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12 Jun 25. Defense Secretary Says Funding Request Addresses Adequate Support for Special Ops. During a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald J. Trump’s proposed defense budget for fiscal year 2026 includes funding to meet the increased worldwide demand for the military’s special operations forces community. During remarks he gave at the annual SOF convention in Tampa, Florida, May 6, 2025, Hegseth noted that presidentially directed SOF missions have increased by 200% over the past three years.
“Not only [has SOF] been used more than anybody else over the last 20 years, but — even in just the last four or five years — the amount of times we call on the … special operations community has increased,” Hegseth told the committee.
“So, the funding needs to match that, which you will see in this budget,” he added.
Though the specific amount of spending for the SOF community in the president’s budget request has yet to be disclosed, it would presumably be more than the fiscal year 2025 budget.
When asked how his department was able to determine the specific financial needs of the SOF community, Hegseth said it requires direct contact.
“We start by listening to those units; [we ask] what they’re facing, what they need, what their families need and then [we] resource it,” Hegseth said.
He also said that the quality of SOF training has to be commensurate with adequate funding and that overall morale and high adherence to standards in the SOF community are necessary for mission accomplishment.
“There’s a reason we’ve looked at [the] schoolhouses of some of our most elite of special operations forces and ensured that standards have not eroded,” Hegseth said, adding that the overall goal is to ensure SOF standards go up “to the highest possible level,” and that meeting those standards is necessary for qualifying to be a SOF operator.
“And guess what it does for those units?” Hegseth asked rhetorically.
“It increases morale [and] increases unit cohesion because [the SOF operators] know they’re as capable as they can possibly be,” he said.
The secretary has voiced his support for SOF on numerous occasions.
At the conference in Tampa last month, he underscored the significant contribution SOF makes to national security — both at home and abroad — despite the ever-increasing operations tempo of missions.
“The best gift I can give you is getting up every day, working as hard as I can with my staff … to ensure you have everything you need,” he told the thousands of operators in attendance.
“Your commander in chief, your secretary of defense, and your country are behind you because we are beyond grateful for what you your [and] families give on behalf of this nation.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
11 Jun 25. Army Showcases Materiel Ahead of 250th Birthday Celebration. The U.S. Army Military District of Washington today provided the media with a preview of the heavy equipment and vehicles that will be showcased in the upcoming military festival and parade in celebration of the Army’s 250th birthday, June 14, 2025. Some of the vehicles on display just south of the National Mall at West Potomac Park included multiple M1A2 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and M1126 Stryker combat vehicles — all of which were transported by rail from Fort Cavazos, Texas. Many of the soldiers showcasing their vehicles said participating in the Army’s birthday week has created positive memories.
“It’s an honor to be here, to honor all those that have worn the uniform before us and just embrace the history that we have here,” said Army 1st Lt. Luke Heisler, a member of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment from Fort Cavazos, and native of Delran, New Jersey.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Reid, from Richmond, Virginia, and assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Cavazos, said he considers it an honor to represent his unit and the Army in the parade.
“It’s definitely a big milestone for the country for the Army, in general … for us to be out here and get to experience this once-in-a-lifetime,” Reid said.
Many soldiers participating in the Army’s birthday week festivities said they hope the week’s events — particularly the upcoming festival and parade — will give the American people a positive impression of the service branch.
“The Army has been a blessing in my life,” Heisler said, adding, “It’s great to let everyone see how great of an opportunity the Army is for a normal person to come out … and do some good work.”
Reid said he hopes by providing the public with an opportunity to interact with soldiers and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, people will experience firsthand how well-trained and disciplined they are.
“This will probably be the first time for the general public to actually get to be able to see,” Reid said. ” get a closer look at them and be able to ask us questions; so, they’ll see the professionalism and discipline of the military,” he added.
Army Sgt. Joseph Inge grew up in Elyria, Ohio, and is now attached to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. He said he never imagined he would be in Washington representing the Army.
“It’s an amazing moment,” he said, adding, “The Army is an amazing organization, and we’re to represent 250 years of us.”
