Thursday, April 25, 2024
Thursday, April 25, 2024
The effects of tax reform on defense spending, GAO and the European Deterrence Initiative, Air Force AWACS aircraft and more highlight this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest.
Defense spending could be negatively impacted by proposed tax reform legislation:
Tax legislation generates concern over potential defense spending squeeze
With Congress poised to pass tax reform legislation that could grow the federal deficit, some analysts and experts say they expect defense spending to face new constraints.
The Pentagon isn't completely heeding the Government Accountability Office's advice when it comes to using OCO to fund the European Deterrence Initiative:
Pentagon will keep ERI in war-funding account, despite GAO criticism
The Defense Department will continue to use its controversial Overseas Contingency Operations account to fund the $4.5 billion European Reassurance Initiative, despite a recommendation from the Government Accountability Office that the Pentagon move ERI spending into its more stable base budget.
Despite upgrades, the Air Force's AWACS aircraft still have glitches:
Problems continue to slow AWACS upgrade process; wing staffs study BMC2
The E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System program office and Boeing are still working through myriad technical problems discovered in the fleet's Block 40/45 overhaul, though more than 12 aircraft have already been upgraded, according to the colonel who oversees the fleet at Tinker Air Force Base, OK.
The Air Force secretary was on Capitol Hill this week talking about acquisition reform:
Wilson talks acquisition reform as DOD delegates eight programs to Air Force
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told lawmakers this week the GPS III Follow-On program is an example of how the Defense Department is giving the services more leeway to manage their own acquisitions.
Document: Senate hearing on acquisition reform
Air Force Reaper unmanned aircraft are getting a much-needed cash infusion for upgrades:
Air Force shifting $20 million to urgently needed Reaper upgrades
The Air Force recently notified lawmakers it is moving nearly $20 million in fiscal year 2017 procurement funding to modify 14 MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft as a new-start program.
Inside Defense recently chatted with the new head of not-for-profit defense contractor LMI:
New LMI chief says company is 'actively looking' for new acquisitions
Not-for-profit defense contractor LMI is shedding its international work and refocusing its attention on its procurement, logistics, sustainment and analytics capabilities, the organization's new chief executive says.
The sale of Littoral Combat Ships to Saudi Arabia has spawned a dedicated program office within the Navy:
Navy establishes LCS program office to support Saudi Arabia buy
The Navy will establish a Littoral Combat Ship program office this weekend to support the foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia, Inside the Navy has learned.