The Insider

The INSIDER daily digest -- June 28, 2024
By John Liang
June 28, 2024 at 2:18 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on an upcoming meeting of national armaments directors in the Indo-Pacific, plus the Pentagon's Replicator program and more.

An upcoming meeting of national armaments directors in the Indo-Pacific will be focused on four lines of effort: innovation, production, sustainment and supply chains:

DOD to host Indo-Pacific armaments forum to strengthen industrial partnerships

The Defense Department intends to host a meeting of national armaments directors in the Indo-Pacific in September, following a similar format of meetings held with European allies to promote the co-production of weapon systems and the bolstering of critical supply chains, according to a senior Pentagon official.

Former Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work spoke this week on a panel hosted by the Center for a New American Security:

Former deputy defense secretary talks Replicator concerns, outlines how it could be used in Taiwan

It's been about a month since the Defense Department announced it has begun fielding autonomous Replicator drones to troops and Bob Work, a former deputy defense secretary, is voicing praise and concern for the fledgling program, especially regarding funding and its potential impact on operations in the Taiwan Strait.

On June 25, the Defense Department inspector general's office and Army officials executed searches in Florida as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, according to representatives from both organizations:

DOD investigators conduct raids in Florida; Army simulation supplier apparent target

Army criminal investigators -- supported by other law enforcement agencies -- raided offices of at least one defense contractor in Florida this week as part of a “substantial” probe, according to one source, into irregularities that appear to involve a major supplier of simulation and training equipment.

Some defense analysts and members of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution Reform Commission say they are hopeful that the group's nearly two years of work has at least paved a path for possible change to a bureaucratic process that has been deemed too slow to modernize the U.S. military for 21st century security challenges:

House appropriators seek few reforms as key budget commission prepares to fold tent

The House Appropriations Committee has advanced a defense spending bill that adopts practically none of the sweeping changes sought by a bipartisan commission tasked with recommending reforms to the Pentagon’s 1960’s-era budgeting process.

Stretched out over the next three months, the M10 Booker combat vehicle will be judged under operational conditions:

M10 Booker operational tests scheduled for next three months at Ft. Liberty

Starting next month, the Army will begin a crucial series of operational tests of a multibillion-dollar program designed to bring a new direct-fire capability to the battlefield in support of infantry units.

General Dynamics gets $323M production contract for Booker combat vehicles
By Nickolai Sukharev
June 28, 2024 at 2:14 PM

General Dynamics Land Systems will build additional Booker combat vehicles for the Army in the low-rate initial production phase, the Defense Department announced Thursday.

In a modification to an earlier contract, the Michigan-based company will manufacture the M10 Booker for approximately $322.7 million by an estimated completion date of Oct. 20, 2026, with the work taking place in Sterling Heights, MI; Anniston, AL; and Lima, OH, the announcement reads.

Providing firepower similar to an Abrams main battle tank combined with the mobility of a Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the M10 Booker is designed to provide infantry units with direct-fire capability against entrenchments and hardened targets.

General Dynamics received earlier contracts in June 2023 and January 2024, after winning the initial LRIP contract.

In July, the Army will begin a four-month operational testing phase on 13 of 24 initial production vehicles, which will inform the decision on a full-rate production contract, Inside Defense reported this week.

The remaining 11 will be used for separate tests to assess the vehicle’s survivability, reliability and maintainability as well as production qualification testing that focuses on automotive, lethality, cyber and other capabilities.

According to September 2023 figures from the Government Accountability Office, the M10 Booker program is priced at $7.2 billion, with per-unit costs pegged at $19 million.

The Army plans to procure 504 vehicles by 2035 for the active-duty Army and National Guard.

House passes FY-25 defense spending bill
By Tony Bertuca
June 28, 2024 at 12:15 PM

The House voted 217-198 today to pass the fiscal year 2025 defense appropriations bill amid opposition from Democrats and a veto threat from the White House.

