This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has extensive coverage of the House Armed Services Committee’s draft defense policy bill.
The Army is prototyping the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) with contractor Palantir Technologies, who is taking the lead on development:
House authorizers seeking details on TITAN development process
Lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee worry the Army doesn’t have a clear vision for its next-generation ground station for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, according to a draft “chairman’s mark” of the committee’s defense policy bill obtained by Inside Defense Tuesday.
The language in this year’s draft House policy bill aligns with the Marine Corps’ recently revised plans for Landing Ship Medium procurement and with the Navy’s FY-26 budget documents:
House authorizers back new LSM fielding plan, direct use of vessel construction manager
House authorizers are backing the Navy and Marine Corps’ new approach to Landing Ship Medium procurement with their draft fiscal year 2026 defense policy bill, which directs the Navy secretary to utilize a commercial vessel construction manager to contract eight follow-on LSMs.
House lawmakers want the Navy secretary to certify to the congressional defense committees that the Modular Attack Surface Craft design “will be designed and constructed for the primary purpose of autonomous operation before the start of construction”:
Lawmakers: Navy must certify MASC’s autonomous ability before construction starts
The House Armed Services Committee’s draft fiscal year 2026 defense authorization bill would implement restrictions on the construction of the Navy’s new Modular Attack Surface Craft, as the program emerges as a joint solution between medium and large unmanned surface vessels.
The United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) in the House and Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) in the Senate, would, among other things, establish new cooperative research and development programs and build on existing collaborations between the two nations:
Draft defense bill seeks new U.S. defense partnerships with Israel
The House Armed Services Committee’s fiscal year 2026 defense policy bill includes provisions from bicameral legislation introduced earlier this year aimed at expanding the United States’ defense partnership with Israel, according to an early draft of the bill obtained by Inside Defense.
The initial KC-135 Drone Delivery Mechanism was completed sometime in FY-24, but the FY-26 funding request appears to be the first time this feat has been disclosed:
Drones may soon launch off KC-135 tankers
The Air Force has quietly developed a capability to deploy small drones from its KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. Now it wants to create an acquisition plan to integrate the new function onto the 60-year-old aerial-refuelers, according to the service’s fiscal year 2026 budget request.
The draft House defense policy bill has lawmakers reacting to the Army’s proposed transformation initiative:
Draft House defense authorization bill adds money for legacy Army aircraft
In spite of the Army Transformation Initiative’s de-emphasis on manned helicopters, House authorizers have signaled for now that they intend to continue pumping dollars into some of those programs.
House authorizers take issue with ATI, ground robotics and vehicle maintenance in draft spending bill
House authorizers have scorned what they see as a lack of foresight from the Army in its rollout of the service’s Transformation Initiative in their draft fiscal year 2026 defense policy bill, citing a lack of clarity and blueprints to back up the Army’s major program switch-ups.
At least two Navy ship classes are facing delivery delays:
Initial Flight II LPDs face nine- to 11-month delays
The Navy is predicting delays of nine to 11 months for its first three Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious warships, according to the service’s fiscal year 2026 budget books, which point to workforce-related challenges.
Delivery of T-AGOS 25 delayed by four years
The delivery of the T-AGOS 25 anti-submarine warfare ship has been delayed by four years, according to the Navy’s fiscal year 2026 budget request, which outlines various design challenges for the program.
Document: Navy’s FY-26 procurement budget justification books
Originally published Inside Defense
