The INSIDER daily digest -- Aug. 19, 2020

By John Liang / August 19, 2020 at 1:51 PM

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on a recent waiver of a Pentagon ban on U.S. defense contractors using Chinese electronics equipment, SpaceX's legal dispute over a launch contract it didn't win and more.

A recent waiver of a Defense Department ban on U.S. defense contractors using Chinese electronics equipment could be extended:

Pentagon's Huawei ban waiver for 'low risk' contracts could be extended past Sept. 30

The Pentagon says that a waiver allowing some "low risk" Defense Department contractors to continue using Chinese telecommunications and security equipment could be extended past Sept. 30, as the items covered under the exemption represent nearly three-quarters of all DOD transactions.

Related: Pentagon gets temporary waiver from Huawei ban for 'low risk, high volume items' contracts

Just because SpaceX recently won a big space launch contract doesn't mean the company's going to stop its dispute of a previous launch contract it didn't win:

SpaceX doubles down on launch services lawsuit, even after major LSP win

SpaceX has confirmed in a new court filing that it intends to maintain its lawsuit against the Air Force's 2018 Launch Services Agreement award, despite winning a contract earlier this month to launch 40% of Phase 2 national security spacelift missions.

An Air Force Research Laboratory spokesman this week gave Inside Defense additional details about a recent failed test of Kratos' XQ-58A Valkyrie remotely piloted aircraft:

AFRL's Valkyrie had second mishap during late July flight test

The Air Force Research Laboratory had to abort a July 29 flight test of Kratos' XQ-58A Valkyrie after an "anomaly" with the rocket-assisted take-off system -- the drone's second mishap in 10 months.

Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill spoke this week during an online event hosted by the Heritage Foundation:

With NGI proposals in hand, MDA begins source selection; eyes opportunity to accelerate schedule

The Missile Defense Agency last week took receipt of industry proposals for a Next Generation Interceptor and has begun source selection, a process expected to yield two winners and potentially a faster development and deployment schedule for the new guided missiles slated to protect the nation against North Korean -- and potentially Iranian -- intercontinental ballistic missile threats in the 2030s.

The Combat Rescue Helicopter program is moving to complete formal developmental testing in December, start initial operational test and evaluation next spring and begin initial deliveries of the first production lot in May 2021:

Combat Rescue Helicopter program fixing deficiencies, eyeing upgrades RFP this fall

The HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter program is working through technical deficiencies found during developmental testing, implementing more industry-standard software practices and planning to solicit proposals for a capability upgrades contract this coming fall.

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