The INSIDER daily digest -- Nov. 18, 2020

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon's special operations office, the Air Force's Long-Range Standoff Weapon program and more.

Thirty-four-year-old Ezra Cohen-Watnick, the acting assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, will now report directly to the defense secretary:

Miller elevates top special operations civilian

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller announced today he is raising the top special operations civilian to be on par with a military service secretary, meaning the official would report directly to him and bypass the under secretary of defense for policy.

The pending milestone B authorization to start the Long-Range Standoff Weapon's engineering and manufacturing development phase will officially make the system a program of record in the Air Force's budget:

Air Force speeds up LRSO cruise missile development schedule

The Air Force has received Raytheon's proposal for the Long-Range Standoff Weapon and will seek the Defense Acquisition Board's approval to begin developing the multibillion-dollar, nuclear-armed cruise missile next May, about nine months ahead of schedule.

Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord earlier this month approved a new enterprise policy for "Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages Management":

Pentagon acquisition chief signs new policy for managing loss of manufacturing, supply sources

The Pentagon's acquisition chief has approved a new enterprise policy for managing the potential loss of manufacturing sources amid broader concerns about declining electronics production and other supply chain shortfalls.

Document: Lord memo on new policy for managing loss of manufacturing, supply sources

The Navy's top civilian spoke at a virtual symposium hosted by the Naval Submarine League this week:

Braithwaite calls for Navy to stand up new fleet in Indian, Pacific Ocean

Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite announced Tuesday that he wants to create a new 1st Fleet that would be based "in the crossroads between the Indian and Pacific Ocean."

Outgoing House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (R-TX) spoke at an online Heritage Foundation event this week about the status of the fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill:

Thornberry worries renaming bases and GA Senate runoffs could derail defense policy bill

The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee said today he is concerned that "political calculations" over renaming military bases currently honoring Confederate leaders, along with two U.S. Senate election runoffs in Georgia, are threatening to scuttle the annual defense policy bill that has passed for 59 consecutive years.