White House: ‘Higher Priority’ Is F-47, Not Navy’s F/A-XX
The White House supports reevaluating the Navy’s F/A-XX program due to concerns of two sixth generation programs occurring simultaneously. Awarding the contract would likely delay the “higher-priority F-47,” the administration said.
Bill to Fund Key Bridge Founders
Maryland lawmakers were able to insert the Baltimore BUILD Bridge Relief Act, calling for 100% federal funding to replace the Key Bridge, into the 1,500-page stopgap funding bill. Republicans are threatening to derail the funding bill because of add-ons such as more than $100 billion in emergency aid for disaster relief, which includes the Key Bridge replacement.
US Tech Job Cuts Continuing Into 2023
Job cuts in the US tech sector seen last year are spilling into 2023, with companies such as Google and Microsoft announcing recently the elimination of thousands of positions. Looking for a new job? The US Office of Personnel Management is expanding efforts to attract tech talent to the federal workforce amid continuing layoffs at US companies.
Defense Industry Wary of Buy American
Defense advocates note that foreign military sales fuel a $40.6 billion trade surplus for the sector and help Washington gain interoperability with allied militaries, and they warn those benefits could decline under Biden’s Buy American plans.
Private Spacecraft Heads to the Moon
The first privately funded spacecraft is scheduled to launch Thursday from Florida to the moon. The aircraft is propelled by a Falcon rocket from Elon Musk’s space company SpaceX.
Trump Shifts Military From Counterterrorism to Competition
The Trump administration shifts US military focus from counterterrorism to competition with peer adversaries such as China.
Social Media Shares With FBI & DHS
Social media giants called on the FBI and Homeland Security to help the companies prepare for the upcoming midterm elections, but were told they would receive no information from the government on security threats.
BRAC Is Out of DoD’s FY19 Budget Request
The Pentagon’s FY19 budget request abandons its years-long effort to win congressional approval for a BRAC touted to save $2 billion annually.
Carter Remakes Silicon Valley Liaison Team
DefSec Carter shakes up DoD Silicon Valley tech office with a new organizational chart and casting change.
Industry Unhappy with Encore III Contract
The “lowest price, technically acceptable” basis for Encore III contracting is problematic, say contractor industry groups.
