The INSIDER daily digest -- Jan. 31, 2020

The bulk of this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest features coverage from the Pentagon's latest operational test and evaluation report.

DOT&E on space and missile defense:

DOD's chief weapons tester sees shortfalls in weighing space, cyber systems

The U.S. military is wrestling with how best to evaluate weapon systems focused on the space and cyber domains, despite a new budgetary focus on procuring emerging technologies in both areas, according to the annual report from the Pentagon's chief weapons tester.

Test program to defend against North Korean ICBMs on 'strategic pause'

The Defense Department has imposed a "strategic pause" on Ground-based Midcourse Defense testing -- assessments used to bolster confidence in the system designed to protect the United States from a North Korean attack -- in an apparent consequence of the August decision to terminate the Redesigned Kill Vehicle program.

Behler calls for $500 million investment in improved space testing capabilities over FYDP

The Pentagon's top weapons tester continues to push for greater investment in threat-representative space testing infrastructure, writing in his most recent report that the Defense Department should invest at least $100 million per year over the next five years in improving space threat emulation.

DOT&E on the Joint Strike Fighter:

DOT&E labels F-35 Block 4 master schedule 'high risk'

The Pentagon's top weapons tester has labeled the F-35 joint program office's Block 4 modernization schedule as "high risk" due to inefficiencies in testing and software releases as well as a backlog of 13 Category 1 deficiencies that he says must be addressed before the program integrates significant new capability.

DOT&E on certain Air Force helicopter and bomb programs:

Combat Rescue Helicopter testing shows deficiencies in degraded, attack environments

One year after the Combat Rescue Helicopter program received a searing review from the Pentagon’s chief weapons evaluator, more testing has exposed new technical constraints and performance issues in degraded visual and live-fire environments.

Pentagon's chief weapons tester calls SDB II mission planning a 'significant challenge'

The Small Diameter Bomb II has a cumbersome process to load Link 16 data, creating a "significant challenge" for timely mission planning and complicating the delivery of valid targeting information for attacks against moving targets, according to a new report from the Pentagon's chief weapons tester.

DOT&E found issues with the Army's Command Post Computing Environment:

DOT&E finds Command Post Computing Environment deficiencies

The Pentagon's top weapons tester has made several recommendations to improve the Army's Command Post Computing Environment after labeling the system operationally ineffective and unsuitable for soldiers.

DOT&E on Navy submarine, aircraft carrier and missile programs:

DOT&E says Navy found risk in Columbia design that could affect operational effectiveness

Early operational testing of the Columbia-class submarine's design turned up risks that may affect the ship's operational effectiveness and suitability, a new report by the Pentagon's top weapons tester revealed.

DOT&E: CVN-78 combat system issues inhibiting ship's self-defense ability

The Navy discovered issues with the combat systems for the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford (CVN-78) that inhibit its self-defense ability, according to a new report from the Pentagon's top weapons tester.

DOT&E: LRASM experienced hardware problems during F/A-18 testing

An air-launched, anti-ship missile being purchased by the Navy and Air Force experienced "hardware reliability failures" last year during testing on a strike fighter, according to a new report published Thursday by Pentagon weapon testers.

Last but by no means least, here's the latest on the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification effort:

DOD officials promise go-slow approach to new contractor cyber certification

Pentagon officials are promising the defense industry a slow, phased roll out of the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, with the new security requirements expected to show up in just 10 contracts this year.