WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Department of the Navy, under the leadership of Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan, announced a bold solicitation to industry for innovative, deployable energy solutions capable of powering Navy and Marine Corps installations with unmatched resilience, security and reliability.
The solicitation, issued through the Center for Energy, Environment, and Demilitarization (CEED) Consortium under an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement—seeks execution-ready prototypes that will modernize energy infrastructure, safeguard mission-critical operations and ensure uninterrupted power in any operating environment.
“President Trump’s commitment to unleashing American energy innovation is powering the Navy into a new era,” said Secretary Phelan. “We are calling on America’s most capable innovators to deliver advanced, installation-scale energy solutions, ranging from small modular nuclear reactors to cutting-edge storage and generation technologies that can deliver power with 99.9% availability, even if the public grid goes dark. This is about warfighting readiness, mission assurance, and making sure our bases remain operational under any circumstances.”
Prototype concepts should focus on:
Modernizing Energy Infrastructure: Deploy advanced, resilient energy systems at Navy, Marine Corps, and other DoD installations.
99.9% Mission Availability: Deliver power systems capable of sustaining operations without interruption during public grid failures.
Powering High-Demand Data Centers: Ensure generation systems, particularly SMRs are capable of supporting data centers that power advanced AI systems, which require substantially higher and continuous energy output than traditional facilities.
Advanced On-Site Generation: Integrate next-generation small modular nuclear reactors, geothermal, battery storage, and other dispatchable energy technologies.
Resilience Against All Threats: Build systems hardened against natural disasters, cyberattacks, and grid instability.
Innovative Financing: Employ alternative capital structures to accelerate deployment and reduce reliance on traditional appropriated funding.
The OTA pathway gives the Navy the speed and flexibility needed to work directly with industry leaders, moving from concept to deployment faster than traditional acquisition methods allow. The Department is seeking solutions from both traditional defense contractors and non-traditional energy innovators that can be rapidly mobilized, require minimal permitting, and are ready for immediate execution.
“Energy resilience is warfighting resilience,” said Secretary Phelan. “If a hurricane knocks out the local grid, our ships still sail. If a cyberattack takes down civilian power, our bases stay online. That’s the standard and we’re setting it now.”
This opportunity is available exclusively to CEED Consortium members.
Marines Demo Range of Long Range UAS for Future Operations
UAS operators from Kraus Hamdani exhibit its system during a Marine Corps demo in Southern Maryland in July. The company was one of five vendors who participated in the event to showcase their Group 2 unmanned systems. (U.S. Navy photo)
NAS PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PMA-263) program team put Long Range Tactical (LRT) systems through their paces during a two-week technical demonstration in Chaptico, Maryland in mid-July.
Five vendors attended the event to help inform the Marine Corpsof the functions and capabilities available on the commercialmarket for the Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS). The five systems evaluated include: AeroVironment P550, Kraus-Hamdani K1000 ULE Block II, Aurora Skiron X, Edge Autonomy Stalker LRT, and Vector Longbow.
All systems are fixed wing, vertical take-off and landing Group 2 unmanned systems. In addition to basic measurements, the vendors collected performance data for ease of operation, audibility, range, and endurance while carrying the maximum payload requirement of seven pounds.
PMA-263’s FoSUAS team, in partnership with the University of Maryland (UMD) UAS test site, evaluated each system against a standard test card to determine its suitability for the MarineCorps LRT requirements. UMD’s team of evaluators are experienced drone pilots, experts in their field and some, have military service, including program director Jim Alexander.
“This is a great relationship for the University of Maryland and PMA-263,” said Alexander, who has worked with the program office for nine years for technical evaluation events like the LRT tech demonstration. “Our job is to serve as an impartial third party; but in the process, we get to learn new systems, and the Navy is able to collect a lot of data in a short amount of time.”
The Small UAS Capabilities and the Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations team and PMA-263’s team attended the event and had the opportunity to engage directly with the participating vendors and to observe the flight demonstrations.