The bill, which garnered the support of only five Democrats and drew opposition from only one Republican, would provide $833 billion for the Defense Department and is aligned with the cap mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The bill also adds funds to procure additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and would buy only one Virginia-class submarine, two key areas in which it differs from legislation passed by House authorizers.

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, released a statement highlighting the bill’s investments in emerging technologies and a pay raise for junior servicemembers.

“I am proud of this year’s defense appropriations bill, which adheres to the fiscal constraints of the Fiscal Responsibility Act while providing a strong military to defend America, our allies and partners,” he said.

But Democrats decried the bill’s inclusion of “poison pill” provisions aimed at abortion services, climate change mitigation efforts, and diversity initiatives.

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) released a statement saying she is disappointed “to see the Republican majority continue to use this important legislation as a vehicle to advance extreme MAGA social policies that are not supported by the American people.”

“The Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Act is once again loaded with offensive and unnecessary provisions that divide Americans and weaken our national security,” she continued. “Like last year, Republicans have made a bad bill worse on the floor of the House of Representatives, and I am deeply concerned about the negative impacts on recruitment and retention efforts across the military if this bill were to be enacted as written.”

Meanwhile, the bill is likely dead-on-arrival in the Democrat-controlled Senate and where bipartisan support has emerged to explore increasing defense spending beyond the FRA cap.

The INSIDER daily digest -- June 27, 2024
By John Liang
June 27, 2024 at 2:07 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Microelectronics Commons, missile defense and more.

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering issued a "call for topics" on Monday through the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division and the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL):

DOD issues Microelectronics Commons 2024 'call for topics'

The Defense Department issued fiscal year 2024’s Microelectronics Commons "call for topics" this week, kicking off a new cycle of projects to flow through the Commons to various Pentagon programs.

A new Government Accountability Office report finds that the Missile Defense Agency's Next Generation Interceptor program "should take steps to reduce risk and improve efficiency":

GAO: NGI concurrent design and production spell risk; 2028 fielding 'optimistic'

The Next Generation Interceptor program is facing potential cost overruns, design issues and schedule delays in the Missile Defense Agency's accelerated development of a new weapon system intended to shield the United States from North Korean and Iranian intercontinental ballistic missile attacks.

Document: GAO report on the NGI program

Mark Munsell, the director of the data and digital innovation directorate at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, said this week that one of Project Maven's key goals is to rapidly iterate on software:

NGA officials says 'thousands' of weekly Maven AI updates underway across combatant commands

A senior official at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency said the Maven artificial intelligence program is receiving thousands of updates per week amid efforts to implement it across all U.S. combatant commands.

Boeing unveiled its new 1.1-million-square-foot, $1.8 billion classified Advanced Combat Aircraft facility to reporters this week:

Boeing to expand air dominance production while NGAD sits in limbo

ST. LOUIS -- Boeing's Defense, Space and Security unit is placing a major bet on the Air Force's next-generation fighter aircraft -- whatever that may be.

In case you missed it, here's our deep dive into the Space Development Agency's use of non-traditional contractors, now available to all:

Non-traditional contractors offering SDA innovative options beyond the usual primes

Non-traditional contractors are pushing to get a leg-up against massive primes that have dominated the defense industry for decades, and the director of the Space Development Agency says he wants to be an enthusiastic partner.

Space RCO awards IDIQs to 20 businesses for ground systems work
By Shelley K. Mesch
June 27, 2024 at 12:37 PM

The Space Rapid Capabilities Office awarded 20 businesses with contracts with a cap of $1 billion as part of its Rapid Resilient Command and Control effort.

The indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contracts for R2C2 will be used to develop, integrate and demonstrate end-to-end satellite operations ground systems capabilities that leverage a commercial cloud architecture, a Space RCO spokesperson said in an email.

