On April 24-25, 2019 the National Defense Industrial Association held a conference on Army robotics capabilities.
Keynote: Preparing For Multi-Domain Operations
LTG Eric Wesley, USA, Deputy Commanding General, Futures and Concepts Center, U.S. Army Futures Command
Keynote: Helping Industry Understand The Army's Effort To Transform Acquisitions
Documents
May 17, 2019
May 16, 2019
On May 16, 2019 the chairmen of the House Armed Services, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raising concerns over what they call the abuse of classification and politicization of intelligence regarding Iran and other countries in the State Department's latest arms control report.
On May 16th, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (R-TX) released his proposals to reform how the Defense Department does business.
Continuing Acqusition Reform Legislative Text
Accelerating Defense Innovation Act Legislative Text
On May 16th, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (R-TX) released his proposals to reform how the Defense Department does business.
Continuing Acqusition Reform Legislative Text
Accelerating Defense Innovation Act Legislative Text
The February 2019 report "describes the cost estimating and analysis activities of [the Pentagon's cost analysis and program evaluation office], which have been conducted in partnership with the military department cost agencies and other organizations throughout DOD."
In a May 15, 2019 letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), acting Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought opposes the inclusion in the committee's fiscal year 2020 State and Foreign Operations spending bill "of numerous language provisions that limit the President's constitutional authority, are counter to Administration policy, or constrain the Administration's ability to conduct foreign affairs."
May 15, 2019
On May 15, 2019 President Trump signed an Executive Order titled "Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain." Also includes a White House statement and a message to Congress.
The Feb. 4, 2019 Navy report to Congress finds that the service has five categories of vessels under consideration for a new package of mine countermeasure capabilities and estimates it would need at least $50 million in future years to equip six select vessels.
In a May 13, 2019 letter to acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) seeks more information about how the Defense Department contracts with businesses and other entities in overpricing, as well as its process to collect cost data from those entities.
On May 15, 2019 the House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing on TransDigm's alleged excess defense profits.
On May 15, 2019 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on U.S. arms control policy with Russia. Includes the prepared testimony of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy David Trachtenberg and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson.
The May 15, 2019 House Oversight and Reform Committee memo "summarizes new documents obtained by the Committee regarding TransDigm's extreme profit margins, as well as information from whistleblowers and former company officials about efforts to conceal data from the Department of Defense (DOD) about the company's true costs for manufacturing these parts."
May 14, 2019
On May 7, 2019 the Army held an industry day on medium caliber munitions, including plans to develop a "50 mm family of ammunition to support the [Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle] primary weapon system (XM913)."
On May 10, 2019 the Air Force released a justification and approval document for a KC-46 airborne refueling tanker "Pegasus Combat Capability" contract that notes that five companies submitted proposals for the PC2 work in response to a sources-sought notice that was originally posted in August 2016.
On May 13, 2019 the White House Office of Management and Budget sent Congress a revised fiscal year 2020 budget, noting it omitted several defense items from the initial request submitted in February, including appropriations language for a $99 million Joint Urgent Operational Needs Fund.
On May 13, 2019 the Government Accountability Office released a report recommending the Defense Department "set time frames for new oversight actions, and update or develop guidance to clarify roles and responsibilities."
On May 14, 2019 the House Appropriations defense subcommittee released the draft fiscal year 2020 military spending bill.
May 13, 2019
The Feb. 4, 2019 joint doctrine document -- updated May 8, 2019 -- "is the keystone document of the joint logistics series. It provides fundamental principles and guidance for logistics planning, execution, and assessment in support of joint operations."
The May 5, 2019 reprogramming action, taken in support of a request from the Department of Homeland Security, says the funds are needed to "impede and deny drug smuggling activities."
The May 8, 2019 Defense Department inspector general's report "determined whether the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)—Security Assistance Accounts (SAA) September 30, 2017, balance sheet was accurate and whether the DSCA and Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) implemented effective controls over financial reporting for the SAAs."