The INSIDER daily digest -- March 12, 2020

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on Navy sealift plans, Air Force science and technology funding, the Space Force and more.

Vice Adm. Ricky Williamson, deputy chief of naval operations for fleet readiness and logistics, testified this week before the House Armed Services subcommittees on readiness and seapower and projection forces:

Navy sent legislative proposal to buy used sealift ships without new construction contingencies

The Navy submitted a legislative proposal to lawmakers that would decouple authorities to buy used sealift ships contingent upon making progress towards designing and constructing a new class of auxiliary vessels, according to a senior Navy officer.

Air Force acquisition chief Will Roper testified this week before the House Armed Services intelligence and emerging threats and capabilities subcommittee:

Air Force consolidates S&T funding accounts to improve flexibility

The Air Force's fiscal year 2021 budget proposal reorganizes the service's science and technology accounts -- a "significant reform" that will allow researchers to be more agile moving forward, according to service acquisition chief Will Roper.

The Space Force is developing an acquisition strategy that will "evolve" how it buys and delivers commercial SATCOM services to military users:

Space Force to complete COMSATCOM acquisition strategy this summer

The Space Force plans to release details this summer on its new "transformational" approach to acquiring commercial satellite communications as a service.

Navy briefing slides obtained by Inside Defense outline the tasking for the "operational planning teams" that will spend the next several weeks searching for $40 billion in savings over the next five years:

4th Fleet HQ, program office closures, R&D on chopping block in Modly budget review

The teams combing the Navy's future budgets to find billions in savings are considering eliminating 4th Fleet headquarters, consolidating four-star fleet staffs and sundowning program offices, according to Navy briefing slides obtained by Inside Defense.

Lt. Gen. Eric Smith, head of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and Navy acquisition chief Hondo Geurts provided details about the ground-launched cruise missile in recent joint testimony to the Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee:

Marine Corps leading charge for Pentagon on ground-launched cruise missile initiative

The Marine Corps is taking the lead in the pursuit of a ground-launched cruise missile, as it seeks to increase its reach for a potential fight in the vast Indo-Pacific region.

The Joint Requirements Oversight Council recently reviewed the proposed acquisition timeline for the Next-Generation Interceptor:

NGI passes muster with JROC, RFP 'about to be released'

Proponents of the Next-Generation Interceptor prevailed this week on the Joint Requirements Oversight Council to allow the new project to proceed, clearing the way for a top Pentagon board next week to conduct a final review and formally launch a competition for the new multibillion-dollar weapons project, sources said.

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin testified this week before the House Armed Services intelligence, emerging threats and capabilities subcommittee:

Pentagon developing new 'Technology Area Protection Plans' for critical research and development

The Pentagon is developing new "Technology Area Protection Plans" to prevent sensitive information about Defense Department research from being acquired by foreign governments like China, according to Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin.