Page 28 – Defense Daily

USAF Aircraft Production Accelerations in Bill for DoD Include $4.5 Billion for B-21 and $400 Million for F-47

While shipbuilding and Golden Dome are two categories receiving $59 billion in in the $150 billion DoD reconciliation bill, U.S. Air Force aircraft programs also see a significant jump, including $4.5 billion to accelerate the Northrop Grumman [NOC] B-21 Raider stealth bomber, nearly $3.2 billion to increase production of the Boeing [BA] F-15EX Eagle II fighter, $678 million to accelerate Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones, $474 million for more EA-37B electronic warfare aircraft by L3Harris Technologies [LHX] and BAE Systems, $440 million for the perennial congressional add of C-130Js by Lockheed Martin [LMT] and $400 million to accelerate the Boeing F-47, formerly the manned Next Generation Air Dominance fighter.

A year ago, the Air Force decided to narrow the CCA Increment 1 field to General Atomics and Anduril Industries, as the service moves to flight tests of the General Atomics YFQ-42A Gambit and Anduril YFQ-44A Fury prototype CCAs this summer and a possible competitive production decision on CCA Increment 1 in fiscal 2026 (Defense Daily, Apr. 24, 2024).

CCAs are to be autonomous wingmen for Air Force aircraft, including the F-47 and the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters.

Last week, Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden told investors that the company and the Air Force have agreed to provisions for a “manufacturing change” in the first five B-21 production lots to reduce risk, increase production rates, and set the stage for a possible increase in the number of planned bombers from the current goal of 100 (Defense Daily, Apr. 22).

The five low-rate initial production lots cover 21 B-21s, while the following 19 will be under under higher price, not-to-exceed (NTE) terms. Nevertheless, increases in the general procurement material costs and quantities could depress margins on the NTE planes, Warden said.

Last month, Boeing beat Lockheed Martin to win the NGAD contract (Defense Daily, March 21).

The $678 million in the DoD reconciliation bill for CCA and the $400 million for F-47 could free up funds for air superiority programs in the upcoming Air Force fiscal 2026 budget (Defense Daily, Apr. 24).

Funding provided in the DoD reconciliation bill aligns with industry requests to Congress.

For example, L3Harris and BAE Systems have been pitching the Air Force and legislators to double the buy of EA-37Bs from the planned 10, including two more in fiscal 2026 and four more in fiscal 2027 (Defense Daily, Apr. 8).

The DoD bill also includes $361 million to retain Air Force F-22 fighters by Lockheed Martin, $210 million for more MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopters by Boeing and Leonardo for the ICBM missile fields, and $168 million to accelerate production of the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) by Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC).

In April last year, the Air Force awarded SNC an up to $13 billion contract for the service’s SAOC to replace the Boeing E-4B “Nightwatch” fleet, based on the 747 passenger plane and used as a mobile national command authority in crisis situations, such as “doomsday” events (Defense Daily, Apr. 26, 2024). The E-4B entered service in 1980 more than five years after its predecessor, the E-4A.

CBO Report Looks At Escalating Costs of U.S. Nuclear Forces

The Congressional Budget Office projected in a report released April 24 that plans for the U.S. nuclear forces as described in the fiscal 2025 budget would cost $946 billion for the 2025-2034 period.

Of the $946 billion, $817 billion is what is budgeted to “implement the plans for current and future delivery systems, warheads, command and control systems, and infrastructure as DoD and DoE have laid them out,” the report says. The other $129 billion is what the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates will encompass potential additional costs based on historic cost growth.

However, according to the report, the estimated cost of $454 billion for delivery systems and weapons, which would include $140 billion over 10 years for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), does not include the “significant additional increase in costs identified in a recent legislatively mandated review of the Sentinel program.”

The estimate includes “only a portion of the $63 billion cost increase” identified in the Nunn-McCurdy review because CBO bases its estimates on the amounts detailed in the fiscal 2025 budget request and associated documents.

“How the additional costs identified in the Nunn–McCurdy review would affect total costs over the 2025–2034 period is uncertain, for several reasons,” the report said. “The Sentinel program is in the process of being restructured, it will likely be delayed, and those delays could affect the costs of the Minuteman III program as well.”

Sentinel breached a threshold of 25% over baseline cost projections in January 2024, triggering a mandatory report to Congress under a law known as Nunn-McCurdy.

