Inside the Army highlights

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

1. The Army's top brass has formally endorsed the requirement for a new long-range, guided missile, forwarding a recommendation to the Office of the Secretary of Defense that the Pentagon proceed with a competition for the Long Range Precision Fires program -- potentially worth billions of dollars and expected to draw interest from Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Full story: Long Range Precision Fires headed to DAB after AROC approval

2. An influential Pentagon advisory panel is recommending the Army overhaul the way it organizes and equips troops for long-haul deployments as well as expeditionary operations, calling on the service to consider two dozen new "enablers" -- including technologies -- and four new operating concepts that it argues will facilitate "decisive" strategic and expeditionary maneuver capabilities in 2025.

Full story: ASB recommends new advanced operating concepts to support 'Asia pivot'

3. The U.S. Army, currently in the midst of exercises Swift Response in Poland and Germany and Anakonda in Poland, is transitioning from an assurance to a deterrence posture in Europe, according to the head of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command.

Full story: Sustainment chief: Army shifting from assurance to deterrence in Europe

4. The Army has halted work on a six-year-old environmental study that was considering the impact of adding nearly 83,000 acres to Ft. Benning, GA, citing a reduction in requirements.

Full story: Army ends EIS that weighed adding nearly 83,000 acres to Ft. Benning