The Insider

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance fighter aircraft, missile defense radars, the disputed headquarters of U.S. Space Command and more.

The Air Force's top civilian spoke to the media during a Defense Writers Group breakfast this morning:

Kendall: NGAD will avoid 'acquisition malpractice' of F-35

As the Next Generation Air Dominance platform moves toward the engineering and manufacturing development phase, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said Monday the service will refine the acquisition process to avoid the "malpractice" of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

A recent Government Accountability Office report "addresses the extent to which [the Missile Defense Agency] (1) achieved its fiscal year 2022 baseline delivery goals and (2) completed its testing planned for fiscal year 2022":

GAO: DOD at risk of accepting huge, new homeland defense radar before verifying it works

The U.S. military is at risk of taking ownership of the Long Range Discrimination Radar -- a massive new sensor in the middle of Alaska intended to strengthen defenses against a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile strike -- before fully validating its detection capabilities with target flight tests over the Pacific Ocean.

Document: GAO report on missile defense deliveries and testing

The Air Force's decision on where to locate U.S. Space Command's headquarters has drawn increasing congressional concern:

Rogers wants records preserved in SPACECOM HQ decision

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) wants the Pentagon to preserve all documentation concerning the selection of a location for U.S. Space Command headquarters, a controversial issue dating to the final days of the Trump administration that has now become a high-profile political battle.

Document: Rogers letter on SPACECOM HQ

A Pentagon legislative proposal submitted late last week seeks congressional permission for multiyear procurement of Virginia-class submarines:

Citing essential cost savings, DOD seeks multiyear authority for block VI Virginia submarines

The Defense Department is asking Congress to authorize the use of multiyear procurement for 10 block VI Virginia-class submarines, indicating the resulting cost savings are necessary to meeting the Navy's budget estimates.

Document: DOD's fourth to 11th FY-24 legislative proposal packages

In a recent letter to congressional appropriators, a bipartisan group of lawmakers calls for fully funding several Marine Corps weapon system programs:

Key lawmakers urge funding support for Marine Corps

A bipartisan group of 14 lawmakers who are members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees urged congressional defense appropriators this week to fully fund critical Marine Corps programs spanning the CH-53K King Stallion helicopter, Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar and a 31-minimum for amphibious vessels that include medium landing ships (LSMs).

Document: Lawmakers' letter on Marine Corps funding

Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several public events this week.

Tuesday

FedScoop hosts its UiPath Together event in Washington.

The Brookings Institution hosts Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger.

Wednesday

The Middle East Institute hosts the assistant defense secretary for strategic plans and capabilities.

The Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute hosts a conversation with the chief of U.S. Space Command.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee hosts a hearing on modernizing U.S. arms exports and strengthening the AUKUS alliance between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

Thursday

Washington Technology hosts a breakfast with the deputy director of the Defense Innovation Unit.

The Army Network Technical Exchange Meeting X event is held in Philadelphia, PA.

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the cost of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, the State Department revamping the foreign military sales process and more.

GOP lawmakers aren't exactly happy about a multibillion-dollar accounting error that has to do with U.S. military aid to Ukraine:

Senior Republicans whack DOD over 'extremely problematic' $3B accounting error

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) released a joint statement today criticizing the Defense Department for making an "extremely problematic" $3 billion accounting error related to the value of U.S. weapons transfers to Ukraine.

A new State Department foreign military sales fact sheet states that key reforms are focused on everything from strategic planning to case adjudication to administering implementation of current and future FMS cases:

State Department 'retooling' foreign military sales process to accelerate weapons deliveries

The State Department, citing "shifting global security conditions" related to Russia's war in Ukraine and U.S. competition with China in the Indo-Pacific region, has unveiled a new 10-point plan to streamline the U.S. foreign military sales process.

The Pentagon has submitted a legislative proposal to Congress dealing with innovation at NATO:

DOD wants to contribute to NATO defense innovation accelerator

The Defense Department is seeking congressional authority to contribute funds to NATO's burgeoning Defense Innovation Accelerator of the North Atlantic (DIANA), according to a new legislative proposal.

