment plan for the active and reserve components of the Air Force.”

That plan, which is meant to be balanced against operational readiness and accompanying risk, will justify the next 12 years of procurement, divestment and mission reassignments for each unit, according to last year’s NDAA.

“The Department of Defense is simply not buying enough fighters to replace our aging aircraft that must be retired. The Air Force fighter fleet is currently in crisis, which now threatens our ability to project power and defend the skies over our homeland and along our borders,” Bacon and Crow said in a joint statement. “This legislation will stop the decline and stabilize the Air Force fighter force structure across the Active Duty, Guard and Reserve components. The brave men and women that protect the skies over our nation need the best equipment to do the job, and our legislation will give them the tools to do just that.”

The bill, which was introduced to the House Armed Services Committee, was co-sponsored by Reps. Jack Bergman (R-MI), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Andy Harris (R-MD), Steny Hoyer (D-RI), John James (R-MI), Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH).

The INSIDER daily digest -- March 7, 2025
By John Liang
March 7, 2025 at 2:38 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Defense Department software procurement, the Space Force's program to augment missile warning from geosynchronous Earth orbit and more.

In a memo issued this week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directs "all DOD Components to adopt the Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP) as the preferred pathway for all software development components of business and weapon system programs in the [Defense] Department":

Pentagon moves to streamline and scale new software procurement

The Defense Department is being directed to adopt special contracting pathways for rapidly acquiring software, according to a new memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Document: Hegseth memo on software

More coverage from this week's AFA Warfare conference in Colorado:

Next Gen OPIR GEO readying for launch this year, needs ULA's Vulcan rocket certified

DENVER -- The first satellites of the Space Force's program to augment missile warning from geosynchronous Earth orbit will be ready to launch this year, a top official said this week, but they will need the United Launch Alliance's rocket to be certified to launch such a mission.

(Read our full AFA Warfare Symposium coverage)

Senior Pentagon acquisition officials have begun implementing changes to the way the department does business in compliance with new executive orders:

DOD launches contracting review, freezes civilian purchase cards to comply with DOGE order

The Defense Department, in compliance with President Trump's executive order implementing the "DOGE" initiative, is reviewing its contracting operations and policies and has suspended civilian government purchase cards typically used to procure items priced at $10,000 or less, according to new memos released by senior Pentagon officials.

Document: DOD memo on contract process review and warrant appointments

 

Document: DOD memo on use of government purchase cards

Elbridge Colby submitted answers to advance policy questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week regarding his nomination to be under secretary of defense for policy:

U.S. should stay committed to AUKUS as long as it can meet domestic needs first, senior Pentagon nominee says

As defense policy shifts under the Trump administration, the United States should remain committed to the submarine-focused AUKUS security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom as long as U.S. industry can build enough attack boats to meet domestic needs first, the nominee for a senior Pentagon post indicated this week.

Document: Colby's USD(P) nomination APQs

The Air Force and the Defense Innovation Unit have selected Zone 5 Technologies and Anduril Industries to move forward in the second phase of the Enterprise Test Vehicle (ETV) program, which serves as a testing ground for new military technologies, including highly autonomous, low-cost air-launched munitions:

Air Force advances collaborative autonomy with new low-cost, air-launched munitions

The U.S. military is taking a key step forward in its pursuit of affordable, high-tech weaponry by advancing a new class of precision-guided munitions that can operate collaboratively in real-time, leveraging advanced autonomy and artificial intelligence.

Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein spoke this week at the Reagan National Security Innovation Base Summit in Washington:

Space Force looks to trade legacy systems for new 'protect and defend' capabilities

The Space Force vice chief said Wednesday that the service is reviewing opportunities to divest legacy systems amid a Pentagon-wide effort to reallocate 8% of the fiscal year 2026 budget, though new investments are being eyed for the "protect and defend" mission.

