The Insider

House appropriators to mark up defense bill June 13
By Tony Bertuca
May 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM

The House Appropriations Committee will meet June 13 to mark up its version of the fiscal year 2026 defense spending bill.

The committee’s defense panel will meet in a classified session on June 10 to do its work on the bill.

Meanwhile, senior GOP appropriators say they are displeased with the Trump administration’s FY-26 defense spending request, which would not keep pace with inflation if not for its reliance on separate budget reconciliation legislation that would bring the total defense budget to $1 trillion.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) has said he is worried the White House’s use of a one-time reconciliation bill to increase defense spending will mean "creating a cliff out there for somebody, whoever the next president is going to be, and that's a very dangerous thing to do."

White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought has defended the FY-26 request and the administration’s use of reconciliation, noting that the yet-to-be-passed bill would help increase defense spending by 13%.

“The American people are asking us to be very judicious with their taxpayer resources . . . 13% is a very, very healthy increase and we want to make sure this is going toward capabilities that DOD needs,” he said.

Air Force to award a classified contract to modify Qatari 747 for presidential airlift
By Vanessa Montalbano
May 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM

The Air Force is "preparing to" award a contract to begin the enormous modifications necessary to transform a Boeing 747 aircraft from Qatar into a platform usable for U.S. executive airlift, according to a service spokesperson.

Other details related to the contract will remain classified, the Air Force spokesperson told Inside Defense.

The contract revelation comes on the same day the Pentagon accepted the luxury jet as a gift from Qatar “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” chief DOD spokesman Sean Parnell said in an emailed statement.

“The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States,” Parnell added.

Speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing yesterday, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the service has started to plan for modifications to turn the Qatari aircraft into the next Air Force One.

The highly technical security modifications would likely cost more than $1 billion and be paid for through the Air Force budget, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said during the hearing, citing experts.

It is unclear how the service will shuffle its already constrained budget to make room for the new charge.

“They’re giving the United States Air Force a jet, OK, and it’s a great thing,” President Trump said today in response to reporter questions at the White House. Democrats and some Republicans have raised ethics and national security concerns about the prospect of equipping the foreign-owned aircraft for presidential airlift.

“So -- they could help us out because we need an Air Force One,” the president added.

Boeing has been working to deliver two VC-25B jets to replace current Air Force One aircraft since Trump’s first administration. But that program has faced delays due to developmental challenges and likely won’t be in the hands of the Air Force until at least 2027, the company recently indicated.

“Two of them are being built, but Boeing’s a little bit late unfortunately,” Trump said today, defending the administration’s decision to accept the 747 as a donation from Qatar.

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 21, 2025
By John Liang
May 21, 2025 at 2:37 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Marine Corps looking at alternatives to the Landing Ship Medium, the Army's second iteration of its "transforming in contact," or TiC, series of exercises, the cancellation of the Gray Eagle uncrewed aircraft system and more.

We start off with coverage of contractors vying for a piece of the Marine Corps' Landing Ship Medium pie:

Construction of Marine Corps' Ancillary Surface Craft to begin this summer

Contractors Birdon and C&C Marine and Repair are set to begin production of two prototype vessels designed to carry gear and personnel and perform beach landings under a contract with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory linked to the service's Landing Ship Medium and interim bridging solution efforts.

The Army's 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division is currently deployed to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany to participate in exercise Combined Resolve 25-02, which focuses on the use of counter UAS and electronic warfare:

TiC 2.0 unit incorporates 3D printing of drones into recent exercise in Germany

As the Army begins its second iteration of its "transforming in contact," or TiC, series of exercises, soldiers have begun testing out the performance of unmanned systems they've assembled themselves while deployed overseas.

The cancellation of the Gray Eagle uncrewed aircraft system was a big topic of conversation at the recent Army Aviation Association of America summit:

Questions remain after Gray Eagle cancellation

The Army's announcement this month that it will cancel its Gray Eagle program has sparked questions about when the platform will be dropped from the force, how it impacts other capabilities and what's going to replace it.

(Read our full Quad-A coverage.)

The proposed Golden Dome missile defense system should be fully operational by the end of President Trump's term:

Trump launches Golden Dome rush from the White House

President Trump, flanked in the Oval Office by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several GOP senators, promised a huge windfall for U.S. defense companies as he officially launched the new Golden Dome program, naming a top Space Force general to manage the ambitious missile defense system, which he predicted would be complete in three years for a total cost of $175 billion.

