This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on congressional oversight of the Defense Department's fiscal year 2027 spending request, plus coverage of the Quad-A and Space Symposium conferences and more.

We start off with coverage of a Senate Budget Committee hearing on the Pentagon's fiscal year 2027 spending request:

OMB chief says massive defense request is a 'seize-the-moment' budget to expand weapons production

White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said the Trump administration's $1.5 trillion defense request is meant to fund a one-time expansion of the industrial base, as senior Pentagon officials pressure military contractors to commit to new multiyear production increases.

Document: OMB director's FY-27 budget testimony

. . . Followed by coverage of this week's Quad-A conference:

With ITEP still alive, GE sprinting to get engine qualified for Black Hawk in 12-18 months

NASHVILLE, TN -- Nearly a year after the Army appeared to be putting the Improved Turbine Engine Program on the chopping block, T901 engine manufacturer GE Aerospace says it has been assured the service is committed to the program, and the company wants to finish qualification testing of the engine on the Black Hawk in the next 12-18 months.

With 750 users in the first month, Army plans to further flesh out UAS website

NASHVILLE, TN -- Since launching its unmanned aerial systems online marketplace last month, the Army has seen 750 users engage with the platform, and the service plans to update it in May based on feedback from soldiers and industry.

. . . Along with this week's Space Symposium in Colorado:

Space Force considering multiyear frameworks for satellites

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- The Space Force is considering using multiyear frameworks -- similar to agreements made for missile production -- to stabilize demand signals for satellite businesses, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said.

Transport Layer transitioning out of SDA, Tracking Layer to join MWT PAE

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- The Space Development Agency will hand over data transport programs to a separate portfolio acquisition executive after delivering the Tranche 2 Transport Layer, according to acting Director Gurpartap "GP" Sandhoo.

Space Force creating new futures-like office to integrate enterprise priorities

The Space Force is in the midst of finalizing a new structure for its S9 staff to take charge of streamlining future force planning and speeding up capability delivery, according to Air Force Secretary Troy Meink.

Some AI news:

OpenAI considers antitrust alongside a 'Bell Labs' model for federal AI procurement

OpenAI executives are exploring antitrust issues as they push for what they say needs to be a new and unique way of funding the federal government's adoption of artificial intelligence, suggesting it could include aspects of the arrangement AT&T experienced over several decades as a regulated monopoly in its provision of telecommunications services.

Unmanned aircraft systems coverage:

Northrop's autonomy testbed Talon IQ aircraft tapped into several software providers midflight

A Northrop Grumman aircraft modified for unmanned operations flew for three hours yesterday while mixing and matching mission autonomy configurations, company executives told reporters last night.

Air Force to debut two new software architectures supporting CCA program in June

The Air Force in June will publicly release two frameworks intended to standardize software interfaces and accelerate interoperability across systems supporting the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, according to a recent request for information.

The latest on the Missile Defense Agency's Glide Phase Interceptor program:

Pentagon speeds hypersonic interceptor, shifts focus to homeland defense

The Pentagon is racing to pull forward a cornerstone of its hypersonic missile defense effort, shifting the Glide Phase Interceptor program toward an earlier debut -- and a new mission defending the U.S. homeland.

Navy shipbuilding news:

Navy offers $15 million contract incentive for on-time amphib maintenance completion

Over a month after the Navy and Marine Corps' new Amphibious Force Readiness Board (AFRB) convened for the first time, several "corrective actions" have taken place, according to a senior official.

Collins expects second destroyer on Navy's unfunded priorities list

The Senate's top appropriator says she believes an additional Arleigh Burke-class destroyer will be included in the Navy's unfunded priorities list, after the service proposed just one ship in its fiscal year 2027 budget.