The INSIDER daily digest -- May 4, 2023

By John Liang / May 4, 2023 at 1:58 PM

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon's Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity program, the Government Accountability Office's latest congressional testimony on military readiness and more.

The Defense Department issued a proposed rule Wednesday that would allow more defense contractors who hold sensitive DOD information to become part of the Pentagon's Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity program:

Defense ISAC leader identifies link between Pentagon proposed rule for DIB program and CISA incident reporting regime

Steve Shirley, executive director of the National Defense Information Sharing and Analysis Center, sees an opportunity for the Defense Department and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to work together on incident reporting as the Pentagon starts to expand its voluntary information sharing program and CISA implements a regime for critical infrastructure.

Pentagon acquisition chief Bill LaPlante spoke this week on a panel hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations:

LaPlante wants to see 'production, production, production'

Pentagon acquisition chief Bill LaPlante said this week that defense industrial base policy is in the middle of a "pivot" driven by the need to fill capacity gaps highlighted by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the need to prepare to possibly aid Taiwan in the event of a conflict with China.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense plans to assess the Glide Phase Intercept program by looking for evidence that Raytheon Technologies and Northrop Grumman can design a new hypersonic defense system faster than previously estimated:

DOD open to accelerating GPI fielding goal, industry must prove technology can mature faster

The Defense Department will explore the possibility of accelerating the Glide Phase Interceptor program schedule -- currently slated for fielding in 2034 -- if contractors developing competing designs for a hypersonic-killing guided missile provide compelling evidence that yet-to-be-developed technology is sufficiently mature to achieve earlier deployment.

The Government Accountability Office this week submitted testimony to the Senate Armed Services readiness and management support subcommittee stating that the Defense Department "faces several challenges as it works to rebuild and restore readiness across the military while also modernizing its forces":

GAO report offers mixed review of force readiness

The military's resource readiness ratings increased for five years through fiscal year 2021 in the air, ground and space forces but decreased across the sea forces, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

Document: GAO testimony on military readiness

More coverage from that subcommittee hearing:

Space Force lacks ability to provide realistic mission training

The Space Force does not yet have the ability to present realistic threats for trainers or to carry out integrated training for intra and joint services, Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David Thompson told lawmakers on Tuesday.

GAO: Army still must address challenges for rail transport of equipment

The Army has yet to address a number of issues related to the maintenance of rail transportation it uses for ammunition, vehicles and other equipment, according to the Government Accountability Office.

A new Army counter-UAS academy is expected to reach initial operational capability in the first quarter of FY-24, and full operational capability in the first quarter of FY-25:

Joint counter-UAS training academy at Ft. Sill on track to begin in first quarter of FY-24

The Army is set to transition its joint counter-UAS training from Yuma Proving Ground, AZ to Ft. Sill, OK starting in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, according to a service spokesman.

The head of the National Nuclear Security Administration testified on Capitol Hill this week on her organization's fiscal year 2024 budget request:

Workforce still a roadblock to NNSA's 2030 goal of 80 pits per year, administrator says

Skilled and craft worker hiring and retention remain the biggest hurdle to reaching the National Nuclear Security Administration's nuclear pit production goals, Administrator Jill Hruby told Congress Wednesday.

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