“Flight demonstration events like this are a critical market research function for the PMA and help us to validate performance data reported by vendors,” said Olivia Douglass, PMA-263 FoSUAS Integrated Product Team lead. “We would love to see all the vendors meet the requirements; it translates into options for the government and options for the end users. We want to see industry taking an interest in recognizing end user requirements and using that as a driving factor in improving their systems.”
PMA-263 will use University of Maryland UAS test site’s assessment data and observer feedback from the event to inform the program’s priorities for follow-on engineering assessments, potential for operational testing, and inclusion of new platforms within the FoSUAS programs of record.
F/A-18 and EA-18G Surpass 12 Million Flight Hours
A formation of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31 “Dust Devils” aircraft, including an EA-18G Growler, AV-8B Harrier II+, an F/A-18E Super Hornet, and an F/A-18D Hornet, flies over Point Mugu’s Sea Range in Californation during a photo exercise. These aircraft demonstrate the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s commitment to advancing fleet capabilities through rigorous testing and operational support.
NAS PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 and EA-18G aircraft fleet has surpassed 12 million flight hours, marking an important milestone for one of the most enduring families of aircraft in modern naval aviation. This achievement underscores the capability, reliability and availability of these aircraft, which have served as the backbone of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps air power for decades.
Put into perspective, the aircraft have completed the equivalent of 500,000 days, or nearly 1,370 years, of nonstop flight defending national interests and ensuring global security.
“When you call the roar of these aircraft ‘the sound of freedom,’ it holds real weight,” said Capt. Michael Burks, program manager for the F/A-18 and EA-18G program office (PMA-265). “Throughout their service, the F/A-18 and EA-18G family has supported nearly every major U.S. military conflict of the past 40 years and continues to adapt to rapidly changing threat environments. From the initial deployment of the Hornet to the advanced capabilities of the Super Hornet and Growler, these aircraft have delivered forward presence, tactical airpower and critical electronic warfare capabilities around the globe.”
Since the F/A-18 Hornet was first introduced in the 1980s, it has quickly become a versatile and capable fighter and attack aircraft. Its successor, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and its electronic warfare counterpart, the EA-18G Growler, introduced significant advancements in radar, avionics, payload capacity and electronic attack.
Key modernization efforts include Super Hornet Service Life Modification (SLM), which extends Super Hornet service life from 6,000 to 10,000 flight hours, and the delivery of Block III Super Hornets, which are equipped with advanced sensors, enhanced survivability and a redesigned cockpit for improved pilot performance. Growler Block II modifications will enhance mission systems, enable future capability growth and strengthen the Navy’s electronic warfare superiority.
“This milestone is a significant achievement and a reflection of the generations of Sailors, Marines and civilians who sustain, fly and innovate these platforms every day,” said Burks. “Twelve million flight hours demonstrates our commitment to delivering world-class capability, enabling our warfighters to execute their missions with an asymmetric advantage and return home safely.”
The flight hour milestone comes at a notable time for naval aviation, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Super Hornet’s first flight in November, and as the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps prepare to celebrate 250 years of service to the nation this year.
As part of Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft Programs (PEO(T)), PMA-265 supports, sustains and advances the F/A-18A-D Hornet, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler, delivering critical capabilities to ensure naval aviators succeed in dynamic and contested operational environments.
From HQMC Communications Directorate, July 30, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Marines postured around the globe serve as America’s rapid crisis response force, ready to meet the Nation’s needs at a moment’s notice. On July 26 Marine Corps readiness was on display, when U.S. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363, operating under Marine Rotational Force–Darwin, deployed four MV-22B Ospreys more than 1,950 nautical miles from Darwin, Australia, to Clark Air Base, Philippines.
