The Insider

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) today announced their subcommittee membership rosters.

Tactical air and land forces subcommittee:

• Rob Wittman (R-VA), Chairman
• Mike Turner (R-OH)
• Sam Graves (R-MO)
• Carlos Gimenez (R-FL)
• Brad Finstad (R-MN)
• Rich McCormick (R-GA)
• Lance Gooden (R-TX)
• John McGuire (R-VA)
• Derek Schmidt (R-KS)
• Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ)

• Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Ranking Member
• Joe Courtney (D-CT)
• Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
• Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ)
• Don Davis (D-NC)
• Eric Sorensen (D-Il)
• Maggie Goodlander (D-NH)
• Wesley Bell (D-MO)

Seapower and projection forces subcommittee:

• Trent Kelly (R-MS), Chairman
• Rob Wittman (R-VA)
• Scott DesJarlais (R-TN)
• Jack Bergman (R-MI)
• Ronny Jackson (R-TX)
• Nancy Mace (R-SC)
• Jen Kiggans (R-VA)
• James Moylan (R-GU)
• Lance Gooden (R-TX)
• Clay Higgins (R-LA)

• Joe Courtney (D-CT), Ranking Member
• Don Norcross (D-NJ)
• Ro Khanna (D-CA)
• Jared Golden (D-ME)
• Chris Deluzio (D-PA)
• Sarah Elfreth (D-MD)
• George Whitesides (D-CA)
• Eugene Vindman (D-VA)

Strategic forces subcommittee:

• Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Chairman
• Joe Wilson (R-SC)
• Mike Turner (R-OH)
• Don Bacon (R-NE)
• Derrick Van Orden (R-WI)
• Mark Messmer (R-IN)
• Jeff Crank (R-CO)
• Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ)

• Seth Moulton (D-MA), Ranking Member
• John Garamendi (D-CA)
• Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
• Gabe Vasquez (D-NM)
• George Whitesides (D-CA)
• Wesley Bell (D-MO)

Readiness subcommittee:

• Jack Bergman (R-MI), Chairman
• Joe Wilson (R-SC)
• Austin Scott (R-GA)
• Carlos Gimenez (R-FL)
• James Moylan (R-GU)
• Cory Mills (R-FL)
• Clay Higgins (R-LA)
• Pat Harrigan (R-NC)
• Mark Messmer (R-IN)
• Derek Schmidt (R-KS)

• John Garamendi (D-CA), Ranking Member
• Marilyn Strickland (D-WA)
• Gabe Vasquez (D-NM)
• Chris Deluzio (D-PA)
• Jill Tokuda (D-HI)
• Don Davis (D-NC)
• Eric Sorensen (D-IL)
• Sarah Elfreth (D-MD)
• Derek Tran (D-CA)

Cyber, information technologies and innovation subcommittee:

• Don Bacon (R-NE), Chairman
• Elise Stefanik (R-NY)
• Pat Fallon (R-TX)
• Brad Finstad (R-MN)
• Morgan Luttrell (R-TX)
• Jen Kiggans (R-VA)
• Rich McCormick (R-GA)
• Lance Gooden (R-TX)
• John McGuire (R-VA)
• Jeff Crank (R-CO)

• Ro Khanna (D-CA), Ranking Member
• Seth Moulton (D-MA)
• Bill Keating (D-MA)
• Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA)
• Jason Crow (D-CO)
• Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ)
• Pat Ryan (D-NY)
• George Whitesides (D-CA)
• Eugene Vindman (D-VA)

Intelligence and special operations subcommittee:

• Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Chairman
• Austin Scott (R-GA)
• Trent Kelly (R-MS)
• Nancy Mace (R-SC)
• Morgan Luttrell (R-TX)
• Cory Mills (R-FL)
• Derrick Van Orden (R-WI)
• Pat Harrigan (R-NC)
• Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ)

• Jason Crow (D-CO), Ranking Member
• Bill Keating (D-MA)
• Jared Golden (D-ME)
• Sara Jacobs (D-CA)
• Pat Ryan (D-NY)
• Gil Cisneros (D-CA)
• Derek Tran (D-CA)

Military personnel subcommittee:

