The Insider

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force looking at buying F-16 fighter aircraft given problems with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, plus an upcoming industry day at Cape Cod Space Force Station, MA and more.

On Dec. 1, the Space Force published a notice inviting companies to participate in an in-person session at the Massachusetts installation, one of five Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) sites slated for modernization under the new project:

Space Force sets Cape Cod industry day as part of new radar digitization push

The Space Force is moving ahead with its plan to digitize the nation's network of long-range missile warning radars, announcing a December industry day at Cape Cod Space Force Station, MA to brief contractors on near-term upgrades and on-site technical constraints associated with the Ground Based Radar Digitization initiative.

Block 70 F-16s, which are currently only made by Lockheed Martin for foreign partners, could fill U.S. capability gaps as aircraft age out at a lower cost than replacing the Air Force's legacy jets with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter:

Air Force 'exploring' options for new F-16 buys

The Air Force is weighing buying a new U.S variant of the modernized F-16 Fighting Falcon, several sources have told Inside Defense, opening the possibility of adding more of the jets to the domestic military fleet.

The Army is looking for companies interested in sliding into the role of weapon system integrator for the Common Autonomous Multidomain Launcher (CAML), designed as the first mobile, optionally manned launcher with cross-domain fires capability:

PAE Fires seeking weapon system integrator for CAML

The Army is shooting for the end of January to meet with companies that want to help develop the service's next-generation autonomous launcher, a new notice reveals.

Document: Army CAML RFI

A new Hawaii office will begin operating in January to canvas commercial technology developed in the region in direct support of U.S. Army European Command:

New Hawaii Global Tactical Acquisition Directorate to support eastern flank deterrence

The Army will open a Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate office in Hawaii early next year, extending its new rapid-innovation structure into the Indo-Pacific as part of a broader effort to push acquisition decisions closer to deployed commanders, according to the director of the organization.

The Army submitted a report to Congress on energetics:

New Army report details foreign reliance in energetics supply chain, timelines to bolster domestic production

The Army in a new report points out three energetic compounds it can't fully produce domestically -- relying on foreign sources to meet demand -- and outlines plans to boost domestic production in the coming years.

Document: Army report on energetic materials procurement from sources outside the U.S.

The Pentagon is shielding details about the marquee effort of its Golden Dome missile defense initiative, using what officials describe as "enhanced security measures" to withhold information about newly issued contracts for space-based interceptor prototypes.

The awards, made last month, mark the first major step in developing a constellation of kill vehicles intended to engage long-range threats from orbit. Bloomberg reported the contract awards last week.

A Space Force spokesperson said the service awarded multiple prototype agreements through competitive Other Transaction Agreements following a “robust and thorough” selection process. The names of the companies selected are not being released.

The spokesperson cited enhanced security protections tied to the program’s critical technology and explained that Other Transaction Awards are not subject to standard disclosure rules. Contracts below $9 million are also not required to be announced by the Pentagon.

The secrecy comes as the Pentagon prepares to pour substantial money into the Space-Based Interceptor program, which sits at the center of the Golden Dome architecture championed by the Trump administration.

Analysts and former officials have raised concerns about the technical and fiscal feasibility of placing interceptors in orbit, but the department is moving ahead with an accelerated plan for prototyping and flight demonstrations.

The Defense Department is estimated to have nearly $6 billion available in fiscal year 2026 to begin work on space-based interceptors. The money was provided through a reconciliation package approved over the summer, separate from the department’s annual appropriations bill.

The Space Force issued a request for proposals on Sept. 18 and gave companies two weeks to respond. Those eligible to bid must be authorized to access unclassified export-controlled data tied to critical technologies.

The program is structured around fixed-price prototype contracting and could incorporate prize competitions to speed innovation, with cash or contract awards for achieving specific technology milestones.

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Army opening a Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate office in Hawaii early next year, an energetics report to Congress and more.

Army Col. Chris Hill, director of the new Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate currently based in Germany, said a new Hawaii office will begin operating in January to canvas commercial technology developed in the region in direct support of U.S. Army European Command:

New Hawaii Global Tactical Acquisition Directorate to support eastern flank deterrence

The Army will open a Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate office in Hawaii early next year, extending its new rapid-innovation structure into the Indo-Pacific as part of a broader effort to push acquisition decisions closer to deployed commanders, according to the director of the organization.

The Army submitted a report to Congress that includes "(1) a list of all energetic materials produced at Federal Government-owned production facility but procured from a source outside the United States; (2) a list of authorities and production capacity available to ensure energetic materials can be sourced domestically, to the maximum extent practicable; and (3) an evaluation of the factors the Army considers when procuring energetic materials from a foreign source":

New Army report details foreign reliance in energetics supply chain, timelines to bolster domestic production

The Army in a new report points out three energetic compounds it can't fully produce domestically -- relying on foreign sources to meet demand -- and outlines plans to boost domestic production in the coming years.

Document: Army report on energetic materials procurement from sources outside the U.S.

The Army's recent Project Fly Trap 4.5 exercise in Germany tested various types of counter unmanned aerial systems solutions against "simulated threats" from drones:

PAE presence at overseas exercises will shape future Army allocation of dollars

The newly announced Program Acquisition Executive (PAE) restructuring of the Army's acquisition enterprise will mean key acquisition officials will observe overseas exercises and make budgetary decisions toward scaling key capabilities, according to an official.

