The Insider

Defense Innovation Board to hold meeting on DOD-assigned studies
By Georgina DiNardo
October 25, 2023 at 10:58 AM

The Defense Innovation Board will host its fall public meeting on Nov. 14 to look at the board's studies progress, according to a Federal Register notice published today.

The meeting will review and discuss information pertaining to the DIB’s mission and conducted studies, particularly highlighting two new studies on lowering barriers to innovation and building the DOD data economy.

In an Oct. 6 memo to the DIB, Deputy Defense Under Secretary for Research and Engineering David Honey tasked the board with creating a list of recommendations that fall within existing DOD authorities to combat the highest barriers to U.S. and allied partners innovation.

“The recommendations should focus on procedures that align department incentives, policies for accelerating and scaling new warfighting capabilities and practices that inspire and attract the next generation of innovators,” Honey wrote in the memo.

In an Oct. 10 memo, also from Honey, the DIB was tasked with another study, building a DOD data economy.

Honey asked the DIB to produce outcome-driven suggestions that consider the gaps and opportunities in DOD’s current data economy, including industry best practices for designing a data economy and how to help create a successful, available DOD data economy for 2025 and beyond.

In both memos, Honey gave the board 120 days to complete the studies and submit findings and recommendations. The November meeting will discuss the progress of these studies.

The DIB’s mission is to provide the department with non-governmental advice on the best ways to implement commercial sector innovation, how emerging and disruptive technologies may affect national security and how to best use human capital to speed up scale and innovation.

DIB and department officials will speak at the meeting, including Marina Theodotou, the designated federal officer, and Michael Bloomberg, DIB chair.

Members of the public and outside organizations are welcome to submit written comments and statements to the DIB ahead of time, addressing the purpose of the meeting or the DIB’s mission via email.

The comments must be received by 12 p.m. ET on Nov. 9 to have DIB consideration.

The meeting will take place online and will start at 4 p.m. ET, ending at 5 p.m.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 24, 2023
By John Liang
October 24, 2023 at 2:07 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on an industry group's lobbying for $1 billion in Defense Innovation Unit funding, a recently released Defense Science Board study on China as an information espionage threat in academia and more.

In a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations committee chairs and ranking members, the Silicon Valley Defense Group urges them "to maintain the House-passed provision which provides over $1.0 billion for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to establish a hedge portfolio, called the Non-Traditional Innovation Fielding Enterprise (NIFE)":

Defense organizations rally together to urge lawmakers to pass DIU funding

Both the House and Senate Appropriations committees received a letter from the Silicon Valley Defense Group today urging them to keep the House-approved provision providing the Defense Innovation Unit $1 billion to establish a hedge portfolio in the fiscal year 2024 Defense Appropriations Act.

Document: Silicon Valley Defense Group letter to appropriations lawmakers on DIU funding

A new Defense Science Board report asserts "the two-part threat of being outrun by strategic competitors in the fields of advanced technology along with the counterintelligence threat is real and growing":

DSB highlights China as information espionage threat in academia

The final report of a Defense Science Board task force assigned to make recommendations to Pentagon leaders on "balancing openness and security" pertaining to academic research says China poses a "unique" threat when it comes to information espionage.

Document: DSB report on 'balancing openness and security across the DOD academic research enterprise'

Gen. James Dickinson, SPACECOM commander, spoke recently at the MilSat Symposium:

SPACECOM lays out approach to achieve triad convergence goals

A top U.S. Space Command official on Friday said to accomplish the objectives of triad convergence of conducting multi-domain and joint force mission across the conflict spectrum, the command has adopted a four-triad approach, each of which has several elements.

Looks like Boeing has a much clearer shot at getting a contract for the Air Force's KC-135 tanker recapitalization effort:

Lockheed backs out of competition for next phase of tanker recap

Lockheed Martin has dropped out of the running for the next phase of the KC-135 tanker recapitalization effort, propping up Boeing's chances to extend its KC-36 Pegasus delivery order.

Last but by no means least, here's our coverage of the Biden administration's sizable emergency spending request to aid Ukraine and Israel:

White House seeks $1.2B for laser upgrade to Iron Dome to protect Israel

The Biden administration, in its massive emergency supplemental spending request sent to Congress today, is seeking $1.2 billion to help Israel upgrade its Iron Dome defense system to the new Iron Beam, using laser technology to take the place of missile interceptors, according to a letter from the Office of Management and Budget.

