Acquisition
Commercial Competition
Pete Modigliani and Matt MacGregor, Defense Tech and Acquisition
The authors propose a new approach for the Department of Defense to leverage commercial solutions to enhance capabilities, reduce costs, and increase innovation, while also highlighting existing legislation that can be used to support this effort.
Weapon Systems Acquisition: DOD Needs Better Planning to Attain Benefits of Modular Open Systems
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Modular open systems approach (MOSA) in weapon system design saves time and money on upgrades and maintenance, but implementation is inconsistent across DOD programs due to a lack of formal cost-benefit analysis and insufficient coordination. Although legislation requires programs to use a MOSA, GAO finds that DOD has not fully adopted necessary planning, resources, and expertise to ensure its potential benefits are achieved.
HII Completes Acquisition of W International Assets
John Grady, USNI News
HII has acquired W International's assets to increase shipbuilding capacity, particularly for submarines, by adding manufacturing space and a skilled workforce. This acquisition aims to boost production rates for the Navy and support the AUKUS agreement.
Trump tariffs could backfire on military, some experts warn
Stephen Losey, Defense News
The Trump administration's proposed tariffs on imported materials, including those critical to defense manufacturing, could negatively impact military programs by increasing costs and causing delays.
Innovation
Sailors and Boeing employees test the Boeing unmanned MQ-25 aircraft on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in 2021. U.S. Navy / Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Roberson
The Navy’s robot refueler is coming—even as the fleet works out integration
Bradley Peniston and Lauren C. Williams, Defense One
The Navy's MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling aircraft is set to begin operations, which will enable the integration of manned and unmanned systems and pave the way for future combat aircraft development. The Navy is also actively experimenting with integrating various robotic systems into fleet operations.
The Defense Innovation Ecosystem
Congressional Research Service
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is working to improve its defense innovation ecosystem through various programs and initiatives, aiming to leverage commercial technologies and accelerate the development and deployment of new capabilities for military use. However, challenges remain in coordinating efforts and fostering a culture of innovation.
Industry launches $100B AI-infrastructure effort to keep ahead of China
Patrick Tucker, Defense One
A $100 billion industry effort, called Stargate, has been launched to build data centers for AI applications, signaling a shift in the AI race towards computing power and infrastructure, rather than software. This initiative aims to ensure the U.S. maintains its lead in AI development.
- US-China Competition: The project is partly motivated by China's efforts to accelerate its AI infrastructure. U.S. officials and the industry emphasize the need to stay ahead of China's AI advancements.
Defense & Strategy
Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system fires interceptors at rockets launched from the Gaza Strip in May 2023. (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)
Trump’s missile shield marks shift in homeland defense strategy
Jen Judson, Defense News
President Trump's executive order to develop a next-generation missile defense shield shifts strategic focus to threats from peer adversaries rather than rogue nations. The order envisions missile defense against a broader range of threats, including cruise and hypersonic missiles, and resurrects the quest for space-based interceptors.
Ukraine Needs Robots on the Ground as Well as in the Air
Laura Heckmann, National Defense
Ukraine is experiencing a new form of warfare that involves combat with robots, specifically UAVs. Robotic ground platforms are equipped with electronic warfare systems which allow them to combat Russian drones more safely and effectively than humans in dangerous environments.
Shipyard in Norfolk, VA. Larry A. Taylor via Wikimedia Commons
Don’t Protect the U.S. Merchant Marine — Promote It
Emma Salisbury, War on the Rocks
The SHIPS for America Act aims to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding and maritime industries but contains protectionist measures that may undermine the potential benefits of the legislation. The SHIPS Act adds to existing cargo preference rules, which have not incentivized domestic shipbuilding, and should be reconsidered.
Congress
NDAA Streamlines Tech Procurement
Stephanie Barna, August Gweon and Kristen Chapman, National Defense
The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) aims to enhance the Department of Defense's technological capabilities, particularly in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. This article provides an overview of NDAA provisions for streamlining acquisitions and establishing new standards.
