The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 10, 2018

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Marine Corps' ACV program, modernizing the U.S. military, foreign arms sales figures and more.

The Marine Corps' top uniformed officer met with reporters this morning at a Defense Writers Group breakfast:

Neller acknowledges 'risk' in ending AAV survivability upgrade

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller today acknowledged there is "risk" in ending the Marine Corps' Assault Amphibious Vehicle survivability upgrade program before the service's new vehicle is integrated into the fleet.

The Pentagon's second-highest-ranking civilian spoke this morning at the AUSA conference:

Pentagon's No. 2 telegraphs big funding shifts in upcoming defense budget

Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan, one of the chief architects of the Pentagon's upcoming budget request, provided new details today on the modernization "retooling" required to position the U.S. military for a new era of competition against China and Russia.

More AUSA coverage:

Army issues middle-tier acquisition guidance, may set up future budget account

Army acquisition executive Bruce Jette signed a memo Sept. 25 outlining the service's own guidance on using the rapid prototyping and fielding authority known as section 804, Inside Defense has learned.

Document: Army's section 804 middle-tier acquisition guidance

U.S. government totals $55.6 billion in arms sales for FY-18

The U.S. government secured $55.6 billion in arms sales in fiscal year 2018, a 33 percent increase above the previous year's total, according to the head of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Murray: Army 'altered' new cannon artillery requirement to compete with range of Russian weapons

The Army's requirements for a new high-priority cannon for its self-propelled artillery fleet have been directly influenced by observations from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to the service's newest four-star commander.

General officers or senior executives at the Navy's research agencies are now able to grant justifications and approvals for other-than-full-and-open competitions not exceeding $93 million:

Navy research centers now able to approve sole-source contracts under $93 million

The Navy has temporarily waived contracting policies to allow its research and development centers to award sole-source contracts worth up to $93 million without approval from a higher-level contracting activity, according to the Pentagon's research chief.

A new Air Force contract with Lockheed Martin covers production of 360 extended-range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles as well as some test equipment for foreign customers:

Lockheed receives contract for new JASSM lot while maturing 'extreme-range' variant

Lockheed Martin recently received another contract worth nearly $391 million to build its 16th lot of AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles for the Air Force, seven months after the service planned to award those funds.