Within 24 hours of notification, Marines planned, organized and were in the air headed to their assigned objective, demonstrating the agility and speed of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Two U.S. Air Force KC-46 Pegasus aircraft from the 6th Air Refueling Squadron enabled the long-range movement by offloading 59,100 pounds of fuel midair. The MV-22B’s unique ability to bridge the gap between rotary-wing and fixed-wing capabilities allows the Joint Force to move personnel and supplies quickly across vast distances and diverse terrains, which is essential to crisis response.
This mission underscores the value proposition of a forward deployed Marine Corps in support of our Nation’s interests. Marine Rotational Force–Darwin rapidly transitioned from Exercise Talisman Sabre 26 to real-world crisis operations, integrating joint-enabled capabilities to ensure that when the Nation calls, Marines answer without hesitation.
Navy and Marine Corps Commence Large Scale Exercise 2025
From U.S. Fleet Forces Command, July 30, 2025
NORFOLK, Va. – Sailors and Marines from across 22 time zones, six component commands, and seven U.S. numbered Fleets are now participating in Large Scale Exercise (LSE) 2025, as the Navy and Marine Corps officially kick off one of their largest global training events, July 30.
LSE 2025 is a global, all-domain warfighting exercise designed to simulate complex, real-world threats—from the piers of U.S. naval bases to ships at sea and headquarters around the globe—creating a realistic environment that mirrors strategic competitor challenges.
Using state-of-the-art technology, exercise planners have built real-time, dynamic scenarios that stress-test Navy and Marine Corps systems, processes, and decision-making—without physically wearing down our ships, aircraft, and equipment. While the scenarios are virtual, the lessons learned are very real, testing readiness, flexibility, and resilience in ways never before imagined.
Building upon insights from previous exercises, LSE 2025 enables Sailors and Marines to plan, execute, and evaluate advanced warfighting concepts, ensuring future readiness when facing a thinking, capable adversary.
For the first time, LSE will include U.S. allies and partners—including Canada, Japan, and NATO—expanding the exercise’s reach and enhancing coalition integration. This level of international coordination strengthens interoperability, trust, and joint effectiveness across the maritime force, ensuring we can respond to future challenges with unity and precision.
“This isn’t just about scale—it’s about integration, synchronization, and rehearsal for the full spectrum of conflict,” said Vice Adm. John Gumbleton, deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “LSE 2025 will test our ability to globally coordinate Maritime Operations Centers, execute contested logistics, and mobilize our Reserve forces. Large Scale Exercise 2025 is how we prepare to fight and win—anywhere, anytime.”
LSE 2025 is the only exercise where all 10 Fleet Maritime Operations Centers (MOCs) will operate simultaneously. While many exercises focus on a single fleet or region, LSE 2025 raises the bar—requiring coordinated action across the globe and providing critical experience at the operational level of war.
“This exercise provides an incredible opportunity to hone command and control across the most lethal amphibious task forces in the world, ensuring sea lanes remain open and global commerce flows freely, maintaining peace and stability worldwide,” said Lt. Gen. Bobbi Shea, commander, Marine Forces Command. “LSE offers a glimpse into the future of warfare, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and ensuring that our Navy-Marine Corps team remains the most advanced, agile, and effective fighting force in the world.”
Large Scale Exercise 2025 represents a pivotal opportunity to test and refine the Navy and Marine Corps’ ability to operate in a globally contested environment. By integrating advanced warfighting concepts, allied capabilities, and real-time operational coordination, LSE 2025 reinforces the maritime services’ commitment to maintaining strategic advantage, deterring aggression, and ensuring security and stability across the world’s oceans.
USFFC is responsible for manning, training, equipping and employing more than 125 ships, 1,000 aircraft, and 103,000 active-duty service members and government employees, and providing combat-ready forces forward to numbered fleets and combatant commanders around the globe in support of U.S. national interests.
SECDEF Announces Flag and General Officer Nominations
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced today that the president has made the following nominations:
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. Borgschulte is currently serving as deputy commandant, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Quantico, Virginia.
