Mike Stone

Find me on Bluesky here: bsky.app/profile/michae…

(Reuters) - The Pentagon is set to announce on Wednesday framework agreements that position it to potentially acquire over 10,000 low-cost, containerized missiles over three years starting in 2027. A statement seen by Reuters ahead of its release said that the Pentagon's agreements are with Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos and Zone 5, and will together launch the "Low‑Cost Containerized Munitions (LCCM) program." The assessment phase of the program will involve purchasing test missiles from all four companies starting in June 2026. The statement did not provide a cost or specify the weapons systems from the four firms, but said the agreements established the terms for future firm-fixed-price production contracts. The Army has long touted containerized weapons systems as a low-cost, mobile way to deploy missiles in standard shipping containers. A separate agreement with defense startup Castelion lays out a plan to award a two-year contract for a minimum annual purchase of 500 Blackbeard missiles, which are Castelion's first hypersonic strike weapon, once Castelion achieves testing and validation, the statement said. It said the Pentagon was seeking authorizations and appropriations to purchase over 12,000 Blackbeard missiles over five years. Michael Duffey, who as under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment is the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer, said in the statement that the agreements show how the U.S. is moving beyond traditional "prime" contractors to expand the industrial base. The agreements, he added, send "a clear, long-term demand signal to innovative new entrants." Emil Michael, under secretary of defense for research and engineering, said the agreements commit the firms to on-time, on-cost delivery. "We will deliver affordable mass for our warfighters at unprecedented speed," Michael said in the statement. The Pentagon is ramping up its requests from Congress for funding for munitions, which are in high demand with the ongoing war in Iran. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in written testimony this week that the Pentagon's fiscal year 2027 budget would fund over $26 billion for multi-year procurement contracts for critical munitions.

@casualclubguy FYSA. popville.com/2017/05/old-so…

It’s truly interesting to me there isn’t one private club inside the DC boundary. What’s the story there people from The Capital?

Exclusive: US aims for Fourth of July to deploy Qatar-gifted jet as Air Force One reuters.com/business/aeros… $LHX $BA

@reesejgorman @reesejgorman you’re doing great covering this. Keep going. There are OLD podcasts from @BeltwayGolfer and @fried_egg_golf where @links_national leadership talks about the philosophy they had towards the leases and the renovation of the courses. Have a 👂

News: DC Preservation League has filed in District Court requesting an Emergency Stay on the admin shutting down East Potomac

SCOOP! Internal Pentagon email details options to punish NATO allies who the US believes failed to support it in Iran war operations. Will post a link to my story later but US official says the options include:     * Suspending Spain from NATO alliance.     * Reassessing US diplomatic support for European "imperial possessions," to include Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands near Argentina     * Suspending "difficult" countries from important or prestigious positions at NATO     * No option to close U.S. bases in the email     * No option for withdrawing U.S. from the alliance in the email

If you know Japan, you will find this profound.

@Trinirudegyal_ @DJRTistic Which checkpoint please?

@DJRTistic It depends on the time of day, I just got here to work and there was maybe a 10 min wait at IAH

I head to Houston today, and leave tomorrow. If I have Clear and Pre-Check, do I still need to get to IAH six hours before my flight, leaving from Houston?

US judge blocks Pentagon's Anthropic blacklisting for now - reuters.com/world/us-judge…

I've got to figure out how to buy those I-bonds again.

I, along with print photographers, have been denied entry to cover today’s Pentagon briefing. All other media were allowed in.

This is a signal: the US feels it has air superiority and will drop bombs that come from a deep magazine. Over 200,000 JDAM kits have been produced. (The thing that makes these “dumb” bombs smarter)

@MeghannMyers_ Noted

I gave a two-week deadline. A spokesman for the department did not directly answer my questions. Instead, he directed me to a story in the Daily Wire, published the day before my stated deadline, with a handful of the numbers I had requested.

Last month, I asked the Pentagon for some updated numbers on the total civilian employees it shed last year and how many it had brought on from a small set of jobs exempt from the ongoing hiring freeze. defenseone.com/policy/2026/03…

Wow, there is a @Polymarket post on my story. reuters.com/business/aeros…

The Trump administration plans to meet with executives from the biggest U.S. defense contractors at the White House on Friday to discuss ‌accelerating weapons production, reuters.com/business/aeros…

You’ve got to wonder if there is change of heart for #Anthropic over the 6 month “phase out” period.

These appear to be ATACMS.

The Iranian regime was warned. CENTCOM is now delivering swift and decisive action as directed.

@BarredinDC tip- check our little engine in eastern market. Great for lil ms barred.

As the world is on eggshells expecting a potential #airstrike or more on #Iran — I want to remind everyone: This is the #Pentagon #press corps.

Scoop: AeroVironment's LOCUST counter-drone laser used by US Army near El Paso airport, sources say reuters.com/business/aeros… w @DavidJeans2