A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday released a public version of his 2022 Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN) that includes details of the Navy’s desire for a fleet of 373 battle …
New Details Emerge about U.S. Navy’s Desired Fleet Size Read More
U.S. shipbuilding spending is about to drastically increase, with a projected budget of $30.1 billion for the next five years as opposed to the $24.1 billion spent in the past …
U.S. Shipbuilding Budget Exceeds $30 Billion Read More
The Senate Appropriations Committee released its version of the FY22 defense spending bill earlier this week. The committee recommends adding billions of dollars to the FY22 defense spending bill, mirroring …
Senate Recommends Additional Defense Spending in Draft FY22 Appropriations Bill Read More
The Senate Armed Services Committee filed its version of the FY22 defense authorization bill last week, providing additional insight into the details of the $25 billion defense boost recommended by …
Senate Panel Adds $16 Billion for Acquisition Programs Read More
President Joe Biden has not adopted a naval expansion proposed by the previous administration, but the future of the Navy fleet remains uncertain because a new long-term shipbuilding plan has …
Biden Administration Holds Off on Navy Fleet Expansion, but Long-Term Shipbuilding Plans Remain Uncertain Read More
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper outlined plans to build a Navy fleet consisting of over 500 manned and unmanned ships by 2045. The planned fleet features a larger submarine component, …
Esper Charts Course for Future Navy Fleet Read More
On April 30, the U.S. Navy announced that the Fincantieri bid for the FFG(X) program had won the competition, and it placed a $795 million order for the lead ship …
FREMM Wins U.S. Navy’s FFG(X) Competition Read More
The U.S. Navy has modified its Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) acquisition plans. Last year, the service said it would begin buying two LUSVs per year starting in FY21. Those …
U.S. Navy Alters Large Unmanned Surface Vessel Plans Read More
With the threat of a gap in production of its MQ-4C Triton high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) drone, Northrop Grumman is offering a reduced-rate, accelerated-production alternative to Australia. Due to a U.S. …
Australia Receives Northrop Offer for Accelerated Triton Production Read More
Congress has repealed a requirement for the U.S. Air Force to develop a conventional variant of the Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) air-launched cruise missile. A nuclear LRSO is currently under development …
Congress Repeals Requirement for Conventional Long-Range Standoff Weapon Read More