However, the program’s six-month Nunn-McCurdy review led then-DoD acquisition chief William LaPlante to certify that the program was essential to strategic deterrence and that there were no cheaper alternatives to meet the joint requirements.

As a result of the Sentinel re-baselining, the program is no longer in breach, as Sentinel awaits a restructuring late this year or early next year for a new Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase decision by DoD. Programs that run afoul of the Nunn-McCurdy guidelines in the fiscal 1983 defense authorization act are in significant breach for 15% unit cost overruns and critical breach for 25%.

The CBO updates the 10-year projection of costs of the U.S. nuclear forces every two years, and this year’s projection was $190 billion, or 25%, more than the 2023 projection for 2023-2032. The $454 billion cost for strategic nuclear delivery systems covers the nuclear triad, meaning ICBMs, long-range bombers, and fleet ballistic missile submarines or SSBNs.

House Panel Recommends $67 Billion In Reconciliation For DHS; Mostly For Border Wall

The House Homeland Security Committee on Sunday recommended nearly $47 billion as part of a special funding bill that will be put toward building out more physical barriers and related systems along the southern U.S. border to thwart illegal activities.

The proposed border barrier funding is part of a larger $67 billion package the committee is proposing that also includes border security technology and substantial grant funding for state and local law enforcers to acquire drone detection systems.

The funding would encompass 701 miles of primary wall, 900 miles of river barriers, 629 miles of secondary barriers, and replacement of 141 miles of vehicle and pedestrian barriers. Included would be access roads, cameras, lighting, sensors, and other detection technology.

The barrier-related technology is separate from nearly $2.8 billion recommended for upgrades and purchases of various technologies for deployment at the southwest, northern, and maritime borders. These technologies include ground detection sensors, integrated surveillance towers, tunnel detection, unmanned aircraft systems, and communications equipment, the committee said.

Anduril Industries supplies integrated surveillance towers. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has previously acquired surveillance tower systems from General Dynamics [GD] and Elbit Systems [ESLT], and mobile surveillance systems from Teledyne [TDY], Elbit and others.

To continue improving security at ports entry, the committee suggests nearly $1.1 billion to buy additional non-intrusive inspection (NII) equipment and related construction, to scan cargo and passenger vehicles for illegal drugs entering the U.S. The NII funds would also be for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and mission support.

The NII funds, if ultimately agreed to, should benefit companies such as Leidos [LDOS], OSI Systems’ [OSIS] Rapiscan division, and Smiths Detection.

CBP’s Air and Marine Operations division would get $1.2 billion to upgrade and purchase new platforms for rapid air and marine response. And the agency would also receive $673 million to continue to acquire biometric technology to verify the identities of individuals as the enter and depart the U.S.

Under the State Homeland Security Grant Program, $500 million would be to support state, local, and tribal law enforcers with developing the ability to detect, identify, track, or monitor threats from unmanned aircraft systems.

The proposed reconciliation funding would be available through fiscal year 2029.

“President Trump won a historic victory last year, in part because he promised to secure our borders and restore real immigration enforcement,” Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement. “His leadership has ended the immediate crisis at our borders, though we will be working to under the consequences for years. However, the success at our borders will be short-lived if we don’t provide the necessary resources to fund President Trump’s agenda and help CBP fulfill its border security mission in the years to come.”

State Department Approves $2.2 Billion Netherlands Sale For Tomahawk Missiles

The State Department last Friday approved a potential $2.2 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Netherlands for RTX [RTX] Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the sale on April 25.

A Tomahawk launched off a U.S. Navy vessel. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

The Netherlands is seeking to buy 163 Tomahawk Block V All Up Rounds (AURs), 12 Block IV AURs, up to 10 Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control Systems (TTWCS); and up to two Tomahawk Block IV telemetry missiles.

Other equipment covered by the sale includes items like satellite data link terminals, integrated secure broadcast systems and other technical, programmatic and logistical support for the missiles and related parts.

DSCA said the Netherlands will the cruise missiles to improve its capabilities by using these long-range conventional surface-to-surface missiles “with significant standoff range that can neutralize growing threats.”

It also noted the importance of supporting the security of a NATO ally.

The announcement said there are known offset requirements with the sale, with them listed in an attached annex.

Last year, Japan signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance for its own Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles and related equipment under an FMS, with acquisition set to occur between Japanese fiscal years 2025 to 2027 (Defense Daily, Jan. 19, 2024).

That followed a late 2023 State Department approval for a sale worth up to $2.4 billion for up to 400 Tomahawk missiles to Japan (Defense Daily, Nov. 17, 2023).

