The Insider

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.”

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.

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

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has coverage of this year's Army Aviation Association of America conference in Nashville, along with news on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and more.

We start off with coverage of this year's Army Aviation Association of America conference:

Mingus: 101st Airborne Division will be first to receive FLRAA

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army's 101st Airborne Division based at Ft. Campbell, KY will be the first division to receive the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus said during the Army Aviation Association of America conference here.

Even with program ending, Army leaders say FTUAS-like capabilities are still needed

NASHVILLE, TN -- Army leaders insist the service will still pursue acquiring tactical unmanned systems capabilities that provide surveillance and reconnaissance, but in a fashion that differs from the now-cancelled Future Tactical UAS effort.

ITEP survival hinges on FY-26 budget

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army hasn't officially dropped its program for a wholesale new helicopter engine, but the system's future largely weighs in the balance of a constricted fiscal year 2026 budget amid shifting priorities, according to a senior leader.

No cancellation cost on JLTV contract, Army leader says

NASHVILLE, TN -- The Army's first order of the A2 variant of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles will be its last, a senior leader told reporters Wednesday.

(Read our full Quad-A coverage.)

More JLTV coverage:

JLTV costs will rise for Marine Corps after Army's exit, commandant says

The Marine Corps anticipates Joint Light Tactical Vehicle unit costs to rise following the Army's cancellation of future JLTV procurement, Commandant Gen. Eric Smith told lawmakers today, saying his service branch is still assessing the full impact of the Army's abrupt exit from the joint program.

Acting Navy Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations & Environment Brenda Johnson-Turner testified on Capitol Hill this week:

Official: Navy plans to move ahead with nuclear power site development, despite DOD reversal on climate pledges

The Navy has witnessed substantial interest from industry experts and developers on a potential expansion of clean energy generation through nuclear power sites on underutilized military land, an official told lawmakers Wednesday.

Document: DOD energy, installations and environment officials' FY-26 testimony

The Joint Fires Network, or JFN, is an ambitious effort to knit together the sensors, weapons and decision-making tools of the U.S. military and its partners:

Congress eyes $400 million expansion for Pentagon's Joint Fires Network

A House proposal to add $400 million to the Pentagon's Joint Fires Network marks a sharp escalation in support for a system the Defense Department views as central to future high-end warfare.

Last but by no means least, some news on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program:

F-35 Lots 18 and 19 may be combined; award now expected late June

The Air Force and Lockheed Martin are in talks to accelerate the contract award for Lot 19 of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter "potentially into the second quarter" by combining it with Lot 18, according to company Chief Financial Officer Evan Scott.

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft, lawmakers' concerns over the reconciliation bill and more.

In an infographic posted on the social media site X, the Air Force's top uniformed officer highlighted the kinds of characteristics the NGAD family of systems will bring to the service’s future fleet to complement the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15EX Eagle II:

Air Force sets sights on more than 185 F-47s, dubbed 'stealth++'

The Air Force anticipates it will purchase more than 185 Boeing-made F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft, according to service Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin.

Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) told reporters today on a Defense Writers Group call that Congressional Republicans' reconciliation bill is "an extraordinary mistake":

Senior defense Dem warns of losing lawmaker oversight via reconciliation, yearlong CR

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), an appropriator and the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said today he is concerned the GOP's reconciliation bill, though it increases funding for defense, could undermine Congress' authority and give the Pentagon a "slush fund."

A senior Republican appropriator had a similar warning:

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.

More Golden Dome coverage:

Guam's $8 billion missile shield fuels questions about Golden Dome costs

The U.S. military's top official overseeing missile defense for Guam told Congress the cost of developing a 360-degree integrated air and missile defense architecture for the Western Pacific island is approximately $8 billion, offering the first public accounting of a system Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth views as a model for Golden Dome for America.

DIA forecasts surge in adversary missile inventories by 2035, arguing Golden Dome need

A new U.S. intelligence assessment forecasts a sweeping expansion of adversary missile arsenals over the next decade, with China projected to make the most dramatic quantitative gains -- far outpacing Russia, North Korea and Iran -- in long-range and precision strike capabilities.

Document: DIA's Golden Dome threat analysis

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.

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.