The Air Force's top uniformed officer discussed the problem-plagued KC-46 airborne refueling tanker program on Capitol Hill this week:

Allvin: Only about half of the KC-46 fleet is actually available

The beleaguered KC-46 Pegasus fleet has an availability rate around 51%, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said today, pointing to efforts between the service and Boeing to resolve several persistent problems on the aircraft.

Document: Air Force's FY-26 posture statement

Hegseth taps DOD's top spokesman to run Afghanistan review
By Tony Bertuca
May 20, 2025 at 2:55 PM

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said today that after a three-month review of the actions related to the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan and the deadly Kabul airport suicide bombing that killed 13 servicemembers, he has determined an even more "comprehensive review" is needed and should be overseen by Sean Parnell, his chief spokesman and adviser.

In a new memo released on X, Hegseth, referencing the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide attack at the Kabul International Airport’s Abbey Gate, wrote DOD has spent the past three months reviewing “this catastrophic event in our military's history.”

However, he has “concluded that we need to conduct a comprehensive review to ensure that accountability for this event is met and that the complete picture is provided to the American people.”

Hegseth has appointed Parnell, the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, to convene a “Special Review Panel” that will “thoroughly examine previous investigations, to include but not limited to, findings of fact, sources, witnesses and analyze the decision making that led to one of America's darkest and deadliest international moments.”

The first Trump administration arranged the terms of a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan before leaving office, though it was the administration of former President Biden that executed the exit, facing harsh criticism for the chaos and violence surrounding Kabul’s rapid fall to the Taliban amid the departure of U.S. forces.

Several reviews of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan have already taken place, including by the State Department, the GOP majority of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Defense Department’s inspector general.

Hegseth, without providing further details in his memo, said Parnell’s new Special Review Panel “will ensure ACCOUNTABILTY to the American people and the warfighters of our great Nation.”

Navy asks industry for small UUV technology
By Abby Shepherd
May 20, 2025 at 2:13 PM

The Navy is seeking more unmanned underwater vehicle technology, asking industry members to come forward with commercial-off-the-shelf products that could be included under a small UUV program of record.

The request for information, posted Monday, asks that industry members submit a description of their technology and the technical readiness level, adding that rapid fielding of the technology requires a TRL of seven as a minimum.

A small UUV is defined as less than 45 inches in length and less than 200 pounds. The Navy is aiming for industry options to include a UUV that can have at least an eight-hour endurance at three knots, is able to operate down to 300 meters in depth, and that has a modular open system architecture.

Additionally, the UUV should be capable of encrypted data storage, object detection, recognition, avoidance, and redirection, and equipped with navigation that utilizes global positioning and inertial navigation.

Responses to the RFI are due June 30.

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 20, 2025
By John Liang
May 20, 2025 at 1:29 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Qatar's proposed donation of a Boeing jumbo jet to the United States as the next Air Force One, the Marine Corps wanting to own the data rights to future weapon systems and more.

The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing this morning on the Air Force's fiscal year 2026 posture, during which Air Force One was a topic of discussion:

Hegseth orders Air Force to plan modifications to Qatari jet for Air Force One

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Air Force to plan modifications to turn a Qatari-owned jumbo jet into the next Air Force One aircraft, service Secretary Troy Meink disclosed today.

Document: Air Force's FY-26 posture statement

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith spoke this week at a Council on Foreign Relations event:

Smith: Marine Corps must own data rights for platforms like F-35

The Marine Corps must own the technical data rights for the platforms it operates, the service's top officer said yesterday, describing a situation in which a forward-based F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was sidelined while the contractor delivered a replacement component that could have been 3D printed onsite in a fraction of the time.

The program executive office for command, control, communications and network (PEO C3N) published a commercial solutions opening (CSO) on Friday that lays out steps for companies to enter prototype projects for Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2), the Army's wholesale network modernization program that requires "continuous iteration of flexible requirements" through contracts with quick turnarounds:

Army to award three OTAs for NGC2 prototype projects

The Army will soon select up to three companies to deliver prototypes for its next-generation network under a competitive solicitation that may lead to a variety of projects leveraging industry's mature technology, according to a May 16 announcement.

Rather than the initial "white glove way" the Defense Innovation Unit had been vetting uncrewed aerial systems and components for clearance on the "Blue List," DIU Director Doug Beck told lawmakers the most basic tier will now enable companies to "pursue and fund their own [National Defense Authorization Act] compliance assessments with trusted partners" selected by DIU:

New DIU drone vetting process to include outside tests to hasten approvals

The new two-tiered structure for the Defense Innovation Unit's program to pre-approve dual-use drones for military use will use third-party assessments to enable the acceleration and scaling of compliance evaluations, the agency announced Friday.