White House highlights $50B for U.S. defense industry in Biden's emergency spending request

President Biden, calling for the United States to again become the "arsenal of democracy," is seeking more than $100 billion in emergency national security spending from Congress to mostly aid Ukraine and Israel, with the White House highlighting a $50 billion investment in the U.S. defense industrial base, including billions for new attack submarines.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 23, 2023
By Thomas Duffy
October 23, 2023 at 12:43 PM

We start off today’s INSIDER Daily Digest with a look at how one contractor is reconfiguring one of the Army’s top rocket programs, a new report is telling the Army to step up its munitions production, the Space Force expects to have a new commercial strategy by the end of the year, and a new AI task force has been set up.

Lockheed believes it can give the Army more bang for its buck with one of the service artillery rockets:

Lockheed: RIG-360 demos potential for GMLRS to strike enemy ships, mobile missile launchers

The Army may soon have the option to expand the striking power of its premier surface-to-surface artillery rocket by adding a new communications device that could allow Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System munitions to hit not only pre-programmed stationary locations, as they can today, but also moving targets such as ships or mobile missile launchers.

An influential Army board is making recommendations regarding munition production:

Report urges Army to improve munitions production

The Army needs to make improvements to the nation’s munitions industrial base to “address systemic issues,” according to a report released this month by the Army Science Board.

The Space Force will unveil how it plans to incorporate the commercial space sector into its plans:

Space Force to complete commercial space strategy by the end of this year

The Space Force is expecting to complete a revised commercial space strategy by the end of this year, which will outline the specific requirements of the service and provide concrete guidance to industry, a top service official said Wednesday.

How the Defense Department will use generative AI is the focus of a new task force:

Shyu establishes new DSB task force on Generative Artificial Intelligence

The Pentagon’s chief technology officer has established a Defense Science Board task force for “balancing security, reliability, and technological advantage” related to Generative Artificial Intelligence capabilities, according to a new Defense Department memo.

U.S. and Australian AI companies team up in line with AUKUS Pillar 2
By Georgina DiNardo
October 23, 2023 at 12:12 PM

Shield AI, a U.S. defense technology company, today announced a multiyear agreement with Australia-based Sentient Vision Systems, touting the teaming as aligned with Pillar 2 of the trilateral AUKUS agreement and focused on real-time situational awareness enabled by artificial intelligence.

“The supply contract is a multi-year, multi-units’ agreement, with first deliveries planned for 2024,” Sentient’s CEO Mark Palmer said in a joint statement from the companies.

The companies previously announced their partnership in working to develop a “ViDAR-enabled, wide-area-search capability into Shield AI’s V-BAT unmanned aircraft.”

Sentient developed ViDAR, an AI system that uses Electro-Optic or Infrared sensor to identify and classify targets invisible to the human eye or a conventional radar in the imagery stream.

The partnership hopes ViDAR will enhance V-BAT’s capabilities, allowing the unmanned system to identify, follow and read-and-react to targets during dynamic missions.

The companies said they intend to create the most advanced AI-piloted sensor package in the world by teaming up to combine Sentient’s ViDAR and Shield AI’s Hivemind.

“Our partnership with Sentient Vision marks a major advancement in AI-driven situational awareness,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s president and co-founder. “Integrating ViDAR with our V-BAT platform showcases our dedication to giving allied warfighters the best AI tools so they can achieve a clear strategic edge.”

The announcement occurs days before House lawmakers are set to hear Defense Department and Navy officials speak about their ability to deliver on the AUKUS security partnership.

The companies said their partnership is aligned the goals of AUKUS Pillar 2, which focuses on developing, sharing and fielding advanced technology capabilities between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

“The confirmation of our long-term relationship absolutely reflects the AI technology workstream that is underlined in the AUKUS Pillar 2,” Palmer said. “Innovation stemmed from our computer vision AI-enabled ViDAR and Shield AI’s Hivemind will provide commanders with immediate situational awareness and survivability of our warfighters.”

