Inside the Air Force highlights

Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Air Force:

1. The chairman and ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee this week said they are hopeful efforts to reform national security space organization and management remain bipartisan -- regardless of which party is in charge after the November election.

Full story: Thornberry, Smith hope for bipartisan Space Force debate

2. Compressing the research and development pipeline could help mature and field new technologies faster, the head of the Air Force Research Laboratory said this week.

Full story: AFRL chief aims to break down research stovepipes for faster development

3. The head of the Missile Defense Agency says more work is needed to mature the configuration of an updated missile-tracking sensor on General Atomics' MQ-9 Reaper ahead of flight tests in 2020.

Full story: MDA chief says MQ-9 missile-tracking sensor configuration needs more work

4. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said this week the Pentagon is working on new standards for the procurement of intellectual property, something she acknowledged has long been a "thorny" issue between the government and defense contractors.

Full story: Lord: Pentagon drafting new intellectual property acquisition standards