On May 16, the Missile Defense Agency announced an award for deliveries of the SM-3 Block IB All-Up Rounds through March 2031, using procurement funds from fiscal years 2024 and 2025:

MDA awards $1B for SM-3 Block IB as Golden Dome prompts rethink of missile inventory

The Pentagon has awarded Raytheon Technologies a $1 billion contract to produce up to 55 Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors, a move that comes as defense leaders reconsider the future of the combat-tested interceptor -- slated for a production sunset -- amid growing demands from the emerging Golden Dome domestic missile defense architecture.

New SECAF to receive first Sentinel ICBM brief Friday
By Shelley K. Mesch
May 20, 2025 at 12:55 PM

Recently sworn-in Air Force Secretary Troy Meink will receive his first briefing Friday on the beleaguered LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program, which is in the midst of a major restructuring.

“The fifth day into the job, I will be having my first deep dive into the Sentinel program,” he said today at a Senate Armed Services Committee posture hearing.

The nuclear missile modernization effort, which is set to replace the Cold War-era Minuteman III system, breached the “critical” cost growth threshold last year, leading the Defense Department to rescind the milestone B decision and order the Air Force to reassess the structure and requirements of the program.

“Obviously the Nunn-McCurdy led to some restructuring on the program,” he said. “What exactly that’s going to be, I’ll be working with the team, and I’m happy to get back to the committee when I get more detail on that.”

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) urged Meink to quickly find a solution for the program to prevent any more cost growth that would be related to delays.

“I also don’t want to see the Air Force choose to raid Sentinel budget lines to pay for other programs because the Air Force has delayed milestone B decisions,” she said.

DIU to team up with UAE tech council
By Theresa Maher
May 20, 2025 at 11:45 AM

The Defense Innovation Unit and the United Arab Emirates' Tawazun Council signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday, signaling an agreement to strengthen defense technology cooperation.

The MOU follows the signing of a letter of intent by United States and UAE military leadership to establish a new “major defense partnership,” which would see DIU in charge of facilitating potential investments in the co-development of defense technologies, according to an earlier Pentagon announcement.

The U.S.-UAE agreement resembles one the United States signed with India in 2016, most recently updated in September 2024. Like the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), the collaboration with the UAE will include bilateral prize challenges to address shared warfighter needs and lowering barriers for start-ups looking to access test and evaluation infrastructure.

“We are building a global network by fostering collaboration to stay ahead of emerging threats,” DIU Director Doug Beck said. “By co-developing technologies, converging national security and private sector expertise, and onboarding non-traditional companies, we are accelerating the integration of commercial technologies into the defense market.”

Driscoll estimates Army could save $48B over five years from restructure
By Dan Schere
May 20, 2025 at 10:06 AM

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said Monday that senior leaders have identified $48 billion in savings over the next five years that could result from the recent Army Transformation Initiative.

Driscoll and Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George announced May 1, at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, that the Army would be cutting a host of legacy programs such as the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, humvee, AH-64D Apache helicopter and Gray Eagle unmanned aerial system and investing more money into capabilities such as drones, counter UAS and electronic warfare. The shakeup also includes several force structure changes and consolidation of commands, such as a merger of Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command.

Driscoll, during a visit Monday to Redstone Arsenal, AL, told local television reporters during a press conference that the Army owes both the U.S. taxpayer and the American soldier “a duty of care about every single dollar that we spend.”

“We the Army have not always been good at that. I don’t think we’ve ever intended to be nefarious, but I think we’ve gotten in our own way with a lot of systems and processes, and just too many people helping to make our decisions,” he said.

“And so, we are focused on every single dollar. I think we’ve unlocked $48 billion in savings in the next five years to recycle to the warfare of the future.”

A spokesman for Driscoll confirmed to Inside Defense that Driscoll’s comment about the $48 billion in savings was related to the transformation initiative.

Pentagon announces new partnership with UAE
By Tony Bertuca
May 19, 2025 at 2:33 PM

The United States has signed a letter of intent with the United Arab Emirates to begin a new "major defense partnership," tapping the Defense Innovation Unit to facilitate potential investments in the co-development of military technologies, according to a Pentagon announcement.

The letter, signed at a ceremony today in Abu Dhabi by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mubarak Al Mazrouei, “represents a shared commitment to develop a structured roadmap that will guide enhanced military-to-military cooperation, joint capability development, and long-term defense alignment between the two nations,” DOD said.

Both nations will now work to develop a “phased framework for advancing bilateral force readiness, interoperability and innovation-driven collaboration,” according to DOD.

The partnership, which is similar to one the United States signed with India in 2016, includes a new “strategic initiative” between DIU and the UAE’s Tawazun Council.