ALGORITHMIC WARFARE: Key Quantum Provision Dropped from 2025 NDAA
Josh Luckenbaugh, National Defense
A key quantum technology development provision -— the Defense Quantum Acceleration Act -— was unexpectedly removed from the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Allison Schwartz, a vice president at D-Wave Quantum Inc, raises concerns that DOD inaction could hinder the development of crucial near-term applications for autonomous systems and AI optimization.
Report to Congress on U.S. Air Force Next-Generation Air Dominance Fighter
USNI News
This report provides an overview of the U.S. Air Force's Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter program's background, goals, and funding requests.
Read the full report
Research
iStock illustration
JUST IN: Significant Gaps Remain in Industry’s CMMC Readiness, Report Finds
Josh Luckenbaugh, National Defense Magazine
A recent report by the cybersecurity company Redspin indicates that a significant portion of the defense industrial base is not prepared for the Department of Defense's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), despite the program's final rule going into effect.
Full report
Is government too big? Reflections on the size and composition of today’s federal government
Elaine Kamarck, Brookings Institute
The size of the federal government's workforce has remained relatively constant for over 50 years, despite significant increases in population and spending, with the gap being filled by a large contractor workforce. This has led to questions about accountability and efficiency. This report examines various reform strategies and concludes that the strategy must match the mission of any given government agency.
Pilots from the 85th Flying Training Wing Bee Flight use a Virtual Reality flight simulator to run maneuvers in the classroom on March 30, 2021, at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Larsen
New Report: Fixes to Pilot ‘Crisis’ Tied to Fleet Size, Flying Hours, Reserves
John A. Tirpak, Air and Space Forces Magazine
A recent report from the Mitchell Institute highlights that the Air Force's pilot shortage is worsening and recommends increasing the fleet size, flying hours, and retention of experienced pilots in the Reserve components to address the crisis.
Read the full report
Underperforming Software and Information Technology in the Department of Defense
Bonnie L. Triezenberg et al., RAND
A recent study of the Department of Defense (DoD) found that underperforming software and information technology (IT) significantly impacts productivity, mission readiness, and morale, resulting in billions of dollars in lost productivity and potential workforce attrition. The study highlights the need for improvements in service, reliability, and system design across the DoD's IT infrastructure.
Events
DOGE: Implications and Opportunities for Government Contracting
5 February 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
Free Webinar
NCMA Nexus
9-12 February 2025
Long Beach, CA
Mapping the U.S. DOD Acquisition Ecosystem
11 February 2025
Washington DC or Virtual
39th Annual National Logistics Forum
11-13 February 2025
Orlando, FL
2025 DAU Acquisition Update
Leading with Purpose: Accelerating Capability to the Field
19 - 20 February 2025
Online
Creative Disruptors in the Desert
21-22 February 2025
Indian Wells, CA
2025 Munitions Executive Summit
18-19 March, 2025
Parsippany, NJ
22nd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium & Innovation Summit
Creating Synergy for Informed Change - Transitioning Technology
7-8 May 2025
Monterey, CA
2025 ASNE Intelligent Ships Symposium
12-14 May 2025
Philadelphia, PA
DLA Supply Chain Alliance Conference & Exhibition
11-12 June 2025
Richmond, VA
One more thing...
Dr. David Baker (left) of the University of Washington won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in computational protein design, while Dr. John Hopfield (right) of Princeton University won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his foundational research enabling machine learning through artificial neural networks
Former ONR Performers Win Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, Physics
Warren Duffie Jr., Office of Naval Research
Dr. David Baker and Dr. John Hopfield, researchers who received early support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), have won the 2024 Nobel Prizes in chemistry and physics, respectively. ONR has supported the early-career research of over 60 Nobel laureates since its creation in 1946.
For Reference:
The Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded 118 times to 227 Nobel Prize laureates between 1901 and 2024. John Bardeen is the only laureate who has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics twice, in 1956 and 1972. This means that a total of 226 individuals have received the Nobel Prize in Physics.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded 116 times to 197 Nobel Prize laureates between 1901 and 2024. Frederick Sanger and Barry Sharpless have both been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry twice. This means that a total of 195 individuals have received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
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