Shelley Mesch

Washington, D.C., United States

Air Force Reporter at Inside Defense

Air Force reporter for @InsideDefense writing about software, satellites and nukes | Formerly @sltrib and @wistatejournal

Featured in: Favicon

insidedefense.com Favicon

usnews.com Favicon

washingtontimes.com Favicon

madison.com (+1) Favicon

stltoday.com Favicon

sltrib.com Favicon

tucson.com Favicon

stripes.com Favicon

timesunion.com Favicon

tulsaworld.com + 69 more

Articles

Nuclear triad would see budget boosts in FY-26 request

1 week ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch |Nick Wilson

The Defense Department is hoping the pending congressional reconciliation package will inject $2.1 billion extra to significantly ramp up procurement efforts for the B-21 Raider nuclear bomber, according to budget request documents obtained by Inside Defense . The fiscal year 2026 budget request includes $3.3 billion for B-21 procurement, but that number would rise to $5.4 billion if the reconciliation bill is passed.
Majority of CCA spending in FY-26 relies on reconciliation; Air Force RDT&E sees big bump

1 week ago | insidedefense.com | Vanessa Montalbano |Shelley Mesch

A not-yet-approved budget reconciliation bill accounts for an overwhelming majority of planned research and development spending for the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft program in fiscal year 2026, according to budget request documents obtained by Inside Defense.
DOD relying on reconciliation package to boost Space Force RDT&E

1 week ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch

The Defense Department is relying on the pending reconciliation funding package to increase fiscal year 2026 Space Force research and development above FY-25 levels, including $6.44 billion for a new line in a "Long Range Kill Chains" program.
DOD proposal would cut Space Force procurement 7%, even with reconciliation

1 week ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch

The Defense Department is seeking less procurement funding for the Space Force in fiscal year 2026 compared to the enacted FY-25 budget, even when accounting for money in the yet-to-be-passed reconciliation funding package, according to budget documents obtained by Inside Defense .
Crank, Strong forming House Golden Dome caucus

1 week ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch

Reps. Jeff Crank (R-CO) and Dale Strong (R-AL) will co-chair a newly formed Golden Dome caucus, Crank announced today. The caucus will provide a forum for members to hear open and closed briefings from military leadership and the defense industry on the proposed homeland defense system, he said during a conversation at the Hudson Institute.
Meink: Mods to Qatar-gifted Air Force One jet will cost 'less than $400 million'

2 weeks ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said today that modifying a Qatari jet to serve as Air Force One would likely cost "less than $400 million," despite some experts positing it could cost upwards of $1 billion. Meink, speaking during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, declined to go into the specific retrofitting needs for the jet -- a Boeing 747 owned by the Qatari government and offered as a gift to the U.S. Meink gave the estimate after a back-and-forth... Not a subscriber?
Space Force prepares 'rapid-response' launch of GPS III sat, awards $510M for 2 GPS IIIF sats

3 weeks ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch

The Space Force will launch the next satellite in its GPS III mission on Friday under a "rapid-response" timeline, going from storage to launch in just three months. The first such Rapid Response Trailblazer launch took off in December with five months of lead time, so Space Systems Command shortened the challenge for this next launch of Space Vehicle-08, Mission Delta 31 Commander Col. Andrew Menschner told reporters yesterday.
GAO: Air Force analysis pointed to permanent SPACECOM HQ in Alabama

3 weeks ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch

Multiple Air Force analyses pointed to Redstone Arsenal, AL as the preferred location to meet U.S. Space Command needs, GAO confirmed in a report released today , but the Biden administration still decided to maintain the current location in Colorado Springs, CO.
Three vendors complete R-GPS reviews, Space Force drops one from contract

4 weeks ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch

Three vendors for the Space Force's Resilient GPS effort have successfully completed design concept reviews, a service spokeswoman told Inside Defense, while one contractor was removed from the program. The service issued Axient -- now part of Astrion -- a stop-work order in January, service spokeswoman Laura McAndrews confirmed this week. Meanwhile, Astranis, Sierra Space and L3Harris successfully completed design concept reviews, she said.
Hegseth orders Air Force to plan modifications to Qatari jet for Air Force One

1 month ago | insidedefense.com | Shelley Mesch

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Air Force to plan modifications to turn a Qatari-owned jumbo jet into the next Air Force One aircraft, service Secretary Troy Meink disclosed today. Qatar has offered President Trump and the Defense Department a luxury Boeing 747 to serve as the presidential airlift platform, raising ethics questions as well as cost concerns of modifying a foreign-owned asset for such a high-profile mission.