The INSIDER daily digest -- Aug. 30, 2021

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the top Republican authorizer's desire to align the defense topline with the Senate's version of next year's policy bill, "requirements creep" in the Navy and a lot more.

The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee wants more defense funding:

Rogers unveils amendment to boost House defense bill by $25B

House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Mike Rogers (R-AL) is proposing an amendment that would increase the topline of the fiscal year 2022 defense authorization bill by $25 billion, aligning it with the version passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee last month.

The Navy's top civilian official spoke this morning at the Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance's Defense Innovation Days event:

Del Toro: Navy must avoid 'requirements creep' in acquisition programs

The Navy must work to avoid "requirements creep" in its acquisition programs to limit cost growth and schedule delays, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said Monday.

Aides to House Democrat authorizers are insisting the Navy should get more Super Hornet aircraft:

Additional F/A-18E/Fs added to House bill for strike fighter shortfall risk mitigation

House Armed Services Committee majority aides said Friday the panel believes the Navy needs the 12 F/A-18E/Fs the committee intends to authorize for fiscal year 2022 to reduce risk during the service’s strike fighter shortfall.

The Pentagon plans to prepare a report to deliver to Congress next year along with the FY-23 budget request that will provide a detailed 15-year plan for aircraft acquisition:

Biden administration pushes long-term aviation funding report to FY-23

The Defense Department is punting on a new statutory requirement to prepare an annual aviation inventory and funding plan aligned with the National Defense Strategy, citing the Biden administration’s deliberate decision to prepare a fiscal year 2022 budget request without the traditional accompanying future year spending plan.

House authorizers would require the Pentagon to submit a report by early next January on the potential operational impacts of stationing the Army's V Corps headquarters at Ft. Knox, KY, as well as a plan to deal with the physical and time distance difference between Europe and that base:

House panel concerned about V Corps' American headquarters

Congress is concerned about the decision to station the Army's Europe-focused V Corps at Ft. Knox, KY, according to a provision in the House Armed Services Committee's chairman's mark of the fiscal year 2022 defense policy bill.

House authorizers are stressing that "questions remain about the direction" of the Air Force's Advanced Battle Management System:

House panel praises components of ABMS but warns 'questions remain' over program’s direction

The House Armed Services Committee wants the Air Force to ensure its Advanced Battle Management System doesn't waste resources and fields capabilities that fit into the Defense Department's broader command and control effort, as lawmakers recommended cutting back the program's funding in their fiscal year 2022 chairman's mark.

The Navy recently conducted a live-fire test of the Second Stage Solid Rocket Motor as part of the development of its Conventional Prompt Strike offensive hypersonic capability and the Army's Long Range Hypersonic Weapon:

Navy successfully tests second stage motor on hypersonic rocket

The Navy successfully tested a new motor for a hypersonic missile that will be fielded by both the Navy and Army.

The House Armed Services Committee's defense authorization bill directs the National Reconnaissance Office to use the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract for missions whose requirements can be met by the program:

House authorizers continue push for NRO to use NSSL contract for launches when possible

House authorizers want the National Reconnaissance Office to use the Space Force's major launch services contracting mechanism "to the extent practicable" according to a draft of fiscal year 2020 defense policy legislation.