This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the fiscal year 2026 defense policy bills being debated in both chambers of Congress, as well as deep dives into military drone spending and more.
We start off with coverage of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s fiscal year 2026 defense policy bill:
Senators add more than $30B to defense topline in annual policy bill
The Senate Armed Services Committee has voted 26-1 to advance a defense authorization bill that adds more than $30 billion to the White House request for fiscal year 2026, with most of the funds slated for shipbuilding and munitions, according to senior congressional officials and a summary released by the panel.
Senate policy bill would add $8.6 billion to shipbuilding account
The Senate Armed Services Committee aims to increase shipbuilding spending with its fiscal year 2026 defense policy bill, congressional officials told reporters today, saying the legislation authorizes approximately $8.5 billion above the levels requested by the Navy and supported by House authorizers.
Senate authorizers issue directives for unmanned technology development in draft defense bill
With a topline of nearly $925 billion, the Senate Armed Services Committee unveiled its draft fiscal year 2026 defense authorization bill that would prioritize Navy advancement in several areas, including unmanned technology.
Draft Senate defense authorization bill would shift counter SUAS mission from Army to OSD level
Senate authorizers want to shift the responsibility of counter small unmanned systems from the Army to within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, according to an executive summary of the “chairman’s mark” of the draft defense authorization bill.
Document: Senators’ FY-26 defense policy bill summary
House authorizers also were working on their version of the policy bill:
Congressional authorizers look to reverse E-7A Wedgetail cancelation
Lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committees may force the Trump administration to continue the E-7A Wedgetail program, even as the Defense Department sought to cut the effort in favor of similar space-based capabilities.
Draft legislation moves to cement Global Strike Command amid bomber reorg concerns
Draft legislation would lock in the Air Force’s Global Strike Command as the central authority for nuclear and long-range strike operations, a proposal that directly responds to concerns raised earlier this year by the head of U.S. Strategic Command over a proposed bomber force reorganization.
Lawmakers want Navy to diversify sourcing for Mk-72 and Mk-104 rocket motors
House authorizers are seeking to rapidly diversify the pool of alternative manufacturers of Standard Missile-6 components — including Mk-72 and Mk-104 rocket motors — and are asking the Navy to expand efforts in missile production and sustainment.
Document: House ‘chairman’s mark’ of the FY-26 defense policy bill
We move on to DOD spending on drones:
DOD drone spending surges across 214 budget lines as Hegseth orders mass fielding
While the Pentagon has a new plan for “drone dominance,” you won’t find the effort concentrated in one part of the defense budget.
Hegseth ‘drone dominance’ memo drives decision down, transfers DIU Blue List to DCMA
A new order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth includes several directives aimed at facilitating “rapid proliferation” of small uncrewed aerial systems across every military unit.
Document: Hegseth memo on drone dominance
News on the Air Force seeking to have its Collaborative Combat Aircraft work with F-22 fighters:
F-22 Raptor tapped as first fighter to pair with Air Force’s autonomous drones
The Air Force wants to kick-off a Crewed Platform Integration program next year to pair its nascent Collaborative Combat Aircraft with F-22 Raptor jets, according to fiscal year 2026 budget request documents.
Originally published Inside Defense
