Defense News Digest: July 2025

Welcome to IDGA’s weekly news roundup. For over two decades, the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement has organized conferences designed to further the national security objectives of the current administration and to facilitate the acquisition priorities of the DoD, DHS, and other federal agencies. Now, through this weekly series, we look to educate the community on the latest research, program updates and news in the defense and government sector.

This month we will examine five stories, some of which you might have missed, including a new RFI for airport screenings, a “Top Gun” exercise for drone training, and resumed weapons deliveries to Ukraine. 

TSA Seeking Private Sector Partners to Modernize Airport Screenings

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) signaling a major shift in its airport screening strategy by inviting private-sector companies to deliver turnkey solutions that integrate biometric identity verification, AI-powered threat detection, and digital ID platforms. The initiative aims to modernize TSA’s Screening Partnership Program (SPP), which currently allows airports to outsource screening operations under federal oversight.

The RFI sets the stage for a new 10-year, $5.5 billion IDIQ contract, replacing the expiring five-year agreement and reflecting expanded demand for technology-integrated screening solutions. TSA is seeking modular, scalable systems that can adapt to airports of all sizes and respond to fluctuating passenger volumes and threat levels. Capabilities of interest include biometric matching, computed tomography, automated alarm resolution, and integration with PreCheck and mobile digital IDs.

This marks a strategic crossroads for TSA as it considers broader privatization options, with Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill emphasizing flexibility and innovation while maintaining federal security standards. An industry day is planned to engage potential vendors, opening opportunities for both large defense contractors and emerging tech firms. 

Interested in learning more about biometrics?

Join us this December in Washington, DC, for Biometrics for Government and Law Enforcement. The event will provide you with ground-breaking and informative content on the latest technology developments as well as overviews of the key challenges and initiatives government and law enforcement agencies are facing. Key stakeholders from these organizations will be speaking on the challenges they are facing and the initiatives they are implementing. If you are looking for insights into the biometric needs of government and law enforcement agencies, this is the conference for you.

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Navy Launches T-45 Trainer Life Extension Ahead of Replacement Program

The U.S. Navy has started inducting T-45 Goshawk trainer jets into a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to sustain the aging fleet through 2036, addressing growing obsolescence issues in aircraft, engines, and components. With 193 T-45s in the inventory, the Navy is conducting wing swaps and full repair overhauls to mitigate increasing maintenance costs and declining aircraft availability projected by 2030.

Virginia-based V2X is overseeing maintenance across all levels for the fleet’s 29 unique configurations. The complexity of these efforts requires executing 17 technical directives per aircraft, highlighting the need for close collaboration with industry.

While sustaining the T-45s, the Navy is also accelerating plans for their replacement under the Undergraduate Jet Training System (T-XX). A request for proposals is now expected in December 2025, with an initial contract award in January 2027, moved up a year from the original timeline. The T-XX program will include new aircraft, simulators, and ground systems to modernize pilot training across the Navy and Marine Corps. 

To hear more about upgrades to the Navy's pilot training efforts, register for the Military Flight Training Summit taking place this October 28-29 in San Antonio, Texas.

Pentagon to Launch 'Top Gun' Drone Training at August T-REX Exercise

The Pentagon will debut a “Top Gun”-style combat training school for first-person view (FPV) drone operators during the upcoming Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) 25-2 exercise in August. The event will feature head-to-head “Red vs. Blue” air combat scenarios between elite FPV drone teams and cutting-edge counter-UAS defenses, marking a major step in operationalizing drone warfare tactics.

The exercise highlights the Pentagon’s push to rapidly advance low-cost, attritable systems and short-range air defense technologies. The T-REX initiative, born from the Biden-era RDER program and now fully institutionalized, connects defense tech developers with real-world military users through continuous testing and six-month experiment cycles.

Alongside drone combat drills, the August event will test multispectral surveillance systems, AI-enabled kill chains, and data integration networks. It reflects a broader strategy, championed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to close the gap with adversaries producing millions of low-cost drones annually and speed up U.S. drone innovation pipelines.

Learn more about IDGA's Counter-UAS Summit

The 7th annual IDGA Counter-UAS Summit provides a forum comprised of key decision-makers and senior military leaders for discussions on ways to collaboratively combat the threat of UAS to the United States military and civilians. At this year's event, we will be returning to Arlington, Virginia, on August 19-20. Across two days of learning and collaboration, we will engage our audience with high-level discussions surrounding kinetic and non-kinetic approaches for countering drones, including exploring case studies on specific incidents, insights into the latest innovative CUAS technologies, the impact of shifting legal authorities, and much more.

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U.S. Resumes Partial Weapons Deliveries to Ukraine After Brief Pause

The U.S. has restarted shipments of artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles to Ukraine, shortly after the Trump administration paused deliveries of certain critical weapons over stockpile concerns. Two U.S. officials confirmed the resumed transfer of 155mm artillery shells and GMLRS missiles, though quantities and timelines remain unclear.

The pause had included Patriot missiles, Hellfires, and other key munitions, sparking concern in Kyiv amid record Russian drone attacks. President Trump has since said he was unaware of the halt and pledged continued support, primarily with defensive systems. President Zelenskyy has expanded engagement with Washington to secure additional air defense aid.  

First Multinational HIMARS Launch in Australia Underscores Allied Unity and Modernization

As part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 25, allied forces from the U.S., Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan conducted the first-ever multinational HIMARS live-fire on Australian soil. The Combined Joint Live Fire Exercise (CJLFX), held in Queensland, showcased seamless integration of air, land, and missile defense capabilities across a multi-domain battlespace.

U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs opened the scenario with airstrikes, followed by coordinated HIMARS strikes using shared multinational ISR data. Australian, U.S., and Singaporean forces worked side-by-side to deliver precision fires, supported by M777 howitzers and South Korean K9 and K1A2 systems. Japan’s CHU-SAM system provided rear-area air defense.

The demonstration validated the ability of like-minded nations to rapidly converge targeting data, adapt to each other’s systems, and operate as a unified force, highlighting both regional deterrence and the increasing modernization of the Australian Defence Force.