The INSIDER daily digest -- Jan. 2, 2019

The first INSIDER Daily Digest of 2019 has news on the Missile Defense Agency rebranding its Missile Defense Tracking System, the Navy deciding on a two-ship aircraft carrier buy, Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan taking charge of DOD earlier than expected and much more.

The Missile Defense Agency has renamed its Missile Defense Tracking System:

MDA rebrands Missile Defense Tracking System the Space Sensor Layer, readies prototype RFP

The Missile Defense Agency has rebranded the Missile Defense Tracking System -- a space-based sensor network envisioned to track enemy long-range ballistic and hypersonic missiles from launch to impact -- the Space Sensor Layer program and plans to brief industry this month on a second round of technology prototyping for the desired orbital capability.

Inside the Navy had the scoop this week on the service's decision to pursue a two-ship aircraft carrier buy:

Courtney: Navy to purchase CVN-80, CVN-81 in dual-buy format, saving $4 billion

After several years of planning and discussions, the Defense Department notified Congress today that it would pursue a two-ship buy of the third and fourth Gerald Ford-class aircraft carriers, a move that will save an estimated $4 billion, a congressman overseeing Navy shipbuilding told Inside Defense.

Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan has his hands full barely two days into the job as acting defense secretary:

Spotlight on Shanahan as DOD finalizes budget without Mattis

Just a week ago the Pentagon was scheduled to receive a $50 billion Christmas present from President Trump, but the future of the defense budget has been called into question as he has ordered a speedier-than-expected exit for Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and a surprise promotion for Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

Some defense business news:

Looking to 2019: Contracting advocates and experts lay out key issues in the year ahead

Contractors should expect a more uncertain year, given that the country will now have divided government, industry advocates and experts told Inside Defense.

M&A experts say they expect an active start to 2019, but potentially a more 'tactical year'

After a busy 2018, industry experts say they expect continued mergers and acquisitions in 2019 -- but the pace may slow as the year goes on.

Looking to technology, Serco CEO pursues new acquisitions, avoids LPTA work

Serco's chief executive, on the job for about a year and a half, is seeking to convince the Pentagon to turn to technology in its services contracts rather than just focus on price.

The Navy recently released an early look at its training and testing plans for future sonars:

Navy's training, testing plans include 'degree of risk' to not meet future national emergencies

The Navy's plans to train and test future sonars and explosives in Hawaii and Southern California are modeled off of fluctuations in training and deployment cycles, which means the service is accepting "a degree of risk" that it will not have sufficient capacity to conduct that training to meet future national emergencies, the service announced last month.

Check out a slew of stories we posted over the holiday break:

Pentagon watchdog calls USAFE plan to buy deployable air base kits 'not achievable'

U.S. Air Forces Europe won't have the equipment for its first rapidly deployable air base until the early 2020s -- at least two fiscal years after the service thought it would own five such kits, according to a new report by the Pentagon's inspector general.

Early test results indicate EPAA Phase 3 upgrade of BMDS 'performed as designed'

Early results of a mid-December Ballistic Missile Defense System operational assessment -- which still must be validated by the Pentagon's top weapons tester -- indicate the set of capabilities the Defense Department plans to soon deploy as part of the third and last increment of the European Phased Adaptive Approach "performed as designed," according to a DOD spokeswoman.

Air Force using agile approach to build counter-UAS strategy, programs

The Air Force is pulling together technologies to incrementally create a system that can counter encroaching unmanned aerial systems, rather than waiting for a complete solution to be ready.

Pentagon CIO to get new authorities as military makes push into cloud, artificial intelligence

The Defense Department's chief information officer is about to get increased power to review military spending plans for information technology and cyber capabilities, as DOD makes a concerted push into cloud computing and prioritizes artificial intelligence.

Navy official: 'Speed of change' is a concern in space domain

The "speed of change" in the Navy's space domain is a top concern as it works to stay abreast of technological advancements, according to the space lead in the service's information dominance office (N2/N6).

Air Force team developing options for greater LVC training integration

An Air Force team is crafting a study on live, virtual and constructive training concepts meant to inform near-term budget and strategy around how to improve training for fifth-generation aircraft.

Army seeks situational awareness training tool for complex environments

An Army research agency has issued a call for white papers on tools to improve situational awareness in complex operating environments like those expected in future conflict and laid out in the service's new multidomain operations concept.

Navy mulling 'phased approach' to potential CHAMP program

The Navy is considering a "phased approach" to recapitalizing the five mission sets bound for a potential common hull shipbuilding program, according to a service spokeswoman.