Saturday, April 20, 2024
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Today's INSIDER Daily Digest includes the latest from the Air Force Association conference, industry concerns about a new Pentagon policy and an update on the Close Combat Lethality Task Force.
First, the AFA event wrapped up yesterday:
Catch up on the Air Force Association's 2018 National Convention, with our in-depth coverage →
The conference revealed new details about the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon (HCSW) -- one of two rapid prototyping hypersonic projects:
Air Force sees 'easiest path' compared to Army, Navy to fielding hypersonic weapon
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Air Force believes it has the "easiest path" among the U.S. military to fielding a long-range, maneuvering hypersonic weapon and plans to arm the B-52 bomber with such a conventionally armed weapon as soon as 2020, according to service officials.
The deputy defense secretary told conference attendees the fiscal year 2020 budget is "the time to make choices about what we will and won't do":
Shanahan signals budget trades as Pentagon builds FY-20 plan to take on China, Russia
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Pentagon has about 10 weeks to make budget choices for fiscal year 2020 that will likely impact military modernization for the next 50 years, according to Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan.
Catch up on more news from the show:
Air Force extends AOA for Next-Generation Air Dominance, moves away from single fighter platform
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Air Force has extended its analysis of alternatives exploring next-generation air dominance capabilities, which was supposed to be completed this summer, and top acquisition officials told reporters this week the service is moving away from "a single addition" and more toward a portfolio of capabilities.
STRATCOM chief: Command could face reorganization to best address multidomain ops
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Air Force’s shift toward multidomain operations may require a reorganization of U.S. Strategic Command, the command's leader said Wednesday.
Shanahan stresses importance of Space Force debate as Air Force releases new plan
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said this week the debates around how to organize a new Space Force are key to shaping the legislative proposal the Pentagon will deliver to Congress in February.
Air Force hopes to stand up MDC2 experimentation campaign at Hanscom AFB
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- About a year after the Air Force wound down its Enterprise Capability Collaboration Team study of multidomain command and control, the head of that deep dive said the service is trying to launch an experimentation effort to dig further into broad issues like data security and cloud infrastructure.
Meanwhile, contracting industry groups are speaking out against a Pentagon proposal to lower the customary rate of progress payments on cost-reimbursement contracts:
Defense industry groups push back on DOD plan to reduce progress payments
Defense industry organizations are criticizing a Pentagon proposal to reduce progress payments as disruptive and out of line with congressional intent.
And the Pentagon says it's seeking to bolster the combat lethality, survivability, resilience and readiness of the Army, Marine Corps and Army Special Operations Command:
DOD taking uniform approach to Close Combat Lethality Task Force across Army, Marine Corps
The Defense Department is taking a uniform approach to its Close Combat Lethality Task Force (CCLTF) by evaluating recommendations across the services as a whole, rather than tailoring its efforts to the Army and Marine Corps individually, the task force's senior Army enlisted representative said Wednesday.
Lastly, a Navy official sat down with one of our reporters to discuss its efforts to improve the way the service transfers data:
Navy moving to modernize data movement between ashore and afloat
The Navy is taking steps to change its technological infrastructure to facilitate moving data between ashore and afloat more quickly and reliably, according to an admiral overseeing cybersecurity.