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Christian F. Wortman for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Wortman is currently serving as the commanding general, 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan.
Navy Vice. Adm. Yvette M. Davids for reappointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as deputy chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, Strategy, and Warfighting Development, N3/N5/N7, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Davids is currently serving as superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.
Navy Rear Adm. Jeffrey J. Czerewko for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as deputy chief of Naval Operations for Personnel, Manpower, and Training, N1, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and Chief of Naval Personnel, Arlington, Virginia. Czerewko most recently served as commander, Naval Education and Training Command, Pensacola, Florida.
Navy Rear Adm. John E. Dougherty IV for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland. Dougherty is currently serving as commander, Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division/ chief engineer, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.
Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael S. Sciretta for appointment to the grade of rear admiral. Sciretta is currently serving as director, Maritime Operations, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.
Space Force Lt. Gen. Shawn N. Bratton for appointment to the grade of general, with assignment as vice chief of space operations, U.S. Space Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Bratton is currently serving as deputy chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
HASC Marks National Defense Authorization Bill
Edited by Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor
Arlington, Va. — The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) filed the bill for the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, the bill’s leaders, Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Sen. Jack Reed (D- R.I.) announced in a July 16 release.
Some announced naval-related provisions are listed below:
Authorizes procurement for not more than five Columbia-class submarines.
Authorizes a block buy of up to 15 Medium Landing Ships (LSM) to support testing and experimentation of the Marine Littoral Regiment formation.
Limits funding for TAGOS Ship unless the Secretary of the Navy provides information on the Navy’s management of the program and an assessment of alternative solutions for the mission.
Requires the Navy, in implementing the Medium Landing Ship and Light Replenishment Oiler programs, to utilize a Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) acquisition strategy, employing commercial design standards, construction practices, and an external entity to contract for construction.
Exempts unmanned surface vessels and unmanned underwater vehicles from the Senior Technical Authority requirement and limits certain technical requirements from the Chief Engineer of the Naval Sea Systems Command without prior approval of the program manager.
Modifies certification requirements of operational demonstrations for propulsion and electrical systems of large and medium unmanned surface vessels to increase industrial base participation.
Limits funding to certain Navy-developed software for autonomy and command and control of unmanned surface vessels.
Directs a briefing to the congressional defense committees to prioritize innovative, commercially driven solutions to deliver a scalable medium unmanned surface vessel (MUSV) capability that meets the urgent needs of the fleet while fostering a competitive industrial base.
Requires the Navy to move leadership for conventional surface ship maintenance to the Type Commanders, delegates decision-making authority to project managers, port engineers, and ship commanding officers, and directs a new contracting strategy that emphasizes workload stability and collaborative planning.
Requires the Navy to investigate, and where feasible qualify and fully integrate, 23 advanced technologies and processes into Navy surface ship readiness.
Supports amphibious warship production and readiness by limiting funding of the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Defense if the 30-year shipbuilding plan does not comply with the statutory requirement for 31 amphibious ships, 15 defines “temporarily unavailable” within the 31 amphibious ship requirements, and requires a plan to maintain and extend the service lives of amphibious ships
Requires DOD to develop a comprehensive plan to establish a government-controlled open mission systems computing environment for all variants and blocks of the F–35 aircraft operated by the DOD.
Directs the Navy and Air Force to conduct a comparative study, independent of the air vehicle manufacturer, on the two propeller systems on the C-130J platform.
Accelerates development of the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile and creates a supplementary parallel pathway for rapid fielding.
Strongly encourages the Secretary of Defense to invite the naval forces of Taiwan to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, as appropriate, and requires a notification and justification if the Secretary chooses not to do so.
Requires the Navy to develop options for two sources of domestic solid rocket motors in the Navy Modular Missile program.
Directs a briefing on opportunities for the Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate to complement innovation efforts by Naval Special Warfare Command for research, experimentation, and prototyping of unmanned maritime vessels.
