The INSIDER daily digest -- August 21, 2025

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Space Force's Ground Based Radar Digitization initiative, the Army's Common Tactical Truck, the Navy reducing its civilian public affairs workforce and more.

Officials say the Ground Based Radar Digitization, or GBRD, initiative will extend the life of Cold War-era systems while improving performance against modern threats:

Space Force floats new sensor modernization initiative: Ground Based Radar Digitization

The Defense Department is seeking industry input on a sweeping effort to digitize the six ground-based radar sites that serve as the backbone of U.S. long-range missile detection.

Some Army Common Tactical Truck news:

Army will reserve the right to repair its Common Tactical Truck

The Army is surveying industry on its Common Tactical Truck program in advance of a request for proposals that will include a provision permitting service members to patch up the rig themselves.

The Navy is looking to reduce its public affairs civilian workforce:

SECNAV directs workforce reduction plan for civilian public affairs

Navy Secretary John Phelan plans to reduce his service’s civilian public affairs staff by 35%, according to an Aug. 7 memo that gives the Navy chief of information office 45 days to deliver a personnel reduction plan.

Document: SECNAV memo on reducing CHINFO civilian workforce

A new Defense Department inspector general's report assesses "the effectiveness of the Air Force’s integration of data license rights into contract requirements for selected weapon systems":

IG: Air Force not doing enough to obtain IP and data rights

The Air Force needs to do more to ensure it is obtaining intellectual property and data rights for contractor-made weapon systems if it wants to maintain technological superiority and preserve security interests, the Pentagon's watchdog reported.

Document: DOD IG audit of data license rights in Air Force weapon system contracts

The Army is still figuring out the eventual cost of a new-start missile program:

New Mobile-Long Range Precision Strike Missile costs changing based on vendor pricing

The costs of the new Mobile-Long Range Precision Strike Missile across the five-year future years defense program (FYDP) are changing based on "vendor pricing submissions," according to an Army spokesperson.