Friday, April 19, 2024
Friday, April 19, 2024
Coverage of Senate authorizers' FY-19 defense policy bill leads off this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest.
The Senate Armed Services Committee late yesterday completed the mark-up of its version of the FY-19 defense authorization bill:
Senate panel's defense bill would shake up Pentagon's budget and missions
The Senate Armed Services Committee's version of the fiscal year 2019 defense authorization bill seeks to better align the Defense Department's budget request with the National Defense Strategy and, for the first time in recent memory, requires a major review of the U.S. military's roles, missions and requirements.
Document: Senate authorizers' summary of the FY-19 defense policy bill
Related:
Congressional funding fight looms over Marine Corps' MUX
The Senate Armed Services Committee recommends authorizing $100 million for a major Marine Corps unmanned aircraft initiative, according to a summary of the fiscal year 2019 defense policy bill, putting them at odds with House lawmakers who want to cut the service's request citing "unjustified cost growth."
Congressional authorizers must decide fate of LCS in conference
The congressional authorization committees will have to decide the future of the Littoral Combat Ship in conference because the House and Senate's respective marks disagree on the direction of the program.
DARPA news:
DARPA launches Assured Autonomy project to ensure AI's credibility
A new Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program hopes to develop tools to ensure autonomous systems act properly as they evolve with machine learning, and will work with Boeing and Northrop Grumman testbeds to vet those assured autonomy techniques.
DARPA eyeing new Navy air-launched, hypersonic missile tech development effort
The Defense Department is exploring a potential new ultra-fast, air-launched cruise missile -- specifically a naval variant of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept -- a joint Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Air Force effort slated to produce a flying prototype in fiscal year 2019.
Air Force news:
B61-12 test program resolves risks as cost drops to $1.2 billion
The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center says it resolved risks to the B61-12 life extension program's tailkit assembly effort that were noted in a recent Selected Acquisition Report obtained by Inside the Air Force.
Document: DOD's SAR on the B61 Mod 12 LEP TKA program
Air Force on track to assume COMSATCOM acquisition authority this year
Air Force Space Command chief Gen. Jay Raymond said this week the service is on track to meet a congressional deadline for transitioning commercial satellite communications procurement from the Defense Information Systems Agency to Air Force Space Command.
Pilot Training Next initiative to inform enlisted pilot pipeline for MQ-9
Air Force Air Education and Training Command is gathering data that will shape whether and how the service allows enlisted airmen to fly MQ-9 Reapers, the command's top general told reporters this week.
Air Force looking to reprogram $183 million for GBSD in FY-18
The Air Force confirmed this week it will ask Congress to reprogram an additional $183 million for the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent this year, hoping the intercontinental ballistic missile modernization program would remain ahead of schedule.
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction this week released its latest report:
SIGAR: Results of $2.3B 'money as a weapon system' unknown in Afghanistan
The U.S. military spent $2.3 billion through the Commander's Emergency Response Program during the war in Afghanistan, but the program's results are unknown due to a lack of effective measures and data, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
Document: SIGAR's fourth report on 'lessons learned' in Afghanistan
The Navy's acquisition chief this week defended the decision to disestablish the service's unmanned systems office:
Geurts defends decision to dissolve unmanned systems office
The Navy acquisition executive said the service disestablished its unmanned systems office because he thought separating the portfolio might hold it back.