The INSIDER daily digest -- May 7, 2018

Continued coverage of the Army's latest modernization strategy, the Air Force's light-attack aircraft experiment, DOD's new chief management officer and much more highlight this Monday INSIDER Daily Digest.

Further coverage of the Army's modernization strategy:

Army provides detailed time line on long-range precision fires

The Army's pursuit of long-range precision fires capability relies on "an incremental approach" across multiple capabilities for employment at different echelons, according to a new document.

Related: Bradley replacement a top goal for Army in next decade

Document: Army's modernization strategy (FOUO)

The Air Force's deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs spoke at an Air Force Association event this morning:

Second phase of light-attack experiment to explore maintenance, munitions

The second phase of the Air Force's light-attack experiment, which begins today, is vetting the logistics, sustainment and weapons integration aspects of a potential new attack fleet, according to the service's deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs.

Defense Department Chief Management Officer Jay Gibson chatted with Inside Defense last week:

DOD's new chief management officer wants to redirect spending to 'tip of the spear'

Defense Department Chief Management Officer Jay Gibson, who is in charge of the Pentagon's latest effort in a long history of initiatives to find business efficiencies that can be redirected to new spending on military readiness and weapon systems, says this time is different.

News on the House Armed Services Committee chairman's mark of the fiscal year 2019 defense policy bill:

Chairman's mark recommends $623M for JSTARS recap, echoing USAF's FY-18 spending plan

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) will include $623 million in his mark of the fiscal year 2019 defense policy bill to keep the Air Force's E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System recapitalization on track, though the service wants to ditch the modernization program in favor of a broader look at advanced battle management systems.

Can Pyongyang's ICBMs be stopped by missile-armed UAV? Congress wants to know

Lawmakers want an independent assessment of a proposal to arm Predator unmanned aircraft with guided missiles to shoot down North Korean intercontinental ballistic missiles, leveraging proven technologies in the American arsenal to rapidly field a system that uses kinetic interceptors to kill Pyongyang’s ballistic missiles during the boost phase of flight.

Thornberry adds Stryker upgrade funding to authorization bill

The House Armed Services Committee chairman's mark of the fiscal year 2019 defense authorization bill includes $360 million for Stryker upgrades, according to a summary provided by the committee.

Thornberry proposes spending boost for GBSD, LRSO in FY-19 to address unfunded requirements

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee wants to grant the Air Force's wish to boost funding for its nuclear missile modernization programs, which the service included in its fiscal year 2019 unfunded requirements list submitted to Congress earlier this year.

Inside Defense recently toured Boeing's military aircraft facilities in Washington State:

Boeing touts progress toward first KC-46 delivery during media tour

EVERETT, WA -- Boeing officials last week said the company is working "shoulder to shoulder" with the Air Force to deliver the first next-generation KC-46 tankers by the end of the year, telling reporters here the program's schedule problems are largely a thing of the past.

A recent Pentagon inspector general's report highlighted issues with small boat launch and recovery from the Expeditionary Fast Transport:

Navy looks to improve small boat launch and recovery from EPF

The Navy is looking to improve small boat launch and recovery from the Expeditionary Fast Transport after the issue was highlighted in a Defense Department inspector general audit of the program.

Document: DOD IG report on the Expeditionary Fast Transport program

Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman will be getting SBIRS follow-on contracts:

Air Force to sole-source early SBIRS follow-on work to Lockheed, Northrop

The Air Force announced Friday it plans to award sole-source contracts to Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to produce the initial satellites in its new Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrastructure architecture.