• Pat Fallon (R-TX), Chairman
• Elise Stefanik (R-NY)
• Nancy Mace (R-SC)
• Jen Kiggans (R-VA)
• Cory Mills (R-FL)
• Pat Harrigan (R-NC)
• Derek Schmidt (R-KS)
• Jeff Crank (R-CO)

• Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ranking Member
• Sara Jacobs (D-CA)
• Marilyn Strickland (D-WA)
• Jill Tokuda (D-HI)
• Gil Cisneros (D-CA)
• Maggie Goodlander (D-NH)

The Navy has employed a new planning strategy to reduce time spent on ship maintenance availabilities across the fleet, a service official said Thursday.

This “world-class planning sprint” includes partnering with cruise lines, airlines, the Coast Guard and other organizations to learn from their best planning practices, and in turn relate them to the Navy to reduce delays throughout the surface fleet, Navy Regional Maintenance Center Commander Rear Adm. Bill Green said at the Surface Navy Association’s conference.

After learning from these organizations, Green said the Navy plans to roll out some pilot elements of a program focused on tackling these delays. Green added it has been about 10 years since the Navy’s contracting strategy for ship maintenance was overhauled, and there are existing proposals to alter aspects of the system.

Discussion of the planning sprint follows the release of “Competitive Edge 2.0” earlier this week by Naval Surface Warfare Commander Vice Adm. Brendan McClane -- a roadmap to get 80% of surface warships combat surge ready by 2027.

McClane aims to have at least 71% of all CNO availabilities on time by September 2025, as well as a reduction in days of maintenance delays to less than 1,714 by that same month.

Earlier this week, McClane said there has been progress in improving readiness, as the service has reduced days of maintenance delay by 62% since 2019, to 2,633 days.

“That’s significant and impressive, but we still have lots of work to do to drive it down to zero by 2027, especially with amphibious warship maintenance availabilities,” McClane said. “Since 2018, of the 25 amphibious ready groups and Marine Expeditionary Units deployed, 38% were delayed due to amphib maintenance availabilities not finishing on time. Those availability delays resulted in the loss of 400 operational days at sea.”

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's T-7 trainer jet program, a top Republican lawmaker's push to get defense spending above 4% of gross domestic product, Marine Corps mobility and more.

Under a new approach, the Air Force would purchase four new production-representative T-7 training jet test vehicles from Boeing -- to be delivered in fiscal year 2026 -- using FY-25 research, development, test and evaluation dollars to expand testing capacity:

Boeing could earn up to $250 million to revamp T-7 as milestone C is delayed further

The Air Force is again shifting its development and procurement plans for the T-7A Red Hawk training jet by pushing a critical milestone back one year and offering a ceiling of $250 million to address long-standing delivery delays and a need for updated capabilities, outgoing service acquisition head Andrew Hunter told Inside Defense.

The House Armed Services Committee's top Republican said this week that the panel will exercise oversight on "key defense programs to determine if they actually provide the capabilities we need":

Rogers predicts 'significant savings' at DOD, wants defense spending above 4% of GDP

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) said today he will work to cut underperforming Pentagon programs, while pushing to get defense spending above 4% of gross domestic product, or around $1 trillion.

Mobility is the Marine Corps' top uniformed official's "No. 1 priority":

With poor amphib condition and a delayed LSM award, mobility is the top concern for Marine Corps commandant

Mobility is a top concern for Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith, who today underscored poor material condition among amphibious warships, further procurement delays for the Landing Ship Medium and Congress' routine use of stopgap spending patches as key challenges undercutting the service's readiness.

Some transition advice from the outgoing national security adviser:

Sullivan urges incoming Trump team to keep pushing defense production

Outgoing White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said this week he is encouraging officials from the incoming Trump administration to continue the Biden team's efforts to bolster the U.S. defense industrial base, specifically production of munitions and submarines.

A new Defense Innovation Board report identifies "requirements for fielding UxS at scale":

DIB urges Pentagon to start taking action when it comes to fielding UxS at scale

The Defense Innovation Board's recommendations for how the Defense Department could field unmanned weapon systems at scale center around one common theme -- the Pentagon needs to get out of its own way.