In March 2023 the U.S. government approved an $895 million sale of 220 Tomahawks to Australia.

Official: Army’s TiC Is Opportunity To Get AI To ‘Tactical Edge,’ Predictive Analysis Is ‘Next Horizon’

The Army sees the ongoing Transforming in Contact (TiC) initiative to rapidly field new capabilities as an opportunity to get after delivering more artificial intelligence capabilities “to the tactical edge,” a lead official has said.

Andrew Evans, director of the Army’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Task Force, also cited predictive analysis as the “next horizon” for the service’s use of AI, noting a need to provide industry an opportunity to train their algorithms on “military-grade, potentially classified data.”

The 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion (Enhanced) and 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion conducted a combined Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) communications exercise on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, September 29, 2021. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Eric Messmer)

“TiC is an opportunity to equip our soldiers with tools we think they will need to be successful in the next fight. And we believe one of those key tools is AI,” Evans told Defense Daily following remarks at the Apex Defense conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

The Army’s TiC effort, spearheaded by Gen. Randy George, the service’s chief of staff, has focused on testing new operating concepts with select Army units and providing troops with new technology, such as drones and electronic warfare capabilities, to gather feedback and inform rapid fielding decisions.

“This is the value of TiC. The chief is focused on moving as quickly as we possibly can to kit these formations with what they need, and AI is one of those things we think they need,” Evans said. “So the idea is to experiment with capabilities and technologies enabled by AI to figure out what’s working, what’s not working and then we can scale it up from there. So the TiC formations are allowing us to do that.”

During his remarks, Evans said the Army is “hyper focused” right now on delivering AI capabilities for operators to employ on the “tactical edge” of the battlefield.

“It’s really hard to do. Because if you start loading up algorithms onto edge devices, pretty soon that edge device goes from something small to something much bigger and less mobile,” Evans said. “So it’s a big problem, a big challenge. We are looking for much more agile models that can run with less compute power on the backside but still provide soldiers what they need.”

As the number of sensors and intelligence collection capabilities continue to proliferate, Evans said the Army is looking to AI solutions to help manage the massive amounts of data collected, while noting the service has to be intentional about the specific challenges it can help solve.

“If you ask a lot of Army leaders still, the three and four stars, they’ll say, ‘Well, just fix it with AI.’ Because that’s what they hear, right? ‘AI will fix that, it’s going to solve all the data problems.’ First, you have to know what problem you’re trying to solve, right, to figure out if it’s an AI problem,” Evans said in his remarks.

“Who owns [the data]? Who controls it? How do you use it? How do you make decisions with it? [Data] will become equally as important as your munitions, in some sense,” Evans added. “You’re not going to be able to count on the big data centers to crunch all that [information], process all that and move it to the forward lines. You’ve got to figure out how to get [operators] exactly what they need, potentially in a degraded and denied environment.”

The deployment of AI solutions at scale is “not going to be a paradigm shift overnight, but the cultural change will happen much more quickly than I think anyone anticipates,” Evans told Defense Daily.

Evans cited “predictive analysis” specifically as a key focus area for the Army’s burgeoning use of AI models.

“If you really want to leverage AI, it can tell you there’s a ship there in the broad, open ocean. It can find, maybe, discrete vehicles in camo. [That’s] all very important. It does save the analysts a lot of time. But how do you get AI to tell you where the next hot spot’s going to be based on environmental data, based on threat reporting. So analysts are always going to have to do what humans do, which is value and discretion and judgement. But a machine’s going to point you in the right direction, in that sense,” Evans said.

“That is the next horizon, a machine that says, ‘Hey, I know you’re not looking right here at this table but all the indicators are that’s where you should be looking,’” Evans added.

To get after the level of trust needed to deploy “predictive analysis” models will require providing industry opportunities to train their algorithms on military-grade data rather than only open source information, according to Evans.

“So when they build their models, the models know how to interpret military data,” Evans told Defense Daily. “To get to the level of prediction we need, first it’s got to be trained on the right datasets”

“The more and more you use these things, the better they get. So to get to predictive analysis, we’ve got to continuously train our models with military-grade data and then we’ve got to figure out how to build trust into that process. So the biggest challenge with prediction is how do you trust what [the model] is predicting,” Evans said.