The Air Force program to replace the Huey helicopters it uses to patrol intercontinental ballistic missile bases has been delayed yet again:

MH-139 full-rate production decision now planned for January

The Air Force's nascent MH-139 Grey Wolf program is again delayed, with the helicopter now on track to enter the full-rate production phase in January 2026, an Air Force spokesperson told Inside Defense.

In case you missed it last week, the Navy canceled the Constellation-class frigate program:

Navy announces 'strategic shift' away from Constellation frigate

The Navy has terminated four ships in the Constellation-class frigate program in a "strategic shift" away from the troubled class, service secretary John Phelan announced last week.

The Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit named six drone vendors last week to advance through the final phase in a prize challenge focused on compressing the kill chain for small expeditious units in denied environments.

Chariot Defense, CX2, Elsight, Purple Rhombus, Quantum Systems and Skydio will see their systems delivered to operational units to support real-world assessment of the platforms’ mission effectiveness and transition potential, DIU said.

The systems were evaluated under DIU’s Project G.I. -- a prize challenge aimed at identifying “ready now” uncrewed systems supporting enhanced mission effectiveness for small military cells in contested operational environments. Companies were assessed based on systems’ abilities to address a specified “Design Reference Mission (DRM).”

The half-dozen vendors named last week were tasked with providing capabilities for uncrewed systems that would enhance the U.S. military’s ability to shorten the kill chain for small, expeditious units in denied environments under the second DRM.

“These six companies were chosen based on demonstrated performance during field events, technical maturity, and alignment with operational needs -- namely, improving the sensing, lethality, and survivability of formations conducting disaggregated targeting operations,” DIU said.

The announcement came just over two months after DIU named the five winners for Project G.I.’s first DRM -- which called on participants to develop first-person view drones capable of delivering kinetic effects in contested environments.

The Army has ordered $390 million worth of upgraded Bradley Fighting Vehicles from BAE Systems after definitizing a contract modification, the company announced today.

The first delivery of Bradley A4s, part of the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Team, will take place in October 2026 with work already started, an announcement from BAE Systems reads.

“Lethality, performance and next-generation capability is what the Bradley A4 brings to the fight,” Bill Sheehy, ground maneuver product line director for BAE Systems, said in a statement. “It’s critical that we continue upgrading Bradleys to the modern A4 configuration so that warfighters have the equipment they need to dominate.”

The A4 variant comes with digitized electronics, network connectivity and communication within the brigade, the company announcement says.

BAE Systems is partnering with Red River Army Depot, TX, on the production and support work, the announcement says, with the company leveraging sites across Alabama, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

“This award not only fuels our commitment to keep the Army and our allies ready for the fight, but it also ensures our U.S. manufacturing lines stay hot and ready for continued production,” Sheehy said.

The Army has awarded Boeing a firm fixed-price contract worth more than $4.6 billion for procurement of AH-64E Apache helicopters, according to a contract announcement from the Pentagon posted Tuesday.

Fiscal year 2010 foreign military sales funds for Poland, Egypt and Kuwait worth nearly $2.3 billion were obligated at the time of the award, according to the announcement.

Poland signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the U.S. government for 96 AH-64E helicopters in August 2024, according to a Boeing fact sheet. Additionally, Poland has an agreement with Boeing that “aims to enhance the sustainment capabilities of the Polish defense industry, support creation of highly skilled jobs within this field, and facilitate technological advancements.”

Work will be performed at Boeing’s Mesa, AZ production facility with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2032.

The U.S. should remove "reciprocal" tariffs on 40 Indo-Pacific countries to create a "collective defense" against economic and military threats from China, according to a new bill from seven House Democrats.

House China Select Committee member Jill Tokuda (D-HI) on Monday introduced the “Indo-Pacific Partner and Ally Tariff Repeal Act,” which would terminate reciprocal tariffs imposed on “key economic partners” including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, her office said in a Nov. 24 statement. It also would end new tariffs on a slate of Indo-Pacific island nations as well as Australia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam, among others.

The bill includes “sense of Congress” language saying the U.S. should “collaborate with Indo-Pacific allies and partners to establish a collective defense against the Chinese Communist Party’s nonmarket practices and coercive economic, military, and gray-zone actions.” It also says imposing tariffs on the countries “undermines that goal” while raising costs for businesses and consumers.

Accordingly, the so-called reciprocal tariffs Trump established via April and July executive orders are “counterproductive to America’s security and economic needs and should be repealed,” the bill states.

If passed, tariffs imposed on the 40 Indo-Pacific partners “shall cease to have force or effect,” it adds.

“At a time when our Indo-Pacific partners face growing intimidation and coercion from the Chinese Communist Party, the United States cannot afford to send mixed signals,” Tokuda said in the statement. “Slapping our closest partners with tariffs while they face down growing Chinese aggression is backwards, counterproductive, and dangerous, and hurts American businesses and consumers.”

China continues to escalate its “aggressive and coercive behavior” against U.S. Indo-Pacific partners by “embargoing imports from Pacific countries,” developing military bases in the South China Sea and “provoking tensions” with India over their shared border, among other examples, the statement adds.

Democratic Reps. Dina Titus (NV), Daniel Goldman (NY), Jim Costa (CA), André Carson (IN), Ted Lieu (CA) and Ed Case (HI) co-sponsored the bill.