Inside the Navy highlights

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

1. The Pentagon's independent operational test and evaluation office has warned the Navy its CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter is unlikely to meet the service's goal of declaring initial operational capability in December 2019, becoming the second office to do so.

Full Story: Second Pentagon office says CH-53K helicopter IOC will be late

2. The F-35 program office has not purchased another F-35B ground article nearly a year after halting durability testing because the original test jet was no longer production representative.

Full Story: DOD has not purchased second F-35B test article, awaiting Lockheed study

3. The Marine Corps plans to kick off in the third quarter of fiscal year 2021 a new competition to replace its aging Light Armored Vehicle fleet.

Full Story: Marines set to release armored reconnaissance vehicle solicitation in FY-21