The INSIDER daily digest -- July 28, 2021

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has more news from the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee mark-ups of the fiscal year 2022 defense policy bill.

We start off with coverage of the tactical air and land forces subcommittee:

House authorizers seek details on increasing organic F-35 sustainment

House lawmakers want more information on the implications of shifting some contractor-led F-35 maintenance requirements to the government and are proposing a Comptroller General study on the topic.

House authorizers want Air Force to 'prioritize modernized data links' for RC-135

Citing concerns about data sharing between intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft and tactical platforms, the House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee is asking the Air Force to take steps to boost interoperability between the RC-135 and key weapons systems in its fiscal year 2022 defense policy bill draft.

House panel requests ground vehicle electrification briefings

The House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee wants to require the Army to brief the full committee on ground vehicle electrification research.

House panel proposes GAO lead DOD-wide tacair portfolio review

In parallel with a slew of tactical aircraft portfolio deep-dives the Defense Department and the Air Force have undertaken in the last year, House lawmakers propose directing the Government Accountability Office to conduct its own review of the services’ fighter force structure and inventory requirements to identify gaps and future requirements.

. . . Followed by the seapower and projection forces subcommittee:

House seapower subcommittee adds second destroyer, upset about omission

The House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee is recommending funding a second destroyer after the Navy omitted the ship from its budget request.

Lawmakers look to restrict C-130H retirements, propose 287-aircraft inventory floor

House lawmakers want to place limits on the Air Force's plan to retire 45 C-130 airlifters over the next several years, proposing a 287-aircraft floor on the inventory that would remain in place through fiscal year 2026.

Seapower subcommittee Chairman Joe Courtney (D-CT) and cyber subcommittee Chairman Jim Langevin (D-RI) both spoke this week at the AUSVI Unmanned Systems Defense 2021 conference:

Courtney, Langevin still cautious on Navy unmanned plans

Lawmakers and unmanned system experts discussed the future of, and hesitancy toward, Navy unmanned systems during an industry event on Tuesday.

Last but certainly not least, we have a look at the Air Force's Arctic strategy:

One year into Arctic strategy, Air Force officials tout progress

In the year after the Air Force unveiled its Arctic strategy, high-ranking service officials say they've worked to leverage ties with allies and partners and used wargaming to get a better grasp on the strategic threats facing the region, leading to "a major shift" in those exercises.