The INSIDER daily digest -- Nov. 16, 2021

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest starts off with the Defense Department once again missing its goal on a financial audit, news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity, a leading CEO has some views on the defense industry, a report on aerial refueling, and more.

The Defense Department has come up short on a full accounting of its finances:

DOD again fails to achieve clean audit

As expected, the Defense Department, for the fourth consecutive year, failed to achieve a clean financial audit of its approximately $3.2 trillion in total assets.

Pentagon Comptroller Mike McCord said DOD remains committed to achieving a clean opinion in the coming years, though he would not commit to doing so in 2027, a date set by the previous administration.

News from DOD’s cybersecurity program:

CMMC accreditation body plans changes for assessor training, following Pentagon shakeup of program

The independent accreditation body behind the Pentagon’s cyber certification program is in the early stages of altering its training credential offerings to meet the needs of the Defense Department as DOD shifts toward self assessment for CMMC level one, according to CMMC-AB CEO Matthew Travis.

Northrop Grumman’s CEO has some thoughts on the defense business:

Northrop CEO wants more co-development with U.S. allies, doesn’t expect further consolidation

The chief executive of Northrop Grumman said today she would like to see increased partnership on defense acquisition programs between the United States and its foreign allies, especially when it comes to developing weapon systems.

The Hudson Institute released a report on aerial refueling:

New report calls for modernized aerial refueling ground architecture, C3 capabilities

A new report from the Hudson Institute proposes that as the Defense Department seeks to modernize its aerial refueling architecture to meet growing demands and posture for future conflicts in China and Russia, it should broaden its investment to not only include the aerial tanker force, but also ground infrastructure and command, control and communication capabilities.

The newest PAC-3 missile had a successful test:

After 2020 misfire, PAC-3 MSE demonstrates first launch by IBCS, start of fleet surveillance

The Army’s most advanced Patriot interceptor knocked down ballistic missile targets this month during a key reliability test, an event that marked the first successful launch of a PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement by the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) as well as the beginning of a field surveillance program for the growing guided-missile fleet.