The INSIDER daily digest -- Aug. 20, 2020

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Space Force, naval shipyards, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on defense contracting and more.

Air Force Lt. Gen. David Thompson, who was nominated earlier this month to serve as deputy Space Force commander, spoke this morning at the National Defense Industrial Association's Space Warfighting Industry Forum:

Pentagon close to determining which Army, Navy capabilities will transfer to Space Force

The vice commander of Space Force headquarters said today he expects in the next few weeks to reach an agreement with the Office of the Secretary of Defense about which Army and Navy space programs should transition to the new service, beginning in fiscal year 2021.

A new Government Accountability Office report released today looks at delays at naval shipyards:

GAO finds unplanned work and workforce issues are driving Navy ship maintenance problems

A government watchdog has found unplanned work and workforce problems are the two key factors causing the Navy to fall behind on aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance availabilities.

Document: GAO report on Navy shipyards

Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord spoke with the media this morning on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on defense contracting:

Lord defends request for contractor COVID-19 relief: 'I don't write blank checks'

Defense Department acquisition chief Ellen Lord today defended the Pentagon's request that Congress provide about $11 billion in emergency supplemental funding to mitigate the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on defense contractors and weapons programs.

A new Pentagon report details the Defense Department's implementation of the Defense Science Board's recommendations on software:

New software report shows Pentagon is directing services to allocate money for 'DevSecOps' efforts

The Defense Department's chief information officer is requiring the military services to program funds in their upcoming budget submissions to support new "DevSecOps" software development efforts, according to a new software report recently delivered to Congress.

Defense Department officials are hailing an announcement today as progress in establishing a trusted, domestic supply of small unmanned aerial systems:

Pentagon rolls out new, small drones for government use, offering alternative to Chinese-made aircraft

The Pentagon announced today the availability of new, U.S.-manufactured, small unmanned aircraft systems for a variety of government uses after the Defense Department and other federal agencies phased out their use of popular Chinese-made drones and components due to security concerns.

Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. Jon Hil spoke at an online Heritage Foundation event this week:

MDA director: Boost-phase intercept, if technically possible, to be saved for retaliatory strike

If the U.S. military can ever master technology capable of a boost-phase intercept -- the ability to shoot down enemy intercontinental ballistic missiles immediately after launch -- it will likely be employed in a retaliatory strike because thwarting an initial salvo would come very close to an offensive operation, according to a senior Defense Department official.