SANDY HOOK, Conn. - President Trump signed the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law Thursday, finalizing the year-long process for the defense policy bill. The House approved the bill last week in a 312-112 vote, and the Senate passed the NDAA Wednesday by a vote of 77-20. The legislation sets the national security topline at $900.6 billion, an $8 billion increase over the president's request. The Pentagon's portion of the total is $855.7 billion in the bill, which marks a $7.5 billion increase over the administration’s initial request of $848.2 billion.

The NDAA reflects a decisive pivot toward modernization. Lawmakers added a total of $12.7 billion specifically for developing and acquiring new military equipment. Consequently, procurement funding rose to $161.7 billion ($8.9 billion over the request), and research and development climbed to $145.7 billion ($3.7 billion over the request). These plus-ups were partially funded by offsetting cuts: $4.1 billion was removed from the Operation & Maintenance budget, and personnel funding saw a $1.5 billion reduction.

The bill supports ongoing defense acquisition reform efforts. A notable development is the establishment of a new Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) role, which aims to shift the weapons buying process from a program-based model to a portfolio-centric approach. The new model is intended to provide acquisition executives with increased oversight and authority to manage groups of capabilities, rather than isolated projects. The legislation also includes multiple provisions intended to increase the number of commercial solutions adopted by the Pentagon, mirroring a push by the administration to prioritize the use of commercial options over bespoke capabilities that often take longer to develop cost significantly more.

Finalizing the NDAA doesn't complete the Pentagon's FY26 budget cycle. Congressional appropriators must next finalize a defense appropriations bill, which provides the final allocation of funds for the military for the remainder of the fiscal year. Most of the government is currently operating under a continuing resolution through January. With a holiday recess approaching, Congress has only weeks to conclude work on the FY26 spending bills to avoid another shutdown. While the House been focused largely on healthcare matters, the driver of October's initial shutdown, the Senate is drafting a minibus appropriations package that includes the Pentagon's budget. If lawmakers can align on the minibus, the military could avoid the disruptions of a full-year CR or another partial government shutdown.

The House has been largely focused on healthcare matters that led to the initial shutdown in October, but the Senate is working on a minibus appropriations bill that includes the Pentagon's budget. If lawmakers can make progress on the minibus bill, then the military could be spared from further disruptions caused by another CR or partial government shutdown.

Source: Forecast International
Associated URL: https://www.forecastinternational.com
Author: s. McDougall, Defense Analyst 

VILNIUS, Lithuania - As part of its contribution to the multilateral CV90 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) program, the Lithuanian government plans to order 100 Mk IV vehicles, the Ministry of National Defense announced.

A decision approving the purchase was made on December 15, the MoND said in a statement.

Lithuania previously signed a letter of intent on the CV90 acquisition in June, pledging to procure the vehicle alongside five other NATO countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and the Netherlands.

According to the MoND statement, the technical agreement has enabled the sides to work towards creating a contract, which is expected to be signed early in the coming year. Lithuania and the other CV90 partners should start receiving the IFVs in 2028, the MoND added.

"Reliability of supply commitments and implementation of industrial cooperation will be the key factors in Lithuania’s further multinational cooperation," the MoND said.

Source: Lithuanian MoND
Associated URL: https://kam.lt/en/lithuania-is-purchasing-100-swedish-cv90-mkiv-infantry-fighting-vehicle-according-to-the-state-defence-council/

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Marine Corps has commenced full-rate production of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS), a new short-range air defense platform designed to neutralize both unmanned aerial systems and manned aircraft. Manufactured by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, the system debuted in September and transforms two Joint Light Tactical Vehicles into a mobile hunter-killer team. This acquisition milestone provides Marine units with the capability to identify and destroy threats from fixed positions or while in motion, a significant shift from previous Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADs) that required troops to dismount to engage targets.

The MADIS configuration pairs two distinct vehicles to address specific threats: one unit is equipped to counter helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, while the partner vehicle focuses on drone defense. The system offers a choice of lethality, utilizing Stinger missiles or a 30mm cannon, and features recently upgraded targeting algorithms, sensors, and mobility. Officials noted that the system is built with a flexible design to accommodate future upgrades against emerging threats.

Following the start of production, Marines have initiated training on the platform, including live-fire exercises at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California. These recent drills follow the system’s first live-fire test conducted during Exercise Balikatan in April 2025.

Source: Defense News
Associated URL: https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2025/12/16/drone-hunter-killer-madis-vehicles-now-being-produced-for-marines