👨‍💼 Michael Duffey Confirmed as Pentagon’s Chief Weapons Buyer

📬 In Today’s Defense Brief

🛰️ Space Force Budget Shrinks Again Despite Golden Dome Priorities LINK

🧠 Lockheed’s ‘AI Fight Club’ Puts Emerging Tech to the National Security Test LINK

🛫 Army Upgrading Helicopter Pilot Training and Aircraft Under Flight School XXI LINK

👨‍💼 Michael Duffey Confirmed as Pentagon’s Chief Weapons Buyer LINK

🚀 Space Force Awards $1.2B Deal to BAE for Missile Tracking Satellites LINK

🎱 Plus 11 other news stories you may like

📰 Full Breakdown

🛰️ Space Force Budget Shrinks Again Despite Golden Dome Priorities LINK

• The Space Force’s 2026 budget proposal includes another round of cuts, despite ongoing priorities like the Golden Dome missile defense system.

• Critics argue the shrinking budget undermines long-term capability planning.

• Top officials say focus remains on optimizing tech investments with limited resources.

🧠 Lockheed’s ‘AI Fight Club’ Puts Emerging Tech to the National Security Test LINK

• Lockheed Martin’s experimental “AI Fight Club” is simulating wartime challenges to benchmark artificial intelligence capabilities.

• The competition-style event is part of a broader push to ensure AI systems can respond accurately and quickly in real-time combat scenarios.

• Early participants include government, academic, and private sector teams.

🛫 Army Upgrading Helicopter Pilot Training and Aircraft Under Flight School XXI LINK

• The U.S. Army is overhauling its pilot training program to better align with future threats and technologies.

• The Flight School XXI update includes new aircraft procurement and immersive training environments.

• Efforts aim to improve readiness and retention amid global demands on Army aviation.

👨‍💼 Michael Duffey Confirmed as Pentagon’s Chief Weapons Buyer LINK

• The Senate has confirmed Michael Duffey as the Department of Defense’s next Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment.

• Duffey will oversee the Pentagon’s massive weapons procurement portfolio, including modernization and supply chain efforts.

• He is widely viewed as a defense budget hawk with deep Capitol Hill experience.

🚀 Space Force Awards $1.2B Deal to BAE for Missile Tracking Satellites LINK

• The Space Force awarded BAE Systems a $1.2 billion contract to build next-generation missile warning and tracking satellites.

• These sensors are designed to detect hypersonic and ballistic missile launches in near real-time.

• The award is part of broader efforts to upgrade U.S. space-based missile defense.

🌏 Other Important News

• DoD Announces FY26 Acquisition Fellowship Application Window LINK

• EC, BAE, Leonardo Form New Defense Tech Consortium LINK

• Oshkosh Defense Renamed to ‘Transport Segment’ Amid Leadership Change LINK

• Trump Taps JSOC Commander, Navy SEAL, to Lead SOCOM LINK

• Jacobs Wins $4B Space Force Contract for Range Operations LINK

• GE, Kratos Expand Partnership to Target Lower-End CCA Engines LINK

• Senior Special Ops Leader Highlights AI’s Usefulness Beyond Battlefield LINK

• Pentagon Finalizes $967M Contract for Virginia-Class Submarine Parts LINK

• SECNAV Tasked with Renaming USNS Harvey Milk LINK

• Navy Inks $1.1B Deal with RTX for AIM-9X Sidewinder Production LINK

• GE Aerospace Advances Hypersonic Propulsion Tech LINK

Thanks for reading today’s Defense Brief. If you found it useful, consider forwarding it to a friend or colleague who'd appreciate staying sharp on defense tech and military news.