Inside the Navy highlights

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

1. CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, NV. -- The Navy is considering a plan to recycle the Air Force's soon-to-be retired MQ-1 Predators for its own use, a Navy spokeswoman confirmed to Inside the Air Force last week.

Full story: Navy mulls using Air Force MQ-1s after 2018 retirement

2. The Navy and the Office of Management and Budget are in discussions over the budget offset for a second Littoral Combat Ship in the fiscal year 2018 budget and plan to notify Congress of their decision before the July 4 recess, multiple sources confirmed to Inside the Navy.

Full story: Navy expected to notify Congress before July 4 on LCS budget offset

3. A House panel is signaling its interest in a promising new weapon system, asking the Navy to draft plans to accelerate production of a project begun as a secret research and development effort and adopted in the Navy budget as a stand-alone program in fiscal year 2017: the Advanced Low Cost Munition Ordnance (ALaMO), being developed by Plano, TX-based L3 Mustang Technology.

Full story: House wants Navy plan to accelerate production of ALaMO ship-defense weapon

4. The Marine Corps recently tested a "critical link" between Amphibious Combat Vehicle Increment 1.1 and 1.2, which was the ability to launch and recover the system from an amphibious assault ship.

Full story: Marines test 'critical link' between Amphibious Vehicle Increment 1.1, 1.2