Inside the Pentagon highlights

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

1. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said this week the Pentagon is working on new standards for the procurement of intellectual property, something she acknowledged has long been a "thorny" issue between the government and defense contractors.

Full story: Lord: Pentagon drafting new intellectual property acquisition standards

2. The House Armed Services Committee's top Democrat, in line to become the next chairman should his party win a majority in November, said this week the defense budget is too big and that the United States should not "cling" to notions of post-World War II dominance given today's fiscal and geopolitical realities.

Full story: Smith: U.S. should cut defense spending and not 'cling' to notions of post-WWII dominance

3. The Pentagon's technology chief, who worked on the Strategic Defense Initiative in the 1980s, says past cost estimates of space-based missile defense interceptors are overblown, as he believes a constellation of 1,000 interceptors could cost $20 billion.

Full story: Griffin estimates 1,000 space-based interceptors could cost $20 billion

4. Pentagon officials have been mulling over a new initiative aimed at raising the importance of security in acquisition for at least two months, but industry groups are awaiting further clarity on how the Defense Department will implement the "deliver uncompromised" effort.

Full story: Contractors await further clarity from DOD on 'deliver uncompromised'