The INSIDER daily digest

The Navy's "superior supplier" list tops off this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest.

Inside Defense's Jason Sherman took a look at the Navy's latest "superior supplier" list:

Eight Navy suppliers notch improved 'superior' ranking as service culls overall list

Five Navy suppliers improved their position -- and three made a new appearance -- in the service's annual "superior" rankings, a Defense Department program the service pioneered to identify exceptional cost, schedule, performance, quality and business relations by defense contractors.

A senior MDA official spoke this morning on Israeli missile defense funding:

MDA deputy director sees Israeli aid squeezing R&D resources

The deputy director of the Missile Defense Agency concurs with a recent report highlighting several budgetary trends squeezing MDA's research and development funds, including the politically sensitive push for increased aid to Israeli defense projects.

The Marine Corps wants a helicopter that has the option of being flown remotely:

Marines want 'optionally manned' Future Vertical Lift aircraft

The Marine Corps is pushing for the helicopter replacements being pursued under the Future Vertical Lift program to include "optionally manned" aircraft that can be flown by humans or operated remotely, depending on the mission.

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Inside Defense's Marjorie Censer sat down recently with the head of General Dynamics Mission Systems:

General Dynamics Mission Systems chief zeroes in on integration

Though General Dynamics Mission Systems was created a year and a half ago, the process required to fully integrate the company's many businesses continues, according to the unit's top executive.

Some news from the front page of today's Inside the Air Force:

Red Flag highlights need for space, cyber range improvements

An ongoing Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, NV, is placing a greater emphasis on space and cyber integration and is highlighting needed range improvements to better characterize threats and incorporate non-kinetic effects.

GAO report considers options for streamlining military space acquisition

Recent analysis from the Government Accountability Office presents options for improving military space acquisition, including a proposal to create a new military "space force" that would be responsible for all military space development and operations.

Document: GAO report on defense space acquisitions

 

Air Force secretary concerned about munitions levels under long-term CR

Although the Air Force has found its stride managing the pitfalls of operating under short-term continuing resolutions, the service's top civilian official said this week she's concerned about the impact a sustained stopgap spending measure could have on munitions levels.