The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 25, 2019

By John Liang / October 25, 2019 at 2:15 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on an updated cybersecurity standard with implications for the Defense Department plus coverage of missile defense and more.

The length of a review of an updated cybersecurity standard, which has been underway since January, has prompted concerns among industry and government sources including a key Defense Department official who is overseeing the Pentagon's emerging cybersecurity certification program:

Key cybersecurity initiatives stall amid prolonged OMB review of NIST document

The White House Office of Management Budget has been reviewing revised standards by the National Institute of Standards and Technology since the beginning of the year, and the absence of that foundational document on federal data protections has stalled -- or at least frustrated -- key cybersecurity initiatives, including the Pentagon's landmark contractor certification proposal.

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) -- who represents a state that hosts the bulk of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System's interceptor fleet -- this week said schedule estimates for fielding a new interceptor "are all over the map" and could take as long as a decade:

Key lawmaker warns RKV termination, time to field NGI could leave U.S. vulnerable

One of the Senate's most vocal missile defense proponents said he was blindsided by the Pentagon's decision in August to terminate the Redesigned Kill Vehicle and raised concern the replacement program -- the new-start Next Generation Interceptor -- could take so long to develop and field it will leave the United States vulnerable to North Korean threats.

A Boeing spokeswoman confirmed to Inside Defense this week that the company has told its suppliers to stop working on the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent effort:

Boeing transitions GBSD employees, issues stop-work order to suppliers

Following the Air Force's decision to stop funding Boeing's contract supporting the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, the company has transitioned its employees to other internal jobs and issued a stop-work order to its suppliers.

The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee also weight in this week on GBSD:

Smith says he tried to ensure competition in ICBM replacement program, but was rebuffed by Boeing

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) is concerned the Air Force's $85 billion nuclear missile replacement will likely proceed with Northrop Grumman absent any competition, though he said he offered to help Boeing address its concerns about the program after the company announced it would not bid.

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Bruce Jette, in a recent interview with Inside Defense, acknowledged that some have questioned the authorities of Army Futures Command chief Gen. Mike Murray, but said the worries are unfounded:

Jette: Army Futures Command and ASA(ALT) 'both have the same common goal'

While some lawmakers are concerned about how the Army's new four-star command in charge of modernization will coordinate with the service's acquisition office, the top acquisition executive said this month the relationship is going well.

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