The INSIDER daily digest -- July 23, 2021

By John Liang / July 23, 2021 at 1:32 PM

This Friday INSIDER daily digest has lots of coverage of the Senate Armed Services Committee's fiscal year 2022 defense policy bill and more.

Let's start off with the FY-22 defense policy bill approved by Senate authorizers this week:

Senators boost defense spending by $25B in policy bill

The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 23-3 to authorize a $25 billion increase to the fiscal year 2022 defense budget.

Lawmakers want better insight into DOD missile defense decisions, advance other oversight proposals

A Senate panel wants better insight into high-level Pentagon missile defense acquisition matters, to block the Missile Defense Agency from long-term ownership of its fledgling Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor project and an independent review of major radars the agency and the Navy are procuring for similar purposes.

Senate panel proposes expanding Space Force AQ exec authorities across DOD space architecture

The Senate Armed Services Committee's version of the fiscal year 2022 defense policy bill moves to expand the role of the future space acquisition executive to give them authority that stretches across the Defense Department space architecture.

Senate lawmakers boost tech, cyber funding in policy bill

Concerned with the pace of modernization across the Defense Department, the Senate Armed Services Committee wants to ramp up funding to accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies and to strengthen cyber and supply chain security.

Senate authorizers fund second destroyer, extend Navy's amphibious block buy authority

The Senate Armed Services Committee has added a second destroyer to the Navy's budget and extended the service's ability to execute a block-buy contract for four amphibious ships.

Senate lawmakers restrict some USAF aircraft retirements, propose procurement, modernization boost

Senate authorizers passed a defense policy bill this week that would restrict a portion of the Air Force's proposed fiscal year 2022 aircraft retirements, add funding for fighter aircraft procurement and modernization, and block the service from developing a bridge tanker until the KC-46 remote vision system is fully operational.

Senate authorizers want increased funding for legacy Army ground vehicles

The Senate Armed Services Committee authorized increased funding for several legacy Army ground vehicles whose funding levels were cut in the service's fiscal year 2022 budget request, according to a summary the committee released July 22 of its version of the defense authorization bill.

We also have some Navy ship-related news:

Kitchener: Zumwalt-class destroyer likely to participate in exercises next year

The Navy is aiming to get the Zumwalt (DDG-1000), the lead ship of its new destroyer class, into exercises next year, Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, the commander of Naval Surface Forces, told reporters Thursday.

Navy has no plans to program another ESB, despite congressional funding

Despite Congress adding $73 million to the Navy's budget last year for an eighth Expeditionary Sea Base vessel, the service told Inside Defense it has no plans to build the ship.

Navy to award Doris Miller EMALS and AAG pre-production planning contract by end of year

The Navy will award a pre-production planning contract later this year for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for the Ford-class aircraft carrier Doris Miller (CVN-81), a service spokesman told Inside Defense.

Last but certainly not least, a story on funding for the Air Force's Long-Range Standoff Weapon program:

New LRSO cost estimate not the main driver for Air Force's $609M FY-22 budget ask

A recent projection showing the Air Force's new nuclear cruise missile will cost $29 billion wasn't the main driver in officials' $609 million budget ask for the program next fiscal year, according to a service spokeswoman.

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