The week ahead
By Tony Bertuca
October 23, 2023 at 5:00 AM

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

Monday

The Atlantic Council hosts a discussion with Pentagon officials on the latest China Military Power Report.

The Hudson Institute hosts a discussion on the final report of the U.S. Strategic Posture Commission.

Tuesday

The Brookings Institute hosts a discussion on implementing the 2022 National Defense Strategy.

Wednesday

The annual ComDef conference is held in Arlington, VA, featuring senior Pentagon officials.

The House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee holds a hearing on the submarine industrial base to support the AUKUS deal.

Friday

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith speaks at the 2023 Military Reporters and Editors Conference in Washington.

Army requests prototypes of electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle
By Nickolai Sukharev
October 20, 2023 at 4:01 PM

The Army is requesting prototypes for electric reconnaissance vehicles, according to a public announcement, announced Thursday.

Announced as a request for prototype proposals, the service is seeking versions of the electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (eLRV) before awarding a production contract, the announcement reads.

“This is a prototype project because contractors will develop physical models of an eLRV to evaluate the technical feasibility and military utility of electrification of Army vehicles,” the announcement states. “Army Futures Command (AFC) has identified the need to incorporate a scalable and adaptable capability that reduces reliance on fossil fuels.”

Designed to carry six soldiers, the eLRV is designed to transport scout squads and their equipment to conduct mounted and dismounted reconnaissance missions while operating alongside other combat vehicles in multi-domain operations, according to the announcement.

Part of the Army’s effort to modernize combat vehicles, the announcement stipulates the eLRV to have extended range, increased speed, silent watch, silent mobility, low acoustic and thermal signature capabilities.

According to fiscal year 2024 budget documents, the Army will also invest in technology development to support predictive logistics, vehicle electronics, victory architecture, autonomous operations and other emerging technologies.

The Army is also procuring the Infantry Squad Vehicle, which is designed to motorize infantry combat units.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 20, 2023
By Thomas Duffy
October 20, 2023 at 12:05 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest kicks off with House members asking for more information of the Pentagon’s Replicator unmanned program, government and industry prospects for space systems programs, a new strategy for countering weapons of mass destruction, the Pentagon’s new China military report, and more.

Several House members this week said they want more details on DOD’s Replicator program:

House lawmakers want to hear more from Hicks on Replicator following analyst skepticism

House lawmakers said today they want to hear from Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks and the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit, following testimony from defense analysts and industry experts citing concerns about the department’s new Replicator initiative.

Government and industry are strengthening efforts to produce space systems programs:

SSC introduces renewed partnership between the government and industry partners

U.S. Space Systems Command introduced a “renewed partnership between the government and the industry partners” to deliver resilient capabilities to “win a race” against adversaries, according to a senior official of the command.

The Pentagon has rolled out an updated strategy for defending against weapons of mass destruction:

DOD to implement updated strategy for countering weapons of mass destruction

The Defense Department is working to implement its updated strategy for countering weapons of mass destruction that was publicly released last month, according to a top DOD official yesterday.

The Defense Department is pointing out several differences in its new China military report:

DOD flags new focus areas in annual China Military Power Report

The Defense Department is highlighting several “notable updates” to the annual China Military Power Report released today, including heightened focus on Beijing’s “growing nuclear and strategic capabilities” and the “possible development of conventionally armed intercontinental range missile systems.”

A top space command is bolstering its efforts to compete against China:

Top SSC official says command is prepping big shifts to compete with China in 2026

U.S. Space Systems Command is accelerating its activities to compete with China in 2026, according to a top official, who referred to the year as a “real challenge.”

House panel to hold hearing on sub industrial base and AUKUS
By Nick Wilson
October 20, 2023 at 11:55 AM

Defense Department and Navy officials will appear before House lawmakers next week to testify on the United States submarine industrial base and its ability to deliver on the AUKUS security partnership, according to a Friday announcement from the House Armed Services Committee.

Scheduled for October 25, the hearing will include testimony from Mara Karlin -- serving as the acting deputy under secretary of defense for policy and the assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities -- as well as Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven.

Witnesses will also include Vice Adm. William Houston, commander of Naval Submarine Forces, and Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker, the program executive officer for attack submarines.