“R2C2 will acquire software systems in bite-size pieces -- delivering timely SatOps capabilities to on-orbit mission partners and providing operators automation and a common user experience across satellite missions,” the spokesperson said, adding that the capabilities will be used by operators to “plan, execute and provide feedback on dynamic satellite missions through ground entry points around the world.”

The program aims to build on previous efforts for ground services, including Enterprise Ground Services and Ground Command, Control and Communications, according to the request for information for the program released last year.

The 20 businesses will compete for individual task orders for the program to modernize the satellite ground infrastructure. The Space RCO expects to complete one or more orders within the next few months, the spokesperson said.

The 20 companies awarded IDIQ contracts are:

  • Aalyria Technologies Inc.
  • AI Solutions Inc.
  • Defense Unicorns Inc.
  • FTI - Frontier Technology Inc.
  • Giuseppe Engineering LLC.
  • Infinity Systems Engineering.
  • IS4S - Integrated Solutions for Systems Inc.
  • NewSat North America LLC.
  • Northstrat Incorporated.
  • Omitron Inc.
  • Omni Fed LLC (Omni Federal).
  • PCA - Pacific Crest Alliance.
  • Picogrid Inc.
  • Quantum Research International.
  • Raft LLC.
  • Rogue Space Systems Corp.
  • Sphinx Defense Inc.
  • STR - Systems & Technology Research LLC.
  • TapHere! Technology LLC.
  • True Anomaly Inc.
ACVs complete first overseas ship-to-shore transit during Okinawa-based training
By Nick Wilson
June 27, 2024 at 12:24 PM

The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit used its Amphibious Combat Vehicles to transit from ship to shore for the first time in an overseas operational deployment, according to a Marine Corps announcement.

During the June 24 exercise at White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa, Japan, the ACV platoon embarked from amphibious dock landing ship Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) and transited to shore. The exercise also involved waterborne egress training, in which Marines exited the ACVs and boarded safety boats while the vessels were in the water.

“This was fairly standard training for us, but I'm proud it also represented the first overseas ship-to-shore employment of ACVs," said Lt. Col. Nick Freeman, the commanding officer of Battalion Landing Team 1/5, which conducted the operations.

“We'll continue to train at other locations in the months ahead, using a deliberate approach, capturing useful data and lessons learned, and ultimately sharpening our understanding of how to best employ the ACV in its intended environment -- embarked with our forward-deployed ARG/MEUs," Freeman continued in a statement included in the release.

The Marine Corps tallied its first overseas ACV use last month, when the 15th MEU participated in waterborne, live-fire training off the coast of the Philippines during Exercise Balikatan. Harpers Ferry and the embarked ACV platoon departed from Southern California on March 19, marking the first ACV operational deployment.

The ACV is a critical platform for Indo-Pacific operations, providing ship-to-shore mobility, firepower and a variety of other capabilities. The Marine Corps is procuring four ACV mission role variants: a personnel carrier (ACV-P), command and control vehicle (ACV-C), 30mm cannon variant (ACV-30), and eventually, a maintenance and recovery vehicle (ACV-R).

Although almost 200 ACVs have been delivered to the Marine Corps to date, readiness issues -- including vehicle rollovers during waterborne operations -- have slowed fielding. But now, after instituting efforts to retrain vehicle operators and improve proficiency, the service is moving ahead with deployment plans.

FREE TO READ: Non-traditional contractors offering SDA innovative options beyond the usual primes
By Shelley K. Mesch
June 27, 2024 at 12:01 PM

Non-traditional contractors are pushing to get a leg-up against massive primes that have dominated the defense industry for decades, and the director of the Space Development Agency says he wants to be an enthusiastic partner.

SDA has been a leader in bringing in non-traditional contractors as primes for its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, the series of satellites it’s launching for data transport and missile warning/missile tracking. The test series -- Tranche 0 -- began launching last year, while the first operational series -- Tranche 1 -- will come online later next year.

This article is now available to all.

