Inside the Army highlights

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

1. Ft. Bliss, TX -- The Army's final large-scale soldier test of communication systems known as the Network Integration Evaluation will influence procurement and fielding decisions for two new tactical capabilities, the Command Post Computing Environment and the Mounted Computing Environment.

Full story: Final Network Integration Evaluation tests new mission command systems

2. The Army is accelerating fielding of the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor by five years and planning a radar competition next year at White Sands Missile Range, NM, as part of a new acquisition strategy for the Patriot radar modernization project.

Full story: Army sets 2022 LTAMDS fielding date, plans radar competition for next year

3. Requirements for the Army's Synthetic Training Environment should be completed over the next two months with the program reaching initial operational capability in 2021, according to a spokesman for the STE cross-functional team.

Full story: Army Synthetic Training Environment to reach IOC by 2021

4. President Trump's proposed cut to the defense budget -- and other discretionary spending -- is necessary to address the skyrocketing deficit, according to national security adviser John Bolton, who said the Pentagon can weather the downturn if it spends its funds more wisely.

Full story: Bolton says defense spending must be cut to offset rising deficit