More summit coverage:

DIU official teases new marketplace initiative under 'Blue Manufacturing'

The Defense Innovation Unit is set to launch a digital "marketplace" in the coming weeks where commercial defense technology vendors can seek partners from a group of pre-approved commercial manufacturing companies, enabling the scaled production of their solutions, a DIU official told attendees during the Reagan National Security Innovation Base Summit on Wednesday.

U.S. Transportation Command Commander Gen. Randall Reed testified about his organization before the Senate Armed Services Committee this week:

TRANSCOM commander asks lawmakers to raise limit on foreign, used vessel purchases

The limit on buying used and foreign vessels should be raised even higher, Gen. Randall Reed, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, told lawmakers Wednesday.

Document: TRANSCOM's FY-26 posture statement

AFRL to host industry day on autonomy for air, space, weapons and command and control
By Vanessa Montalbano
March 7, 2025 at 1:57 PM

The Air Force Research Laboratory wants more information from vendors regarding autonomy software, according to a recent industry day announcement, and is planning to host potential partners at its facility in Dayton, OH in May.

“The objective is to align the government-industry community by gathering situational awareness on industry’s readiness to help AFRL develop, prototype and transition autonomy technologies in the current or next epochs,” the notice states. It will also be used to send a signal to companies to help guide where they should direct internal research and development dollars to align with future Air Force needs.

The industry day, which is set to take place May 5-9, is open to traditional and non-traditional defense businesses, academia and any other large or small partners vetted to receive controlled unclassified information. Throughout the week, technical subject matter experts will deliver briefings about the service’s projected autonomy needs and opportunities to enable AI in air, space, weapons and command, control and communications battle management.

This “is a first step toward an overarching goal to accelerate development and transition of autonomy software enabling autonomy systems,” AFRL wrote in the notice. “Autonomy plays a crucial role for scaling our warfighters’ ability to fight with speed, scope, and complexity in pursuit of the DAF’s operational imperatives.”

Army wants to develop an 'airdroppable air vehicle' prototype
By Dan Schere
March 6, 2025 at 4:57 PM

The Army plans to develop an "airdroppable air vehicle" prototype that can operate in anti-access/area-denial environments, according to a government notice posted today.

In A2/AD environments, “traditional forms” of aerial delivery are not possible due to the presence of kinetic and electronic defenses, according to the notice. The Army aims to develop an aerial delivery vehicle that has an increased deployment range from the target, along with improved sensor technology.

Thursday’s notice, a request for project proposals, asks vendors to submit white papers spelling out the “capabilities and willingness of private entities to develop a preliminary Contested Aerial Delivery Development (CADD).”

The white papers, also known as pre-proposals, will be used to conduct system development, testing and evaluation of a preliminary design for the CADD capability, according to the Army.

Among the characteristics the Army is seeking are:

  • The ability to securely transport a payload of at least 250 pounds, with the capability to accommodate payloads of varying shapes and dimensions up to 48 by 96 by 108 inches.
  • Mechanisms to mitigate vibration and shock during flight
  • Demonstration of delivery of payloads with no “significant damage” during five airdrop trials under operational conditions
  • A minimum range of 150 nautical miles verified through flight tests
  • Performance must be maintained at operational altitudes of 5,000 to 15,000 feet above mean sea level.
  • Ability to support release velocities of between 90 and 130 knots.
  • Must demonstrate “sustained flight performance” under wind conditions of between 18 and 25 knots.
  • The system must autonomously stabilize within 90 seconds of release.
  • The sensor kit must be able to operate in temperature ranges of 0 to 40 degrees Celsius and at humidity levels of up to 95% “non-condensing.”

The Army is asking for responses to the RPP by March 20.

The INSIDER daily digest -- March 6, 2025
By John Liang
March 6, 2025 at 3:13 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the U.S. military's global supply chain challenges plus coverage from the Air and Space Forces Association's annual warfare symposium in Colorado and more.

