The INSIDER daily digest -- Dec. 19, 2023

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon issuing a "call for projects" for its Microelectronics Commons effort, plus coverage from the Army's recent Technical Exchange Meeting 11 in Savannah, GA and more.

A new Microelectronics Commons "call for projects" released this week will provide up to $280 million to proposals that interest the Pentagon:

DOD announces new Microelectronics Commons 'call for projects'

The Defense Department released the Microelectronics Commons "call for projects" today for fiscal year 2024, with project awards scheduled for the third quarter.

More coverage of last week's Technical Exchange Meeting 11:

Army wants drones to play a role in extending network range

SAVANNAH, GA -- Army officials envision that unmanned aerial systems will eventually play a role in modernizing the network by extending its range.

Two years ago, the Army had 16 organizational networks and that number is now down to nine:

Army leaders target 2025 for consolidating organizational networks

SAVANNAH, GA -- The Army's top leaders anticipate that by the end of 2025, the service will have consolidated all of its organizational networks into one.

Keep an eye out next month for the Pentagon to release the final version of its National Defense Industrial Strategy:

DOD plans to unveil National Defense Industrial Strategy next month

The Defense Department is planning to release its first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy in January, a pre-decisional draft of which was obtained by Inside Defense earlier this month that calls for "generational change."

The final version of the fiscal year 2024 defense authorization conference bill largely restates missile defense objectives set forth in a FY-17 law, with just a slight tweak:

House gambit to expand national missile defense policy rolled back in final FY-24 policy bill

A proposal to dramatically expand in law the national missile defense policy -- with a provision proposed in the House version of the fiscal year 2024 defense authorization bill the Biden administration warned would be destabilizing, unaffordable and undoable -- was rolled back in the final version of the legislation.