Authorizes personnel end strength for the active component at 344,600 for the Navy; 172,300 for the Marine Corps; 57,500 for the Navy Reserve; 33,600 for the Marine Corps Reserve; and 7,000 for the Coast Guard Reserve.
MANILA, Philippines – The commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific and the Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps will co-host the 11th annual Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium in Manila, July 8-10, 2025.
PALS 25 brings together senior Marine Corps, naval infantry, and military leaders from allied and partner nations in the Indo-Pacific. The event is an important opportunity to enhance personal and professional relationships amongst the region’s amphibious and maritime community through face-to-face engagements.
PALS continues to be guided by the motto, “Stronger together,” emphasizing the importance of cooperation and coordination when facing a range of challenges, from natural disasters to complex security situations.
“PALS provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen partnerships across the Indo-Pacific, ensuring that when challenges arise, we’re aligned and ready to act,” said Lt. Gen. James Glynn, commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. “It’s about building trust, fostering collaboration, and preparing for the complex scenarios we may face. In this region, we know that collective strength is our greatest asset, and through events like PALS, we ensure that we’re ready to respond together, as one.”
PALS provides a forum for amphibious leaders to exchange ideas and share best practices, improving the collective ability to work together across a range of missions and scenarios. The experience and expertise assembled at PALS facilitates collaboration among allies and partners from around the world in support of a free-and-open Indo-Pacific region.
The PALS 25 schedule consists of key leader engagements, panel discussions, and briefs to engage senior leaders on critical topics such as leveraging emerging technologies for littoral operations, logistical challenges in disaster relief missions, and the role of information operations in the modern maritime environment. In addition to these discussions, delegations will present on technology-based solutions for maritime domain awareness and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as amphibious force contributions to multinational security cooperation.
“We are fortunate that the PALS participants bring a wealth of knowledge and diverse experiences, which is a vital asset as we shape our own force development and modernization plans,” said Maj. Gen. Vicente Blanco, Commandant, Philippine Marine Corps. “The Philippines takes pride in co-hosting this distinguished gathering, and as we face future challenges, let us approach them with renewed purpose, strengthened partnerships, and united resolve.”
Established by MARFORPAC in 2015, PALS continues to gather a growing list of nations. Since the symposium’s development, several ally and partner militaries co-hosted, including Japan, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Korea, and for the first time this year, Republic of the Philippines. The growing list of co-hosts demonstrates the depth of commitment among allies and partners to a more capable combined force across the Indo-Pacific.
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific is the largest operational command in the Marine Corps. Pacific Marines serve as an expeditionary force-in-readiness, and they operate as air-ground-logistics teams and are forward positioned and actively employed throughout the Indo-Pacific every day.
Securing the Backbone: The Defense Industrial Base
PHOTO BY: Air Force Staff Sgt. Marco Gomez
By Ryan Caughill, President, Western New York Council, Navy League of the United States.
“You can’t fight tomorrow’s war with yesterday’s plans.”
In the summer of 2018, I completed my internship at Moog Inc., one of the United States’ premier defense contractors. My role was in Environmental Health & Safety, but my mission went deeper: I was tasked with modernizing and guiding emergency management planning across an organization that was deeply integrated into the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), and yet, lacked a dedicated emergency management function.
Like my time later at M&T Bank, this experience left a lasting impression. It showed me that even companies at the forefront of defense technology can have blind spots when it comes to continuity, resilience, and crisis preparedness.
[While this article isn’t just about my singular experience, but a holistic and general overview,] that’s what makes the Defense Industrial Base one of the most paradoxical critical infrastructure sectors in America: incredibly advanced, but dangerously lacking.
The Backbone Behind the Uniform The Defense Industrial Base is more than just tanks, missiles, or aircraft. It’s an expansive network of over 100,000 private companies that provide products, services, logistics, and technologies to support the U.S. military.
