The INSIDER daily digest -- Jan. 24. 2020

By John Liang / January 24, 2020 at 2:16 PM

This INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Defense Secretary Mark Esper calling for legacy weapon systems to be divested, the Pentagon's new Adaptive Acquisition Framework, military sealift readiness and more.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies this morning:

Esper calls on Congress to back DOD plans to divest legacy weapons

Defense Secretary Mark Esper called on Congress today to take a "leap" and support the Pentagon's plans to divest legacy weapon systems so new investments can be made in emerging technologies.

When Defense Department acquisition chief Ellen Lord previewed the new Adaptive Acquisition Framework in October, she called it "the most transformational acquisition policy change we've seen in decades":

Pentagon releases new guidelines to accelerate acquisition

The Pentagon has released its new Adaptive Acquisition Framework, which defense officials say will dramatically accelerate a notoriously slow and cumbersome system.

Document: DOD's adaptive acquisition framework

The Defense Department inspector general has determined that Military Sealift Command "inaccurately reported the readiness status of its surge sealift ships because the MSC relied on ship contractors to accurately report ship readiness":

Watchdog adds to series of public criticisms about military sealift readiness

A government watchdog says the organization responsible for surge sealift ships failed to accurately report readiness statistics and could have jeopardized combatant commanders' decisions as a result, adding to series of public criticisms detailing problems with the Pentagon's maritime logistics forces.

Document: DOD IG report on military sealift readiness

Inside Defense recently interviewed the director of the Army's long-range precision fires cross-functional team:

Army moving ERCA prototype to Yuma next month

The director of the Army's long-range precision fires cross-functional team said last week the first prototype of the Extended Range Cannon Artillery platform at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is "nearly assembled."

Updates to the B-2 bomber have been delayed:

B-2 DMS-M delays triggered quarterly SAR report to Congress last fall detailing revised milestones, new targets

Setbacks in the Air Force's program to ready the B-2 bomber to fight in contested environments triggered a new Selected Acquisition Report for the project, generating a previously unreported October assessment on the consequences of an 18-month, key software delivery delay that is forecast to push initial operations of the modernized bomber from 2022 to 2024.

The Government Accountability Office last month denied Raytheon's protest of a Ship Self Defense System contract award. GAO only recently released its full decision:

GAO: Navy found Raytheon's technical edge in SSDS bid not worth higher price

In evaluating the Ship Self-Defense System, the Navy found Raytheon's technical edge was not worth its much higher price, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

Document: GAO decision on Raytheon's SSDS protest

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