Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on missile defense in Guam, the competition over the Navy's Next Generation Jammer-Low Band contract, Air Force space acquisition efforts and more.
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John Rood told the House Armed Services Committee this morning that the Defense Department is reviewing a plan to beef up Guam's missile defense capability:
Pentagon considers INDOPACOM gambit to replace THAAD with Aegis Ashore on Guam
The Pentagon is considering a proposal to bolster Guam's defense by replacing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system with an Aegis Ashore site -- a move that would mark the first Pacific deployment of the land-based Standard Missile system to protect forward-deployed forces in the western-most U.S. territory against North Korean threats.
It looks like L3Harris and Northrop Grumman will be the companies competing to win the Navy's Next Generation Jammer-Low Band contract competition:
Raytheon sits out Next-Gen Jammer-Low Band competition, leaving L3Harris vs. Northrop
Raytheon has bowed out of a multibillion-dollar maritime airborne electronic attack competition, setting up a two-way race between L3Harris and Northrop Grumman for the Navy and Marine Corps' Next Generation Jammer-Low Band (NJG-LB) program.
Shawn Barnes, who works in the Air Force's new space acquisition and integration office, recently spoke with a small group of reporters at the Pentagon:
USAF to discuss space acquisition, architecture roles at mid-February enterprise summit
As the Air Force readies a new space acquisition and integration office, one of its early efforts is to identify roles and responsibilities for existing organizations that develop space capabilities, including the Space Development Agency, the Space Rapid Capabilities Office and the Space and Missile Systems Center.
The Air Force's top uniformed official isn't ready to wade into the fight over which service deserves more funding:
Goldfein dodges public budget fight, details risk in Air Force's digital transformation pitch
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein this week declined an opportunity to make a case for his service to have a bigger share of the Defense Department budget topline, despite claims in recent weeks from Navy and Army leadership that their respective services require more than the standard one-third allotment.
Weapon deliveries to Iraq have been temporarily frozen:
U.S. government pauses weapon deliveries, personnel support for Iraq's F-16 fleet
The U.S. government has halted all weapon deliveries to Iraq -- including the Air Force's program supplying Sidewinder missiles, Maverick missiles and other arms for the country's new F-16 fleet -- amid tensions with Iran and paramilitary groups there.
Last but certainly not least, some cyber defense news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:
DOD-backed group for certifying cyber auditors announces full board of directors
The Accreditation Body for implementing the Defense Department's landmark cybersecurity certification program has announced a full board of directors, less than two weeks after the deadline for accepting applications for the positions.
NSA lawyer: Technology imposes new national security responsibilities on private industry
The increased threat to national security from new technologies in cyberspace will impose unprecedented responsibilities on private industry to protect critical infrastructure, while challenging government policymakers to preserve civil liberties in meeting these emerging risks, according to National Security Agency General Counsel Glenn Gerstell.