This includes:
Weapons systems and munitions
Aerospace components and military-grade software
Advanced electronics and cyber capabilities
Research and development institutions
Transportation and supply chain networks
Small manufacturers producing critical, often irreplaceable, parts
Some of these are Fortune 500 giants. Many are small, family-owned machine shops in rural communities. All are vital.
But here’s the problem: there is no unified resilience standard across the DIB. And that’s a problem hiding in plain sight.
The Vulnerabilities No One Wants to Talk About During my time at Moog, I saw firsthand how emergency management often sits outside the core of DIB corporate culture. Not out of apathy, but due to the sheer scale and complexity of operations. Many companies have excellent safety and security programs, but few have comprehensive crisis management systems. Fewer still have trained emergency managers or business continuity professionals guiding cross-functional coordination across cyber, physical, and operational risks. This isn’t to say they don’t exist, I’ve met some, and they do a really great job.
That makes this sector vulnerable in ways most people don’t understand.
The DIB is:
Extremely decentralized: A single failed supplier can halt delivery of critical weapons platforms.
Highly classified: Cyber breaches can compromise national defense secrets, yet many companies, especially smaller ones, lack mature cyber defenses.
Logistically fragile: Long-lead items, global supply chains, and just-in-time manufacturing leave little room for error.
Resource-limited: Many smaller firms simply don’t have the bandwidth or expertise to build robust resilience programs.
Worse yet, we take it for granted that these companies – because of what they do – are already hardened. That’s not always true.
Why This Sector Isn’t Taken Seriously — Until It’s Too Late The Defense Industrial Base occupies an odd place in the national consciousness. We respect the military. We fund the military. But we rarely consider who makes the military work.
The supply chains, R&D labs, fabrication shops, and logistics hubs that build and sustain America’s warfighting capability are not invincible. And yet, the DIB isn’t regularly treated like critical infrastructure in the traditional emergency management sense , even though it underpins our strategic deterrence, military readiness, and wartime surge capacity.
That disconnect has consequences. If a natural disaster, ransomware attack, insider threat, or geopolitical disruption strikes a key node in this ecosystem, the effects won’t be immediate headlines. They’ll show up months or years later when a military platform is delayed or compromised.
In an age of strategic competition with China and resurgent threats in Europe and the Middle East, that delay could mean the difference between deterrence and disaster.
Strengthening the Arsenal of the Republic If we want the DIB to remain viable, competitive, and secure, we must elevate resilience as a strategic imperative, not an afterthought.
At the Federal Level:
The DoD must go beyond cybersecurity compliance and require holistic emergency management, business continuity, and crisis communications programs for Tier 1 and Tier 2 contractors
Congress should fund regional DIB resilience initiatives and technical assistance hubs to help small firms build preparedness capacity
DIB firms must be integrated into DHS-FEMA and CISA exercises, not treated as isolated contractors
In the Private Sector:
Contractors should invest in full-time emergency managers or resilience officers, especially at multi-site operations Continuity of Operations plans (COOP) must be tested regularly and integrated across functions – especially cyber, facilities, HR, and production Leadership should prioritize exercises and scenario planning, particularly for cyber-physical convergence threats
Across the Supply Chain:
Vendors must be mapped and tiered by criticality, with redundancy plans in place for sole-source dependencies. Smaller manufacturers should be given access to resilience toolkits and grant-supported planning assistance.
For the Defense Community:
Collaboration must improve across DoD, DHS, and the intelligence community to identify emerging threats to the DIB Emergency management professionals should be embedded, or a partner, in acquisition planning and supplier vetting The public and political class must recognize that defense readiness includes domestic resilience
Resilience is Readiness The Defense Industrial Base is one of the quietest, but most consequential, sectors in the nation’s infrastructure portfolio. You don’t see it in parades. But it’s there in every missile defense test, every jet engine, every encrypted radio, and every armored vehicle.
If we allow it to weaken, structurally, logistically, or digitally, we erode not just our defense capability, but our credibility.
