Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Key Issues GAO on F-35 SLCM-N program office PrSM funding
Continuing coverage of the Senate Armed Services Committee's FY-19 defense authorization bill dominates this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest.
Several Navy surface warfare reform proposals are in the Senate's version of the FY-19 defense policy bill:
Senate authorizers include most of Wicker's surface warfare reform provisions
The Senate Armed Services Committee's version of the fiscal year 2019 defense policy bill adopts several provisions from a surface warfare reform bill introduced earlier this year by an influential Republican senator.
News on the Army's Soldier Borne Sensor program:
Senate, House authorizers look into Army's Soldier Borne Sensor requirements
Senate lawmakers want a report from the Army secretary on the Soldier Borne Sensor, a miniature unmanned aircraft system.
Cruise missile defense is a priority for Senate authorizers:
Senate panel, concerned by IBCS delays, directs new cruise missile defense program
A Senate panel is recommending a $500 million increase to the Army's fiscal year 2019 budget to quickly field a new cruise missile defense capability -- the single largest adjustment to the service's proposed procurement spending by the defense authorization committee -- in a move intended to produce two interim, fixed-site defensive batteries by 2020.
Senate authorizers are emphasizing the need for a massive military review:
Bill walls off funds for military growth, amphib vehicle programs pending broad DOD review
Under new Senate legislation, the Pentagon would be blocked from spending money to grow the size of the military in fiscal year 2019 or to develop a new amphibious assault vehicle before first handing over the results of a massive military review.
Senate authorizers want to make sure the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has enough spare parts:
Senate mark includes $100 million for F-35 spare parts
Perplexed by the Pentagon's decision to decrease its Joint Strike Fighter spare parts purchases as jets continue to roll off the production line, Senate authorizers are clearing an additional $100 million in fiscal year 2019 for the effort.
The Next Generation Combat Vehicle program could have its funding squeezed:
Senate lawmakers fence NGCV funding in FY-19 bill
The Senate Armed Services Committee is seeking to impose limits on the Army's funding for the Next Generation Combat Vehicle, which is in the experimental prototype phase.
The Air Force's attritable UAS program could be getting more money:
Senate offers attritable UAS program an extra $80 million to speed prototyping
The Air Force's Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology effort would get an $80 million boost under the Senate Armed Services Committee's version of the fiscal year 2019 defense policy bill, more than doubling the program's $50.5 million prototyping request.
Senate authorizers want to speed up development of a next-generation battle management network to replace the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System:
Senate floats plus-ups for ABMS as bills aim to block JSTARS retirement
Senate defense authorizers this week laid out pieces of a plan to speed development of a next-generation battle management network to replace the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, to include legacy command-and-control aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft and a new target-tracking radar.
The Air Force is shuffling its cyber capabilities within the service:
ACC to take on Air Force Cyber in recognition of multidomain operations needs
The Air Force announced this week it will shift cyber warfare responsibilities to Air Combat Command instead of Air Force Space Command this summer, a new step toward its overarching goal of enabling and speeding multidomain operations.
The Air Force wants to use commercial approaches to purchase certain communications satellites:
SMC commander: Air Force will buy WGS 11 and 12 'as commercially as we can'
The head of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center said today the service is working with Boeing to use commercial approaches to buy the 11th and 12th Wideband Global Satellite Communications space vehicles.
Keep an eye out for a pending Air Force decision to put together its first multidomain operations team:
Air Force will soon make decision to launch MDC2 personnel selection
The Air Force may consider its first group of officers who will train for multidomain operations by the end of the year, a service official said this week.
Some defense business news:
FTC to require Northrop to take additional steps on solid-rocket motors following Orbital deal
The Federal Trade Commission said this week it is imposing conditions on Northrop Grumman to ensure continued competition in the missile systems market following Northrop's acquisition of Orbital ATK.
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