Naval Sea Systems Command is undertaking a market survey for the design and construction of amphibious ships, according to a request for information issued this week:

Navy's market survey charts course for acquiring new amphibs

The Navy is undertaking initial steps to acquire at least a half-dozen medium landing ships (LSMs) -- formerly known as Light Amphibious Warships -- through fiscal year 2028.

In 2020, the Defense Department announced $600 million in contract awards for 5G experimentation and testing at five military sites, including the development of smart warehouses at the Marine Corps’ Albany base and Naval Base San Diego, CA:

KPMG demonstrates 'smart' warehouse prototype at Marine Corps Logistics Command

Contractor KPMG completed a successful live demonstration of its 5G-enabled "smart" warehouse prototype at Marine Corps Logistics Command in Albany, GA, showcasing a prototype designed to improve the efficiency and speed of warehousing logistics.

The Air Force this week issued a classified solicitation to industry which formally begins the source-selection process for the service's next-generation fighter aircraft:

Air Force begins NGAD source selection

The Air Force plans to award an engineering and manufacturing development contract for its Next Generation Air Dominance platform next year, according to a Thursday news release from the service.

The Air Force is conducting market research as part of its effort to compete the Cloud One follow-on contract, Cloud One Next:

USAF issues presolicitation for Cloud One Next contract

The Air Force is seeking information for data modernization and migration into commercial cloud environments, the service said in a May 18 notice.

The Air Force is seeking technical support for its Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile in a contract worth up to $25.5 million, according to a solicitation posted Thursday.

Engineering, technical, test and logistical task support will also be needed through HACM’s Middle Tier Acquisition contract, the listing states. This would include engineering and exportability studies, weapon analysis, aircraft integration, software updates, simulation, modeling and analyses relating to the program’s roadmap, it states.

HACM is the service’s scramjet-powered hypersonic effort. It is a focus for the Air Force after the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon program has suffered inconsistent testing results, service Secretary Frank Kendall told Congress in March.

The Air Force awarded Raytheon nearly $1 billion in September to develop HACM.

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl is slated to leave his post in mid-July after two years in office, according to a Pentagon announcement.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement he is grateful for Kahl’s service.

“Our department is stronger and better prepared for future security challenges because of Colin’s distinguished service,” Austin said. “Under his leadership, the department rolled out its National Defense Strategy, focusing on the pacing challenge of the People’s Republic of China, the acute threat of Russian aggression, and other dangers. And he has helped ensure steadfast U.S. support for Ukraine through billions of dollars of security assistance since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked war of choice.”

Kahl, whose planned departure was first reported by NBC News, intends to return to Stanford University where he was given a two-year leave of absence to serve at the Pentagon, according to a person familiar with his plans.

“As the two-year mark approached in April 2023, Dr. Kahl secured agreement from Stanford to extend his timeline through mid-July so that he can support the secretary of defense and the president in the run-up to the NATO Summit in Vilnius,” the person said.

Kahl was confirmed in April 2021 following a bruising confirmation battle in which Senate Republicans voted against him over what they deemed “hyper-partisan” tweets ;prior to joining the Biden administration.

Kahl’s announced exit comes amid gridlock on Capitol Hill, where Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has issued a blanket hold on all civilian and military nominees that would force the Senate to consider each one separately amid a crowded legislative schedule already burdened by partisan fights over the national debt, the budget and judicial nominees.

Tuberville, citing what he says is a violation of federal law, is holding the nominees over his opposition to the Pentagon’s travel policies regarding servicemembers seeking abortion services.

Austin, meanwhile, has said the hold, which is blocking nearly 200 military nominees, risks “every domain” of national security.

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the delay of a hypersonic missile intercept attempt, the defense secretary warning of the dangers of continuing resolutions and more.

Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill told Congress last week that the agency now plans to deliver a counter-hypersonic capability in 2025, not this year as originally planned:

DOD delays by two years maiden intercept attempt of hypersonic glide vehicle target

The U.S. military has delayed by two years the planned first test of a naval counter-hypersonic capability, pushing from 2023 to 2025 an intercept attempt by a Standard Missile-6 against an ultra-fast maneuvering target to validate a new version of the Aegis Sea Based Terminal capability designed to protect aircraft carrier strike groups from the new class of threats.

The Pentagon's top civilian official is reiterating the damage that continuing resolutions can do to the defense budget:

Austin sounds alarm on specific CR damages, previews new weapons aid to Taiwan

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Senate appropriators Tuesday that a stopgap continuing resolution would seriously hinder key weapons modernization programs needed to compete with China, including a $9.7 billion pause in Navy shipbuilding.

A component of Space Systems Command's Enhanced Polar System has been delivered:

SSC accepts delivery of EPS-R Control and Planning Segment

Space Systems Command has accepted formal delivery of the Control and Planning Segment of its Enhanced Polar System, the command announced May 11.

The Marine Air Defense Integrated Systems (MADIS) Increment One -- a research and development initiative that mounts a short-range air defense system on a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle -- is expected to enter low-rate initial production in the near future:

Marine Corps poised to begin low-rate production of MADIS Inc 1 air defense system

The Marine Corps has completed operational analysis and is preparing for a milestone C decision for a prototype ground-based air defense capability intended to protect forward-deployed forces from missiles, aircraft and unmanned systems.

On April 25, the president signed the Unified Command Plan 2023 that establishes the missions and geographic responsibilities among the 11 U.S. combatant commands, and one of those missions has been shuffled from one command to another:

Biden approves shift of global missile defense ops support from STRATCOM to SPACECOM

President Biden has codified changes to the U.S. military's command structure in an update of the Pentagon's Unified Command Plan that includes a major shift: moving global missile defense operational support responsibilities from U.S. Strategic Command to U.S. Space Command.

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on potential savings for a couple of Army missile systems, Space Force satellites and more.

An estimated $147 million in savings combined between the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement contracts represents "potential savings at the initial estimate levels" that, "if realized, can be used for other critical Army needs," a service spokeswoman tells Inside Defense:

Army could save more than projected $147M for GMLRS, PAC-3 MSE multiyear requests

The Army anticipates that it could save more than the projected $147 million combined in its requests for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, according to a service spokeswoman.

The Defense Department is procuring a constellation of up to 100 T2TL Alpha variant satellites:

SDA issues draft solicitation notice for Tranche 2 satellite Alpha variant

The Space Development Agency has issued a draft request for proposals for a Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Alpha variant for its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.

Document: SDA draft RFP for Tranche 2 satellite Alpha variant

Earlier this month, the office of the Army's project manager for Short and Intermediate Effectors for Layered Defense (SHIELD) in the program executive office for missiles and space published a notice asking whether any other companies have the interest and ability to produce the new Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 air-defense system:

Army considering IFPC Inc. 2 production competition; technical data package not available

The Army is exploring whether to compete the planned production of Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc. 2) beginning in fiscal year 2024 after the service receives the 16 systems and 60 interceptors Leidos subsidiary Dynetics and Raytheon Technologies developed under a short-term prototype agreement.

A new government cyber document offers a set of requirements for controlled unclassified information with new details on how to tailor the security controls to meet an agency’s needs and the assessment process:

NIST sets June webinar to review proposed guidance changes for handling controlled unclassified information

The National Institute of Standards and Technology will hold a webinar on June 6 to provide an overview of changes in the first draft of revision three for Special Publication 800-171, a foundational document that guides how agencies set cyber policy for contractors on protecting sensitive federal data.

Rear Adm. Casey Moton, program executive officer for unmanned and small combatants, spoke about mine warfare last week:

Navy planning FY-25 operational deployment for LCS mine countermeasures mission package

The Navy is targeting fiscal year 2025 for an initial deployment of its Littoral Combat Ship mine countermeasures mission package, which achieved initial operational capability earlier this month.