The Army’s 250th birthday week serves as the opening event for an intended yearlong celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026. (Source: U.S. DoD)
12 Jun 25. After Trump feud, role of Musk’s SpaceX in Golden Dome missile shield in question. The role of Elon Musk’s SpaceX in an ambitious new U.S. missile defense system is in question following the dramatic feud last week between the billionaire entrepreneur and President Donald Trump, according to three people familiar with the project. The White House until recently had considered a plan for SpaceX, Musk’s rocket and satellite venture, to partner with software maker Palantir (PLTR.O), opens new tab and drone builder Anduril to construct crucial elements of the project, dubbed “Golden Dome.” The administration had instructed the Pentagon to prioritize a network of satellites for the purpose, these people said. But a new framework for the system, which would seek to track and prevent possible missile attacks against the United States, is now being considered that could reduce the role of SpaceX. One possibility, the three people said, could initially forego SpaceX’s satellite capabilities and focus on the expansion of existing ground systems for missile defense instead. In a statement, a White House spokesman said “the Trump Administration is committed to a rigorous review process for all bids and contracts.” A senior Defense Department official said the Pentagon “has no announcements regarding future contracts associated with the Golden Dome effort.” (Source: Reuters)
12 Jun 25. US Congress seeks to boost Navy and Air Force fleets in 2026 bill. The House Appropriations Committee’s Defense subcommittee released its draft bill for fiscal-year 2026 late on Tuesday, which aims to buy one additional F-35 jet versus the Pentagon’s 2025 budget request and make investments in naval vessels, and missile defenses. The powerful committee’s draft of its version of the 2026 purchasing bill was released ahead of any formal input from the Trump administration’s Pentagon – which has been delayed. The language in the bill shows the Republican-controlled Congress’ continued focus on modernizing the U.S. armed forces but sets up a tug of war with the Pentagon over what could be conflicting priorities. The bill, which still needs input from the full House and Senate, directs the Pentagon to buy 69 Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) F-35 fighters for $8.5bn, 15 Boeing (BA.N) KC-46 aerial refueling tankers for $2.7bn, and three F-15EX aircraft for $345m as well as $3.8bn in funding for Northrop Grumman’s (NOC.N) B-21 stealth bomber program. The Pentagon’s 2026 budget request, which has not been released, requests 47 F-35s, according to media reports. The Navy’s non-fighter aviation procurement includes four E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for $1.2bn. (Source: Reuters)
11 Jun 25. Hegseth Says Shipbuilding, Golden Dome, Nuclear Deterrence Make Up DOD Budget Request for Billions in Funding. On Capitol Hill today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accompanied by Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with lawmakers on the Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss key points for the Defense Department in the president’s recommendations for discretionary funding levels for fiscal year 2026. Earlier this month, the Office of Management and Budget released to Congress President Donald J. Trump’s recommendations on FY26 discretionary funding levels. While a full presidential budget recommendation has not yet been released, the proposal includes an increase in DOD’s budget to approximately $961.6bn, about $113.3bn higher than the enacted budget for the department in FY25.
“The $961.6bn budget request, which is over $1trn for national security total, will end four years of chronic underinvestment in our military,” Hegseth said, adding that the department has been working since January to crystallize the president’s agenda into a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
“This budget provides a historic level of funding for military readiness — putting our warfighters and their needs first — and young Americans are responding and signing up in droves,” Hegseth said. “We are rebuilding our military; 25 years ago, our military was unchallenged, yet we squandered that advantage as China carried out an unprecedented military buildup.”
The secretary said the rebuilding plan involves reviving the defense industrial base, reforming DOD acquisition processes and rapidly fielding emerging technology and new weapons to warfighters.
“This budget invests $25bn in Golden Dome for America, a down payment on President Trump’s priority to defend our homeland,” he said. “It also commits more than $62bn in total to modernize and sustain our nuclear forces as we face rising nuclear dangers.”
Hegseth told senators that the nuclear triad is the centerpiece of U.S. deterrence, and the recapitalization of it involves new submarines, such as the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, new intercontinental ballistic missiles as part of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program and bomber aircraft, such as the B-21 Raider.
“No doubt, our nuclear triad is the silent foundation of our entire deterrent effect, and that’s why this budget fully funds all three legs of the triad and makes sure we’re leaning forward and ensuring we have the most capable nuclear deterrent possible,” he said.
The budget also provides $3.5bn for the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance platform — the world’s first crewed sixth-generation fighter aircraft — to help the department maintain air dominance. However, Hegseth noted that the department will also be investing significantly at sea, with a total of $47bn for shipbuilding.
“When you look at the totality of the $961bn, or $1trn total over national security, that’s 19 new ships,” he said. “It’s a historic investment in shipbuilding. it’s over $6bn in the shipbuilding defense industrial base.”
Lawmakers asked Hegseth about the National Defense Strategy, which he has stated is the single most important document to ensure the department operates in accordance with the president’s and his own intent.
“It drives almost all of our decision-making, certainly on a topic related to budget,” he said, adding that the administration prepared an interim National Defense Strategy almost immediately upon arriving in Washington.