Document: DIB report on unmanned weapon systems

More coverage from this week's Surface Navy Association conference:

Progress in readiness, unmanned technology necessary to meet existential threat of Russia and China, Fleet Forces commander says

As China and Russia strengthen their naval relationship and increase joint patrols, training and port visits in the Pacific, the existing model for force generation -- the Optimized Fleet Response Plan -- is no longer optimal amid the existential threat posed by these two countries, U.S. Fleet Forces Commander Adm. Daryl Caudle said Wednesday.

Read our full SNA coverage.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems this week announced delivery of a AN/SPY-7(V)1 was made through the Mitsubishi Corp. under a direct commercial sale following acceptance testing:

Lockheed delivers first SPY-7 for Japan's new Aegis missile-defense ship

Lockheed Martin has delivered to Japan the first of four radar arrays for the Aegis System Equipped Vessel, a bespoke ship that will carry the missile defense sensors as part of Tokyo's project to bolster defense of the nation against North Korean ballistic missile attack.

Less than six months after Anduril publicly declared its intentions to develop a facility that would occupy upwards of five million square feet and be "designed to produce tens of thousands of autonomous military systems annually," that facility has now been named:

Anduril to build new 'hyperscale' manufacturing facility in Columbus

Startup defense contractor Anduril announced Thursday that it is set to build its first "hyperscale manufacturing facility," Arsenal-1, in Columbus, OH.

House Republicans and Democrats today announced the members of the defense appropriations subcommittee, which will be chaired by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA).

The GOP subcommittee members are:

• Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY)
• Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR)
• Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
• Rep. John Carter (R-TX)
• Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
• Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH)
• Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-TX) -- Vice Chair
• Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)
• Rep. David Valadao (R-CA)

Meanwhile, the subcommittee’s ranking member will be Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN). Other members include:

• Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
• Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX)
• Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA)
• Rep. Ed Case (D-HI)
• Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV)
• Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY)
• Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) -- Ex Officio

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news from the confirmation hearing of SECDEF nominee Pete Hegseth, plus coverage from this week's Surface Navy Association symposium and more.

We start off with coverage from this week's confirmation hearing of defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth:

Hegseth and GOP cite struggling DOD weapon systems to justify confirmation

Amid blistering allegations and questions about his character and lack of relevant experience from Senate Democrats, defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth today committed to reforming the Pentagon's acquisition process, with his Republican supporters singling out major weapon systems struggling with cost overruns and schedule delays as part of their reason for supporting his "unconventional" nomination.

Document: Hegseth's answers to advance policy questions

We also have coverage of this week's Surface Navy Association annual symposium:

Navy MADCAP program eyes hypervelocity projectile for ship defense against drones

The Navy, after expending $1 billion in guided-missile interceptors against relatively low-cost targets during operations in the Red Sea, last year quietly began experimenting with hypervelocity projectiles to give the 5-inch guns across the destroyer and cruiser fleets a low-cost alternative to down drones, cruise and ballistic missiles.

Large and medium USVs need to be streamlined, surface warfare director says

The Navy should streamline its uncrewed surface vessels, Surface Warfare Director Rear Adm. Bill Daly said Tuesday at the Surface Navy Association's conference, adding that the hybrid fleet does not necessarily need platforms that are large, exquisite or unproved.

'SWO Boss' unveils plan to achieve 80% combat surge ready surface force by 2027

The commander of naval surface forces has published an updated strategy document, “The Competitive Edge 2.0,” intended to provide an implementation roadmap to get 80% of surface warships combat surge ready by 2027 in accordance with chief of naval operations directives.

Document: Navy's 'competitive edge 2.0' strategy document

Our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity have a write-up of a recent Defense Department inspector general's report on the CMMC program:

DOD IG raises concerns over process to authorize C3PAOs for CMMC program

A new audit from the Defense Department inspector general finds gaps in the Pentagon's process to authorize 11 certified third-party assessment organizations that applied to be part of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program.

