The INSIDER daily digest -- Nov. 9, 2018

By John Liang / November 9, 2018 at 1:50 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Navy's nascent use of other transaction authority, Army Secretary Mark Esper speaking at the American Enterprise Institute and more.

Other transaction authority will see increased use by the Navy:

Navy tying other transaction agreements to ANTX 2019

The Navy for the first time will have options to utilize other transaction agreements as a way to influence the technology demonstrated at its annual Advanced Naval Technology Exercise, according to a service official.

Army Secretary Mark Esper spoke this week at the American Enterprise Institute:

Esper: Rotational deployments to Europe satisfies current need

The Army's top civilian leader said Thursday the service's current rotation of forces across Europe is suitable for its training goals in the region and did not indicate a need for more permanent forces there, despite recent congressional interest in doing so.

Esper: Army pushing to get long-range fires, EW capability back in force

Army Secretary Mark Esper said Thursday he is focused on putting key capabilities that have been lost during years of counterinsurgency operations back in the force, as well as adding new ones.

The Air Force seeks "best-of-breed" tools to enable the Distributed Common Ground System to process more types of intelligence data collected from airborne, satellite and open sources:

Air Force to vet potential DCGS upgrades through 'TechFests'

Four months after the Air Force's new Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Flight Plan charted a fresh path for data-collection practices, the service now says it will hold "TechFests" where vendors can demonstrate innovative software.

The Army gave an update to industry this week on its plan to release a final request for proposals for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle:

Army lags on first phase of OMFV development

The Army's highest-priority acquisition program to modernize its combat vehicle fleet is off to a delayed start, as the service is taking more time than originally planned to refine requirements and request proposals for a future Bradley replacement.

Rear Adm. Doug Perry told attendees at the Naval Submarine League's annual conference the service's 2nd fleet would reach final operational capability in roughly one year:

Navy official: U.S. 2nd Fleet to reach IOC in spring 2019

The Navy's recently re-established 2nd Fleet will reach initial operational capability next spring, according to the director of joint and fleet operations for U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

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