“The witnesses will provide testimony on the capabilities of the submarine industrial base to meet the strategic objectives of the AUKUS partnership,” the notice states.

The White House today announced it is requesting $3.4 billion in emergency supplemental spending for the submarine industrial base.

While the United States has committed to transferring at least three Virginia-class submarines to Australia starting in the early 2030s, there is concern among lawmakers that industry is not up to the task, as submarine producers continue to come up short of the Navy’s desired rate of Virginia construction.

During a September confirmation hearing, acting Navy Chief of Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti told lawmakers the industrial base is only producing about 1.2 Virginia submarines each year, and needs to reach a rate of 2.2 vessels per year to deliver on AUKUS.

At a prior AUKUS-focused hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, lawmakers pressed Karlin for concrete plans to boost domestic submarine production and requested cost estimates on the investment required to do so.

Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of six senators lead by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) sent a letter to the White House requesting that an industrial base study on AUKUS implementation, performed by DOD’s cost assessment and program evaluation office, be provided to Congress by the end of the month.

Wicker, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is blocking key AUKUS authorizations, including provisions to enable the sale of Virginia boats and allow the U.S. to accept $3 billion from Australia for investment in the U.S. industrial base, until the White House submits a supplemental spending package containing industrial base support.

Air Force looking for multi-capable sensors
By Shelley K. Mesch
October 19, 2023 at 12:56 PM

The Air Force is seeking proposals to develop and prototype multifunctional, maneuverable sensors to enable battle management command and control, terminal air traffic control and threat responses.

The goal with the Multi-band Multifunctional Tactical Radar System, or MB-MTRS, is to reduce the logistical supports needed for airlift, supply chains and support personnel while also reducing electromagnetic interference that comes from multiple disconnected and independent radar systems, according to the request for proposals posted this week.

“In order to execute the scheme of maneuver inherent with Agile Combat Employment (ACE) while contributing to the theater sensing grid in support of Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), lightweight multifunctional sensors are required,” the post states.

The system will be equipped with several capabilities, according to the post, such as air traffic control surveillance enabling aircraft identification, separation and sequencing; high-accuracy navigational guidance; detection, identification, classification and tracking of hostile aircraft; small unmanned aircraft systems, rocket and artillery surveillance; and weather sensing including reflectivity, radial velocity and spectrum width.

The system design and prototype effort in the RFP will be used to determine the operational utility for single and multi-missions, the extent of the open architecture, timeline for initial and full operational capability and program costs, according to the post.

The effort will be run in phases including initial system design, preliminary system design and prototype demonstration. The phases will be funded at up to $1 million, $5 million and $15 million respectively. The first two phases will each last up to 12 months with the third phase lasting 24 months.

A follow-on production contract for up to 50 MB-MTRSs may be awarded, according to the post.

MB-MTRS must be small enough to transport in “no more than three 463L pallet positions on a C-130J aircraft” with no more than six pallet positions when including the generator sets and all other ancillary equipment. It must be able to be transported by cargo vehicles, aircraft, rail and ship without damage and capable of withstanding world-wide deployment cycles.

Four technicians should be able to set up the system in less than four hours, the post states.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 19, 2023
By Thomas Duffy
October 19, 2023 at 12:03 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest starts off with news on potential Army budget cuts, Bell Textron’s offer for a new Army aircraft, the Marine Corps has stood up a new unit, several senators are asking the White House for cost estimates on the AUKUS submarine program, and more.

If the continuing resolution the Defense Department is operating under continues past the first of the year, it may be trouble for Army budgeting:

Army plans to buy Tomahawk, a new combat boat fleet and more stymied by CR

More than a dozen key Army modernization initiatives -- including new ship-killing missiles, a fleet of more than 1,000 small combat craft, a follow-on to the RQ-7 Shadow uncrewed aircraft and more -- are ensnared by legislation blocking service investment plans in fiscal year 2024 under the current stopgap spending measure.

Bell Textron has laid out testing plans for its FARA prototype:

Bell eyes ground, flight tests for FARA prototype

Within the next year, Bell Textron will put its prototype for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft through ground and flight testing, while also refining the design for the aircraft.

