The INSIDER daily digest -- Sept. 10, 2019

By John Liang / September 10, 2019 at 2:15 PM

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the FY-20 defense spending bill, missile defense, the Combat Rescue Helicopter program and more.

The Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee has marked up its portion of the FY-20 defense spending bill. Here are the details:

Senate appropriators draft defense spending bill

A Senate panel today marked up its version of the fiscal year 2020 defense spending bill in accordance with a bipartisan budget deal, appropriating $622 billion in base spending, $70.7 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations and $1.7 billion in emergency funding.

Senate appropriators recommend $536M plus-up for Next-Gen OPIR

As the Air Force seeks additional funds to keep the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared System on schedule, Senate appropriators are proposing a $536 million plus-up for the program that could fill a significant early funding gap.

The Office of Management and Budget says the administration isn't quite ready to transfer space sensor oversight to the Missile Defense Agency:

OMB pushes back on Senate plan to give MDA oversight of space sensor architecture

The White House objects to a provision in the Senate Armed Services Committee's fiscal year 2020 defense policy bill that would give the Missile Defense Agency responsibility for a new hypersonic and ballistic missile space-based sensor constellation, saying the move could "restrict DOD's ability to design the most cost-effective solution."

. . . nor is OMB ready to transfer the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense program from MDA to the Army:

OMB appeals Senate move to transfer THAAD procurement from MDA to Army

The White House Office of Management and Budget is asking Senate lawmakers to reconsider legislation that would transfer procurement funding for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense program from the Missile Defense Agency to the Army, a move lawmakers have long sought and which the Pentagon has resisted.

Keep an eye on the Air Force for an upcoming decision to move the Combat Rescue Helicopter program to low-rate initial production:

Sikorsky gears up for combat rescue helicopter production decision this month

Once marred by technical deficiencies that led to a schedule adjustment, the Air Force's multibillion-dollar Combat Rescue Helicopter program is on track for a decision to approve low-rate initial production during a meeting at the end of the month.

Inside Defense recently chatted with Col. Brian Lyttle, chief of the Army's Cyber Security and Information Assurance division:

Autonomous cyber defenses coming to the Army

The Army is leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning into new autonomous cyber defenses, according to service officials in the C5ISR Center's Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate.

A Navy "combat system engineering support" of the Ship Self-Defense System contract award is under protest by Raytheon:

Raytheon protesting Ship Self-Defense System award to Lockheed Martin

Raytheon last week filed a bid protest with the Government Accountability Office over a recent contract award to Lockheed Martin for a combat system outfitted on Navy ships.

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