The Insider

By Dan Schere
May 14, 2025 at 9:00 AM

NASHVILLE, TN -- Honeywell's JetWave X satellite communication system has been selected to upgrade the Army's Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System (ARES), the company announced this morning, ahead of the Army Aviation Association of America's conference here.

ARES is an Army demonstrator aircraft owned and operated by L3Harris, which features a Bombardier 6000/6500 business jet. It is one of the demonstrator aircraft the Army’s ISR task force has used in recent years to help inform future multidomain sensing requirements.

JetWave X is meant to give soldiers “improved connectivity around the globe,” and will allow the Army to transmit “mission-critical information at higher data rates than currently available,” according to the company. The system is meant to provide greater network flexibility by having the capability to connect to any Viasat Ka-band satellite and has “open architecture” that “ensures compatibility with future Ka-band networks.”

Matt Milas, the president for defense and space of Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, said in a statement Wednesday that “today’s pilots need access to real-time data with uninterrupted connectivity to make mission-critical decisions.”

“Honeywell is proud to provide ARES with JetWave X, the only multinetwork satellite communications system for government aviation that seamlessly connects to the Inmarsat Global Xpress, ViaSat-3 and other Ka-band constellations,” he said.

By Shelley K. Mesch
May 13, 2025 at 4:13 PM

The Senate confirmed Troy Meink as Air Force secretary Tuesday in a 74-25 vote.

During his confirmation hearing in March, Meink committed to increasing the number of aircraft in the Air Force fleet and fielding new platforms to boost the size of the fleet and drive down the average age.

Meink, who most recently served as principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, is expected to bring a new level of space expertise to the department that includes both the Air Force and Space Force.

President Trump named Meink as his pick for the department’s top civilian in January.

Before entering his role at NRO in 2020, he served as the director of geospatial intelligence systems acquisition at the spy agency. He had also served as deputy under secretary of the Air Force for space.

Meink began his career as a KC-135 Stratotanker navigator in the 1980s.

As secretary, Meink will be overseeing several major acquisition programs, including the over-cost and behind-schedule LGM-35A Sentinel nuclear missile modernization, the B-21 Raider bomber and the recently announced F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter.

As the head of the Space Force, he will also play a major role in the Golden Dome homeland defense system, that was laid out in an executive order by Trump earlier this year.

By Theresa Maher
May 13, 2025 at 3:50 PM

The Defense Innovation Unit awarded 12 new contracts for its project aimed at combining government and commercial space-related capabilities into one connected network, the agency announced yesterday.

The Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA) initiative, according to DIU, will build the technical and programmatic foundation to pilot an operational commercial and government space network by 2026.

The latest awardees include Capella Space Corp., EdgeCortix, Eutelsat America Corp. and OneWeb Technologies, Fairwinds Technologies and AST Space Mobile, Illumina Computing Group, Lockheed Martin Space, MapLarge, SES Space & Defense, Skycorp Incorporated, SkyFi, Ursa Space Systems and Viasat.

They’ll join existing HSA vendors SpiderOak Mission Systems, Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Microsoft Azure Space, Aalyria, Anduril, Atlas and Enveil to prototype their capabilities in operational demonstrations across several combatant commands starting this summer and continuing through the next year.

“DIU partnered closely with the U.S. combatant commands to assess operational needs, prototype software architectures, and chart effective transition pathways,” the release said.

Areas of responsibility where operational demonstrations will take place include U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, European Command, Central Command and Southern Command, DIU said.

“Success with these demonstrations will be moving the department closer to realizing an operational, resilient and hybrid space architecture,” DIU said.

By Jason Sherman
May 13, 2025 at 3:38 PM

The Pentagon has rescheduled a high-profile summit intended to draw nontraditional companies into its next-generation missile defense initiative, pushing the event from its original April 29 date to June 11.

The Golden Dome for America Industry Summit will now take place at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL, according to an updated announcement from the Missile Defense Agency published May 13. The one-day event remains unclassified.

MDA said the summit is designed to engage both traditional defense contractors and commercial tech firms that have not previously worked with the Pentagon. The event aims to provide insight into acquisition, prototyping and testing pathways that could shape what officials describe as a transformational missile defense architecture for the U.S. homeland.

Originally scheduled for April 29, the summit was delayed due to what officials called logistical adjustments and high industry interest. All attendees must now re-register by May 29, according to the notice.

