The INSIDER daily digest

By John Liang / December 7, 2015 at 2:16 PM

We kickoff this Monday INSIDER Daily Digest with news on the next-generation ballistic missile submarine:

McCain not persuaded by CBO on SSBN(X) cost savings estimate

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) is not persuaded by a Congressional Budget Office estimate 174275 asserting that the Navy will save 5 to 10 percent if it purchases the next-generation ballistic missile submarine with a special fund.

Navy, OSD reviewing multibillion-dollar acquisition strategy for SSBN(X)

The Navy and the Office of the Secretary of Defense are reviewing the finalized acquisition strategy for the Ohio-class replacement ballistic missile submarine after successfully completing an internal service milestone last month.

(For more Ohio-class replacement program news, check out our Notification Center, where you can sign up to receive email alerts whenever a related story is posted.)

Some Navy unmanned systems news:

Navy eyes shortened acquisition to buy UCLASS

The Navy is considering employing an accelerated acquisition process to purchase the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike system, according to the service chief.

Navy leaders defend decision to not further extend X-47B demonstrator

Navy leaders have defended the service's decision to wind up work on the X-47B unmanned combat air systems demonstrator (UCAS-D) in fiscal year 2015, turning aside encouragement from lawmakers to continue experimenting with the aircraft system -- built at a cost of nearly $1.5 billion.

The top story in this week's Inside the Army is on service capability gaps:

Worldwide Army commands find new voice in capability-gap analysis

A relatively new method of mulling over Army capability gaps has afforded regional service commands around the world a chance to push for changes in doctrine and weapons, according to a key official.

The next iteration of the Sidewinder missile should reach IOC sometime between January and March 2016:

AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missile to meet Air Force IOC by FY-16

With full-rate production authorized in August, the AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II air-to-air missile program is tracking to meet initial operational capability for the Air Force by the second quarter of fiscal year 2016, according to the missile's program manager.

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