Inside the Navy highlights

Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Navy:

1. Expeditionary warfare officials aim to identify funding in a future budget to start proving out concepts necessary to design a new maintenance and modernization model for big-deck amphibious ships, according to a Navy official.

Full story: New LHA, LHD overhaul model may see funding in FY-23 for 'beta test'

2. The Navy estimates the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aircraft system -- the service's first operational unmanned aircraft for the aircraft carrier fleet -- will cost $15.2 billion to acquire, up nearly $2 billion from a $13.3 billion price tag the service tallied last year.

Full story: Navy sets MQ-25 price tag at $15.2B, nearly $2B higher than service cost position

3. The Army is coordinating with the Marine Corps to integrate the Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) with the Integrated Air and Missile Defense program, a sign of new confidence by the Army that its $7.9 billion IAMD program -- beset two years ago by a string of serious developmental setbacks and schedule delays -- has turned a corner and is "on track" for fielding in 2022 or sooner.

Full story: Army, Marine Corps exploring IBCS-G/ATOR integration

4. The Pentagon says allegations that acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan, a 31-year executive at Boeing, has acted improperly to benefit his former employer or is biased in favor of the company are unfounded and untrue.

Full story: Pentagon fires back on allegations Shanahan is favoring Boeing