The Insider

We kick off this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest with coverage from this week's House Armed Services Committee hearing on defense acquisition reform.

Keep an eye out for a new Navy fast-track acquisition shop modeled on a similar Air Force office:

Navy to establish new fast-track acquisition shop based on Air Force RCO

The Navy is planning to establish a new shop to oversee rapid acquisition of high-payoff projects with promise to advance military superiority, particularly those focused on classified fleet needs -- a move that would emulate the Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office in order to sharpen focus on technological innovation and expedited fielding.

The Navy will seek more R&D flexibility:

Eyeing China, Russia, Navy wants new discretion to experiment with $5B prototype portfolio

The Navy's fiscal year 2017 budget request will seek new flexibility to allocate resources across a $5 billion portfolio of research and development projects in order to bolster new technology prototyping and experimentation in support of the Pentagon's new program to reinvigorate conventional deterrence against China and Russia.

(For more defense budget news, check out our Notification Center, where you can sign up to receive email alerts whenever a related story is posted.)

The Air Force's acting acquisition executive spoke this week on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program:

Lombardi calls DMSP-20 failure to launch an 'unfortunate example'

The Air Force's acting acquisition executive said this week that the service's execution of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program is "an unfortunate example" of its ability to manage space programs, after taking heat from House lawmakers for alleged mismanagement of the program.

Look for the Air Force to put FY-17 money into its high-altitude, unmanned platform transition plan, among other efforts:

Gen. Otto offers vision for fiscal year 2017 Air Force ISR budget

The Air Force is eyeing fiscal year 2017 investments in its high-altitude, unmanned platform transition plan, autonomous vehicle research and development, as well as analysis and targeting, according to the service's deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The company that makes the AR1 rocket engine is confident it will be ready to fly in 2019:

Aerojet Rocketdyne still on track to deliver 'ready-to-fly' rocket engine by 2019

Aerojet Rocketdyne executives remain confident the company's AR1 rocket engine -- its proposed RD-180 replacement -- can be ready to fly in 2019, despite a continued push from within the Pentagon for Congress to ease up on the restrictions it has placed on the use of the Russian-made engine.

Don't expect the Air Force to switch to a new Reaper and Predator maintenance contract anytime soon:

Air Force locked into sole-source contract for MQ-9 and MQ-1 maintenance

The Air Force will be locked into a sole-source sustainment contract for its MQ-9 fleet until the service is capable of completing organic depot maintenance, according to a Dec. 30 Federal Business Opportunities notice.

Government services contractor XLA today said it has named Gary Slack, a former QinetiQ North America and BAE Systems executive, president and chief executive.

He succeeds Lloyd Mustin, XLA's founder. Mustin will become chairman of the company's board.

Slack was president and chief operating officer of QinetiQ North America and, before that, spent 13 years at BAE Systems's U.S. business. He served as president of BAE's U.S. combat systems business as well as chief financial officer.

Slack has also worked at TRW, BDM International and Honeywell.

Some must-reads from the first 2016 issue of Inside the Air Force:

1. Lt. Gen. Robert Otto offered some insight on fiscal year 2017 investments in intelligence, surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms in an interview with ITAF this week.

Full story: Lt. Gen. Otto offers vision for fiscal year 2017 Air Force ISR budget

2. Aerojet Rocketdyne told ITAF this week that it is still on pace certify and integrate its AR1 rocket engine by 2019.

Full story: Aerojet Rocketdyne still on track to deliver 'ready-to-fly' engine by 2019

3. House lawmakers blasted the Air Force this week for its alleged mismanagement of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, which left the last of the legacy weather satellites permanently grounded.

Full story: Lombardi calls DMSP-20 failure to launch an 'unfortunate example'

Northrop Grumman said today its board has named Lisa Davis corporate vice president of communications, effective Feb. 29.

Davis will succeed Darryl Fraser, who will retire on April 1, according to the contractor.

She joined Northrop in 2014 and currently is vice president of communications in the company's mission systems sector. She previously was vice president of corporate affairs at MedImmune and has also worked at the American Association of Retired Persons and the Democratic Leadership Council.

We kick off this Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest with news on Better Buying Power and more.

