Friday, April 26, 2024
Friday, April 26, 2024
Key Issues Optical clocks Prototype funding SPAFORGEN
DOD supply chain security, Army innovation, Navy shipyards and a slew of Air Force news highlight this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest.
Defense contractors have questions about DOD's enforcement of supply chain security requirements:
Contractors wonder how DOD will enforce supply chain security requirements
Senior Defense Department officials are calling on industry to better protect their supply chains from cyber threats, but uncertainty surrounding DOD's implementation of stringent network security requirements has companies wondering how the department will enforce compliance moving forward.
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More news from this week's AUSA's Global Force Symposium:
Jette details policy changes, new initiative intended to spur innovation
HUNTSVILLE, AL -- The Army has launched a new initiative to bolster its efforts "to span the chasm between critical Army modernization challenges and the vast community of non-traditional innovators," according to the service's assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology.
The Navy is facing a bunch of hurdles if it wants to improve maintenance at its shipyards:
Geurts: Navy faces three significant hurdles to improving public, private shipyard maintenance
The Navy faces three significant hurdles if it is going to improve public and private shipyard maintenance over the next five years as the service grows its fleet to 355 ships, according to a recent report sent to Congress that was viewed by Inside Defense.
The Air Force submitted a report to Congress on its plans for replacing the JSTARS aircraft:
Air Force offers more details on JSTARS replacement plan in new report
The Air Force's formal report to congressional defense committees on its new plan for replacing the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System offers more insight on how it views the roles of the MQ-9 Reaper, RQ-4 Block 40 and other assets in a future battle management network.
The Air Force Test Center has a whole host of problems:
Air Force testing hub facing $3B facilities backlog, degraded capabilities
Despite a "substantial infusion" of funding in the fiscal year 2019 future years defense program for sustainment, restoration and modernization at the Air Force Test Center, the service's hub for weapon system testing is behind on several critical capability upgrade efforts, has a workforce shortfall and is facing a $3 billion backlog of deferred facility projects.
Related test center news:
Air Force Test Center highlights 32 at-risk modernization efforts
The Air Force has identified 32 testing upgrades at risk of delays due to resource shortfalls at the Air Force Test Center.
Lockheed Martin may not be the only contractor to build future GPS III satellites:
Competitive GPS III Follow-On effort could save $30M per satellite
The Air Force expects its decision to competitively acquire future GPS III satellites rather than award a sole-source contract to Lockheed Martin, the current provider, will cut $20 to $30 million off the cost of each space vehicle it buys.
Don't expect the Air Force to be able to simultaneously flight test two ICBMs anytime soon:
Simultaneous ICBM test flights possible but operationally infeasible
The Air Force tells the Senate Armed Services Committee in a recent report it is technically possible for the service to flight test two intercontinental ballistic missiles at once but that doing so wouldn't be operationally feasible.
The Air Force has shuffled money around to pay for B61-12 tailkit assembly trainers:
Air Force shifts funds for B61-12 trainers amid delay to first tailkit delivery
The Air Force has repurposed $4.8 million from fiscal year 2016 to buy 30 B61-12 tailkit assembly trainers in FY-18, after a series of continuing resolutions threatened the program's progress earlier this year, a service spokeswoman recently confirmed.
A pair of Global Hawks will be getting new paint jobs:
Robins AFB refines Global Hawk paint maintenance after new coat cracks
Two Northrop Grumman Global Hawks will return to Robins Air Force Base, GA, for a new coat of paint after their recent paint jobs cracked and chipped.