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Space

Defense Authorizers Recommend $500 Million Put Back For SDA’s Tranche 3 Transport Layer

By Cal Biesecker

Monday, December 8th, 2025

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Defense Authorizers Recommend $500 Million Put Back For SDA’s Tranche 3 Transport Layer

Tranche 1 Transport Layer spacecraft built by York Space Systems. Photo: York

A defense policy bill agreed to by leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees recommends $500 million for communications satellites that the Space Force zeroed earlier this year for the Space Development Agency (SDA) in the fiscal year 2026 budget request. The $500 million put back for Tranche 3 Transport Layer (T3TL) in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sends a “strong message” that the authorizing committees want to move forward with the future communications satellites, an industry…

‘Theoretical Potential’ to Achieve 1,509 Combat-Coded Fighters by 2035, USAF Says

In the latest U.S. Air Force fighter force structure report submitted to Congress, the service speaks of a “theoretical potential” to achieve a goal of 1,509 combat-coded fighters in the […]

Budget

Hegseth Pushes For Reconciliation With At Least $350 Billion For Defense ‘Regardless’ Of Midterms Outcome

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Congress

Bipartisan Push in Senate to Hasten Export of 155 mm, GMLRS, HIMARS for Ukraine

A small, bipartisan group of senators is backing the Fast Tracking European Investment in Ukraine’s Defense Act, S. 5175, to hasten the export of allied buys of U.S. munitions for […]

Congress

Rep. Himes Signals Increased Contractor Oversight, if Democrats Win House

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, plans to increase the committee’s contractor oversight if the Democrats win control of the House […]