CSIS Suggests Deterrence Value of Disclosing More U.S. Counterspace Systems

The just released Space Threat Assessment 2025 by the Center for Strategic & International Studies’ (CSIS) Aerospace Security Project suggests a deterrence value in U.S. Space Force disclosure of more counterspace systems.

“In the next year, the United States may want to consider publicly revealing more, though not all, of its counterspace capabilities—as France and Germany are already doing—because acknowledging some U.S. counterspace weapons, beyond just jammers, can be used to deter hostile action
in space or other domains,” according to the report. “Additionally, talking more publicly about counterspace weapons means the U.S. military can more easily partner with space companies already working on commercial technologies, such as servicing, debris removal, hypersonics, and atmospheric reentry, that could be transformed into new military space capabilities.”

“For classified projects, the military also cannot tap into innovative space startups, as these companies often do not have the right security clearances to even know what the government wants to buy, let alone bid on the work,” the study said.

The U.S. Golden Dome missile defense system is to have space-based interceptors.

Space Force has discussed three non-kinetic space control/counterspace systems–the L3Harris Technologies‘ [LHX] Counter Communications System (CCS)–a ground jammer introduced in 2004–and its 10.2 and 10.3 “Meadowlands” upgrades; Alabama-based COLSA Corp.’s Bounty Hunter system, a ground-based satellite communications interference detection system, which achieved initial operational capability on Aug. 7, 2020; and the Space Rapid Capabilities Office’s Remote Modular Terminal (RMT) ground-based jammer by Virginia’s Northstrat, CACI International [CACI], and Colorado-based Seed Innovations, LLC. Space Force’s Space Training and Readiness Command said last April that it had recently tested RMT.

Nearly a year ago, then Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall lamented that the Department of the Air Force had scrimped on fiscal 2025 funding for counterspace to deter China because of constraints in the Budget Control Act (Defense Daily, April 30, 2024).

”Our greatest regret, if you will, in the constraints we had this year was we couldn’t move forward more quickly on counterspace capability, in particular,” Kendall told a congressional hearing at the time. “Our pacing challenge is fielding a number of systems that threaten the joint force and are targeting assets like aircraft carriers. We need to have the capability to do something about those assets so they can’t provide an attack targeting surface to the Chinese military. That would be the highest thing on our list that we aren’t able to move forward as quickly as we’d like to.”

Last summer, a paper by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies said that current U.S. systems, such as those in the Space Surveillance Network and the Satellite Control Network, are ill-suited to the “warfighting domain of space.

The new CSIS space threat assessment said that, “rather than entirely new developments, the past year mostly witnessed a continuation of the
worrisome trends discussed in prior reports, notably widespread jamming and spoofing of GPS signals in and around conflict zones, including near and in Russia and throughout the Middle East.”

“Chinese and Russian satellites in both low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) continue to display more and more advanced maneuvering capabilities, demonstrating operator proficiency and tactics, techniques, and procedures that can be used for space warfighting and alarming U.S. and allied officials,” the report said. “Finally, U.S. companies providing a commercial space service to government users, particularly defense and military ones, remain squarely in the crosshairs of nation states, with Russia in particular vocal about its intention to consider commercial assets used by the U.S. military as legitimate targets.”

Lockheed, Northrop, Peraton Nab Space Systems Command Relay Ground Station Awards

The Navy last Thursday selected Lockheed Martin [LMT], Northrop Grumman [NOC], and Peraton to compete for task orders under a potential $244.2 million contract to develop the Space Systems Command’s Relay Ground Station (RGS).

The companies were the only bidders for the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract that includes cost-plus fixed-fee, cost-with-no-fee, and firm-fixed pricing for development of the RGS.

The announcement said the RGS will enable Space Systems Command’s Next Generation Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) Ground System to operate with the SBIRS Geosynchronous satellites.

“This effort requires the design, procurement, development, integration, and testing of advanced RGS hardware and software capabilities to provide uplink and downlink capability to the SBIRS GEO, Defense Support Program, Next Generation GEO, and Next Generation Polar space vehicles,” the Navy’s award notice said.

The satellites are used for missile warning and detection.

The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific in San Diego is the contracting activity.

SECNAV Announces Nearly $300 Million In IT And Other DOGE Cuts

Secretary of the Navy John Phelan Thursday night said the Navy canceled almost $300 million in DOGE-identified information technology (IT) contracts as well as grants and awards for “non-essential activities.”

Phelan called the IT contracts “ineffective and over budget” while he also canceled 45 grants and awards for “non-essential activities,” he said in an X/Twitter post.

