The INSIDER daily digest

A new variant of the Aegis Weapon System radar, U.S.-Swedish military cooperation and the FY-17 defense policy bill are among the stories highlighted in this Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest.

The Missile Defense Agency wants to develop a new variant of the radar that's part of the Aegis Weapon System:

MDA optimizing Aegis for new Air and Missile Defense Radar-equipped Flight III destroyers

The Missile Defense Agency is laying the groundwork for a major enhancement of the nation's sea-based ballistic missile defense capability: The development of a new variant of the Aegis Weapon System optimized for the Navy's most advanced guided-missile destroyer.

Document: MDA RFI on Aegis Weapon System BMD 6

The U.S. and Swedish militaries want to work more closely together:

U.S. bolsters security ties with Sweden

The United States and Sweden have agreed to a new security partnership that emphasizes enhanced military posture in the Baltic Sea region amid continued international fears of Russian military aggression.

Document: U.S.-Swedish 'statement of intent' on military cooperation

More coverage of the FY-17 defense policy bill:

Democrats offer amendment to complement McCain's proposed OCO increase

Senate Democrats are offering an amendment to the fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill that would increase domestic spending by $18 billion to balance a similar increase sought by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) that would boost the Pentagon's overseas contingency operations budget.

Document: Senate democrats' domestic spending amendment

OMB pushes back on Senate authorizers' B-21, space launch provisions

The White House budget office this week released a sweeping rejection of several provisions in Senate authorizers' fiscal year 2017 defense policy bill, including those that would place additional cost oversight on the B-21 bomber program, restrict the Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program and call for broader use of enlisted pilots in the remotely piloted vehicle enterprise.

Document: Statement of administration policy on Senate FY-17 defense policy bill

Keep an eye out for a report from an industry-government technical data panel:

Industry-government technical data panel convenes first meeting

A congressionally mandated panel on technical data rights held its first meeting Tuesday, laying the groundwork for a report on the matter due to the defense secretary by Sept. 30.

Document: AIA letter to government-industry advisory panel

ONR wants to develop a "mother ship" for unmanned vessels:

Navy researchers want 'mother ship' for refueling unmanned vessels

The Office of Naval Research is seeking outside help to develop an automated ship capable of refueling and transferring data from unmanned surface vessels at sea, according to a recent broad agency announcement.

Document: Navy BAA on offboard refueling and data transfer for unmanned surface vehicles

A new DOD IG report is out:

DOD IG claims the Navy overpaid by $2.1M for ScanEagle spare parts

The Pentagon's watchdog agency claims the Navy overpaid by $2.1 million on sole-source spare parts for the ScanEagle unmanned air system following an audit conducted from June 2015 through March 2016.

Document: DOD IG report on ScanEagle spare parts

Looks like eight shipbuilders will be competing to design the next-generation surface connector:

Navy awards eight design contracts for connector replacement program

The Navy recently awarded eight design contracts totaling about $4 million for the surface connector replacement vessels that operates from the service's amphibious assault ships.

The Army is getting better at logistics:

Army G-4: Service 'making progress' on expeditionary logistics

After years in a "comfort zone" based on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army has "started to turn the table" toward building decisive action readiness, according to the service's deputy chief of staff for logistics.