The Marine Corps has established a new unit in Hawaii:

Marine Corps declares IOC for Hawaii-based 3rd MLR

The Marine Corps’ Hawaii-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment achieved initial operational capability in the final days of fiscal year 2023, making it the first of the service’s new MLRs to reach the milestone, a Marine Corps spokesperson confirmed to Inside Defense.

Several senators want pricing info on the Biden administration’s AUKUS submarine deal:

Senators want Pentagon’s AUKUS submarine cost estimates by Oct. 31

A bipartisan team of senators wants President Biden to share cost estimates for implementing the trilateral AUKUS submarine partnership the United States has entered into with Australia and the United Kingdom, noting that the Pentagon has said it does not intend to release the information until it submits its fiscal year 2025 budget request.

Details are emerging on the Defense Department’s microelectronics projects:

DOD officials detail process for reviewing and funding new microelectronics projects

A senior Pentagon official today laid out the plan by which projects will be selected and funded through the new Microelectronics Commons program.

Army officials recently discussed their plans for the newest ground combat vehicle:

Army hanging hopes for affordable XM-30 on MOSA, industry competition

The key to an affordable price tag for the XM-30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle -- a replacement for the M-2 Bradley that an early Army estimate pegged at $11 million a copy, three times the cost of a Bradley -- will be government-defined and -owned open software standards, said a senior service official.

Kendall green lights Space Force CASR approach
By Apurva Minchekar
October 19, 2023 at 11:20 AM

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has approved the Space Force’s plan to implement a commercial augmentation space reserve, according to the top Space Force official.

“It's an example of doing the planning and the expectation management before you actually need the capability,” Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations, said at a Center for a New American Security event.

Saltzman said the strategy identifies the need for commercial augmentation in certain areas, such as “satellite communication bandwidth and commercial imagery.”

“I am OK with what I have now. But when in a time of crisis or in a natural disaster, I may need to increase the scale of imagery that's available,” he said.

He stressed that the CASR model would “pre-work the contract vehicles,” describing how the service can have immediate access to resources when required, so when a crisis occurs the force doesn’t have to start from a contracting action or discussion because they have already done the “legwork.”

Additionally, Space System Commander Gen. Michael Guetlein at the Space Industry Days conference yesterday said the command will be requesting funds for CASR in the 2025 or 2026 budget timeframe.

“Commercially augmented space reserve is about building capacity for times of crisis or conflict during peacetime. How do I build in the business processes, the relationships, the exercises, the funding during peacetime, so that when I need you during times of crisis or conflict, we don't start with an RFP as a point of departure,” Guetlein explained.

“We actually say we've already done this before, this is how much I need and this is where I need it,” he added.

The general also stated that he is expecting CASR to be rolled out by the administration by this fall.

AM General details next version of JLTV
By Nickolai Sukharev
October 18, 2023 at 4:29 PM

With AM General set to produce the next iteration of the Army’s light tactical vehicle, the company recently displayed an example it intends to produce.

The company made “several modifications” to improve the efficiency and durability of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, according to Bob Putnam, the company’s JLTV program director, who spoke with Inside Defense last week at the 2023 Association of the United States Army annual conference in Washington.

Taking over production from Oshkosh Defense, AM General's JLTV A2 will include noise reduction features, lithium-ion batteries, a more powerful engine and expanded rear storage space, Putnam said.

Displayed at the conference, the vehicle resembles Oshkosh’s version externally, but Putnam said that AM General worked with the Army to redesign the front grille.

Putnam declined to provide details on the protection characteristics but said the JLTV A2’s armor “will do very well” and the vehicle can also be fitted with additional armor.

The company will also provide a 30-year warranty for anticorrosion on certain vehicle parts and greater efficiency in the engine.

Designed to replace a portion of the humvee fleet, the JLTV serves as the Army’s light tactical vehicle in combat environments.

The JLTV will have variants for general purpose use, utility, a heavy gun carrier and a close combat vehicle armed with anti-tank weapons.

In January, the Army awarded AM General a follow-on contract to produce the JLTV after a competition with Oshkosh. Oshkosh appealed the outcome, but the Government Accountability Office denied the company’s protest.

The Army is slated to procure 2,601 JLTVs, according to service budget documents for fiscal year 2024. The Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force will also procure smaller numbers of JLTVs.