Bush: 155mm production expected to reach 55,000 per month by end of summer
By Dan Schere
June 27, 2024 at 9:28 AM

Army acquisition chief Doug Bush said this week that the United States is on track to reach a production rate of 55,000 155mm rounds per month by the end of this summer.

The Army has set a goal of reaching 100,000 rounds per month by the end of fiscal year 2025 is it ramps up production in support of Ukraine during its war with Russia. As of February, the service had achieved a rate of 28,000 rounds per month, Secretary Christine Wormuth said at the time.

Bush, speaking at a June 26 event hosted by Politico on the defense supply chain, said he still thinks the Army is on track to meet its 100,000-round per month goal on time.

“We’re on a path to that. We’re going to get to over 55,000 by the end of the summer and ramp from there,” he said.

Bush added the Army has invested $6 billion into its across-the-board industrial investments to support the munitions ramp-up since the Ukraine war started more than two years ago.

“That’s been paired with close to $1 billion in [Defense Production Act] Title III projects. So, we are putting money on the table in the department. We think these are just the right things to do. It’s gotten bipartisan support in most cases,” he said.

First Chinook Block II delivery to Army anticipated in the next week
By Dan Schere
June 26, 2024 at 3:27 PM

The delivery of the first CH-47F Block II aircraft to the Army is expected to occur sometime in the next week, according to prime contractor Boeing.

The aircraft “has completed all acceptance testing and is prepared for delivery,” according to a statement from Boeing sent to Inside Defense today.

“We are working with the customer to finalize the delivery of the aircraft over the next week. The customer will accept the aircraft at our plant in Philadelphia and they will ultimately determine where they send it,” Boeing stated.

Mark Ballew, Boeing’s senior director of vertical lift business development, told reporters this week that the final hurdle prior to delivering the aircraft was clearing up a “documentation challenge” on one part of the aircraft.

“The documentation challenge has finally been corrected with us and the government and the supplier, and that aircraft will deliver by the end of the month,” he said.

As part of the aviation rebalance announced in February that involved the cancellation of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, the Army committed to a path to full-rate production for the CH-47F Block II. The aircraft features a variety of upgrades such as redesigned fuel tanks, a stronger fuselage and improved drivetrain.

Army officials said during the Army Aviation Association of America conference in April that they anticipated moving to milestone C for the program in late fiscal year 2025.

The INSIDER daily digest -- June 26, 2024
By John Liang
June 26, 2024 at 2:22 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Space Development Agency's use of non-traditional contractors and more.

We start off with a deep dive into the Space Development Agency's use of non-traditional contractors:

Non-traditional contractors offering SDA innovative options beyond the usual primes

Non-traditional contractors are pushing to get a leg-up against massive primes that have dominated the defense industry for decades, and the director of the Space Development Agency says he wants to be an enthusiastic partner.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks has approved and signed the Fulcrum DOD Information Technology (IT) Advancement Strategy:

DOD releases 'Fulcrum' strategy to transform IT

The Defense Department released a new information technology strategy today focused on joint warfighting, modernization, management and workforce development.

Document: DOD's 'fulcrum' IT advancement strategy

The head of the Air Force's Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program has been shown the door:

Air Force fires Sentinel ICBM director

The Air Force fired the director of its Sentinel nuclear missile program due to a "loss of confidence," a service spokeswoman said today, as the program faces a review for critical cost breaches.

Northrop Grumman, prime contractor for the Integrated Battle Command System, has delivered the first IBCS Engagement Operations Center (EOC) and IFCN Relay, capping delivery of the first full set of equipment under the program's low-rate initial production award:

Army takes delivery of first production IBCS set, including new 'survivable' mobile antenna

The Army has taken delivery of the first complete set of hardware needed for next-generation air and missile defense capabilities -- including a more mobile Integrated Fire Control Network Relay redesigned at the 11th hour to reflect lessons from the war in Ukraine -- a kit potentially available for deployment to Guam.