BREAKING: As Secretary of the Navy, I’m focused on ensuring accountability, cutting waste and strengthening our fighting forces.

Today, I’m canceling IT contracts that are ineffective and over-budget. I’m also canceling 45 grants and awards funding non-essential activities like… pic.twitter.com/0xazvaONoV

— Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan (@SECNAV) April 25, 2025

He cited one as studying the population consequences of disturbance of humpback whales in the context of climate change.

Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, commander of the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Force, take their place on the podium during a commissioning ceremony for the fast-attack submarine USS Iowa (SSN 797) in Groton, Conn. on April 5, 2025. (Photo: U.S. Navy by Chief Petty Officer Joshua Karsten) — Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, commander of the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Force, take their place on the podium during a commissioning ceremony for the fast-attack submarine USS *Iowa* (SSN 797) in Groton, Conn., on April 5, 2025. (Photo: U.S. Navy by Chief Petty Officer Joshua Karsten)

“I command the DOGE team for finding these opportunities to help save the Navy and increase our readiness and warfighting capability. Stay tuned–there’s more to come,” he added.

The Department of Government Efficiency is an Elon-Musk-led White House effort that renamed the former U.S. Digital Service to the U.S. DOGE Service.

This follows an April 22 video announcement he made on X/Twitter rescinding the Biden administration’s Navy climate action program, implemented by former Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro in 2022.

That earlier post argued “we need to focus on having a lethal and ready naval force, unimpeded by ideologically motivated regulations.”

Phelan did not explain what parts of the climate plan are ideologically motivated or impeding lethality.

It focused on both building resilience to changing climate conditions and impacts as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the Department of the Navy. This includes addressing shoreline erosion that could damage naval structures.

One section focused on having the Department of the Navy ensure energy resilience by deploying microgrids with pollution-free power generation and long-duration battery storage to aid continuity of operations.

It also planned to establish a standardized lithium version of a vehicle standard battery for more ground vehicle energy hybridization, which among other things can be charged via solar power “allowing silent operation when recharging, increasing warfighter flexibility and survivability.”

The plan also said that lithium battery work could help simplify logistics.

Defense Watch: GD Sub Money, Hyundai at HII, Finnish Icebreakers, DoD Tech At Border, Irish Javelins

GD Waiting On Sub Money. General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic told financial analysts recently the company has not yet received the supplemental shipbuilding money approved by recent continuing resolutions. The company is working with the Trump administration to get the supplemental under contract and they have had “very productive conversations,” Novakovic said during the first quarter earnings call for 2025 on April 23. She also said the Navy intends to have the Block 6 Virginia-class submarine contract come this year alongside the full construction contract for the second

Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine. “So the Navy intends for those to happen this year, but I think we need a lot of building blocks before we get there, including getting the supplemental under contract and starting to execute there..”

Philippines Warehouse. The Navy issued a solicitation looking to lease a climate controlled warehouse and associated spaces if at least 20,000, but preferably about 33,000, square feet in Subic Bay, Philippines. This potential 10-year lease, without renewal options, would be the largest prepositioning facility in the country since 1992. The Navy said it would use the facility to primarily store and maintain vehicles and their equipment. This includes a motor transport shop that can house 10 medium to heavy vehicle maintenance bays. The Port of Subic Bay used to feature Naval Station Cubi Point and still receives significant American activity every spring during the annual bilateral Balikatan exercises. The Navy wants the space to be ready for occupancy by May 2026, but later occupancy will be considered. The government plans to award the lease by this August and then be executed by September, with the commencement date of the lease to be within 12 months of lease execution. Offers are due by June.

Balikatan 25. The U.S. and Philippines governments kicked off the 40th annual bilateral maritime exercise between the two countries on April 22, Exercise Balikatan 25. The Navy says this exercise supports the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty by ensuring forces are proficient, modernizing mutual capabilities and strengthening military-to-military coordination. In his remarks during the opening ceremony, Lt. Gen. James F. Glynn, U.S. exercise director and Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, said this year’s iteration has over 14,000 participants and over 20 countries participating or observing the exercise.