The interim strategy, a classified document, was distributed in mid-March, and earlier this month, Hegseth directed the undersecretary of defense for policy to lead the development of a full NDS.
“That interim National Defense Strategy focused on defending the homeland, a recognition that that is important, our pacing threat in the Indo-Pacific , and then burden sharing for our allies and partners, making sure that they’re stepping up so that we can focus where we need to,” he said. “I would anticipate that our National Defense Strategy will include a lot of those ingredients, but more fully developed.”
The secretary stated that he expected the full NDS to be released in late summer and added that the existing interim strategy had driven current department investments. (Source: U.S. DoD)
10 Jun 25. Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Discuss Defense Budget at House Oversight Hearing. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided testimony today regarding President Donald J. Trump’s proposed defense budget for fiscal year 2026 at a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee. In their opening remarks, both Hegseth and Caine said the roughly $1trn proposed budget will provide the military with the resources it needs to keep the American people safe by providing peace through strength.
“This budget provides a historic level of funding for military readiness, putting our warfighters and their needs first,” Hegseth told the committee, while also stating that the proposed request would end a period of underinvestment in the U.S. military.
“Today’s hearing reflects our shared commitment to maximize efficiency, accountability and lethality to our taxpayers’ investments,” Caine said at the outset of his remarks.
He added that the proposed budget expenditures would increase the survivability of the joint force by providing warfighters with the advanced capabilities, capacity and cutting-edge technologies required to be victorious over America’s adversaries.
In terms of how money in the proposed budget would be spent, Hegseth said the majority of allocations would contribute directly to rebuilding the military, which is one of his primary goals for the Defense Department.
“We’re reviving the defense industrial base, reforming our acquisitions process rapidly fielding emerging technologies to put the best weapons in the hands of our warfighters,” Hegseth said.
Specific funding proposals include:
- $25bn for the planned Golden Dome for America missile defense shield;
- $62bn to modernize and sustain the military’s nuclear forces;
- $3.5bn for the Air Force’s F-47 sixth-generation air superiority fighter jet platform; and
- $47bn total toward ship building.
Caine agreed the proposed budget would significantly bolster efforts to rebuild the military.
“This budget gives us the necessary tools to reinvigorate our national and defense industrial base. Our nation is full of incredible talent, and we need to get every bit of it moving in the same direction,” he said.
He added that the budget would help get the joint force integrated on a global scale.
“I think we’re ‘relationship entrepreneurs’ within the joint force, which requires us to work together with the military, our allies and partners, industry and — of course — the interagency, to be connected before the crisis begins,” Caine said.
In addition to financially contributing to the military’s rebuild, both Hegseth and Caine said the proposed budget would support quality of life improvements for service members and their families.
Both men said the budget allocates funding to improve living conditions in barracks and base housing, reforming of the military moving process to reduce the cost and stress of relocating and improving the quality of care in the defense health care system.
“The best part of my job is meeting and interacting with troops and their families. I hear their concerns, I know how it feels to face those challenges,” Hegseth said, adding that each of those initiatives are in response to feedback he has received from service members and their families.
“I’ll keep listening and looking for ways to improve their quality of life,” Hegseth said.
Both Hegseth and Caine wound down their remarks emphasizing the importance of the appropriations committee as it relates to keeping the joint force ready.
“I assure this committee that the joint force remains committed, capable and ready to defend our nation,” Caine said.
“With your continued support and prudent investment, we’ll maintain that competitive edge, at scale,” he added.
“This committee is our critical partner in everything we do, and your leadership and oversight essential,” Hegseth said, adding that DOD is looking forward to accomplishing the goals of achieving peace through strength, supporting the warfighters and protecting citizens and taxpayers.
“Together, with you, may God grant us the wisdom to see what is right and the courage to do it,” Hegseth told the subcommittee. (Source: U.S. DoD)
09 Jun 25. Pentagon’s RDT&E budget revealed – Which next-gen systems get a cash influx in FY26? Breaking Defense obtained a copy of the Defense Department’s FY26 budget request for RDT&E Programs. Here’s what you should know. The Pentagon is targeting a roughly $38bn increase in its research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) funding, with funding increases for F-47 fighter, new Golden Dome-related space capabilities and other priorities, according to a fiscal 2026 budget document obtained by Breaking Defense. However, one key program — the Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-gen fighter — appears to be receiving a drastic cut compared to the previous year’s funding, setting up a fight between the Pentagon and Congress over the jet’s future. The department is requesting $142bn in RDT&E funding in its base budget, with another $37 bn in funding expected from budget reconciliation, according to the document. The overall RDT&E total, including both base budget and reconciliation, would be $179bn, a significant jump from the $141.3bn enacted in FY25. The RDT&E budget document, dated June 2025, covers all unclassified weapon systems that the Pentagon is still developing, and hence dollar amounts rising or falling gives a sense of where those programs may be headed. However, building in reconciliation — a budget process separate from the base budget, where the Trump administration is currently seeking $150bn in defense money to be spent over the next five years — creates a level of uncertainty, as that money has yet to be officially voted into being.