Some Army helicopter news:

Army working with NAVAIR engineers on FLRAA design

As the Army works to reduce risk in its design of the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, the service has included Naval Air Systems Command engineers that previously worked on the V-22 Osprey in the process, with the goal of incorporating lessons learned from the Osprey into FLRAA.

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

DOC finalizes determination to ban Kaspersky software due to national security concerns

The Commerce Department is using its review authority over foreign transactions in the information and communications technology and services sector to ban Kaspersky software from use in the United States, utilizing a controversial Trump-era rulemaking also leveraged under the Biden administration to address national security risks.

Defense Policy Board to provide recommendations for DOD large-scale mobilization
By Georgina DiNardo
June 26, 2024 at 10:36 AM

The Defense Policy Board will hold two classified meetings today and tomorrow to discuss Defense Department readiness for mobilization in a "protracted high-intensity conflict."

“On June 26 and 27, 2024, the DPB will receive classified briefings to evaluate DOD's readiness to execute a full or total mobilization in a protracted high-intensity conflict,” according to a Federal Register notice.

The meeting will feature briefings from senior DOD officials including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Adm. Samuel Paparo, chief of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

Pentagon acquisition chief Bill LaPlante will also brief the board on “DOD's ability to produce and sustain the materiel and equipment required by the Joint Force during a large-scale mobilization,” according to the notice.

The board will also hear from Amanda Dory, acting under secretary of defense for policy, Madeline Mortelmans, acting assistant secretary of defense for strategy plans and capabilities and Rebecca Zimmerman, acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs.

Additionally, the board will be briefed by Shawn Skelly, performing the duties of the deputy under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, director for Joint Force development (J-7), Vice Adm. Eugene Black, deputy chief of naval operations for operations plans and strategy, Lt. Gen. Patrick Matlock, deputy chief of staff of the Army for operations, plans and training and Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, acting vice chief of the National Guard Bureau and director of the Army National Guard.

“The DPB will then provide its advice and recommendations to Ms. Amanda Dory, acting under secretary of defense for policy, after which the meeting will conclude,” the notice states.

House Rules Committee sends defense appropriations bill to the floor
By Tony Bertuca
June 26, 2024 at 9:23 AM

The GOP-led House Rules Committee voted 9-4 to advance the fiscal year 2025 defense appropriations bill, including 61 amendments that will receive votes on the House floor.

Democrats say they oppose the bill, however, because of “poison pill” provisions targeting abortion services, climate change mitigation and diversity initiatives. The White House has also said President Biden would veto the bill if it were to pass in its current form, which is unlikely as will be dead-on-arrival at the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Meanwhile, the House bill honors the cap mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, would appropriate $833 billion for the Defense Department.

Modernization spending is below what Congress enacted in FY-24, with procurement falling about $6.7 billion and RDT&E dropping by about $2.4 billion. The bill also rescinds $1.2 billion in previous-year spending.

The INSIDER daily digest -- June 25, 2024
By John Liang
June 25, 2024 at 2:22 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on unmanned systems, plus the Biden administration threatening a veto of House appropriators' proposed FY-25 defense spending legislation and more.

We start off with some unmanned systems news:

Navy starts market research for submarine-launched UAVs

The Navy is seeking sources for the manufacture of the Submarine Launch Unmanned Aerial System All-Up-Round, a system that consists of an unmanned aerial vehicle and launch canister -- important technology amid widespread Navy efforts to invest in unmanned systems.

DIU to spend almost half of $1 billion congressional FY-24 funding on ongoing projects like Replicator

The Defense Innovation Unit announced it has created a spending plan to handle the nearly $1 billion injection of funds from Congress, which will send roughly half of the funding toward ongoing projects, like the Replicator initiative, in attempts to further DIU 3.0's strategy.