The Golden Dome initiative, launched by the Trump administration earlier this year, seeks to build a layered missile shield against threats ranging from hypersonic weapons to nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles -- expanding the traditional focus beyond rogue states to include peer adversaries like Russia and China.

By John Liang
May 13, 2025 at 3:07 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the White House's proposed "skinny budget," plus Army aviation and more.

A senior Republican appropriator is warning against the Trump administration's proposed defense budget:

McConnell: White House 'skinny budget' sets stage for defense investment 'cliff'

Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today said he opposes the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 defense spending request because of its reliance on a "budgetary sleight of hand" that masks a failure to pursue real and sustained growth in Pentagon buying power.

Here's a curtain-raiser for this week's Quad A conference in Nashville:

Vision for Army aviation becoming further unmanned with latest shakeup

A year ago, the Army was already placing its aviation emphasis on drones, satellites and other unmanned technologies, having canceled the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft along with the RQ-7 Shadow drone as part of the February 2024 aviation "rebalance.”

The Missile Defense Agency recently published an Advanced Capability Concepts solicitation outlining an expansive vision to harness disruptive technologies that could redefine how the U.S. military deters and defeats missile threats:

MDA unveils sweeping solicitation with eye toward breakthrough capabilities

The Pentagon is opening the gates to an aspirational new era in missile defense development, publishing a wide-ranging, five-year solicitation that seeks paradigm-shifting approaches to delivering interceptors, battle management, electronic warfare, space systems, artificial intelligence and more.

Document: MDA solicitation for advanced capability concepts

More MDA news:

MDA plans overhaul of missile defense targets with industry callout

The Missile Defense Agency wants to overhaul the payload systems it uses to test U.S. missile defense systems, launching a formal request for information to expand the flexibility, speed and realism of future target vehicles.

Document: MDA's 'payload next' RFI

In a recent exercise, the Army's 18th Airborne Corps led a joint forcible entry operation across land, air, maritime and special operations with satellites, high-altitude balloons, long-range precision fires, myriad launched effects and lots of robots:

Lessons from Project Convergence are shaping the Army's future robotics buys

The Army tried something new at its fifth Project Convergence experiment this year: Invading the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA, with around 250 technologies that yielded plenty of ideas for how soldiers and robots might fight together in the future.

By John Liang
May 12, 2025 at 1:14 PM

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on a recent Army Project Convergence experiment, plus missile defense payload systems and more.

In a recent exercise, the Army's 18th Airborne Corps led a joint forcible entry operation across land, air, maritime and special operations with satellites, high-altitude balloons, long-range precision fires, myriad launched effects and lots of robots:

Lessons from Project Convergence are shaping the Army's future robotics buys

The Army tried something new at its fifth Project Convergence experiment this year: Invading the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA, with around 250 technologies that yielded plenty of ideas for how soldiers and robots might fight together in the future.

In a recent request for information, the Missile Defense Agency's Targets Program "is seeking innovative solutions to provide capable, flexible, high-quality Reentry Vehicles and payloads that can be rapidly adapted to meet future testing requirements":

MDA plans overhaul of missile defense targets with industry callout

The Missile Defense Agency wants to overhaul the payload systems it uses to test U.S. missile defense systems, launching a formal request for information to expand the flexibility, speed and realism of future target vehicles.

Document: MDA's 'payload next' RFI

More missile defense news:

C2BMC upgrade this summer to support Guam defense, hypersonic threats, more

The Pentagon is set to deliver a command and control upgrade to its global missile defense network this summer, enhancing the ability of U.S. forces to detect, track and respond to increasingly complex missile threats, including cruise missiles and maneuverable hypersonic weapons while also strengthening protection for the U.S. homeland and Guam.

Document: House hearing on missile defense

Michael Obadal submitted answers to advance policy questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding his nomination to become Army under secretary:

Army under secretary nominee stresses need for 'layered' authorities to defend against drone incursions

Michael Obadal, the Anduril executive nominated by President Trump to be the next Army under secretary, said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today that the Army must do a better job of weaving together various authorities between the federal government and state and local governments when it comes to protecting the United States from drone incursions.

