The INSIDER daily digest -- April 28, 2020

By John Liang / April 28, 2020 at 1:46 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on how senior military officials will address the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on its programs, plus the Air Force's use of commercial aerial refueling tankers and more.

It's unclear how much the COVID-19 pandemic will drive the Defense Department to re-allocate funds that have been appropriated by Congress for other uses:

DOD sets internal deadline for budget reprogramming proposals

Acting Pentagon Comptroller Elaine McCusker wants to know by May 8 where senior military officials most want to transfer money so their proposals can be vetted and possibly included in the Defense Department's annual omnibus reprogramming request to Congress.

Document: McCusker memo on reprogrammings

Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett recently told Congress she had directed Air Mobility Command to continue studying the possibility of using commercial air refueling services:

Air Force to extend commercial aerial refueling study by 60 days

The Air Force is prolonging a study of the feasibility of using commercial air refueling services to help meet tanker demands, telling lawmakers last week it would take another 60 days to complete its review.

In a new report on how small defense companies are weathering the coronavirus crisis, the National Defense Industrial Association said it is recommending the Defense Logistics Agency "reverse [its] policy position to no longer accelerate payments to small businesses":

Industry seeks change to DLA payment policy

As an industry group pushes for the Defense Logistics Agency to reverse its policy on accelerated payments, the Pentagon says the adjustment would require a new appropriation.

House lawmakers want the Defense Department to reconsider the Israeli-built and U.S.-financed Iron Dome program:

Lawmakers seek SECDEF's assistance in getting Army to re-look Iron Dome plans

Supporters of the Iron Dome air defense system have rounded up nearly two-dozen congressional signatures on a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, requesting a deployment plan for the Israeli-built system after the Army scrapped plans to incorporate the weapon system into its wide air and missile defense architecture.

Document: Lawmakers' letter on Iron Dome

DOD continues to "carefully and methodically track the state of the defense industrial base," according to senior department officials:

DOD monitors industrial base as Congress eyes another massive COVID-19 aid package

The Pentagon is bracing for a possible three-month delay across its major acquisition programs because of the COVID-19 outbreak, while Congress is eying another massive economic rescue package that could push billions in new funding to defense contractors.

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