The Biden administration disagrees with the House's version of the fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill enough to threaten a veto:

White House threatens to veto House defense spending bill

President Biden would veto the GOP-led House's version of the fiscal year 2025 defense appropriations bill if it were to pass in its current form, according to a new statement of administration policy from the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Document: OMB statement of administration policy on House's FY-25 defense spending bill

U.S. Space Command is looking to leverage existing technologies to make the data it receives easier to digest:

SPACECOM to test data-merging capabilities

U.S. Space Command is planning to create a test case to develop data-fusion methods to better organize and display the mass amounts of data pouring into the command, Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting disclosed this week.

Several House and Senate Democrats believe the Defense Department may not be conducting a "comprehensive, thorough and unbiased assessment" of the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile system:

Democrat lawmakers question credibility of Sentinel nuclear missile Nunn-McCurdy review

Several Democrats worry the Pentagon isn't taking its review of the Sentinel nuclear missile program seriously following a critical cost breach in the program, according to a letter sent to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Document: Democrat lawmakers' letter on Sentinel ICBM

Jennifer Swanson, the Army's deputy assistant secretary for data, engineering and software, spoke with reporters last week at the Pentagon:

Digital twins help replicate capabilities and find root causes of problems

The Army's use of digital twins helps "replicate capabilities" and "identify root causes of problems" when it comes to the development of combat and tactical vehicles that are designed for deployment in operational environments, according to a service engineering official.

L3Harris awarded nearly $1 billion contract for radio system
By Abby Shepherd
June 24, 2024 at 5:31 PM

L3Harris Technologies has been awarded a contract worth over $998 million for the production, retrofits, development and sustainment of the Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems terminals, according to an announcement Monday.

The three existing terminals -- Concurrent Multi-Netting-4, Tactical Targeting Network Technology and F-22 variant -- will “continue to be procured, sustained and updated for future growth,” the announcement stated.

The contract includes purchases for the Navy, Air Force, MIDS program office, NATO and NATO nations under the FMS program.

MIDS-JTRS is funded by the Navy, and is the multi-channel, software defined MIDS variant -- the platform that uses a command, control, communications, computing and intelligence system to support surveillance and other objectives.

The INSIDER daily digest -- June 24, 2024
By John Liang
June 24, 2024 at 1:23 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has more coverage of the Government Accountability Office's annual weapon systems assessment report and more.

The Government Accountability Office, in its latest annual report on selected weapon system programs, noted the previously unreported failure of a ballistic missile intercept test:

LTAMDS, IBCS failed to intercept classified ballistic missile target, GAO reveals

A classified ballistic missile target was able to sneak by the Army's newest radar and integrated battle command system during an operational assessment last year, a setback the service did not disclose -- but which came to light in a new report by congressional auditors on the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS).

Document: GAO's annual weapon system assessment report

RTX didn't meet expectations on a satellite warning system and its contract has subsequently been canceled:

RTX cut from MEO missile warning/missile tracking program

As Space Systems Command attempts to quickly field its missile warning/missile tracking satellites, it has canceled a contract with RTX for failing to meet cost and timeline schedules.

At least one lawmaker thinks U.S. shipbuilders will need foreign workers to build submarines for Australia:

Kaine: Increasing shipbuilding workforce will require immigration reform

Expanding the defense industrial base workforce to produce the Virginia-class submarines needed to satisfy the AUKUS security pact will require immigration reform, according to Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA).

Pending regulatory approvals, South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha has reached a purchase agreement with the current owner of Philly Shipyard, Norwegian investment group Anker ASA:

SECNAV endorses South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha's $100 million bid to buy Philly Shipyard

A $100 million offer from South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Oceans to buy the Philadelphia-based Philly Shipyard has the support of Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, who has previously encouraged foreign investment in the U.S. industrial base.

A senior Republican on the House Armed Services Committee thinks "negotiated, fixed-cost contracts is the way to go on software":

Wittman: Fixed-price deals are the 'way to go' on software

As the Air Force shifts its primary acquisition model to favor software above platforms, House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee Chairman Rob Wittman (R-VA) said firm, fixed-price contracts are the best fit.