Below are some of the service highlights from the RDT&E budget.
Navy and Marines: For the Navy and Marine Corps, the FY26 request includes roughly $25.7bn in research and development funding, bolstered by approximately $3.4bn in funding from reconciliation.
On a program by program basis, the biggest standout is an estimated $75m for the F/A-XX program. Compared to the $1bn R&D funding the program once projected, the FY26 request is unlikely to be enough to meaningfully progress the sixth-generation strike fighter towards a contract as industry has hoped would soon come, and could functionally cancel the program.
That sets up a likely clash between the new administration, which reportedly is not fond of the program, and lawmakers who want to see it move forward. Already, the House Appropriations Committee has announced plans to spend $972m on the program, and included language in the bill that funding should be spent “in a matter that achieves accelerated initial operational capability” — underlining that Congress wants to see a new fighter fielded as soon as possible. It also places the Navy’s top leadership in the difficult position of having to defend cutting funding for a major aircraft program that, as recently as this month, they’ve defended as crucial.
Elsewhere, the service’s unmanned maritime systems programs appear to be reliant on funding from reconciliation coming through. For numerous programs, such as line items for the Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicles and Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles, the administration reduced its funding request relative to previous years, or cut funding entirely. But anticipated overall FY26 funding will be bolstered by the reconciliation bill’s strong support for Navy unmanned systems.
The administration’s request for the Navy also appears to add a Collaborative Combat Aircraft line item, seeking $58m for the effort. The concept of CCA centers around an unmanned fighter aircraft that can operate alongside manned fighter jets and has been an ongoing effort for the US Air Force.
The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have publicly discussed the need for any CCA program to be interoperable, but previous Navy budget requests have not included a formal line item for funding, and it had been unclear to what extent the Navy and Marines would follow suit.
Air Force: For the Air Force, overall R&D funding would jump relative to FY25, where the service was appropriated an estimated $46.9bn. In FY26, the Trump administration would allocate roughly $62.2bn for the service’s R&D, with reconciliation accounting for about $10.2bn of that total.
Next-generation aircraft and weapon programs appear to be the big winners. For example, the Air Force would fund further development of Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider stealth bomber to the tune of $4.7bn, about half of which would be sourced from reconciliation funds. Another Northrop program, the beleaguered LGM-35A Sentinel nuclear ICBM, would also see its funding jump to $4.1bn when including $1.5bn from reconciliation funds. The Air Force further plans to accelerate funding for the RTX-led hypersonic attack cruise missile, with plans to spend $802.8m in FY26.
As expected, the Air Force’s F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter was well-resourced following its ceremonious White House rollout: Its budget would be about $3.5bn, with $900m in reconciliation spending. Collaborative Combat Aircraft loyal wingman drones would also get about $789.4m in FY26, but an overwhelming amount of its budget — $678m, specifically — would be bankrolled by the One Big Beautiful Bill.
However, there appear to be some casualties in the proposed budget.
For example, the Air Force appears to be slowing funding for next-generation engine technologies: The Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion program, which was originally intended to design a powerplant to fly in the F-47, would see its funding fall to $330.2m. And the Air Force also appears to axe research funding in FY26 that would contribute to recapitalizing the service’s aging KC-135 fleet, raising questions about officials’ plans to modernize the tanker inventory.
Space Force: The Space Force is a big winner in the administration’s FY26 budget proposal, getting a total of $29bn ($15.5bn in the base budget, $13.5bn from reconciliation) in RDT&E funding. The FY25 request was for $18.5bn.
The proposal includes a whopping $6.4 bn for “system development and demonstration” of Long Range Kill Chains in the reconciliation package — something that was not included in the baseline FY26 request, nor in previous requests — for the Space Force’s program with the National Reconnaissance Office to rapidly transmit data from satellites carrying Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) payloads to cross-service “shooters.”
That program also gets an enormous bump in another budget category for “operational systems development,” with the reconciliation package adding $1.25 bn to the Space Force’s $1.9m FY26 baseline request. The FY25 spending level was set at $244m. Another $1 bn is in the request for operational development of the GMTI sensor package; the FY25 appropriation was $256m.
