:

Unmanned Systems

Pentagon Mum on Candidates Chosen for Replicator Initiative

Frank Wolfe

Thursday, December 21st, 2023

SHARE:

Pentagon Mum on Candidates Chosen for Replicator Initiative

Skydio CEO Adam Bry and Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks tour Skydio's Hayward. Calif. plant on Dec. 12 (Skydio Photo)

The Pentagon said that it would choose contenders for Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks' Replicator initiative this week, but DoD has not released those candidates yet. "We remain on plan, with the deputy secretary of defense approving recommendations this week," Eric Pahon, a spokesman for Hicks, wrote in a Dec. 19 email. Defense Daily has reached out to staffers on Capitol Hill, think tank analysts, and industry representatives and received no responses on which companies DoD has picked. Hicks told…

Congress

SASC Cites Concern With Army’s sUAS Approach, Seeks Info On Plans To Scale Fielding

Senate defense authorizers are seeking more info from the Army on its plans for scaling and deploying small drone capabilities citing concern with the service’s current “fragmented and insufficient” approach. […]

SASC Bill Would Raise Amphib Requirement To 33 Ships

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) fiscal year 2027 defense policy bill adds new provisions that would raise the Navy and Marine Corps’ minimum requirement for amphibious warships and extend […]

Army

Army Plans To Initiate ISV-Heavy Competition Later This Year, Official Says

The Army is planning to initiate its competition to build the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV)-Heavy in the fourth quarter of this year, a senior acquisition official has said. Jesse Tolleson, […]

Senate Authorization Bill Restricts Building Navy Warships Overseas With Limited Exception For Auxiliaries

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) version of the FY 2027 defense policy bill looks to cut the ability for the Trump administration to buy foreign-made warships, but still allow […]