This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force looking to replace its MQ-9 Reaper uncrewed aircraft, plus coverage of the KC-46 airborne refueling tanker and more.

A new unmanned systems program would be centered around a drone that is mass produced, lends itself to the Air Force's open architecture framework and is significantly less expensive:

Air Force looking for more attritable, modular MQ-9 replacement

After close to two decades, the Air Force's MQ-9 Reaper drone may soon be replaced with a cheaper, more adaptable platform capable of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as precision strike, top service officials said this week.

The per-tail cost of the Air Force's only in-production airborne refueling tanker is being projected to rise by 60% in fiscal year 2028:

Air Force, Boeing reach deal to boost KC-46 availability by 20% by 2030

The Air Force and Boeing have agreed to a three-part plan to improve the combat readiness of the KC-46 Pegasus fleet by about 20% by 2030, in part by picking up the pace of delivering a fix for the aircraft's faulty Remote Vision System.

Our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity have the latest on the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program:

NIST finalizes guidance used by Pentagon's CMMC program on advanced persistent threats

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has finalized an update to guidance used by the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program to address advanced persistent threats, along with assessment guidance and new data formats.

Several Republican lawmakers want to make lithium production a priority:

GOP senators want DOD to make lithium a priority investment target

The Pentagon should make lithium a high priority worthy of investment and financing, three Republican senators say, touting the Smackover Formation in the southern U.S. and asking how the department assesses which mineral projects qualify for federal intervention.

The Defense and Energy departments have not complied with congressional guidance or spent SLCM-N funds as directed by lawmakers, according to a senior senator:

Wicker: Trump admin out of compliance with congressional intent for SLCM-N

The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee is displeased with the Trump administration's use of fiscal year 2026 budget reconciliation dollars provided for the sea-launched, nuclear-armed cruise missile and with the decision to exclude further program funding from the FY-27 budget request.