Inside the Pentagon highlights

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

1. With the formation of the White House National Trade Council and the designation of a full-time staffer focused on the defense industrial base, the incoming Trump administration is signaling an early interest in potentially relying on the defense industry to spur more U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Full story: Trump administration signals focus on defense industrial base's potential for job creation

2. In his final report to Congress, the Pentagon's chief weapons tester is urging lawmakers and the Defense Department to reject the "constant criticism" from those who have pushed to reduce operational testing and seek to curtail the independent authority of his office.

Full story: DOD's outgoing chief weapons tester: Just 'say no' to reduced testing

3. The Defense Science Board in a new report has recommended the Navy expand its competitive advantage under the sea by adopting a fleet of low-cost, commercially developed undersea systems to experiment with a handful of new missions that could both create new capabilities and significantly challenge potential adversaries.

Full story: DSB: Low-cost, commercial subs key to next-generation undersea warfare

4. Fielding network security systems before they are adequately tested could jeopardize the very networks they are supposed to protect, the Pentagon's chief weapons tester wrote in a new report, calling for the services to delay fielding these Joint Regional Security Stacks until they can be tested.

Full story: DOT&E: Services should delay fielding JRSS until they are adequately tested