The INSIDER daily digest -- July 3, 2018

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest includes news on rapid prototyping, commercial practices, light-attack aircraft and more.

The Army, Navy and Air Force are figuring out how to use a new rapid prototyping authority:

Pentagon eyeing new list of weapon systems for rapid prototyping

The Pentagon is considering several weapon systems for new rapid prototyping authority granted by Congress, including the Air Force's hypersonic conventional strike capability, F-22 aircraft modernization and two key Navy missile programs, Inside Defense has learned.

The Defense Department wants contractors to adopt commercial practices:

Pentagon proposes rule to encourage commercial practices

The Pentagon late last month proposed amending defense acquisition regulations to "encourage contractors to propose commercial or non-Government standards and industry-wide practices that meet the intent of military specifications and standards."

Document: DOD's commercial practices notice

The Air Force has decided to truncate its light-attack experiment effort:

Air Force cancels flight portion of light-attack experiments after fatal A-29 crash

The Air Force has canceled the flying portion of the second phase of its light-attack experiment at Holloman Air Force Base, NM, after an A-29 Super Tucano crashed during a June 22 experimentation flight that killed the jet's pilot.

Additional coverage of the Air Force's effort to develop a light-attack aircraft:

Authorizers, appropriators pitch range of plus-ups for light-attack procurement

Lawmakers disagree over how strongly they should push the Air Force to buy light-attack aircraft in fiscal year 2019, as the appropriations and authorization committees vary widely on how much money to offer the service for a new fleet.

Senate authorizers push Marines to purchase light-attack aircraft

Senate lawmakers want the Marine Corps to follow the Air Force's lead in buying a fleet of light-attack jets because members believe the Marines are too reliant on the Joint Strike Fighter.

ACC official: Command may consider future experiments after light attack

A top Air Combat Command planning and requirements official said Friday that if the service's experimentation with a potential light-attack acquisition program proves successful, he wouldn't rule out the possibility of future experiments to further boost the service's attack aircraft fleet.

Second phase of light-attack experiment to explore maintenance, munitions

The second phase of the Air Force's light-attack experiment is vetting the logistics, sustainment and weapons integration aspects of a potential new attack fleet, according to the service's deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs.

Keep an eye out for the Air Force finishing up its new AWACS acquisition strategy:

Air Force preparing new acquisition strategy, baseline for AWACS upgrade program

A new acquisition strategy and baseline for the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System Block 40/45 upgrade program will be completed later this summer, an Air Force spokesman recently told Inside Defense.