The INSIDER daily digest -- Feb. 17, 2017

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the effects of the presidential transition at the Pentagon, unmanned systems, space and much more.

The Republican head of the House Armed Services Committee spoke about the effects of Obama administration holdovers at the Pentagon:

Thornberry worries Mattis is 'alone' in effort to increase defense spending; McCord denies reports of 'crisis'

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) said this week he is worried that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis might be unknowingly steered in the wrong budgetary direction by former Obama administration officials at the Pentagon, who, Thornberry asserts, have spent the past several years denying the existence of readiness problems and fighting congressional efforts to increase defense spending.

Unmanned systems news:

DARPA releases BAA for offensive swarming technologies

The Pentagon's advanced research arm is seeking industry's input to develop an architecture to enhance offensive swarming tactics with an eye for how this could help in challenging urban environments, according to a new broad agency announcement.

Document: DARPA's 'OFFSET' BAA

Air Force pursuing counter-UAS program of record in FY-18

The Air Force expects to set up a program of record to counter small unmanned aerial systems by the end of fiscal year 2018, according to a service spokeswoman, as the threat of armed small UAS grows in the Middle Eastern theater.

Space news:

New space vision drives Air Force to change SBSS Follow-on strategy

The Air Force said this week it will scrap parts of its strategy to replace the legacy Space-Based Space Surveillance satellite system, attributing the change of plans to its newly adopted, largely classified Space Enterprise Vision.

DOD says FCC acceptance of EU PNT system could boost resiliency

Defense Department space policy officials told Congress in a recent report that Federal Communications Commission acceptance of Europe's Galileo positioning, navigation and timing system would help address rising concerns about resiliency in the U.S. GPS constellation.

Joint Strike Fighter news:

Bogdan plugs incremental F-35 IOT&E plan, says delays driving costs

The F-35 program manager told Congress this week the program incurs an additional $30 million in costs for every six months initial operational test and evaluation is delayed -- one of several reasons he has pushed for an early start to the key testing phase.

Document: House hearing on the JSF program

F-35 officials report no ALIS issues during Red Flag training exercise

The commander of the 388th Fighter Wing, which operates F-35As at Hill Air Force Base, UT, said this week that widely reported development problems with the stealthy jet's diagnostics and health management system have become a "non-event" for the wing as the system matures and new software is fielded.

More news from this week's issue of Inside the Air Force:

Experts: Air Force's 'Third Offset' priorities could struggle, evolve in Trump era

Defense experts in Washington are mulling what the future of the Obama administration's "Third Offset" investments could look like under President Trump, as the Defense Department begins to shape its near-term budgets and updated national defense strategy.

Document: House, Senate hearings on the 'state of the military'

Resolute Support commander requests more funding for Afghan Air Force

Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of the Resolute Support mission and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, last week pushed the Senate Armed Services Committee to approve additional funds for the Afghan Air Force, calling airborne fighters key to the continued push against the Taliban.

Document: Air Force's revised A-29 draft PWS

Document: Senate hearing on Afghanistan

AFSOC awaiting ISR AOA results, considering shrinking crews

Air Force Special Operations Command chief Lt. Gen. Brad Webb said Tuesday the command is exploring its options for replacing the U-28A and MC-12 fleets with platforms that can be used in low- and high-intensity operations in an analysis of alternatives slated to wrap up in July.

Air Force delays Huey recapitalization RFP release until summer

The Air Force is pushing back its final request for proposals for the UH-1N Huey replacement effort from this month until sometime this summer, a service spokesman said this week, and will release a second draft RFP in April.