We start out with continuing coverage of the AFA Warfare symposium in Colorado:

Air Force logisticians are racing to solve parts supportability problems after long-term degradation

DENVER -- Global supply chains are not as accessible to the Air Force as they once were, following years of changing foreign policy, inflation and the pandemic, service logisticians told Inside Defense.

Rocket Cargo tests could be coming to Johnston Atoll this year

DENVER -- The Air Force Research Lab's Vanguard program could begin testing this year to prove out whether the service can rapidly deliver military cargo to various points around the globe using rockets.

Analysis of alternatives for the Air Force's next tanker is coming to a close

DENVER -- Most of the work related to the analysis of alternatives for the Air Force's Next Generation Air Refueling System has been submitted to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a senior Air Force official said today, putting a pin in deliberations which have spanned years.

Space Force updated missile warning TTPs between Iranian airstrikes on Israel

DENVER -- After Iran's missile attack against Israel in April, Space Forces Space revised its missile warning tactics, techniques and procedures, which it was then able to use when Iran launched a second attack in October.

The Defense Innovation Unit has awarded a new contract for its Thunderforge effort:

DIU taps Scale AI for new military planning capability in INDOPACOM, EUCOM

The Pentagon's innovation arm has awarded Scale AI a prototype contract for Thunderforge -- an initiative aimed at integrating artificial intelligence into military planning and wargaming, with plans for initial use by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. European Command.

Coverage from this week's Reagan National Security Innovation Base Summit in Washington:

Wicker challenging White House OMB over proposal to surge Navy shipyard workforces

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) has a lot on his plate this month, amid the upcoming expiration of a stopgap continuing resolution that could shut down the government and the crafting of a $150 billion budget reconciliation proposal that would surge spending on missile defense, ships, munitions and other areas.

Palantir co-founder sees new chances for tech disruptors to unseat big defense primes

Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of Palantir whose venture capital firm has funded companies like Anduril, Saronic and Epirus, said he believes the political landscape in Washington led by President Trump and Elon Musk will force changes to Pentagon procurement that create a more friendly environment for smaller companies looking to win contracts from large defense primes like Lockheed Martin and RTX.

Marine Corps to hold prepositioning logistics support industry day at Blount Island Command
By Nick Wilson
March 5, 2025 at 3:47 PM

The Marine Corps is preparing to release a draft request for proposals and host a June industry day at its Blount Island Command in Jacksonville, FL to discuss an upcoming need for logistics support for its strategic prepositioning program, according to a government notice posted yesterday.

The Marine Corps Prepositioning Program (MCPP) is a global crisis-response effort intended to rapidly deliver equipment and supplies to geographic combatant commanders when needed, supporting a range of operations from combat to disaster relief. Blount Island Command plays a significant role in this initiative as an equipment storage and distribution site.

“Central to this operational deployment methodology and a major component of the Marine Corps' [strategic prepositioning program] is the requirement for specialized combat-readiness logistics services which are achieved through the MCPP contract located at Blount Island Command in Jacksonville, FL,” the notice states.

During the industry day, scheduled for June 24, attendees will be briefed on management and operating functions the Marine Corps outsources to contractors. The service also plans to post a draft request for proposals on May 19.

The MCPP includes three “functional segments” -- a global prepositioning network, a Norway-based equipment stockpile called the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway; and a maritime prepositioning force equipped with maritime prepositioning ships. These ships rotate through Blount Island Command, where they onload and offload supplies for storage and distribution.

The contractor in question is charged with performing “the full range of sustainment, refurbishment, replenishment and specialized preservation logistics services to ensure the combat readiness of equipment and supplies for long-term storage,” the notice continues. The contractor will also handle the supplies prior to re-distribution.

In 2019, KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC secured a $530 million award to support Blount Island with prepositioning logistics services, the release notes. Initial work under the award was expected to conclude in May 2024, though the contract included options that, if exercised, would bring its total value up to $949 million and extend work into fiscal year 2027.

