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Cost Estimating NewsBrief: October 2, 2026
$30B more is needed for air traffic control modernization, Transportation secretary says
(NextGov/FCW) The Transportation Department is seeking an additional $30 billion from Congress to complete its massive air traffic control modernization initiative, with the agency’s head saying Monday that the new funds are needed to push the project across the finish line. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy first announced the Trump administration’s modernization initiative in May 2025 following several high-profile plane accidents, including a deadly crash between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial airliner near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that January. Read More
Naval Shipyards: Complete Information Needed for Decision-Making on Multibillion-Dollar, 50-Year Infrastructure Program
(U.S. Government Accountability Office) The Navy is taking on its largest-ever construction and restoration effort to improve poor conditions and outdated infrastructure at its 4 shipyards. These shipyards are essential to ensuring the Navy’s aircraft carriers and submarines are fit to fight in operations. This effort could take over 50 years and ultimately cost more than $200 billion. But we found that Navy and congressional oversight requirements don’t include regular evaluation of costs, risks, and performance for this effort. Having such information for decision-making would ensure that current plans evolve with the Navy’s future needs. Read More
Department of War and U.S. Navy Award Contract for F/A-XX Program
(U.S. Department of War) Today, the Department of War announces a contract awarded by the U.S. Navy to Boeing for the Sixth-Generation F/A-XX Strike Fighter under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. The contract is valued at more than $20B for the full-scale development phase. The contract procures multiple test aircraft for ground, airworthiness, systems, and weapons integration testing. “The F/A-XX is a critical pillar in our commitment to maintaining peace through strength. F/A-XX will dominate contested airspace, extend operational reach, and deliver a decisive combat advantage for the warfighter,” Read More
When every proposal is good, what does the government evaluate next? (Commentary)
(Federal News Network) The Pentagon’s enterprise-wide generative artificial intelligence platform is continuing to see high levels of use across the department, with millions of civilians, contractors and military personnel taking advantage of the service. In a discussion with Punchbowl News on Wednesday, Defense Department Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer Cameron Stanley said “as of last week, we’ve had over 2 million people in a week across all three models log in and use AI.” GenAI.mil, which DOD launched in December, currently hosts three AI models: Google Cloud’s Gemini for Government, OpenAI’s ChatGPT Mil and xAI’s Grok for Government. The service provides vetted, internal AI tools to help users with unclassified tasks, such as analyzing information and creating and refining documents. Read More
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