We cannot afford to wait for crisis to realize that the arsenal of our Republic isn’t just built on innovation or budgets.
It’s built on resilience.
These challenges aren’t theoretical, they’re unfolding in real time. Delays in the F-35 rollout, the Navy’s struggles and eventual cancellation with the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, and schedule slippages in the next-generation aircraft carriers, guided missile frigates, and Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines all point to a sector under immense strain. While these issues stem from a mix of design complexity, funding cycles, and industrial bottlenecks, one thing is clear: the Defense Industrial Base cannot afford additional disruption.
A well-funded, well-placed crisis management function, integrated at both the facility and enterprise level, won’t solve design flaws or procurement hurdles, but it can absorb shock, accelerate recovery, and ensure continuity when disaster strikes. In a sector already grappling with compounding risks, crisis management isn’t a luxury, it’s a strategic buffer against the unpredictable threats of 21st century warfare.
Navy, Marine Corps in Planning for Third Large-Scale Exercise
By Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are planning for execution later this month for Large-Scale Exercise (LSE) 2025, the third of such exercises since 2021. The LSE will largely be conducted through Live Virtual Construct (LVC) environment but will encompass units from around the world, including—for the first time—allies and partner nations.
LSE 2025, scheduled to begin on August 30, will be conducted “nearly fully virtual” over 22 time zones, said Rear Admiral Kenneth Blackmon, vice commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, during a briefing to reporters on the exercise, pointing out that LVC allows for safer exercises and conserves resources.
Approximately 880 personnel will be directly involved in the exercise, which will include personnel in six regional combatant commanders, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Naval Forces Europe/Africa, Marine Forces Europe/Africa, seven numbered fleets, 10 maritime operations centers (MOCs), Marine Forces Pacific, II Marine Expeditionary Force operations center, five carrier strike groups, two amphibious ready groups, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), various systems commands and type commanders, and Reserve Forces Command, said Capt. Captain Christopher Narducci, the exercise lead who briefed the details of the upcoming exercise.
“This is the only naval exercise spanning all 10 Maritime Operations Centers (MOCs), incorporating both the Navy and Marine Corps worldwide to evaluate and address gaps and seams between fleets,” Blackmon said. Many exercises focus on a single fleet, but LSE raises the bar by requiring coordination across all fleets, providing critical reps and sets at the operational level.”
Allied participation will include a NATO response cell, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.
The LSE is designed to exercise such aspects as the Global Maritime Response Plan (GMRP), global contested logistics and sustainment operations, reserve mobilization, and the wartime responsibilities of the type commanders.
GMRP “is a new concept that is being developed right now,” Narducci said. “It aims to accelerate our ability to generate forces in wartime or in a crisis scenario. GMRP is about getting more players on the field sooner.”
Brigadier General Thomas M. Armas, deputy commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, also briefing reporters, said that the LSE would exercise the passing of carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups from fleet to fleet.
“This exercise provides an incredible opportunity to hone command and control across the most lethal amphibious task forces in the world, ensuring sea lanes remain open and global commerce flows freely, maintaining peace and stability worldwide,” Armas said. “Exercises like this help us identify and close gaps across multiple time zones, preparing our Amphibious Ready Groups (ARGs) and Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs) to seamlessly transition forces during crises. It’s challenging enough to operate within one time zone; coordinating across many, especially in adverse conditions, demands realistic practice.
“Being able to rehearse these scenarios ensures we can guarantee the lethality and readiness our nation depends on,” he said. “When our ARGs are deployed around the world during times of crisis, exercises like LSE 25 ensure those forces are synchronized, on time, and on target. Practicing lethality guarantees we can execute it when needed.”
Narducci said the Naval Warfare Development Center will be responsible for overall exercise control, assisted by six global distributed controllers and supported by 17 flag and general officers, including retired officers.
The Navy Continuous Training Environment will be the network for the LSE, Narducci said.
