The INSIDER daily digest -- Jan. 25, 2018

The director of operational test and evaluation's latest annual report dominates this Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest.

The latest annual report from the Pentagon's operational test and evaluation office -- which Inside Defense obtained a copy of before its official release -- has a lot to say about a variety of weapon systems under development. Check out our coverage so far:

DOD programs:

DOD's new weapons testing chief says test ranges do not match capabilities of adversaries

The Pentagon's new director of operational test and evaluation is concerned that existing methods for measuring the performance of U.S. weapon systems do not adequately reflect the threats posed by potential adversaries, especially in the cyber and space realms, according to a new report obtained by Inside Defense.

DOT&E: MDA shielded GMD system from cybersecurity assessment during marquee 2017 flight test

The Missile Defense Agency effectively cordoned off salient elements of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system from independent cybersecurity experts attempting to assess its vulnerability during a marquee 2017 flight test, which the Pentagon hailed as a success after intercepting an intercontinental ballistic missile-class target, according to a new report.

Air Force programs:

DOT&E eyes 2018 F-35 IOT&E start; Gilmore predicted further delays

The Pentagon's new chief weapons tester said in his 2017 report he expects initial operational test of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will likely begin late this year -- a shift from his predecessor's prediction that operational testing could be delayed until 2020.

Army programs:

DOT&E urges Army to conduct 'more operationally realistic testing effort' for APS

The Army's effort to "install and characterize" non-developmental active protection systems on its combat vehicles has come with delays and limited successes, according to a new report.

Navy programs:

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities found in CANES force-level variant

The force-level variant of the Navy's afloat enterprise system is "not survivable in a cyber-contested environment," according to the director of operational test and evaluation's latest report released Jan. 24.

Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare program to undergo quick reaction assessments in FY-18, 19

The Navy's Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) Increment 1 program will undergo quick reaction assessments in fiscal years 2018 and 2019.

DOT&E, Navy disagree on Expeditionary Sea Base self-defense capability

The Pentagon's operational test and evaluation community is at odds with the Navy on the level of self-defense capability needed for an Expeditionary Sea Base, dubbed a T-ESB.

Meanwhile, earnings season rolls along apace:

Defense contractors report sales boosts

Some of the largest defense contractors today said they saw sales increases in 2017.

The Pentagon's industrial policy chief testified this morning before the Senate banking committee on foreign investment in the United States:

DOD supports increased scrutiny of foreign investments that could threaten defense industrial base

The Defense Department supports a proposed law that would expand the scope of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to allow for more detailed government reviews of business transactions, especially those involving China and emerging technologies, that could put the defense industrial base at risk.

Document: Senate hearing on CFIUS

New York City-based Persistent Systems has lost a protest over the Army's two-channel radio request for proposals:

GAO rejects contractor's protest of Army's Leader Radio RFP

The Government Accountability Office has denied a bid protest filed over the Army's planned acquisition of a two-channel radio for team, squad and platoon leaders.

The Government Accountability Office wants Congress to pay more attention to the personnel security clearance process:

GAO adds security clearance process to 'high-risk list'

The Government Accountability Office has added the personnel security clearance process to its "high-risk list," aiming to draw increased lawmaker scrutiny to the background investigations backlog as the Defense Department prepares to take over investigations for its own personnel.