The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 21, 2016

The Marine Corps' latest CH-53 heavy-lift helicopter, the Air Force's space weather monitoring efforts and more highlight this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest.

The CH-53 King Stallion is one step closer to low-rate production:

CH-53K concludes initial operational test en route to production decision

The Marine Corps' $29 billion project to modernize its heavy-lift helicopter fleet has completed a two-week evaluation of the CH-53K King Stallion -- a key event in the campaign to ready the aircraft development program for low-rate production by prime contractor Sikorsky in early 2017.

The Defense Business Board looked at the Pentagon's test and evaluation infrastructure:

DBB: Pentagon should enhance T&E infrastructure, get better sense of enterprise costs

The Pentagon needs to improve its test and evaluation infrastructure, get a better handle on how much the enterprise costs and give the services a stronger voice, according to recommendations unanimously approved by the Defense Business Board Thursday.

At least one lawmaker isn't sure about the Air Force's space weather monitoring efforts:

Rogers reveals last-ditch concerns about Air Force weather plan

The chairman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee is concerned the Air Force's plan to address two key gaps in its space-based weather monitoring mission do not satisfy all of the requirements for meeting that mission.

Document: Rep. Rogers' letter to the Air Force on space weather

More from today's Inside the Air Force:

Bunch optimistic on open systems progress amid standardization, OTA push

The Air Force's top uniformed acquisition official said this week the service doesn't need much more in law, policy or guidance to achieve its open-architecture goals, noting that more bureaucracy could hinder its work.

Intellectual property pilot tries to cut excess R&D costs, encourage invention

The Air Force has launched a pilot program aimed at identifying technology and products that need intellectual property protections and encouraging Air Force Research Laboratory employees to file invention notices.

AFRL eyes potential of directed-energy weapons on autonomous platforms

The Air Force Research Laboratory will need to step up its ability to test directed-energy and autonomous systems in environments that may not yet exist, the lab's top officer said this week.

DARPA hands Air Force operational oversight of new space telescope

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency this week transferred to the Air Force operational oversight of a space telescope designed to view and track objects in geosynchronous orbit.

Research funding to grow Air Force cruise missile portfolio slated for 2017

The Air Force Research Laboratory will soon release its request for proposals for designs of a new "Gray Wolf" subsonic cruise missile, with at least one research and development contract expected to be awarded in late fiscal year 2017.