Aussie NUWC Visit. Air Vice-Marshal Gerry van Leeuwen, head of Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Systems for Australian Defense Ministry visited Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport on April 7, part of an eight-day trip by hm to visit industry and defense facilities. During the trip, van Leeuwen noted NUWC Newport is a significant contributor devising development of joint and cooperative programs like the Mark 54 MoD 2 and Mark 48 heavyweight torpedoes. The Navy noted his visit was focused on the Mark 54 torpedo cooperation. John Fastino, head of the Weapons Systems Division in Division Newport’s Undersea Warfare (USW) Weapons, Vehicles, and Defensive Systems Department, said they wanted to show the Australian the capability range at Division Newport and they focused on hardware development and modeling and simulation for lightweight torpedoes. “We’re trying to get more of a partnership on the software algorithm development side, which the Royal Australian Navy and [Australian Defence Science and Technology Group] have played an important role in the past. We’re trying to continue that.”

Hyundai at HII. South Korean HD Hyundai heavy Industry leaders visited HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division facilities on April 22 as the two companies work to find maritime cooperation following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two earlier this month. HII said this visit focused on identifying near-term opportunities and exploring how to implement new processes that could support accelerating ship production.

USAF 23rd Electronic Warfare Squadron. On Apr. 18, the U.S. Air Force’s 350th Spectrum Warfare Group (SWG) at Eglin AFB, Fla., stood up its 23rd Electronic Warfare Squadron–a successor to the WWII-era 23rd Fighter Squadron and the 350th SWG’s Detachment 1. The 23rd Electronic Warfare Squadron “supports mission data file reprogramming efforts for command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, combat rescue platforms and expendables for the Combat Air Force (CAF), including the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM),” the 350th SWG said. Air Force Lt. Col. Luke Marron, who headed the 350th SWG Detachment 1, commands the 23rd Electronic Warfare Squadron.

Common Tactical Edge Network. The U.S. Air Force program executive office for command, control, communications, and battle management–headed by Maj. Gen. Luke Cropsey–flight tested the Common Tactical Edge Network (CTEN) at Hanscom AFB, Mass., in April prior to the Emerald Flag 25-1 exercise, led by the 96th Test Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla. The aerial networking CTEN “is a vendor-built, open architecture, government-owned overlay network replacing the existing prototype to enable distributed battle management command and control in highly contested environments,” the Air Force said. “For Emerald Flag, a new payload was developed to re-host virtual routers and integrate CTEN software onto a single-board computer within a single-level environment, demonstrating the systems adaptability. The capability aims to provide tactical edge communications to enable dynamic distributed battle management command and control in contested and highly contested environments in support of Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control, or CJADC2.” Among the participants in the CTEN flight testing were MITRE, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, the Georgia Tech Research Institute, Sierra Nevada Corp., Boeing, L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and RTX, the Air Force said.

Expanding Partnership. L3Harris Technologies is teaming with Palantir Technologies to integrate artificial intelligence and resilient command and control communications “into a next generation C5ISR architecture for international customers,” L3Harris Chief Chris Kubasik said last week. The collaboration was born from an ongoing partnership between the companies, he said on the company’s first quarter earnings call. L3Harris is doing the communication systems integration for Palantir on the Army’s TITAN tactical intelligence ground station, and is integrating Palantir’s Foundry platform into its software defined tactical radio network, which is “driving new insights and advancement, bringing artificial intelligence to the battlefield by enhancing the data processing power of tactical networks,” Kubasik said.

Bear Power. Shipbuilder Austal USA is leveraging a software platform developed for shipyards by BigBear.ai for capacity planning, real estate and resource optimization, and digital twins. BigBear.ai said it will support the Alabama-based shipbuilder as part of a major facility modernization investment.

More Innovation Hubs. The Defense Innovation Unit plans to expand its OnRamp Hubs to three new states, Kentucky, Montana, and Minnesota to better engage with, and make itself more accessible to, funders, startups and other companies with commercial and dual-use technology to market and sell their capabilities to the Defense Department. DIU has OnRamp Hubs in Phoenix, Honolulu, Wichita, Kan., Dayton, Ohio, and Renton, Wash., near Seattle. The new hubs align with congressional intent.

Finnish Built Icebreakers? Finnish media in mid-April reported that the U.S. Coast Guard is in negotiations with Rauma Marine Constructions to build up to five medium icebreakers for the service. The Coast Guard on April 11 released a Request for Information to survey the domestic and global marine industrial base to build a medium polar icebreaker within three years to complement its future heavy Polar Security Cutter. The market survey is underway “pending requisite legislative authority and appropriations to acquire additional icebreakers,” the service said last week in a statement. “At this time, the Coast Guard is not involved in any negotiations with a foreign shipyard.” Rauma is located in southwest Finland on the Gulf of Bothnia.

