The INSIDER daily digest -- Dec. 13, 2019

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest features an interview with the chief executive of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the latest on the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification plan and more.

Inside Defense chatted with the chief executive of Huntington Ingalls Industries this week:

HII CEO: Industry leaders should better communicate 'real risks' of major programs

Huntington Ingalls Industries has been the target of criticism because of delays with weapons elevators on the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford (CVN-78), but the company’s chief executive said the blowback illustrates the challenge the country faces in managing program risks.

Here is the latest on the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification plan from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

Small business group launches cyber certification classes based on Pentagon's proposed model

The America's Small Business Development Centers this week is hosting the first of what is expected to be dozens of classes throughout the country over the next couple of months that are intended to prepare companies for the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification plan expected to be finalized early next year.

Defense Department officials are meeting with Microsoft representatives in Washington this week to chart the path ahead in implementing the JEDI cloud contract:

Pentagon plots path forward in transitioning systems to JEDI cloud with 14 'early adopters'

Despite facing a lawsuit in the Court of Federal Claims, the Pentagon is moving forward on the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud services contract with plans to transition a number of "early adopters" to the Microsoft-provided cloud environment including U.S. Transportation Command, Special Operations Command and the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center.

The Pentagon won't have more power over electromagnetic spectrum resources:

Lawmakers ditch Pentagon spectrum-sharing proposal after telecom industry warns of 'power shift'

Lawmakers have cut a provision in the fiscal year 2020 defense policy bill that would have given the Pentagon more power over electromagnetic spectrum resources after the telecommunications industry raised concerns about the "proposed power shift."

Prototypes of the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System will be tested for at least six months:

Army chooses five brigades to test Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System

The Army will begin testing prototypes of the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System with five brigade combat teams next April.