The INSIDER daily digest -- Sept. 21, 2018

By John Liang / September 21, 2018 at 2:14 PM

This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest has Space Force news plus continuing coverage of this week's AFA conference.

Todd Harrison, defense budget analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, spoke with reporters this week about the Air Force's estimate of the cost of the proposed Space Force:

Budget analyst says Air Force crafted 'highball' estimate for $13B Space Force

A prominent defense budget analyst said today the Air Force’s $13 billion cost estimate for a new Space Force is not “conservative” as Secretary Heather Wilson has suggested, and even went as far as to label the service’s guesswork as “malicious compliance” that could stoke opposition on Capitol Hill.

Our latest coverage of the Air Force Association's 2018 National Convention:

Requirement for 386 squadrons driven by Air Force 'tasks and missions' in 2018 defense strategy

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Air Force analysis that concludes 386 operational squadrons -- nearly 25 percent more than it currently has -- are required to execute the 2018 National Defense Strategy at low to moderate risk is driven in part by an assumption that the service needs to be prepared to simultaneously perform a handful of major tasks and missions, according to a senior service official.

Global Strike's top scientist mulls using sensors, UAVs to defend nuclear assets

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- Air Force Global Strike Command's chief scientist told Inside Defense this week he will soon reach out to industry and academia seeking new ways to protect strategic assets.

Catch up on all the AFA news with our in-depth coverage →

Cyber news from our colleagues at Inside Cybersecurity:

Bolton announces new national cybersecurity strategy

National security adviser John Bolton today announced what he called the first updated national cybersecurity strategy in 15 years, with a strong emphasis on deterrence, interagency coordination and protecting critical infrastructure.

Document: National cybersecurity strategy


Bolton's announcement comes two days after the Pentagon unveiled its updated cyber strategy:

New cyber strategy etches out DOD's more prominent role in 'day-to-day competition' with Russia, China

The Defense Department will "defend forward" in daily competition with Russia and China in cyberspace, according to a new cyber strategy that defines a more prominent role for the U.S. military in protecting critical infrastructure and the defense industrial base.

Document: DOD's 2018 cyber strategy

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