The House Appropriations defense subcommittee's top Republican foresees funding cuts to major programs:

Calvert calls for spending reviews that could cut aircraft carriers and tanks

House Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA), possibly setting the stage for politically explosive spending debates in the coming year, said today he favors strategic reviews that could lead to funding cuts for aircraft carriers and Abrams tanks, asserting they are not suitable for modern warfare against a peer adversary like China.

The Defense Business Board held a meeting this week:

Defense Business Board says DOD needs clear supply chain game plan

Some of the main challenges for the Defense Department's efforts at supply chain illumination and risk management include its lack of centralized priority risk areas and the fact that the Pentagon has no long-term vision for supply chain illumination to guide its efforts, Defense Business Board members said during an open meeting session Monday.

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on an upcoming exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, a recent Defense Innovation Board report, Army budget challenges and more.

The longer the ongoing continuing resolution remains, the more potential issues could occur that affect a planned Indo-Pacific exercise, according to an Air Force official:

REFORPAC will happen despite CR, but training and support might be restricted

The Air Force will debut its large-scale multicombatant command REFORPAC exercise this summer in the Indo-Pacific with minimal limitations even if Congress isn't able to approve the fiscal year 2025 budget by March.

The Defense Innovation Board released a study this week on Scaling Nontraditional Defense Innovation:

DIB suggests Pentagon expand innovation arm into 'cross-service Sherpa'

The Defense Innovation Unit could better improve the Defense Department's ability to connect with nontraditional and commercial vendors, enabling innovative capabilities for the warfighter at scale, if its current authorities and responsibilities were expanded to make it into a "cross-service Sherpa," according to the Defense Innovation Board.

President-elect Trump and his administration will ultimately have the final say on the Army's budget prior to its rollout, but the service's outgoing under secretary said last week it places a premium on flexible funding for UAS, counter UAS and electronic warfare:

Camarillo outlines Army budget challenges for FY-26 as new administration gets ready

Army Under Secretary Gabe Camarillo, soon to leave office, says the fiscal year 2026 budget cycle will include funding for key modernization initiatives such as unmanned systems, but the next administration will ultimately be forced to balance that with other priorities, such as improving housing for soldiers.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall spoke this week an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies:

Kendall: Air Force needs to realign its global obligations with national defense strategy

The incoming presidential administration should reconsider where it spends money and prioritize strategic locations for a fight with China rather than maintaining legacy installations that don't currently present a challenge, according to outgoing service Secretary Frank Kendall.

DOD's approach to securing domestic supply chains for strategic and critical materials centers on four key pillars, Adam Burstein, technical director of strategic and critical materials for the assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy, told attendees during a Friday event hosted by the Naval War College:

Defense officials highlight ongoing industrial base work

The Pentagon is working to bolster U.S. industrial supply chains and combat overreliance on foreign sources, according to two senior defense officials.

Three separate Navy investigations are ongoing following a December friendly fire incident in which an F/A-18 Super Hornet was shot down by guided-missile cruiser Gettysburg (CG-64) while operating in the Red Sea, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby said today.

These three reviews are running in parallel, Kilby said during the Surface Navy Association’s National Symposium, with the first investigation led by Rear Adm. Kavon Hakimzadeh, commander of Carrier Strike Group Two.

The second review is led by Carrier Strike Group Four Commander Rear Adm. Max McCoy to assess the deployed units within the Truman Strike Group, which is involved in ongoing kinetic operations in the Red Sea.

The third and final review is a safety investigation directed by Naval Safety Command, with this review led by Capt. Marvin Scott, who leads Carrier Air Wing Three.

No serious injuries resulted from the Dec. 22 incident as both aviators in the two-seat aircraft were able to eject safely, USNI News reported at the time. The F-18 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing One and deployed aboard the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), which was operating in the region alongside Gettysburg.

The Navy made no public announcement that the incident occurred and has said little in the days since. Today, Kilby declined to take audience questions on the event, citing a desire to “maintain the sanctity of the process.”

“We are learning, and we will continue to learn from this incident and the incidents that follow every single day. We learn more from our shortcomings than from our successes,” Kilby said. “Our Navy remains steadfast and prepared to protect and defend our national interests across the globe.”