Inside the Navy highlights

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

1. The Navy aims to reduce its strike fighter inventory shortfall from an anticipated 61 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets in fiscal year 2020 to a "new single-digit norm" by FY-24, according to documents viewed by Inside the Navy.

Full story: Strike fighter shortfall to reach 'single-digit norm' in FY-24

2. The Defense Department is asking congressional permission to shift $85 million between fiscal year 2018 war spending accounts to immediately launch more than a dozen new-start intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs across all four services in support of combatant commander needs.

Full story: DOD seeks OK to launch ISR new-starts with $85M reprogramming

3. The Navy prematurely declared initial operational capability for three Littoral Combat Ship mine countermeasure mission packages, according to a government watchdog.

Full story: DOD IG: Navy prematurely declared IOC on three LCS MCM mission packages

4. House and Senate lawmakers have agreed the Pentagon needs to conduct a major review of its roles and missions, but decided to forgo measures that would have mandated revalidations of several key weapon systems and prohibited increases in the number of U.S. troops.

Full story: Lawmakers tone down push for broad DOD roles and mission review