The service’s Resilient Missile Warning Missile Tracking – Low Earth Orbit (LEO) program for keeping tabs on hypersonic missiles, managed by the Space Development Agency (SDA), would see an extra $823m from the reconciliation bill on top of a baseline request of $1.76bn for a total of $2.58bn. SDA got almost $1.7bn in FY25 for the effort.
The ground system for the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared missile warning constellation further sees a small increase via the reconciliation package, which adds $195m to the FY26 request of $358m for a total of $553m. The FY25 spending level was $500m.
All three of these programs presumably would be part of President Donald Trump’s ambitious Golden Dome plan to create an air and missile defense shield over the US homeland.
Classified space programs also get a boost of $3.34bn from reconciliation, added to another $2.86bn for a total of $6.2bn. The FY25 appropriation was $5.6bn.
Finally, the Tactically Responsive Space program aimed at speeding the Space Force’s capability to get payloads into orbit also sees a plus up. While the FY26 baseline of $33.3m is less than the FY25 appropriation of $40m, the reconciliation package would add $135m to bring the total to $168m.
Army: The administration wants to spend $15.4bn on Army RDT&E next year — $14.5bn from the base budget and another $846m funneled over from the reconciliation bill.
From that total, the service wants to spend $861m in applied research, $1.2bn in advanced technology development, $2.8bn for advanced component development and prototypes, $5.7bn for system development and demonstration, $1.4bn for operational systems development, and $89m for software and digital technology pilot programs.
When it comes to big-ticket developmental efforts, the service wants to spend $146m on Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense. Another $248m is directed towards the Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 — Block 1 development effort, $152m for “future interceptor” development and $210m for its Lower Tier Air Missile Defense Sensor work. For offensive weapons, $231m is directed towards developing its Strategic Mid-Range Capability, $197m on the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), and $25m for hypersonic weapons.
On the ground, the service is asking to pad its coffers with $386m for manned ground vehicle development, $298m for its Maneuver — Short Range Air Defense, $227m for ground robotics and $351m for night vision system development.
Up in the air, the service is looking to accelerate development of its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) by spending $1.2bn next year, roughly the same amount it is spending this year.
Other items of note:
- The RDT&E funding for chemical and biological programs requests $1.2bn with no reconciliation adds — slightly less than this area was given in FY25.
- US Cyber Command’s RDT&E funding requests $885m, but after reconciliation that number adds up to $1.37bn. This is nearly $3m more than the command received in FY25.
- The RDT&E funding for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has a $4.5bn request, as well as more than $350m in reconciliation. That total of $4.9 for FY26 is over $800m more than in FY25.
- The Defense Information Agency was given $273m in RDT&E funding, with no reconciliation adds. That total is about $1. m more than in FY25. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
06 Jun 25. Signal inquiry examines if Hegseth — or an aide — shared attack plans. The Pentagon inspector general’s office, which is scrutinizing the episode, also has questioned potential witnesses about any orders to delete sensitive messages. The Defense Department inspector general’s office is examining whether it was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth or an aide, perhaps acting at his behest, who used Hegseth’s account on the unclassified chat application Signal to divulge detailed information about forthcoming air attacks on Yemen, according to people familiar with the Pentagon watchdog’s work and communications reviewed by The Washington Post. The inspector general’s office also is reviewing whether Hegseth’s aides were directed to delete messages they sent through Signal to thwart the government’s recordkeeping laws, these people said. Witness interviews have been ongoing for several weeks, with the inspector general’s office seemingly trying to wrap up the review soon, they added, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the issue remains deeply sensitive.
Kingsley Wilson, a spokeswoman for Hegseth, declined to comment Friday, citing the ongoing review.
Mollie Halpern, a spokeswoman for the inspector general, said that as a matter of policy the office does not comment on ongoing reviews to protect the integrity of its work. When the review is complete, she said, the office will release unclassified portions of it to the public. (Source: Washington Post)
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Founded in 1987, Exensor Technology is a world leading supplier of Networked Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) Systems providing tailored sensor solutions to customers all over the world. From our Headquarters in Lund Sweden, our centre of expertise in Network Communications at Communications Research Lab in Kalmar Sweden and our Production site outside of Basingstoke UK, we design, develop and produce latest state of the art rugged UGS solutions at the highest quality to meet the most stringent demands of our customers. Our systems are in operation and used in a wide number of Military as well as Homeland Security applications worldwide. The modular nature of the system ensures any external sensor can be integrated, providing the user with a fully meshed “silent” network capable of self-healing. Exensor Technology will continue to lead the field in UGS technology, provide our customers with excellent customer service and a bespoke package able to meet every need.
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