Here's a few must-reads from this week's edition of Inside the Pentagon.
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Key Issues Overhauling the FAR Troops in South Korea Overland AI
Tony Bertuca is chief editor of Inside the Pentagon, the flagship publication of InsideDefense, where he focuses on defense budget and acquisition policy. He previously worked for the Sun-Times News Group in his hometown of Chicago, IL, and at the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester, NH. Tony has also served as managing editor of Inside the Army. He has a master's degree in journalism from Boston University.
Here's a few must-reads from this week's edition of Inside the Pentagon.
The Senate Armed Services Committee is countering criticisms from Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who said Tuesday that a provision in the panel's version of the fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill to eliminate the post of under secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics would have negative consequences.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter opposes the plans of Senate lawmakers to eliminate the post of under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics and threatens to recommend President Obama veto a House defense policy bill over "budget gimmickry."
The White House is threatening to veto the House version of the defense authorization bill as it heads to the floor for debate Tuesday, citing a funding "gimmick" that gambles with the Pentagon's warfighting budget.
Congress is considering both defense authorization and appropriations legislation this week, while defense officials head to the annual Sea-Air-Space Exposition.
Contractors can expect to see some significant changes to the way they do business with the Pentagon on everything from bid protests to accounting compliance should the Senate Armed Services Committee's fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill become law.
The Chinese military in 2015 continued to pour significant funding into defense modernization, but also sought to reform and restructure itself internally, while simultaneously looking to extend its influence in the Asia Pacific region, specifically the East and South China Seas, according to an annual report released by the Defense Department.
In a major move sure to rile Pentagon insiders, the Senate Armed Services Committee has approved a fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill that would eliminate the position of the Defense Department's under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is pushing for the next president to take bold steps to reform the Defense Department acquisition system.
The Senate Armed Services Committee, diverting from its House counterpart, has approved a fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill that matches the president's budget submission and does not alter the funding structure set by last year's congressional deal, according to a committee spokesman.
Here's a few must-reads from this week's edition of Inside the Pentagon.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter has announced a significant shake-up at the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, the Pentagon's signature outpost in Silicon Valley.
The House appropriations defense subcommittee is poised to support a fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill that would shift $16 billion of the Pentagon's warfighting account to the base budget, closely following a bill offered by House authorizers, but called "astoundingly irresponsible" by Democrats.
Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall is seeing new support on Capitol Hill advocating for the relaxation of the Defense Department's oversight relationship with industry and he is worried his successor will be pressured to adopt a more "laissez faire" attitude in the next presidential administration.
The Defense Department seeks to reprogram $257.7 million to fill intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities gaps identified by combatant commanders in the Middle East and Africa.
Major defense legislation is winding it way through Congress this week, while the Defense Department's acquisition chief is scheduled to speak at a Washington think tank.
Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall has a "pet peeve" when programs "go into the ditch."
The House Armed Services Committee supports the Pentagon's decision to classify the National Military Strategy, according to the panel's version of the fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill.
The United States remains in talks with South Korea over the potential deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to counter North Korean ballistic missile threats, a discussion made complicated by China and its concerns that THAAD will become part of a larger "containment strategy" in the region, according to a State Department arms control official.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) is criticizing the White House and Defense Department for failing to properly fund military readiness in the fiscal year 2017 budget request, while simultaneously trying to advance a defense authorization bill that would shift billions from the DOD account that traditionally funds readiness in hopes the money will be added by an emergency supplemental from a new presidential administration.