Keep an eye out for an informal GAO report on Better Buying Power:

Capitol Hill asks GAO to examine Kendall's Better Buying Power assertions

The Government Accountability Office has been asked by congressional defense committee staffers to "informally" evaluate data-based assertions made by Frank Kendall, the Pentagon's acquisition chief, that the Defense Department's Better Buying Power initiative has controlled weapon system contract costs.

(For more Better Buying Power news, check out our Notification Center, where you can sign up to receive email alerts whenever a related story is posted.)

The Joint Chiefs chairman will soon be completing a review of DOD's unified command plan:

Dunford examining DOD's command-and-control structure

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is evaluating the Defense Department's unified command plan as part of an overall review of U.S. command-and-control posture.

The DOD IG wants the Pentagon's CIO shop to establish a standard, department-wide cloud computing definition:

DOD IG: Pentagon cannot measure effectiveness of cloud computing efforts

The Pentagon's lack of an effective process to identify cloud computing service contracts makes it challenging to determine whether these efforts are saving money, the Defense Department inspector general found in a new report.

Document: DOD IG report on cloud computing

U.S. Special Operations Command wants industry to submit white papers by next month on a soft-body armor technology:

SOCOM eyes soft-body armor technology that can withstand projectiles

U.S. Special Operations Command is seeking industry input for a soft-body armor technology that can withstand different projectiles as part of an effort to "accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities" to the warfighter, according to a recent notice.

Document: BAA for SOCOM soft armor

DOD will begin sending status reports to lawmakers on its workforce efficiency efforts:

GAO: DOD failed to provide details to Congress on workforce efficiency efforts

The Pentagon has failed to provide the necessary information to Congress to determine if the department is achieving civilian and contractor workforce efficiencies, the Government Accountability Office found in a new report.

Document: GAO report on civilian, contractor workforces

Iraq could soon begin receiving millions of dollars' worth of Hellfire missiles:

Proposed $800M missile sale to Iraq approved

The State Department has approved a potential foreign military sale of $800 million for missiles and related equipment and services to the Iraqi government to aid in the battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Document: DSCA statement on proposed Hellfire missile sale to Iraq

Oshkosh Corp. said today that John Urias, president of Oshkosh Defense, will retire Feb. 6 to "attend to matters regarding the health of his family."

Urias, a retired Army major general, has led the unit since 2011. Wilson Jones, chief executive of Oshkosh, will oversee the defense segment until a replacement is named, the company said.

During his Army career, Urias was commanding general of Joint Contracting Command and program executive officer for the Army's Air, Space and Missile Defense programs. Before joining Oshkosh, he was vice president of programs for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

North Korea's alleged nuclear weapons test this week has sparked a call from a leading House Republican for deploying more missile defense systems to the Korean peninsula.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) said in a statement that "it may take some time to know exactly what was detonated in North Korea. But what is clear is that the world is rapidly growing more dangerous, and the United States cannot afford to focus only on ISIS or Iran or Russia. We must be prepared to protect our national security against many threats. Unfortunately, the view around the world is that U.S. leadership is in decline while the administration's inaction only fuels those concerns." He continued:

"The U.S. must work with our South Korean allies to deploy missile defense systems, including THAAD, on the peninsula and work at home to strengthen our homeland missile defenses.  We must also take immediate steps to strengthen our own nuclear deterrent, which is the foundation for our other defense capabilities."

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) said:

"Dictators like Kim Jong Un don't take time outs, they take advantage when the U.S. looks away. As Iran prepares to gain billions in sanctions relief, North Korea surely thinks it can intimidate the Obama administration into the same.

"The answer to North Korea's threats is more pressure, not less. This rogue regime has no interest in being a responsible state. It continues to starve its people while it works to advance nuclear, missile and cyber weapons that pose a direct threat to the U.S. and our allies. The administration's North Korea policy has proven a dramatic failure, and we urgently need a new approach."

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano released a statement on YouTube:

"The DPRK's nuclear test, if confirmed, is in clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and is deeply regrettable. I strongly urge the DPRK to implement fully all relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the IAEA. The IAEA remains ready to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue by resuming its nuclear verification activities in the DPRK once a political agreement is reached among countries concerned."