“This collaboration will deepen ties in defense innovation, facilitate joint research and development, and expand industrial and investment partnerships across both defense ecosystems,” DOD said.

The UAE was also formally welcomed into the U.S. National Guard State Partnership Program through a new partnership with the Texas National Guard that is intended to “bolster military modernization efforts and enhance cooperation in integrated air and missile defense, cybersecurity, disaster response and operational planning,” DOD said.

“The designation of the UAE as a Major Defense Partner reflects a decades-long relationship anchored in mutual trust, shared objectives and a common commitment to regional and global security,” DOD said. “It builds on the longstanding record of both countries working side-by-side to counter threats, stabilize conflict zones, and promote security and prosperity in the Middle East and beyond.”

DOD, NNSA speed production timeline for new nuclear gravity bomb variant
By Shelley K. Mesch
May 19, 2025 at 1:54 PM

The Defense Department and National Nuclear Security Administration completed the first variant of its new nuclear bomb, according to an announcement today, almost a year ahead of schedule.

The B61-13 gravity bomb -- the newest upgrade to the B61 family of nuclear weapons -- had been announced in October 2023 with this first bomb completed at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, TX.

“Modernizing America’s nuclear stockpile is essential to delivering President Trump’s peace through strength agenda,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. “The remarkable speed of the B61-13’s production is a testament to the ingenuity of our scientists and engineers and the urgency we face to fortify deterrence in a volatile new age."

DOD and NNSA didn’t expect the first B61-13 production unit to be completed until fiscal year 2026.

Manufacture of the B61-13 uses the “proven production capabilities” from the B61-12. The last of those bombs was produced in December as part of the B61-12 Life Extension Program.

With that modification, B61-12s are scheduled to last for at least 20 more years, according to NNSA.

Many of the B61 family of weapons can be used on a variety of fighter and bomber aircraft, but the B61-13 will only be used on strategic bombers deployed from bases in the continental U.S.

NNSA and the Air Force accelerated the schedule for the program by leveraging decades of B61 design and qualification data to accept “calculated risks,” NNSA said in the announcement. Program managers and engineers streamlined and combined some of the reviews conducted at each step in the design process, allowing for production to begin sooner.

“Balancing programmatic risk against the urgency of the deterrence mission showed great creativity and foresight on the part of our program managers and engineers,” said David Hoagland, NNSA's acting deputy administrator for defense programs. “I'm confident many of these practices can be applied to future weapon modernization efforts, with promising implications for their delivery timelines.”

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 19, 2025
By John Liang
May 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system, plus additional coverage from last week's Quad-A conference and more.

We start off with coverage of the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system:

MDA awards $1B for SM-3 Block IB as Golden Dome prompts rethink of missile inventory

The Pentagon has awarded Raytheon Technologies a $1 billion contract to produce up to 55 Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors, a move that comes as defense leaders reconsider the future of the combat-tested interceptor -- slated for a production sunset -- amid growing demands from the emerging Golden Dome domestic missile defense architecture.

Various DOD agencies collaborating for Golden Dome in upcoming FY-26 request

The Space Force's fiscal year 2026 budget will have a "big flavor of Golden Dome within it," according to Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs and Requirements Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton.

We also have additional coverage of the recent Quad-A conference in Tennessee:

Army leaders will rely on feedback from commanders to address aviation capability gaps left by cuts

NASHVILLE, TN -- Addressing capability gaps in Army aviation left by a recent slew of program cuts announced by the service will mean commanders must give their feedback in order to help shape requirements, a service leader emphasized last week.

Deep sensing a priority as Army transforms, ISR task force chief says

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army is working with industry on a launched effects demonstration for next year using sensing effects that can fly farther than current Army ranges, according to a service leader.

Acting U.S. Cyber Command Commander and National Security Agency Director Lt. Gen. William Hartman testified on Capitol Hill last week:

Potential splitting of CYBERCOM, NSA leadership draws ire of House lawmakers

Lawmakers came out swinging against rumors of a Trump administration plan to sever the "dual-hat" leadership of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command.

Document: CYBERCOM chief's FY-26 posture statement

Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel, the service's director of force design, integration and wargaming, spoke at a recent discussion hosted by the Mitchell Institute:

Air Force eyeing low-cost, air-to-air missile alternative to AMRAAM

The Air Force wants to invest in developing a new high-speed, air-to-air missile in part to arm the first iteration of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, according to a top service official and a recent request for information filing.

