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DOE to Finance AI-Driven Research Projects on Environmental, Material Science; Barbara Helland Quoted
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DOE to Finance AI-Driven Research Projects on Environmental, Material Science; Barbara Helland Quoted

The Department of Energy will invest $15.1 million in three research efforts that will use artificial intelligence to tackle environmental and materials science topics.

DOE said Thursday these projects will produce simulations from multi-tiered data to support research on gulf coastal flooding, new materials and distributed computing infrastructures.

“Collaborations between scientific disciplines, like those created through this program, pave the way for the future of scientific discovery by combining diverse knowledge, skills and tools in new ways to approach a variety of critical problems,” said Barbara Helland, associate director of science for advanced scientific computing research at DOE.

The first project will use AI to develop strategies for mitigating gulf coastal floods. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will work with the University of Texas – Austin, the University of Notre Dame and Louisiana State University on this project.

The second project, with the participation of the University of Connecticut and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, will apply AI techniques to produce and test new, uniquely designed materials for use in energy storage technologies and sensors.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory and University of Southern California will test the performance of distributed computing infrastructures under the third project.

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Gen. David Berger: Marine Corps Must Leverage Logistics to Boost Artificial Intelligence Technologies
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Gen. David Berger: Marine Corps Must Leverage Logistics to Boost Artificial Intelligence Technologies

Gen. David Berger, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, said the service must focus on using logistics to boost artificial intelligence capabilities that can benefit potential future war, Fedscoop reported Thursday. 

Emerging technologies that can create resilient tools and strengthen infrastructure are important factors in preparation for any possible war, Berger said during the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space conference.

“If you think we are going to be able to [do] that in a human mind … that is not going to work,” he lamented on the reliance on humans to operate complex supply chains. 

In April, National Defense Magazine reported that Berger underscored the need to trust AI to enhance the service’s capability to understand the environment and make decisions and ensure proper communication across the force.

The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory in May 2019 launched the Squad X program aimed at providing dismounted soldiers and Marines with improved situational awareness. 

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Air Force Closing In on New Force Generation Model; Gen. Charles Brown Quoted
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Air Force Closing In on New Force Generation Model; Gen. Charles Brown Quoted

The U.S. Air Force has reached the final phases of its transition to a new four-phase, 24-month force generation model designed for future joint operations.

The Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN) would balance trade-offs between short and long-term structural readiness elements to better inform resource management and investments, the service said Thursday.

Under the AFFORGEN model, airmen would spend a year to reset and prepare for deployment following a six-month phase on duty, after which they would spend half a year to achieve a high level of readiness through certification and training events.

Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, deputy chief of staff for operations, noted that the new model will address the problem in the previous Air Expeditionary Force construct wherein the use of airpower outpaced force generation.

"After nearly two decades of demanding rotational deployments, we are shifting to a model that builds high-end and sustainable readiness toward future missions by balancing elements of current availability, modernization and risk," explained Gen. Charles Brown, Jr., the Air Force chief of staff.

The service aims to achieve initial operating capability for AFFORGEN in fiscal 2023.

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XPO Logistics Appoints Ravi Tulsyan as Chief Financial Officer; Chairman, CEO Brad Jacobs Quoted
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XPO Logistics Appoints Ravi Tulsyan as Chief Financial Officer; Chairman, CEO Brad Jacobs Quoted

XPO Logistics recently announced that the company has appointed Ravi Tulsyan as its chief financial officer. He will succeed David Wyshner, who is leaving the position on Sept. 2nd.

“Ravi has been deeply involved in all aspects of our global finance organization for the past five years,” Brad Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of XPO Logistics. “He and David have worked closely together in accomplishing key goals for our company. We expect this to be a seamless transition.”

Tulsyan has more than 15 years of senior finance experience with global companies encompasses all aspects of corporate finance and capital structure, cash management, financial risk management, international finance, financial planning and analysis, and oversight of insurance and pension activities.

Previously, Tulsyan joined XPO Logistics in 2016 as its treasurer and senior vice president. He has served as deputy chief financial officer since February 2021. 

Prior to his tenure with XPO Logistics, Tulsyan served as the treasurer and senior vice president of mergers and acquisitions for ADT Corporation following ADT’s 2012 spin-off from Tyco International. 

About XPO Logistics

XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) provides cutting-edge supply chain solutions to the most successful companies in the world. XPO uses a network of 1,623 locations in 30 countries to serve more than 50,000 customers.

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Northrop Grumman to Provide U.S. Air Force with Countermeasure Flares; Charlie Precourt Quoted
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Northrop Grumman to Provide U.S. Air Force with Countermeasure Flares; Charlie Precourt Quoted

Northrop Grumman announced on Friday that the company will provide the U.S. Air Force with its high-performance MJU-73/B and MJU-62A/B infrared countermeasure flares under a potential five-year, $61.8 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. 

“These newly developed countermeasure flares simulate an aircraft’s heat signature to divert infrared missiles away from the vehicle and decrease the odds of being struck,” said Charlie Precourt, vice president of Propulsion Systems for Northrop Grumman. 

The company’s next-generation countermeasures will help protect large aircraft and helicopters from advanced surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. The company will develop cutting-edge, first-fire application technology to support flare ignition while increasing safety during the manufacturing process.

