Thursday, April 25, 2024
Thursday, April 25, 2024
This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Navy's Unmanned Campaign Framework, the Marine Corps' Common Aviation Command and Control System, the Army's Manned Fighting Vehicle program and more.
The Navy last month released a new unmanned plan that charts a path toward greater integration of unmanned systems into the fleet over the next several decades to better compete with China and Russia:
Navy, Congress and industry look to challenges and opportunities of unmanned systems
As the Navy moves forward with its new unmanned plan, members of Congress and industry executives are pressing for more details about how the technology will be used as well as how the service plans to manage intellectual property and requirements concerns.
The Marine Corps is now looking at expanding the use of the Common Aviation Command and Control System, including working with the Navy to use the CAC2S on L-Class ships and using the system for air traffic control:
After early fielding, Marine Corps pursuing CAC2S L-Class ship and air traffic control use
After the Marine Corps fully fielded its new Common Aviation Command and Control System last summer more than a year ahead of schedule, the service is moving forward with additional uses for the system.
The Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle program officially has three potential contractors:
BAE, General Dynamics, Rheinmetall bid for OMFV
The three companies that participated in the first iteration of the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle competition -- BAE Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems and American Rheinmetall -- have all announced they will bid for the new OMFV program.
Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of U.S. Northern Command, testified this week before the House Armed Services Committee:
NORTHCOM publicly bucks MDA's homeland defense 'underlayer' proposal
The top uniformed official responsible for defending the nation against North Korean ballistic missile attack threw cold water this week on the Missile Defense Agency's push for adding an "underlayer" to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, arguing the proposal to add the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA is too expensive and too narrowly focused given the range of potential air threats that need to be addressed.
Document: House hearing on SOUTHCOM, NORTHCOM
Brig. Gen. John Rafferty, the director of the Army's Long Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team, spoke to reporters this week:
Army says ERCA will be cheaper than existing rockets at 70 km range
The Extended Range Cannon Artillery will be able to strike targets at 70 kilometers with less cost and more lethality than existing Army rockets that fire in that range, according to the director of the Long Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team.
Navy Adm. Craig Faller, head of U.S. Southern Command, testified this week before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee:
SOUTHCOM chief calls for return of 'ISR transfer fund'
The head of U.S. Southern Command is calling for the return of the "ISR transfer fund," as he anticipates intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance will continue to be one of his major unfunded priorities this year.
Last but by no means least, some cyber defense news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:
CMMC assessors urge DOD to provide more written guidance for conducting audits
The Defense Department is expected to release contract solicitations with new cyber certification requirements in the coming weeks, but assessment companies are concerned about the impact of limited quality assurance guidance from the Pentagon and its independent accreditation body before the contractor auditing process officially starts.