The Insider

The Defense Department says the military intelligence program appropriated by Congress was $29.8 billion in fiscal year 2024, a slight increase over the $29.3 billion DOD sought.

The department said in an Oct. 31 statement that the MIP budget is “aligned to support the National Defense Strategy,” which puts China as DOD’s top priority.

“The department determined that releasing this topline figure does not jeopardize any classified activities within the MIP,” DOD said. “No other MIP budget figures or program details will be released, as they remain classified for national security reasons.”

Meanwhile, DOD has requested $28.2 billion for FY-25, which, if enacted, would be a $1.6 billion reduction from what Congress appropriated for FY-24.

The Army's Program Executive Office C3T and network cross-functional team will host its 13th technical exchange meeting next month in Savannah, GA, according to a government notice.

The meeting, which will take place Dec. 10 and 11, will build on previous TEMs with “technical discussion, operational feedback and strategic government/industry sessions.” The topics will include:

• Next Generation Command and Control
• Priority Enterprise Capabilities for a Unified Network Enabling Tactical Effects
• Supporting Commanders with Predictive Capabilities

The Army will also be partnering with the University of Texas System at TEM 13 to introduce an “academic track,” which will better connect “basic and applied research being conducted in academia” on topics of interest for the service.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George has said modernizing the network is the service’s No. 1 priority when it comes to transformation.

The Defense Department has announced the transfer of $425 million in U.S. weapons to Ukraine, including air defense interceptors, rocket and artillery munitions, armored vehicles and anti-tank systems.

The Presidential Drawdown Authority package announced Friday contains:

• Munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS)
• Stinger missiles
• Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) equipment and munitions
• Air-to-ground munitions
• Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)
• 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition
• Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missiles
• Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems
• Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers
• Small arms and ammunition
• Medical equipment
• Demolitions equipment and munitions; and
• Spare parts, ancillary equipment, services, training, and transportation.

“The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated Capability Coalitions to meet Ukraine's urgently needed battlefield requirements and defend against Russian aggression,” DOD said.

The action is the 69th PDA transfer to Ukraine since August 2021.

Washington think tanks are slated to host several events focused on national security this week. Tuesday is Election Day.

Monday

The Hudson Institute hosts a discussion on navigating GPS vulnerabilities.

Tuesday

Election Day.

Wednesday

The Mitchell Institute hosts a discussion with the a senior leader of U.S. Space Command.

GovExec hosts a discussion on Army readiness.

Thursday

The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts a discussion on ensuring advanced capabilities for U.S. allies.

Today’s INSIDER Daily Digest starts with a deep dive into a private funding plan for the Navy’s submarine industrial base, more Microelectronics Commons news, Oshkosh believes it can make up for the loss of a combat vehicle contract with a postal truck, and some cyber news on the zero trust front.

The Navy thinks it has landed on a plan to boost its industrial base funding:

What investors, industry could gain from the Navy’s big bet on private equity

The Navy is in the early stages of a novel plan to funnel private money into the submarine industrial base. For the private equity group tapped as the service’s partner in this effort, tax incentives, enduring demand for submarines and a tenant-focused business model make this foray into shipbuilding a low-risk venture with promising returns.

There seems to be a rare opportunity to speed up national defense microchips:

Microelectronics Commons eyes framework to scale in chip production

There is near-unanimous agreement among stakeholders in Microelectronics Commons that the initiative is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to accelerate the domestic prototyping and production of microchips for national defense, according to one of the program’s leaders.

A new postal truck may make up for a contractor’s lost combat vehicle contract:

Oshkosh to offset lost JLTV contract pains with new postal service van

Oshkosh Defense reported a near 14% uptick in sales for this year’s third quarter despite dropping off in Joint Light Tactical Vehicle deliveries, senior officials reported during an earnings call Wednesday. They chalked up the boost mostly to low-rate production of a new delivery truck for the United States Postal Service, along with sales increases for its heavy and medium tactical vehicles and aftermarket parts.

Civilian agencies have been given some advice on working zero trust issues with the Navy:

Microsoft's Faehl: Civilian agencies should map zero trust work to Navy solution architecture, red teaming efforts

Government leaders plotting the next steps for civilian agencies in their zero trust journey should look to a solution architecture from the Navy as a model for implementation and apply a similar red-teaming approach for assurance, according to Microsoft chief federal security officer Steve Faehl.

This midweek INSIDER Daily Digest begins with a look to the future of Army combat vehicles, some bad news for taxpayers on Air Force spending, news from the Microelectronics Commons community, and our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity report on zero trust issues.

The Army says its next combat vehicle will be a very big fuel saver:

New Abrams tank will be first hybrid-electric combat vehicle, Army under secretary says

The newest version of the Abrams tank, known as the M1E3, will be the Army’s first hybrid-electric combat vehicle, leveraging lessons learned from the Ukrainian battlefield, a senior defense official said Monday.

The Air Force bought some really expensive soap dispensers:

Air Force overpaid $149,072 for C-17 soap dispensers

Boeing unfairly charged the Air Force for 12 out of 46 C-17 Globemaster spare part items, including a 7,943% markup for lavatory soap dispensers, according to a report the Pentagon's inspector general released today.

The Pentagon expects to release its next set of microelectronics projects late next year:

Next Microelectronics Commons call for projects to come late next year

The Defense Department plans to release the next Microelectronics Commons call for projects at the beginning of fiscal year 2026, a senior defense official said today.

An industry executive discussed how companies can work through zero trust issues:

Microsoft Federal CTO: Civilian agencies should map zero trust work to Navy solution architecture, red teaming efforts

Government leaders plotting the next steps for civilian agencies in their zero trust journey should look to a solution architecture from the Navy as a model for implementation and apply a similar red-teaming approach for assurance, according to Microsoft Federal chief technology officer Steve Faehl.

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest starts off with a look at a massive environmental review of the proposed missile defense site on Guam, the Defense Department issues a roadmap for its new industrial base strategy, an industry group has questions on how CMMC requirements will move through the systems, and congressional members want the White House budget office to examine the Navy’s submarine funding plan.

The Pentagon has released a very big environmental review of the future Guam missile defense project:

DOD identifies key elements of Guam Defense System, proposes 16 sites, 1,000 operators

The Defense Department has, for the first time, outlined major components of a planned 360-degree air and missile defense system for Guam in a legally required report intended to inform the public -- specifically the island’s residents and their elected leaders -- about the environmental impacts of the system.

The Defense Department is spelling out how its new industrial base strategy will be paid for:

DOD releases defense industrial strategy implementation plan to guide spending

The Defense Department has released an implementation plan for its first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy detailing planned investments in Army munitions, Navy submarines, and other key areas.

A leading industry group has questions about CMMC requirements:

NDIA questions Defense Dept. flow down of CMMC requirements from prime to subcontractors under final program rule

The National Defense Industrial Association is raising concerns over how prime contractors will determine the maturity level needed for subcontracts and work through flow down requirements under the Pentagon’s final rule to establish the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program.

Several lawmakers are asking for a thorough review of the Navy’s submarine spending plans:

Lawmakers urge OMB to ‘carefully assess’ submarine funding proposal, whack Navy over lack of transparency

A bipartisan group of senators has issued a cautious endorsement of an as-of-yet undetailed Navy proposal aiming to combat submarine delays and cost overruns by restructuring how the vessels are paid for, urging the Pentagon to closely examine the plan while requesting greater transparency from the Navy.