Inside the Army highlights

Some must-reads from this week's edition of Inside the Army:

1. The Army is working to accelerate the modernization of its fires capabilities, providing phased improvements and building in room for future technologies, according to the director of its long-range precision fires cross-functional team.

Full story: ATACMS replacement poised for name change, acceleration

2. Despite schedule slips in the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator effort, the Army-led Future Vertical Lift program remains on track, according to the director of the cross-functional team charged with expediting it.

Full story: Rugen: Army at 'crossroads' on legacy fleet vs. Future Vertical Lift

3. The Army's cross-functional team for soldier lethality is focused on reducing the amount of weight a soldier carries and distributing more power across weapons while remaining compatible with all other battle elements. Key projects for the team are the Next Generation Squad Weapon and Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular.

Full story: Soldier lethality CFT lead details key systems coming soon

4. President Trump, despite an earlier threat to veto the legislation, signed a $1.3 trillion fiscal year 2018 omnibus spending bill into law late last week, announcing he was only doing so because it contains a significant increase in defense funding.

Full story: Trump signs omnibus spending bill