Inside the Navy highlights

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

1. The Navy in September began conducting new inspections of its supplier base supporting the Columbia-class submarine program in response to faulty welding on missile tubes found in August, according to a Navy officer overseeing the submarine program.

Full story: Navy conducting new inspections of Columbia-class submarine vendors

2. The party flip in the House following last week's midterm elections could put the Navy's already uphill battle for a 355-ship fleet on a more difficult track.

Full story: Democratic House could create new obstacles to building larger Navy

3. The Navy will begin trade studies in fiscal year 2020 to evaluate the possibilities for a second life extension program of the Trident II D5 fleet ballistic missile, according to the service's director of strategic systems programs.

Full story: Wolfe: Trade studies for second Trident D5 LEP starting in FY-20

4. The Defense Department has directed the Navy to stand up a formal program office for the U.S. military's marquee hypersonic boost-glide project, a major milestone that caps a decade-long, $1 billion technology development effort and sets the stage for the Navy to weaponize the Conventional Prompt Strike for the submarine fleet.

Full story: DOD directs Navy to stand up new hypersonic program office