Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the missile defense of Guam, the Navy's plans to buy fewer flight II Landing Platform Dock amphibious warfare ships and more.
Defense Department leaders are working to finalize a memorandum of agreement that codifies roles and responsibilities for the missile defense of Guam:
DOD still working to sort out defense of Guam organizational roles and responsibilities
Pentagon leaders are working to clarify lanes of responsibility for the defense of Guam, an unusually complex project -- even for the Defense Department -- that involves many intertwined organizational, functional and technological dimensions in a high-stakes, quick-moving project deemed crucial to defending, if necessary, Taiwan from China beginning in 2024.
While the Navy initially planned to buy 13 of the flight II Landing Platform Dock amphibious warfare ships, its fiscal year 2023 budget proposed truncating production after just three vessels:
Navy signals intent to procure at least three more LPDs
The Navy is planning to issue a solicitation to shipbuilder HII for long-lead-time materials and detail, design and construction of three amphibious warships -- LPD-33, LPD-34 and LPD-35, according to a presolicitation notice published Friday.
The Marine Corps is strengthening its defenses against small drones:
Small drone defense at Marine Corps sites to grow
The Marine Corps is enhancing five small unmanned aerial system defense platforms fielded at undisclosed U.S. military sites, with plans to add the high-tech equipment at other installations.
Our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity have the latest on the Pentagon's implementation plans for its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program:
DOD provides early look at assessment process for upcoming CMMC rulemaking
The Pentagon has outlined its expectations for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification assessment process in a recent filing to the White House Office of Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs that provides details on estimated costs for compliance for small business entities and other companies in the defense industrial base.
The Marine Corps' top uniformed officer issued his guidance to the service even though he hasn't been confirmed by the Senate yet:
Smith issues interim Marine Corps guidance as nomination hold drags on
Acting Commandant Gen. Eric Smith today published a Marine Corps force guidance letter affirming the service will continue on its Force Design 2030 trajectory and outlining accelerated modernization, naval integration and organic mobility as warfighting priorities.
Document: Smith's Marine Corps force guidance letter