The INSIDER daily digest -- April 18, 2017

The Navy's V-22 Osprey fleet, a new GAO report on amphibious combat vehicles and the Air Force's exploring hypersonic ISR are among the highlights of this Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest.

The Navy wants to overhaul its V-22 Osprey fleet:

V-22 program to seek 'common configuration' funding in 2018 budget

The Navy's V-22 program office is attempting to secure funds in fiscal year 2018 for the overhaul of nearly half the Marine Corps' Osprey tiltrotor aircraft into a common configuration, according to the program manager.

GAO wants DOD to more accurately count the numbers of troops that fit into amphibious vehicles:

Pentagon agrees to adjust troop counts when comparing AAV, ACV costs

The Pentagon is supporting a Government Accountability Office recommendation that it adjust troop figures to more accurately compare the operations and support costs of Assault Amphibious Vehicles with those of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle.

Document: GAO report on the AAV, ACV programs

The Air Force is looking at hypersonic ISR aircraft:

Air Force to research hypersonic possibilities for ISR aircraft

Hypersonic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft are getting a new look under an effort that will explore air-breathing engines and may try to estimate the overall cost of such a platform, officials recently told Inside Defense.

Document: Air Force notice on ISR futures, hypersonics

Paying for Army readiness isn't so easy:

Winski: Army regaining readiness, but funding questions loom

The "biggest challenge" the Army faces in its drive toward readiness recovery is the lack of "consistent and predictable funding," according to the director of operations, readiness and mobilization in the office of the deputy chief of staff (G-3/5/7).

The Army is worried about unmanned aerial systems in Europe:

2nd Cav testing counter UAS capability in Europe

The Army is preparing to test two systems designed to address a growing unmanned aerial system threat in Europe, with a view to employing them as early as this summer, according to the commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

The Marine Corps is figuring out how to build a modular ground robot:

Marine Corps futurists prototyping modular ground robot

The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab is working with two companies to design and build a ground robot capable of using different mission payloads, according to a service official.

The Army wants to recapitalize its trucks:

Oshkosh to recapitalize Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks

The Army made three modifications April 12 to a 2015 five-year contract to Oshkosh Defense to recapitalize systems from the Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicles, according to a Defense Department announcement.

BAE Systems recently showed off its amphibious vehicle getting on and off an Italian Navy vessel:

BAE's next-gen amphib vehicle demonstrates launch and recovery ops

BAE System's next-generation amphibious vehicle offering recently demonstrated launch and recovery operations from an Italian Navy ship, according to a company executive.