The INSIDER daily digest -- Sept. 30, 2021

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has new information on a 2020 test involving a Standard Missile and a Navy unmanned vessel, industry thoughts on the Pentagon’s JADC2 program, and Senate interest in developing strike weapons.

The Pentagon revealed that the Navy used an unmanned vessel to launch an interceptor missile late last year:

USV Ranger launched an SM-6 and successfully struck target in 2020 test

At the end of last year, the Navy and the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office launched a Standard Missile-6 from an unmanned surface vessel and successfully intercepted a target.

Industry reps see a role in leading the way in the Pentagon’s JADC2 effort:

Large ABMS contractors see potential for industry to lead the way in enabling JADC2

Some of the more traditional vendors supporting the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System say they see potential for the defense industry to lead the way in ensuring the Pentagon’s broader vision for a military internet of things is achieved, as they internally orient themselves toward enabling both ABMS and joint all domain command and control.

Senate lawmakers are very interested in the Defense Department development of new strike weapons:

Senate directs DOD update on ground-based strike weapons for ships

Lawmakers want an accounting of Defense Department plans for cross-domain, cross-service strike concepts -- particularly the use of ground-based systems launched from sea-based platforms -- such as the “game-changing” demonstration the Pentagon disclosed earlier this month of a Standard Missile-6 fired from a large unmanned surface vessel.