Inside the Navy highlights

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

1. Lawmakers are pushing the Navy to address its submarine maintenance backlog at shipyards following a watchdog report that found the service spent over $1.5 billion in the last decade on vessels it could not operationally deploy.

Full story: Lawmakers press Navy to address submarine maintenance backlog

2. The significance of sea and air power should drive the conversation about the Pentagon's topline budget, a congressman likely to lead oversight of Navy shipbuilding next year told Inside the Navy last week.

Full story: Courtney: Sea power, air power are key to national security

3. The Navy has deemed a theoretical "MH-53K King Dragon" helicopter as "not practical," estimating procuring such a platform could cost up to $7.6 billion in 2014 constant-year dollars for 48 aircraft, while developing and testing the aircraft could run $2.6 billion, according to documents viewed by Inside the Navy.

Full story: Navy advises against 'MH-53K King Dragon,' pegs procurement at $7.6B

4. Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan has confirmed the Pentagon is building a new version of its fiscal year 2020 budget that accounts for more than $733 billion, despite having been told by the White House in October to plan for $700 billion.

Full story: Shanahan: 'We're looking at numbers above $733B'