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- 🎯 U.S. Army Secretary declares primes “conned the American people and the Pentagon”, signals acquisition overhaul
🎯 U.S. Army Secretary declares primes “conned the American people and the Pentagon”, signals acquisition overhaul
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll accused major defense prime contractors of misleading the Pentagon into believing bespoke military solutions were always necessary when commercial alternatives could suffice.
Dallas Hartley
November 14, 2025
📬 In Today’s Defense Brief
💥 ASELSAN redefines helicopter modernization for the next generation — Read More
🧠 Anduril & Hyundai Heavy Industries set sights on US Navy unmanned surface vessel program — Read More
🚀 U.S. Air Force wants to build a $500K counter-air missile despite cheaper options already in inventory — Read More
🛡️ U.S. Marine Corps deploys a drone unit to the Philippines to patrol over the South China Sea — Read More
🎯 Army Secretary declares primes “conned the American people and the Pentagon”, signals acquisition overhaul — Read More
🎱 Plus 9 other news stories you may like
📰 Full Breakdown
💥 ASELSAN redefines helicopter modernization for the next generation — Read More
ASELSAN is offering full-suite modernization packages for helicopters — more than 500 aircraft worldwide are involved — which cover everything from digital cockpits to self-protection suites.
The upgrades aim to extend the operational life and relevance of legacy rotorcraft by enhancing avionics, sensors and survivability rather than replacing the platforms.
ASELSAN positions itself as a “single-stop” modernization partner for both attack and utility helicopters for global customers, leveraging its 50-year heritage.
🧠 Anduril & Hyundai Heavy Industries set sights on US Navy unmanned surface vessel program — Read More
Anduril Industries and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) announced a partnership to design a new class of autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) aimed at the US Navy’s unmanned surface vessel program.
The first prototype is being fabricated in South Korea; future vessels will be built in the U.S., showing a pathway for scale manufacturing and dual-use missions.
The platform is designed for modular payload bays (ISR, strike, EW), autonomy software, propulsion/integration systems — a shift toward unmanned naval capabilities.
🚀 US Air Force wants to build a $500K counter-air missile despite cheaper options already in inventory — Read More
The US Air Force issued a request for white papers under its Counter-Air Missile Program (CAMP), aiming for missiles costing no more than $500 000 each in production quantities of 1,000–3,500 units per year.
The first phase is ground-launched—with the aim of evolving toward an air-to-air variant—emphasising modularity, open architecture, and affordability over high cost/complexity.
Critics note that much cheaper munitions already exist (e.g., anti-drone missiles priced in the tens of thousands of dollars), raising questions about the program's justification and cost-effectiveness.
🛡️ U.S. Marines deploy drone unit to the Philippines to patrol over the South China Sea — Read More
A unit of the U.S. Marine Corps, equipped with MQ-9A Reaper drones, has been temporarily deployed to the Philippines to enhance maritime domain awareness in the South China Sea amid rising tensions.
The deployment reinforces the U.S.–Philippine defence cooperation under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, signalling Washington’s commitment to a “free and open” Indo-Pacific.
Specific numbers of drones were not disclosed, but the move highlights increased focus on unmanned ISR platforms to monitor contested maritime zones.
🎯 Army Secretary declares primes “conned the American people and the Pentagon”, signals acquisition overhaul — Read More
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll accused major defense prime contractors of misleading the Pentagon into believing bespoke military solutions were always necessary when commercial alternatives could suffice: “the defense industrial base broadly, and the primes in particular, conned the American people and the Pentagon.”
He stated that pre-existing procurement norms (90% bespoke / 10% off-the-shelf) are being flipped to 90% commercial / 10% bespoke, in a major acquisition mindset shift.
The comments accompany the Army’s broader acquisition reform, including changes to portfolio structure and risk tolerance, aimed at speeding up technology adoption and reducing cost/time.
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