Document: Obadal's Senate nomination APQs

An updated milestone B test and evaluation master plan for the Navy's Stingray uncrewed aircraft system was expected to be submitted to DOT&E before the end of March, but that hasn't happened yet:

DOT&E 'not consulted' in Navy decision to forgo updates to MQ-25 MS-B TEMP

The Pentagon's chief weapons tester was not consulted and did not sign off on a Navy decision to forgo a milestone B test and evaluation master plan update for the MQ-25 Stingray program, despite the service's initial plan to submit the update to the office of the director of test and evaluation by the end of March.

By Tony Bertuca
May 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM

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

Tuesday

The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing for several senior defense nominees.

The Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee holds a hearing on U.S. missile defense.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts a conference on global security, industry innovation and the future of U.S. military power.

Wednesday

The House Appropriations defense subcommittee holds a hearing on the Navy and Marine Corps.

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee holds a hearing on national security space.

Thursday

The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on the foreign military sales system.

The House Armed Services intelligence and special operations subcommittee holds a hearing on the U.S. defense intelligence enterprise.

Politico hosts its Security Summit.

By John Liang
May 9, 2025 at 1:32 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's efforts to protect against drone incursions, plus coverage of the Missile Defense Agency's Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications program and various congressional hearings.

Michael Obadal submitted answers to advance policy questions to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week regarding his nomination to become Army under secretary:

Army under secretary nominee stresses need for 'layered' authorities to defend against drone incursions

Michael Obadal, the Anduril executive nominated by President Trump to be the next Army under secretary, said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that the Army must do a better job of weaving together various authorities between the federal government and state and local governments when it comes to protecting the United States from drone incursions.

Document: Obadal's Senate nomination APQs

The Missile Defense Agency is set to field Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) Spiral 8.2-5.1 to both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command soon:

C2BMC upgrade this summer to support Guam defense, hypersonic threats, more

The Pentagon is set to deliver a command and control upgrade to its global missile defense network this summer, enhancing the ability of U.S. forces to detect, track and respond to increasingly complex missile threats, including cruise missiles and maneuverable hypersonic weapons while also strengthening protection for the U.S. homeland and Guam.

Document: House hearing on missile defense

An updated milestone B test and evaluation master plan for the Navy's Stingray uncrewed aircraft system was expected to be submitted to DOT&E before the end of March, but that hasn't happened yet:

DOT&E 'not consulted' in Navy decision to forgo updates to MQ-25 MS-B TEMP

The Pentagon's chief weapons tester was not consulted and did not sign off on a Navy decision to forgo a milestone B test and evaluation master plan update for the MQ-25 Stingray program, despite the service's initial plan to submit the update to the office of the director of test and evaluation by the end of March.

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee held a hearing this week on "Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities":

Officials: IOC for SLCM-N expected by 2034, shift in command may occur for E-6B mission

Since the establishment of a nuclear-armed, sea-launched missile program office in March 2024, the Navy remains on track to achieve a key milestone by next year, as it assesses potential warhead options and researches how to best integrate the missile into Virginia-class submarines, a service official told lawmakers Wednesday.

Document: House hearing on nuclear forces

The Air Force decided to scrap the silo reuse plan for the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM in the wake of a conversion project of one of the existing test-launch facilities:

Air Force scraps plans to reuse ICBM silos for Sentinel, 10 years into program

The Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile modernization program will not be able to reuse existing silos as it had been planning since the beginning of the effort 10 years ago, potentially threatening the cost of a program that's already known to be massively over budget.

Navy Rear Adm. Kevin Smith spoke this week at the International Mine Warfare Symposium in San Diego, CA:

Navy to receive first full-sized Orca XLUUV this summer as schedule challenges persist

The Navy expects to receive its first full-sized version of the "Orca" Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle from Boeing this summer after the company delivered an initial test and training asset in December 2024, the head of the service's unmanned and small combatants program office said this week.

Darlene Costello, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, testified this week at a House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee hearing:

Costello: T-7 sticking to November 2027 IOC timeline, delivery of first ground-based simulator set for October

The Air Force and Boeing are making significant progress to keep the troubled T-7A Red Hawk training jet in line with Air Education and Training Command's stated target to reach initial operational capability by 2027, the service's top acquisition official told lawmakers this week.

Document: House hearing on USAF projection forces aviation programs and capabilities

By Dominic Minadeo
May 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM

American Rheinmetall is putting together mock-ups of its bid for the Army's Bradley Fighting Vehicle replacement at U.S. factories it bought last fall, the parent company's CEO announced today.

