The INSIDER daily digest -- Dec. 19, 2019

By John Liang / December 19, 2019 at 2:30 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news from an interview with the CEO of Leidos, plus Air Force Huey replacement helicopters, a U.S.-India defense technology agreement, the Pentagon's integrated overhead persistent infrared architecture strategy and more.

Inside Defense interviewed the CEO of Leidos this week:

Krone: Leidos will 'go very slow' in integrating Dynetics

The chief executive of Leidos says the company is seeking to “go very slow” in integrating Dynetics, which it announced yesterday it will buy for $1.65 billion.

Related: Leidos to buy Dynetics in $1.65 billion deal

The first Boeing-provided MH-139A arrives at Duke Field, FL, today, and the service expects to receive the remaining three test helicopters in January and February for evaluation of their use in guarding ICBM fields:

New detachment to help accelerated testing of Air Force's UH-1N replacement helicopters

Air Force Global Strike Command activated Detachment 7 on Wednesday to ensure a fast developmental and operational testing schedule for the service's four new MH-139As -- the Huey replacement helicopters that will provide security and transportation for the service's intercontinental ballistic missile mission.

The U.S.-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative, or DTTI, intended to bolster defense ties between both nations, is underway:

U.S. and India state interest in specific defense technology projects

Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord this week signed a statement of intent for the Pentagon to pursue specific defense technology and trade projects with India, including the areas of lightweight small arms, air-launched small unmanned aircraft systems, and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance systems.

Lawmakers are claiming DOD "lacks consensus" on the architecture solutions needed to meet strategic missile warning, missile defense and battlespace awareness mission areas:

Appropriators direct enterprise OPIR strategy to avoid duplication, inefficiency

Congressional appropriators are calling on the Defense Department to craft an integrated overhead persistent infrared architecture strategy due to concerns about overlap among programs managed by the Air Force, Missile Defense Agency and Space Development Agency.

The Air Force is launching a new command and control effort in collaboration with the other services:

Air Force launches new 'DevOps' cycle with Army, Navy, USMC to incubate JADC2

The Air Force this week is spearheading a project with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and industry entrepreneurs to emulate the kind of rapid software and hardware development pioneered by Silicon Valley start-ups in a bid to incubate Joint All Domain Command and Control -- an envisioned technical backbone to link sensors and shooters across air, land and sea.

Part of a Navy unmanned systems program has been canceled:

Navy cancels remaining MUX prize challenges

The Navy has canceled two prize challenges for its Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Expeditionary program so the service can re-evaluate requirements.

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