The INSIDER daily digest -- October 16, 2025

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has coverage of the effects of the government shutdown along with news from the AUSA Conference.

We start off with news on the ongoing effects of the government shutdown:

Navy delays another industry day as shutdown worries grow

The Navy has postponed an industry day on support craft acquisitions, citing the ongoing government shutdown, which has sparked heightened concern for contracting and workforce disruptions as it enters its third week.

Anduril: Lengthy government shutdown could delay YFQ-44A first flight

The ongoing government shutdown could eventually set back the first flight of Anduril Industries' YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, company founder Palmer Luckey said in a statement to Inside Defense.

Pentagon transfers $8B in R&D funds to pay troops amid government shutdown

The Defense Department has begun paying U.S. troops today, despite an ongoing government shutdown, tapping $8 billion in research and development funds.

Document: Trump memo on using available defense funding to pay troops' wages

. . . Followed by coverage from this week's AUSA Conference:

Company leaders anticipate mobile howitzer RFP to surface post-AUSA

Leadership at American Rheinmetall and Hanwha expect the Army to finally solicit industry on its self-propelled howitzer soon after the Association of the United States Army conference wraps up in Washington -- although a government shutdown might push that.

25th ID finishes trading HIMARS for howitzers

The 25th Infantry Division recently finished swapping howitzers for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers within its division artillery unit as part of the Army Transformation Initiative.

Read our full AUSA coverage.