After the test of its Ground-based Midcourse Defense System, components of the upgraded Redesigned Kill Vehicle may be slowing upgrades to new interceptors.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and House Armed Services Committee Republican leadership agree that a $738 billion fiscal 2020 Pentagon budget topline is a sufficient compromise.

The Senate confirmed Mark Esper as the next defense secretary by a 90-8 vote July 23, ending months of leadership uncertainty for the top job at the Pentagon, where more than a dozen senior leadership posts remain vacant.