“The prototype production is running, so I have seen the first prototype,” Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, told analysts in a first-quarter earnings call May 8.

Rheinmetall bought out Loc Performance Products, LLC last November for $950 million, the goal being to get a better grip in the U.S. market as the vendor vies for programs like XM30 and Common Tactical Truck.

“We want to produce the XM30 in one of these factories,” Papperger said.

This comes as the Army recently postponed the program’s milestone B decision that would launch critical design reviews in the engineering and manufacturing development phase. That turning point had been slated for the end of March, but it should now fall sometime in late June, an Army spokesperson told Inside Defense last month.

But XM30 is still on time, according to Papperger; the Army will choose between Rheinmetall and U.S. prime General Dynamics Land Systems in 2027 -- although by the end of 2026 he expects to “get a smell who will win it.”

“Loc is doing very well,” Papperger went on. “The profitability is good . . . if you see when we bought it, our calculations were lower than we reached at the moment.”

Loc contributed €116 million ($130.2 million) to the Düsseldorf-based company’s total vehicle systems sales growth this quarter, which came out at €952 million ($1.07 billion). That’s nearly double last year’s quarterly figure, a 93% uptick, according to the company.

The acquisition came with four factories -- three in Michigan and one in Ohio -- which Papperger visited a few weeks ago, and he was surprised to see “how big these factories are, how much space we have and how much technology they have.”

Rheinmetall has a workforce of about 1,400, “which is a good team for XM30 and CTT and Loc is really focused on that stuff,” he said. Papperger estimated earlier this month that in the next five years, his company will double its current U.S. sales, which are at $1.1 billion.

“My expectation is that we have a good chance” at winning out on the XM30, he said on the call.

By John Liang
May 8, 2025 at 2:52 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's transformation initiative, plus coverage of various Air Force aircraft programs and more.

We start off with coverage of the effects of the Army's new transformation initiative:

Army canceling Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems program

The Army is canceling its Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems program as part of its comprehensive transformation initiative, a service spokesman confirmed today.

Appropriators interested in the Army's big plans, but want more information

Appropriators in Congress expressed a sense of cautious optimism about a comprehensive Army transformation plan unveiled last week, but without details about the fiscal year 2026 budget and other pieces of information, they still have questions.

Mingus says divestment from humvee, JLTV will not occur 'overnight'

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus told lawmakers Tuesday that despite the service's plan to no longer procure the humvee and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, those platforms will "not go away overnight" but rather, the divestment will occur "over time."

Document: Military vice chiefs' testimony on military readiness

Some news on the next-gen Air Force One:

Boeing says it can deliver new presidential jet by 2027 if USAF changes robust requirements

Boeing has told the Air Force it can deliver the first VC-25B jet -- the eventual replacement for presidential aircraft Air Force One -- by 2027, if some of the program's requirements are altered, according to a top service official.

A component of the Air Force's B-52 bomber has suffered a Nunn-McCurdy cost breach:

B-52 RMP breaches 'significant' cost-growth threshold

The beleaguered B-52 Radar Modernization Program breached a statutory cost-growth threshold, requiring the Air Force to report the jump in price to Congress.

Some Air Force tanker news:

Air Force to restart KC-46 deliveries next week; cracking issue resolved

The Air Force and Boeing have found a fix for cracking found on the structure of the KC-46 Pegasus, a top service official said today, following a Feb. 27 decision to temporarily pause all tanker deliveries until the issue was resolved.

KC-46 Remote Vision System fix delayed to summer 2027

The planned upgrade for the KC-46 Pegasus' Remote Vision System is now expected to field 18 months behind an already delayed schedule, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said yesterday, resulting in a new delivery date about three years behind the initial plan.

MDA Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins acknowledged the agency’s decision last year to down-select a prime contractor ahead of schedule -- triggered by budget pressure -- has set the program back by several years. But he told the House Armed Services Committee strategic forces panel on April 30 that the agency is now actively assessing options to recover lost time:

MDA reconsiders Glide Phase Interceptor timeline, less than a year after delaying it

Less than a year after an early acquisition decision forced a delay in the Pentagon's flagship hypersonic defense effort, the Missile Defense Agency is now exploring ways to accelerate the Glide Phase Interceptor program to better align with the advancing threat.

