The INSIDER daily digest -- March 26, 2018

Preliminary coverage of AUSA's Global Force Symposium, the Missile Defense Agency looking into whether the SM-3 Block IIA can go up against ICBMs and more highlight this Monday INSIDER Daily Digest.

Our first story out of this year's AUSA Global Force Symposium deals with Army Futures Command:

Army Futures Command will be a major command

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Army leaders have identified key functions of the new organization tasked with overseeing the modernization of the force to meet future challenges.

(For continuing coverage throughout the week of this year's AUSA Global Force Symposium, click here.)

The Missile Defense Agency is looking at whether the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA might "underlay" the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system and provide an additional band of defense against Pyongyang's long-range rocket ambitions:

MDA exploring potential of SM-3 Block IIA against ICBM threat

The Missile Defense Agency is exploring whether the Navy's newest interceptor -- originally designed to intercept medium- and intermediate-range threats -- can extend its reach to strike intercontinental ballistic missiles, a new gambit to bolster defense of the United States from North Korean ballistic missile threats, according to a senior defense official.

The cross-functional team focused on the synthetic training environment has divided its work into three time frames: near-, mid-, and far-term, devoting much of its focus in the current pilot phase to the near-term priorities:

Gervais: CFT pursuing 'second revolution in training' through STE

The cross-functional team focused on the synthetic training environment is working to streamline and standardize virtual training across the Army, making it more readily available at the point of need, according to the CFT director.

From the Army's perspective, Future Vertical Lift is "on schedule":

Rugen: Army at 'crossroads' on legacy fleet vs. Future Vertical Lift

Despite schedule slips in the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator effort, the Army-led Future Vertical Lift program remains on track, according to the director of the cross-functional team charged with expediting it.

The TRADOC project office for maneuver robotics and autonomous systems will transition to become the capability management office, chartered by a four-star general:

Ft. Benning to become maneuver robotics hub

The Maneuver Center of Excellence, the Army's proponent for ground robotics systems, is teaming with academia and industry to make Ft. Benning, GA, and the greater Columbus area the "center of gravity" for maneuver robotics, according to service officials. The site will eventually house a full capability management office under Training and Doctrine Command.