Army has 'taken immediate steps' to implement deferred resignation program
By Dan Schere
March 5, 2025 at 3:16 PM

The Army has "taken immediate steps" to implement a deferred resignation program for civilian employees, following announcements from the Air Force and Navy that those services would do so.

“The Army began notifying employees on February 28, and disseminated implementation guidance, addressing administrative requirements and procedures,” Army spokeswoman Heather J. Hagan told Inside Defense today.

Similarly, the Air Force also began sending emails to employees on Feb. 28 who applied for the program, and the Navy started implementing the program last week in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management, Inside Defense previously reported.

The announcements by the services about implementing DRPs come as the Trump administration has taken steps to reduce the size of the federal workforce. The Defense Department plans to cut its civilian workforce by 5% to 8%.

The INSIDER daily digest -- March 5, 2025
By John Liang
March 5, 2025 at 1:00 PM

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.

Navy seeking sources to participate in this year's AI test event
By Abby Shepherd
March 5, 2025 at 12:08 PM

The Navy is seeking information from sources hoping to participate in this year's red and blue team test exercise -- known as the Robust Artificial Intelligence Test Event.

RAITE kicked off in 2023 and allows industry and academia members to show their AI capabilities to the Navy, addressing “critical technology gaps,” according to a government notice issued today. This year’s test event is projected to start in late October, and the Navy asks that those interested in participating submit information by April 4.

RAITE 2025 will include testing of multimodal data, cyber-enabled AI networks, unmanned collaboration and large language model test and evaluation. The test event will consist of six scenarios with red and blue teams, as well as a passive “purple” team.

One scenario will focus on autonomous search, with the blue team using unmanned aerial or ground vehicles to employ a sensor suite that can track a target and locate an autonomous system. The red team will aim to affect the blue team via cyber or physical attacks, while the purple team will collect and analyze data.

A language learning model scenario will debut for the first time this year, and the Navy encourages “broad submissions for this topic,” according to the RFI. A potential outline consists of the red team running a local LLM, with the blue team decreasing this capability or operator confidence via cyber-attacks.

Organizations are encouraged to reply to the request for information with the scenarios and teams they would prefer to take part in, and with a listing of capabilities they will bring to the test event, including the technical readiness level and if the capability can run in real-time.

Air Force officials cancel scheduled media availabilities at AFA
By Shelley K. Mesch
March 4, 2025 at 6:50 PM

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 INSIDER daily digest -- March 4, 2025
By John Liang
March 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on a proposed Army vertical takeoff cruise missile, plus the latest from this year's AFA Warfare Symposium in Colorado and more.

The Army has a goal to launch a missile from outside the enemy's radar coverage, avoid detection and hit high-payoff targets, such as radar arrays and artillery pieces:

Army tasks start-up with designing vertical takeoff cruise missile for maneuver units

Army Futures Command's innovation lab has tapped Mach Industries to provide maneuver units with a vertical takeoff cruise missile to strike deep targets on their own, the vendor's chief executive officer told Inside Defense last Thursday.

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

Space Force adds domain control as key function, adding focus to counter-space

DENVER -- Domain control needs to be seen as a key function of the Space Force and would include offensive as well as defensive capabilities on the ground and on orbit to counter potential adversaries such as China, according to Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman.

Air Force gives CCA prototypes a name, sets up first flight for this summer

DENVER -- Uncrewed fighter jets designed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Anduril Industries for the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft program will take to the skies for the first time this summer, according to service Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.

Air Force pauses KC-46 deliveries due to cracks in the aircraft's structure

DENVER -- The Air Force last week halted deliveries of the KC-46A Pegasus after it became aware of cracks found in the "outboard fixed-trailing-edge support structure" of two brand-new production tankers not yet shipped to the service, according to an Air Force spokesperson.

Late last month, the Missile Defense Agency revealed plans for proposed upgrades to the Long Range Discrimination Radar system in a notice asking industry for ideas to design, test and field new LRDR software capabilities in line with Increment 12A -- not previously disclosed -- slated for operational capability in December 2032:

MDA eyeing new LRDR capability improvements, possible Increment 12A in 2032

The Missile Defense Agency is planning significant upgrades to the Long-Range Discrimination Radar system with a focus on enhanced electronic protection and improved homeland missile defense capabilities in the early 2030s.

Last but by no means least, some CYBERCOM news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

CYBERCOM's Adamski illuminates path to deterring Chinese cyberattacks in partnership with industry

U.S. Cyber Command must demonstrate offensive capabilities and enhance its workforce to deter Chinese threat actors from attacking critical infrastructure entities, according to CYBERCOM Executive Director Morgan Adamski, while the private sector works to shore up its defenses.

Construction of first NOMARS prototype complete, sea trials to begin this spring
By Nick Wilson
March 4, 2025 at 12:23 PM

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.

Katie Arrington named acting DOD CIO
By Sara Friedman
March 4, 2025 at 11:47 AM

The Defense Department has announced Katie Arrington will serve as the Pentagon's chief information officer in an acting capacity, elevating a key voice in the Defense Department's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program who joined the Office of the DOD CIO in February.

“Today the [Defense] Secretary named Ms. Katherine ‘Katie’ Arrington Performing the Duties of the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer. Please join the CIO team in congratulating her on this new role! Ms. Leslie Beavers will resume her full time position as the Principal Deputy CIO,” according to a March 3 LinkedIn post from the Office of the DOD CIO.

The post says, “In this capacity, Ms. Arrington serves as the primary advisor to the Secretary of Defense for information management/Information Technology (IT); information assurance, as well as non-intelligence space systems; critical satellite communications, navigation, and timing programs; spectrum; and telecommunications.”

The post continues, “Prior to assuming this role, she served in various positions including the Deputy CIO for Cybersecurity, CISO for the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)), led the White House COVID-19 Supply Chain Task Force for Acceleration as well as the team that created the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).”

Arrington rejoined DOD as deputy CIO for cybersecurity on Feb. 18. Industry stakeholders praised the move in comments to Inside Cybersecurity, calling it a good signal for the future of the CMMC program.

Arrington was tapped to lead the development of the CMMC program in July 2019 within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, where the CMMC Program Management Office was initially based.

The CMMC program was paused in early 2021 under the direction of then-Defense Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks who came in at the start of the Biden administration. Arrington was put on suspension in the summer of 2021 over her alleged sharing of classified information outside of DOD.

Arrington officially resigned in February 2022 from DOD and announced a run for a House seat in South Carolina in the 2022 election cycle. She lost in the primary election to incumbent Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) who was selected in the 118th Congress to serve as chair of the House Oversight cyber subcommittee.

In a February 2022 memorandum, Hicks moved the CMMC PMO over to the Office of the DOD CIO and eliminated Arrington’s previous job as CISO at A&S.

Arrington joined supply chain firm Exiger in January 2024 as vice president of government affairs.

The DOD CIO role is a Senate-confirmed position. President Trump hasn’t nominated an individual for the position yet.

Arrington was hired as a civilian employee at the Office of the DOD CIO in her role as deputy CIO for cybersecurity. Beavers had served acting DOD CIO since the departure of John Sherman in July 2024.

Getting the CMMC program officially launched is expected to be a priority for Arrington. The first final rule to establish the CMMC program went into effect on Dec. 16. Official CMMC assessments started in early January.

A second CMMC rulemaking is expected to be finalized in mid-2025. The final rule will amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement and kick off the timeline for CMMC requirements to start showing up in DOD solicitations.

Pentagon confirms U.S. military aid to Ukraine has paused
By Tony Bertuca
March 4, 2025 at 9:06 AM

(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.”