Breaking Defense is reporting that U.S. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, nearing retirement, emphasized the military's evolving role as "eggs in the cake batter" and "ballast" for democracy. The outlet also featured an opinion piece by David A. Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, who critiqued a recent Breaking Defense op-ed concerning the "air littoral" in the Iran conflict.
The Army is moving forward with new defense programs, Breaking Defense said. Lt. Gen. Frank Lozano announced plans to award the first contracts for the Common Autonomous Launcher (CAML) program next month and confirmed final negotiations with AV for its Enhanced High Energy Laser (E-HEL) initiative.
Separately, the Space Development Agency (SDA) has resumed its data relay satellite launch schedule. SDA Director Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo told reporters that 21 Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites are set to launch Thursday on a SpaceX Falcon 9. In a first, the Air Force successfully fired a live shot from a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) wingman drone, with Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach confirming the drone tracked its target.
Breaking Defense also reported that House Republicans released "Reconciliation 3.0," allocating $60 billion for defense, falling short of the White House's $67 billion request for Iran War expenses. Additionally, MBDA is replacing CEO Éric Béranger with an Airbus executive.