Document: House hearing on missile defense

By Dan Schere
May 8, 2025 at 10:23 AM

Brent Ingraham, who most recently served in the office of the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, has been nominated to be the next Army acquisition chief. Ingraham was nominated April 29, according to a congressional notice.

Ingraham serves as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for platform and weapon portfolio management, and is responsible for “managing and analyzing major platforms and weapons capability portfolios across the department” including air, surface, cyber and electronic warfare systems, according to his biography.

Ingraham previously served in multiple other roles within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, including executive director of the joint rapid acquisition cell and director of surface warfare, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Ingraham would succeed Doug Bush, who previously served as Army acquisition chief during the Biden administration.

By Nick Wilson
May 7, 2025 at 4:58 PM

A bipartisan group of lawmakers today introduced a bicameral bill intended to strengthen and expand the defense industrial base workforce via initiatives to recruit individuals who want to serve in the military but are medically ineligible to do so.

The Defense Workforce Integration Act was introduced today by Senate Armed Services Committee members Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) and House Armed Services Committee members Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Joe Courtney (D-CT). Additional co-sponsors include Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) as well as Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Don Bacon (R-NE).

According to a statement from these co-sponsors, the bill would “leverage existing programs and best practices within the Department of Defense to retain the talent and motivation of those who desire to serve in uniform but are found to be medically disqualified to address persistent workforce shortages.”

If enacted, the legislation would direct the Pentagon to provide medically disqualified applicants with information on civilian employment opportunities in national security-related fields, including the defense industrial base; cybersecurity, intelligence, research and development of defense technologies; national emergency and disaster preparedness; and any other non-military roles the Defense Secretary considers important for national security.

For servicemembers who are medically disqualified early in their military careers, the bill would extend an existing Air Force practice to the Navy and Army by establishing personnel management programs in both services to perform “warm hand-offs” to DOD civilian hiring authorities.

The legislation also looks to expand existing Navy transition assistance programs to increase awareness of civilian roles within Military Sealift Command and workforce training programs for the shipbuilding industrial base.

“Every year, tens of thousands of young Americans are turned away from military service -- not because they aren’t willing to serve, but because of medical disqualifications that may have no bearing on their ability to contribute,” Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) said in a statement. “The Defense Workforce Integration Act ensures that these patriotic individuals still have a path to serve their country through meaningful civilian careers that support our national security.”

Kaine, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee who has previously raised this workforce pipeline idea, said the bill will help shipbuilding companies attract and retain talent. The shipbuilding industry is facing hiring and retention challenges that have contributed to delays and cost growth for the Navy’s surface and undersea fleet.

“I often hear from shipbuilders and other defense contractors in Virginia about how they need more skilled workers,” Kaine said in a separate statement. “That’s why I’ve been focused on expanding our national security and maritime industrial base workforce, including by helping talented young people who’ve been medically disqualified find other opportunities to serve their country.”

By John Liang
May 7, 2025 at 2:01 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army's Self-Propelled Howitzer program, plus congressional concerns over the Trump administration's defense budget request and more.

Inside Defense chatted this week with Brig. Gen. Rory Crooks, who until two weeks ago led the Long-Range Precision Fires cross-functional team at Army Futures Command:

As SPH-M delays by the day, former AFC leader thinks it will survive

The Army's Self-Propelled Howitzer program is in a "day-to-day slip" as the service seeks Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's approval to solicit industry for the next phase of demonstrations, a one-star general told Inside Defense Tuesday.

House Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) said during a hearing this week that he appreciated the administration’s stated desire to increase defense spending, "however, it does so by assuming $113 billion in funds through reconciliation":

House defense appropriators criticize White House defense budget request

Senior House defense appropriators today said they are unhappy with the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 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.

The Marine Corps' Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle program office was slated to release a request for proposals before the end of March, but the RFP has yet to appear:

Marine Corps 'refining acquisition strategy' for ARV as budget questions loom

The Marine Corps is refining the acquisition strategy for its Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle as budget uncertainty hangs over Pentagon procurement programs.

A recent Defense Department inspector general's report "assess[es] the DOD's capabilities to effectively carry out joint logistics over‑the‑shore (JLOTS) operations and exercises," specifically in Gaza to provide humanitarian aid as part of Operation Neptune Solace:

IG: Army and Navy were not prepared to move humanitarian aid into Gaza via floating pier

The operation to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza through the Defense Department's joint logistics over-the-shore (JLOTS) capability in 2024 faced significant challenges, DOD's inspector general announced Friday, including a lack of interoperability between the Army and Navy.

