The INSIDER daily digest -- July 22, 2022

By John Liang / July 22, 2022 at 1:51 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on unmanned undersea vehicles, the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, missile defense and more.

We start off with news from this year's Rim of the Pacific exercise:

U.S., allied nations deploying UUVs from amphib during RIMPAC

Partner nations of the United States are putting unmanned underwater vehicles to the test in the world's largest maritime exercise this summer.

Our colleagues from Inside Cybersecurity are reporting that Senate authorizers want a Government Accountability Office assessment of a certain aspect of the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program:

Senate defense policy bill directs GAO to produce report on CMMC reciprocity

Senate Armed Services Committee leadership is asking the Government Accountability Office to "conduct an assessment on the incorporation of reciprocity" into the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, in the chamber's latest version of the fiscal year 2023 defense authorization bill.

The Senate Armed Services Committee, in its mark of the FY-23 defense policy bill, would fully fund the Missile Defense Agency’s No. 2 unfunded priority: $292 million for the Regional Glide Phase Defeat Weapon System, also called the Glide Phase Interceptor:

Senate authorizers add funds to accelerate GPI, countermand USD research and engineering

Senate lawmakers are proposing a dramatic increase in spending for the Glide Phase Interceptor in fiscal year 2023 -- a nearly $300 million boost the Pentagon's top technology shop last fall determined would not necessarily accelerate plans for fielding a hypersonic defense.

Senate authorizers also want a Government Accountability Office review of how the Defense Department looks at industry mergers and acquisitions:

Senate lawmakers seek review of Pentagon's new M&A posture

The Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Government Accountability Office to review the Pentagon's process for considering defense industry mergers and acquisitions, a topic that has become especially controversial in recent months following the government's blocking of Lockheed Martin's proposed $4.4 billion acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne.

Some Army electric vehicle news:

Army will test electric trucks from GMC, Canoo

The Army has ordered two battery-electric vehicles to test their ability to complete military missions and refine requirements for the planned electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle.

Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Lorin Selby said this week that he will use autonomous, commercial off-the-shelf systems and sensors to help U.S. Southern Command find drug runners:

Selby: Navy's SCOUT program to complete in-water demo next spring

The Navy's SCOUT pilot program, which aims to rapidly develop technologies, will complete an in-water demo next spring.

215511