Air Force seeking secured comms system for recovery missions
By Shelley K. Mesch
October 18, 2023 at 4:21 PM

The Air Force is looking for ways to ensure recovery teams have secure data-sharing and communications beyond the line of sight in contested environments as the service implements its Agile Combat Employment strategy.

The capability would provide mobile, high-bandwidth connections from remote locations to major operating bases using military and commercial satellites, 4G LTE or 5G systems, secure WiFi and Bluetooth and the Tactical Data Link, according to a request for information released by the service this week.

The communications hubs the service is looking for would automatically -- and with little manual input -- determine the most effective and secure routes to send data. They would also be small, portable and easy to set up and take down.

“Failure to pursue and procure this technology will result in [Personnel Recovery] forces experiencing combat paralyses,” the post states, “making them ineffective in a peer-level fight.”

Personnel Recovery forces are currently reliant on third-party agencies for these kinds of capabilities.

“This causes a lapse in real-time information sharing, friendly force tracking, battlefield situational awareness, receiving and transmitting information through a Common Operating Picture and the ability to connect to Personnel Recovery Coordination Centers, Joint Personnel Recovery Centers, Personnel Recovery Mission Management and Government Cloud services,” the post states.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 18, 2023
By Thomas Duffy
October 18, 2023 at 11:58 AM

This midweek INSIDER Daily Digest starts off with news about the Pentagon’s Microelectronics Commons venture, the Defense Department wants expanded power to monitor industry mergers, the Space Force needs a single contractor to build a space cyber defense shield, and Oshkosh plans to remain the Army’s top truck supplier.

A major Pentagon microelectronics effort expects to send out a notice for projects before year’s end:

Microelectronics Commons director says project call expected by end of year

The Pentagon’s Microelectronics Commons director told Inside Defense that a “call for projects” is expected by the end of the year for the regional innovation “hubs” that are the foundation of the initiative.

DOD wants to ramp up scrutiny of industry mergers:

Pentagon moves to expand monitoring of industry mergers

The Pentagon has plans to expand its monitoring of defense contractor mergers and acquisitions with an eye toward potential national security and innovation risks, according to a recent letter sent to the Government Accountability Office.

Single contractor sought to build Space Force cyber defense:

Space Force looking for single contractor to produce space cyber defense system

The Space Force is seeking a single contractor to produce a cyber defense system based on prototypes developed by several vendors, according to a notice posted today.

Oshkosh working to remain Army truck producer:

Oshkosh competing to continue producing tactical trucks for the Army

As the producer of the Army’s current tactical truck fleet, Oshkosh hopes to continue that trend as it aims to build the next iteration of the vehicles.

The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 17, 2023
By Thomas Duffy
October 17, 2023 at 12:41 PM

Today’s INSIDER Defense Digest begins with the deputy defense secretary talking microelectronics, news on an Army helicopter engine, possible looming budget cuts for the Navy, and the Marine Corps stands up a new unit.

Microelectronics contracts was discussed this week by a senior defense department official:

Hicks kicks off Microelectronics Commons meeting with talk of future contracts

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said today that the Pentagon’s new Microelectronics Commons initiative -- and the regional “hubs” it will establish -- will be key for companies seeking to secure contracts for cutting-edge weapon systems.

Honeywell is making changes to one of its Army helicopter engines:

Honeywell repurposing FLRAA prototype engine for Chinook use

Honeywell Aerospace has plans to repurpose part of the engine it had supplied in an unsuccessful bid for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft for future use on the Chinook fleet.

The Navy could be faced with severe budget cuts if Congress doesn’t pass an appropriations bill soon:

Navy braces for 'pain' as budget cuts loom under extended CR

The Navy is preparing for the possibility of budget cuts that will be triggered if Congress is still operating under a continuing resolution at the start of the new calendar year, according to Navy Comptroller Russell Rumbaugh, who said there is little the service can do to soften the blow of the looming cuts.

The Marine Corps has stood up a new unit:

Marine Corps to officially redesignate 12th MLR in November

The Marine Corps will formally redesignate its existing 12th Marine Regiment as the new 12th Marine Littoral Regiment on Nov. 15, marking what the service says is a step forward in its effort to develop a more mobile, lethal and sustainable stand-in force.