Document: DOD IG report on JLOTS in Gaza

Three Pentagon organizations are looking at a variety of capabilities -- including kinetic attack, electronic warfare and capturing or disabling capabilities -- specifically aimed at avoiding harm to bystanders, structures and other non-targeted assets:

Pentagon agencies seek low-collateral defeat solutions for Replicator-2

The Defense Innovation Unit, Joint Counter-small Uncrewed Aerial Systems Office and U.S. Northern Command are seeking low-collateral defeat options to integrate into existing programs of record to counter small drones, in line with the Pentagon's Replicator-2 initiative.

MDA Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins laid out the agency’s new plans to expand directed-energy (DE) work across multiple fronts, including laser prototypes, live-fire testing and an operational concept development for a new airborne laser system dubbed "HELRAD" in written testimony prepared for an April 30 House panel:

MDA launches new effort to integrate high-energy lasers into U.S. missile shield, HELRAD

The Missile Defense Agency is advancing a new set of initiatives to develop and integrate high-energy lasers into the nation's layered missile defense system, marking a sharp turn toward operationalizing directed energy to complement -- and in some cases relieve -- traditional kinetic defenses.

Document: House hearing on missile defense

By Tony Bertuca
May 7, 2025 at 1:25 PM

President Trump has nominated Kirsten Davies, a former chief information security officer at multinational company Unilever, to be the Pentagon's chief information officer.

Though the White House did not release biographical information on Davies, the Defense Department pointed Inside Defense toward her LinkedIn page, confirming that it was hers.

According to Davies’ LinkedIn bio, she served as CISO for Unilever from September 2021 to June 2024 and had other senior information security roles at The Estée Lauder Companies, Barclays bank, Hewlett-Packard and Siemens.

She is also, according to her bio, a “villager” for Team8’s CISO Village, which is “an avenue for exchanging ideas, collaborating as an industry, and promoting innovation in cyber security.” Team8 is a global venture group that invests in companies specializing in cyber capabilities and artificial intelligence.

Davies’ is also, according to LinkedIn, the founder and chief executive officer of a non-profit called the Institute for Cyber Civics, whose mission is “to advance the safety, security, privacy and digital integrity of experiences citizens have while using technology, AI and digital data in their everyday lives.”

The institute has produced a “Cyber Security Handbook for Poll Watchers and Election Observers.”

Her verified account on X includes posts supporting Trump’s tariff policies, opposition to continuing U.S. aid to Ukraine and concerns about election integrity.

Davies has also posted concerns about the use of the Meta-owned digital messaging tool WhatsApp, asserting it is not as secure with end-to-end encryption as many consumers think.

“If the content can be data mined or your messages recreated on the phone after you delete them, it’s not secure,” she wrote.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and former national security adviser Mike Waltz have become subjects of controversy for their roles in a group chat using the messaging app Signal, which operates differently from WhatsApp and bills itself as having “state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption.”

Some congressional Democrats, citing security concerns over sensitive military information Hegseth shared on Signal, have called for the defense secretary’s ouster over the matter, making it possible that the controversy could be raised by senators during Davies' upcoming confirmation hearing because of the nominee’s background and expertise.

Meanwhile, some of Davies' other X postings voice alarm over human traffickers’ exploitation of digital platforms and support for women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

By Abby Shepherd
May 7, 2025 at 11:45 AM

The Navy is requesting industry input on a potential long-range, tactical unmanned aircraft system that would be used by an international partner for maritime domain awareness as well as search and rescue operations.

The system would need to be able to operate in static rain environments of up to one inch per hour, conduct wide-area surveillance, identify and track objects, provide real-time full motion video and distinguish between vessel types, according to Tuesday’s request for information.

The Navy is seeking a small UAS with a minimum endurance of 48 hours, an electric powered motor, modular and open architecture, technology readiness level of eight or higher, multiple modular payload capability and an ability to operate in various weather and environmental conditions.

Those responding to the RFI must answer several questions, like describing how their system navigates, what the production lead-time would be and the current maximum production output.

Responses to the RFI are due May 20.