DoD Tech for Border. The Defense Department last week said it has deployed the Ground-Based Operational Surveillance System (Expeditionary) to the Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector in support of Joint Task Force-Southern Border to help curb illegal activity along the U.S. border with Mexico. G-BOSS (E). The mobile surveillance system is equipped with mast-mounted cameras, radar, and infrared sensors to provide day and night 360-degree detection of individuals and vehicles up to eight miles away, including in challenging weather conditions. G-BOSS (E) was developed for force protection operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

JUMP Deal. The Italian Ministry of Defense has awarded AeroVironment a five-year $46.6 million contract to provide JUMP 20 vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing unmanned aircraft systems, including engineering services, initial sustainment, and onsite technical support. The Group 3 UAS has a 30-pound payload capacity, more than 13 hours of endurance, and a 115 mile range. The Italian MoD currently operates Shadow UAS supplied by Textron.

Drone Deal. Hydrogen-powered drone developer HevenDrones last Friday said it has acquired Zepher Flight Labs (ZFL), adding to its portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems and related capabilities. ZFL’s Z1 vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing electric UAS is nearing qualification by the Defense Innovation Unit for inclusion on the Blue UAS list. ZFL also gives Heven one of the two portable hydrogen-generation systems funded by DIU under the Hydrogen at the Tactical Edge of Contested Logistics program. ZFL’s 20 employees are now with Heven. “Our complementary capabilities will allow us to accelerate the development of drone technologies, and together, we will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in unmanned flight,” Adam Stolz, CEO of ZFL, said in a statement.

People News. X-Bow Systems has appointed a chief financial officer, Hector Fernandez, who most recently was chief investment officer for the boutique merchant bank Paralign Capital Partners. The Professional Services Council is getting a new CEO, Jim Carroll, who will succeed David Berteau. Berteau is departing after nine years at the Helm. Carroll, who most recently was a partner at the law firm Frost Brown Todd, was director of the Office of National Drugg Control Policy during the first Trump administration.

Breaching Robot. The Army on April 21 released a Request for Information for the new Breaching and Demolition Ground Engineer Robot (BaDGER) program, which aims to develop an autonomous breaching system “capable of neutralizing explosive hazards, minefields and improvised explosive devices.” “The BaDGER supports multi domain operations by performing a critical role in the execution of penetration, disintegration and exploitation in the close maneuver areas. The BaDGER capability will support autonomous breaching by providing detection, reduction, proofing and marking while removing soldiers from the breach. It will be reliable, tailorable, and capable of breaching complex obstacles,” the Army writes in the RFI. Industry’s responses to the RFI are expected to inform the level of interest in a potential industry day for, gauge whether there are current solutions available to meet potential BaDGER requirements and to garner feedback on draft requirements and program plans.

CBRNE Data. Persistent Systems said on April 23 it has been selected to provide its Wave Relay MANET solution as the data link to connect the Army’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) sensors to operators as part of the Dismounted Reconnaissance Sets, Kits and Outfits (DRSKO) program. “Providing [the Army] with advanced networking capabilities ensures seamless integration between CBRNE sensors and command posts, and operators for the real-time transfer of critical data beyond just voice,” Damien Mason, Persistent Systems’ director of Army strategy, said in a statement. “This program represents a significant modernization effort for the Army’s CBRNE community, enabling faster and safer threat detection.” Persistent Systems said its Wave Relay MANET capability will allow soldiers to receive “instant notifications” on CBRNE threats directly to their Android Tactical Assault Kit devices.

Ireland FMS. The State Department on April 23 approved a potential $46 million foreign military sale with Ireland for Javelin missiles and lightweight command launch units. The new FMS case specifically covers 36 launch units that will be added to a previously implemental case for 44 of the Lockheed Martin and RTX-built Javelin missiles, which was valued at $8.7 million and fell below the congressional notification threshold. The deal also includes missile containers, U.S. government technical assistance, training equipment and logistics support. “The proposed sale will enhance Ireland’s capability to build its long-term defense capacity to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity to meet its national defense requirements,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.

