The INSIDER Daily Digest -- Oct. 5, 2018

By Marjorie Censer / October 5, 2018 at 2:11 PM

Today's INSIDER Daily Digest includes news on the long-awaited defense industrial base report as well as new contracts awarded by the secretive Strategic Capabilities Office.

Late Thursday, the Pentagon and White House released the industrial base report, which President Trump had sought in an executive order last year:

Pentagon targets China in new defense industrial base report

The U.S. defense industrial base is increasingly at risk, specifically from China, and in need of new, direct investments at the subcontractor level to prevent single points of failure and dependence on foreign sources, according to a long-awaited Pentagon report commissioned by President Trump.

Top Pentagon officials sat down with reporters to discuss how they plan to act on the findings:

Pentagon postured to 'selectively intervene' in U.S. supply chain to block China

Senior Pentagon officials say they are prepared to spend new money and take other actions to “selectively intervene” in the U.S. defense supply chain if they deem it necessary to protect the industrial base from “predatory” Chinese influence or market-driven failures.

Meanwhile, the SCO has made two awards related to its Overlord program:

Pentagon awards SCO Overlord contracts to Gibbs & Cox, ASV Global

The Pentagon last month awarded two contracts for the first phase of the Strategic Capabilities Office's Overlord program to Gibbs & Cox and L3 Technologies subsidiary ASV Global, according to a Defense Department official.

At a breakfast yesterday, a top Navy official said the service is looking at how lower-tier contractors are managing its data.

Navy official: Service must ramp up enforcement of data protection at subcontractor level

The Navy should increase its enforcement efforts focused on subcontractors to protect the service’s data, Navy Under Secretary Thomas Modly said Thursday.

We wrap up with several Air Force stories:

Air Force designates air-launched X-60A as new test bed for hypersonic research and development

The Air Force has designated the GOLauncher1, an air-dropped, liquid-fueled rocket designed to be a testbed for hypersonic flight research and technology development, as the X-60A -- the newest addition to the United States' roster of X-platforms which include aircraft and rockets dating back to 1946.

Raytheon to demo two directed-energy systems in Air Force's counter-UAS experiment

The Air Force this month will take its first look at how to use portable laser and microwave weapons to defeat unmanned aerial vehicles, in a month-long experiment starting Oct. 9 where Raytheon is the only participant.

AFRL looks to mature semiconductor technology as radars evolve

A new partnership between the Air Force and BAE Systems aims to improve the production, cost and efficiency of gallium nitride chips as the compound is further established as the standard in military systems manufacturing.

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