The INSIDER daily digest -- Jan. 20, 2021

By Marjorie Censer / January 20, 2021 at 12:59 PM

This inauguration day INSIDER Daily Digest has news on a missile defense test, President Biden’s defense secretary nominee, the Army’s arctic plans and more.

The Pentagon’s latest annual testing report has new details on a missile defense test carried out last year:

Aegis, AMDR detected, tracked and launched simulated SM-6 against long-range hypersonic glide vehicle

The Aegis ballistic missile defense system demonstrated the ability to track a long-range hypersonic weapon during a non-intercept test executed in parallel with a March 2020 flight test of the Conventional Prompt Strike program, launching a simulated Standard Missile-6 against the actual hypersonic glide body during its 2,000-mile flight over the Pacific.

President Biden’s nominee for defense secretary says he will undertake a new national security review:

Austin promises new defense strategy and extensive reviews for Biden's DOD

Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin has committed to several key Defense Department reviews if confirmed as defense secretary and asserted his belief that military spending is unlikely to be increased in the near future.

Lockheed Martin officials think the company’s experience gives it a leg up in building Navy unmanned vessels:

Lockheed Martin touts integration, autonomy experience as it competes to build Large Unmanned Surface Vessel

Lockheed Martin executives believe their experience doing integration on surface ships and autonomy work for aircraft and underwater unmanned vessels has prepared the company to tackle the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel.

The Air Force is working to address software issues with a swarming weapon:

AFRL correcting Golden Horde software issue for next flight test

The Air Force Research Laboratory is fixing its software processes for the next flight test of the experimental Golden Horde swarming weapons capability after an unforeseen error hindered successful airstrikes last month, according to Col. Garry Haase, commander of AFRL's munitions directorate.

The Army has its eyes on the Arctic:

McConville: Army to upgrade Alaska command

The Army plans to increase its forces in the Arctic and turn what is currently a two-star command in Alaska into an "operational headquarters," Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said Jan. 19 at an Association of the U.S. Army event.

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