The INSIDER daily digest -- Feb. 26, 2018

The Army's Mobile Protected Firepower program, an ongoing defense industrial base review, the Marine Corps' Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle program and more highlight this Monday INSIDER Daily Digest.

In this year's budget documents, the Army requested $393.6 million in RDT&E funding for Mobile Protected Firepower, up from the $90.2 million projected in the previous year's budget submission:

Mobile Protected Firepower to see significant gains in RDT&E

The Army is seeking a substantial funding increase for Mobile Protected Firepower in fiscal year 2019, as the service moves toward the engineering and manufacturing development phase for the "light tank" meant to bolster its infantry brigade combat teams.

Recommendations for an ongoing defense industrial base review are due April 17:

Pentagon turning industrial base review findings into recommendations as April due date approaches

The task force leading a new defense industrial base review recently held an "interim readout" of the effort's initial findings, according to the principal deputy director of the Pentagon's manufacturing and industrial base policy shop.

The Army wants to spend $164.8 million in RDT&E funds on improvements to the Abrams tank, with the bulk ($110.5 million) going to Abrams Lethality Engineering Change Proposal 1B:

Army commits $399M in RDT&E for four vehicle improvement programs

As the Army's combat vehicle improvement programs advance, some are slated to receive one-time gains in fiscal year 2019 research, development, test and evaluation money, while others would continue to wind down.

The Marine Corps anticipates releasing a request for proposals for the Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle program in the third quarter of FY-21 and awarding a contract in the third quarter of FY-22:

Marines commence new vehicle program analysis of alternatives

The Marine Corps will conduct a yearlong analysis of alternatives for the Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle program, which is a new-start effort in the fiscal year 2019 budget request.

The Air Force doesn't have to settle for a personnel-to-aircraft ratio about seven times greater than manned aircraft require, and needs to find a way to manage those assets more cheaply:

RPA enterprise needs to rein in manpower to save money, AETC chief says

ORLANDO, FL -- The head of Air Force Air Education and Training Command told reporters here last week he is working to flesh out initiatives to shrink the manpower and the cost needed to keep the remotely piloted aircraft enterprise running.

The first two HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters will be complete in the next couple of months and HH-60W will fly late this year:

Sikorsky looks to first CRH flight this year with LRIP on tap

ORLANDO, FL -- Sikorsky is working toward the maiden flight of its HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter as it begins assembling the fleet's first aircraft in anticipation of the start of low-rate production in fiscal year 2019.