MicroLED Study. The Army has awarded Kopin a contract to conduct a soldier display trade study to help define optimal MicroLED characteristics for Extended Reality (XR) heads-up displays (HUDs), the company said on April 24. “The Soldier Display Trade Study focuses on identifying ultrabright MicroLED tradeoffs to optimize see-through XR applications, prioritizing daytime-readable displays that are brighter, more energy-efficient, and capable of delivering clear visibility across diverse lighting conditions-from intense daylight to overcast starlight,” Kopin said. The trade study will culminate in a “Microdisplay Requirements and Performance Matrix,” according to Kopin, adding that MicroLED technology offers “distinct advantages over traditional solutions including superior brightness, enhanced power efficiency, and long operating lifetimes and eliminates the temporal artifacts associated with Laser Based Scanning.”

S-92 Support. Sikorsky said on April 24 it has signed a long-term agreement with Bristow Group to continue support for its fleet of more than 60 S-92 helicopters, which the group operates for offshore energy and search and rescue operations. “Bristow is the largest operator of the S-92 globally,” Stu Stavley, Bristow’s chief operating officer for offshore energy services, said in a statement. “This long-term support agreement will enable us to maintain our high level of service to our customers, while also controlling our operational costs and improving our overall efficiency.” The new agreement, which extends the two firms’ partnership into the 2030s, provides coverage for over 90 percent of replacement costs for aircraft parts and “enhanced global fleet support with access to Sikorsky’s worldwide network of forward stocking locations and field service representatives,” according to Sikorsky.

Satellite Processing Award. Space Systems Command last Friday said it awarded Lockheed Martin’s Astrotech Space Operations a $77.5 million contract to expand commercial space vehicle processing capacity for National Security Space Launch missions at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., by 2028. The award was made under the NSSL Space Vehicle Processing Commercial Solutions Opening. The “award is a public-private partnership for cost sharing of much needed launch infrastructure to support the increased demand of both military and commercial launch activities,” Col. Dan Highlander, director of operations integration for the command’s Assured Access to Space Program Executive Office, said in a statement. He added that Astrotech will improve the Space Force’s “responsive and resilient launch capabilities for the warfighter.” Four offers were received for the work.

Eyes on DMSP Replacement, As First WSF-M Reaches IOC

The ML-1A Weather System Follow-on–Microwave (WSF-M) satellite by BAE Systems‘ Ball Aerospace sector has reached initial operational capability (IOC), U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command (USSF SSC) said.

The Department of the Air Force has awarded Ball Aerospace more than $440 million since 2017 for two WSF-M satellites, the first of which launched on Apr. 11 last year from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. USSF plans have called for the second WSF-M to replace the first in 2027 or early 2028.

Since last year’s launch, the first WSF-M “has gone through numerous operational testing to validate data quality, ground support and mission data processing capability by USSF centralized weather support units, various military services, government and allied organizations,” SSC said. “The data gathered by WSF-M will be provided to meteorologists in support of the generation of a wide variety of weather products necessary to conduct military mission planning and operations.”

Five years ago, WSF-M moved into engineering and manufacturing development after passing a critical design review, as personnel worked under COVID-19 restrictions (Defense Daily, May 19, 2020).

“WSF-M pinpoints actionable weather data on a global scale 24/7, empowering our joint forces to plan strategically and respond swiftly, no matter the environmental conditions,” Col. Robert Davis, SSC’s program executive officer for space sensing, said in a Thursday SSC statement.

WSF-M and Electro-Optical/Infrared Weather Systems (EWS) satellites are to replace the Lockheed Martin [LMT] Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites.

Launches under DMSP, initially known as the Defense Satellite Applications Program (DSAP), began in 1962–classified for 10 years “and run by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in support of the CORONA program,” Space Force has said. “CORONA satellites had limited film onboard, and it was essential to have timely and accurate weather forecasts to ensure cloud-free pictures were taken of high-interest areas.”

Space Force has said it wants the DMSP satellites to retire this year, as EWS comes online.

Orion Space Systems and the electromagnetic systems group of General Atomics have received EWS prototype contracts, and Orion launched its demonstration EWS cube satellite in January, 2023 (Defense Daily, May 22, 2023).

Two earlier DMSP replacement programs, the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) and the Defense Weather Satellite System (DWSS), were canceled in 2010 by the White House and in 2012 by the Air Force, respectively, partly due to cost increases.

WSF-M is to provide “high-priority” DoD space based environmental monitoring, including the measurement of ocean surface vector winds, tropical cyclone intensity, and energetic charged particle characterization in low Earth orbit, according to Space Force.

“Additionally, WSF-M will provide data on sea ice characterization, soil moisture, and snow depth,” USSF said.