Document: Air Force RFI for low-cost, air-to-air missile alternative to AMRAAM

Anduril Industries' Roadrunner air vehicle was recently deployed aboard a U.S. warship for the first time:

Commercial cruise missile deployed on Navy destroyer, potential pathway to new capacity

The Navy deployed a commercially developed cruise missile aboard an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the Red Sea as part of a broader exploration into countering drone threats, an experiment defense officials say could help lay the groundwork for expanding the Navy's capacity to defeat complex missile raids.

The week ahead
By Tony Bertuca
May 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM

Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several events this week, including congressional hearings.

Monday

The Council on Foreign Relations hosts an event with senior military leaders.

Tuesday

The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on the Air Force budget.

The Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee holds a hearing on nuclear weapons programs.

The House Appropriations defense subcommittee holds a hearing on the National Guard and Reserve.

The Global Cyber Innovation Forum is held in Baltimore, MD.

Wednesday

The Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee holds a hearing on unmanned Navy systems.

The Senate Armed Services cybersecurity subcommittee holds a hearing on the Defense Department information network.

Thursday

Gen. Stephen Whitting, chief of U.S. Space Command, speaks at the Chicago Global Affairs Council.

The Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee holds a hearing on the National Guard and reserve.

The INSIDER daily digest -- May 16, 2025
By John Liang
May 16, 2025 at 2:04 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's transformation initiative, foreign military sales, Navy civilian worker losses and more.

We start off with continuing coverage of the Army Aviation Association of America conference:

Army aviation leaders to give top brass 'options' on transformation initiative

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army aviation portfolio was already on the road to transformation before Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's major restructuring memo, according to a senior service leader.

In the face of Army shakeup, OEMs Sikorsky, Boeing insist they can adapt

NASHVILLE, TN -- It has been just two weeks since the Army announced one of the more major service restructurings in recent years, and one that will see a significant scaling back of manned aviation platforms.

(Read our full Quad-A coverage.)

The House Armed Services intelligence and special operations subcommittee held a hearing this week on the "Defense Intelligence Enterprise Posture":

Defense intel chiefs expect challenges amid personnel cuts, new border missions

Top U.S. defense intelligence officials told House lawmakers today that they expect to be impacted by the 5% to 8% civilian personnel cut mandated by the Trump administration amid the stress of a new mission to help seal the southern border from the flow of illegal migrants, but they struck chords of optimism, pledging to do more with less.

Document: House hearing on the defense intel enterprise

The House Appropriations Committee held a Navy oversight hearing this week:

Lawmakers question Navy personnel cuts; officials see opportunity to streamline maintenance and acquisitions

The Navy is losing approximately 16,000 civilian workers to layoffs and voluntary resignations, according to a prominent House appropriator, who questioned reductions to public shipyard labor and other hard-to-replace personnel while service officials pointed to opportunities to “rebalance” their enterprise.

Document: Navy, Marine Corps FY-26 posture statements

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) this week said she is "not happy" with how the White House Office of Management and Budget is handling the defense budget situation, echoing concerns expressed by others in her party earlier this month:

Fischer 'not happy' with OMB after 'smoke and mirrors' surrounding FY-26 budget proposal and reconciliation bill

Lawmakers are continuing to express their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 defense spending request, as they hold concurrent hearings on Capitol Hill to sort through budget priorities across the Defense Department.

President Trump spoke this week about next-generation fighter aircraft during a business leaders meeting in Doha, Qatar:

Trump reveals potential for new 'F-55' jet and upgrades to F-22

President Trump today said he wants to give the U.S. military's fifth-generation fighters a makeover, including by overhauling the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with a twin engine and a "super upgrade."

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) questioned a panel of expert witnesses this week, saying DOD needs a "dramatic shift in mindset" when it comes to the foreign military sales system:

Senate Armed Services Committee eyes new round of FMS reforms

The Senate Armed Services Committee convened today to consider potential reforms to the U.S. foreign military sales process, including a possible reorganization at the Pentagon.

Document: Senate hearing on FMS

Navy to hold industry day for Future USV
By Abby Shepherd
May 16, 2025 at 1:30 PM

The Navy plans to hold an industry day next month for a new open-ocean, high-endurance, non-exquisite, autonomous vessel to show industry members how it would fit into an evolving surface force.

The June 17 industry day -- held by the Navy’s Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants -- will highlight the vessel that will be up to commercial standards, with an ability to support two 40-foot-equivalent-unit containerized payloads weighing up to 80,000 pounds, according to a notice posted Friday.

“Future USV Industry Day will provide an overview of the Future USV Program vision and objectives; the program schedule; and the engineering/technical requirements and objectives,” the notice states.

A request for information will be released prior to the industry day, according to the notice, which will be held in Washington, DC and will only be open to Defense Department contractors.