“Our team is delivering this capability for our customer through our innovative technology, and digital and agile processes that were used during different points of program lifecycles,” Precourt added. 

The MJU-73/B and MJU-62A/B infrared countermeasure flares build upon a more than 50+ year history of protecting aircrews, and will serve as an integral component of the suite of protective measures used by the military to increase aircraft survivability.

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NAVAIR Program Officials Highlight Aircraft Fielding, Sustainment Efforts
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NAVAIR Program Officials Highlight Aircraft Fielding, Sustainment Efforts

Maj. Gen. Gregory Masiello, program executive officer for air anti-submarine warfare, assault and special mission programs at Naval Air Systems Command, said during the 2021 Sea-Air-Space Expo that the Navy will deploy a new variant of the Osprey tiltrotor aircraft onboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson soon. 

Masiello noted in his presentation at the event the CMV-22B platform would replace the U.S. Navy's C-2 Greyhound cargo aircraft platform, NAVAIR said Friday. 

He also reported that H-60 utility helicopter program has added three customers through the foreign military sales program over the past year.

At the same event, Capt. Pete Arrobio, program manager for E-2 /C-2 airborne command and control systems, said that his office will prioritize the deployment and sustainment of “mission-capable” E-2D early warning aircraft.

Arrobio said the program office aims to field 22 MC E-2Ds and sustain 28 MC E-2Ds using the Naval Sustainment System-Aviation approach.

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DHS S&T to Host Tech Showcase for Silicon Valley Innovation Program Startups; Melissa Oh Quoted
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DHS S&T to Host Tech Showcase for Silicon Valley Innovation Program Startups; Melissa Oh Quoted

Twenty-six Silicon Valley Innovation Program-backed startups will demonstrate how their technology projects could support the Department of Homeland Security’s missions during a three-day event hosted by the DHS Science and Technology Directorate.

The virtual demonstration series starting on Sept. 14 will provide SVIP-funded startups with opportunities to showcase technologies in support of DHS components and the global innovation community, the agency said Thursday.

“Participants will see how SVIP startup performers have incorporated DHS requirements into their commercial products, expanding their capabilities and providing DHS operational components access to innovative commercial products that address their most critical mission needs,” shared Melissa Oh, managing director of SVIP.

The event will also feature a panel discussion with government and industry experts. They will tackle industry trends, COVID-19 response and mitigation, and best practices in artificial intelligence, aviation and interoperability.

SVIP was initiated to expand DHS S&T’s reach and enable it to work with innovation communities to identify new technologies meant to enhance national security.

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Army Stands up Center of Excellence to Support Small Business Program; Matthew Willis Quoted
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Army Stands up Center of Excellence to Support Small Business Program; Matthew Willis Quoted

The U.S. Army has launched a center of excellence dedicated to helping small businesses pursue opportunities with the service branch.

The Army said Wednesday that its SBIR Contracting CoE will issue and manage awards for the service's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and streamline the associated contracting processes.

The center will handle contracting resources for phases one and two of applied Army SBIR projects, centralizing 80 percent of the service's SBIR portfolio under a single office.

The Army Applied SBIR Program Office of the service's assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology manages the newly established CoE. The service expects the CoE to reduce the time spent for contract execution by 75 percent.

“We want to be expeditious in our approach, and this new center is a tremendous step forward in helping us fulfill our goal to modernize our world-class military and transition life-saving technology into the hands of our soldiers," said Matthew Willis, director of Army prize competitions and the Army Applied SBIR Program.

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DHS Taps Two Companies to Support Fire Sensor Research Program; Jeff Booth Quoted
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DHS Taps Two Companies to Support Fire Sensor Research Program; Jeff Booth Quoted

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has tapped two industry partners to help in the next phase of the Science and Technology (DHS S&T) Directorate’s Wildland Fire Sensors initiative that will focus on sensor performance testing and evaluation. 

Under the Wildland Fire Sensor Research Program, Breeze Technologies and N5 Sensors will work on hardening the sensors, which will be used for longer-term deployments and early alerting capabilities, the DHS said Wednesday. 

“Both companies show great potential for operational deployment and dual-purpose wildfire detection and air quality monitoring capabilities,” said Jeff Booth, director of S&T’s Sensors and Platforms Technology Center.

The DHS said S&T conducted in June the sensors’ field testing aimed at demonstrating that sensor technologies can be a significant tool for first responders and the public. 

The two companies will perform several planned improvements that include detection algorithms enhancement, communication optimization and user interface development.

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Shawn Barnes: Space Force Should Handle Contracts by Portfolio
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Shawn Barnes: Space Force Should Handle Contracts by Portfolio

Shawn Barnes, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, said the Space Force could improve contracting through an organized portfolio-based approach, C4ISRnet reported Thursday.

He said Tuesday at the Sea-Air-Space conference that managing contracts by portfolio provides more agility compared to managing them per single program.

Barnes said USSF should create portfolios based on missions of different space-related organizations, such as the National Reconnaissance Office and the Space Development Agency.

Barbara Barrett, formerly the secretary of the Air Force, made a similar statement in 2020, saying USSF should adopt a portfolio-based approach in consolidating budget line items. She said the approach would help the service realign funds in response to emerging issues.

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