The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command assembled a group of technical professionals to help update infrastructure that interconnects service personnel, architecture, processes, physical and logical topology and cyber operations.

Task Force Aquila (TFA) has been tasked to monitor changes to the Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) through a process-based method, perform technology assessments and provide recommendations on system performance and security, USMC said Thursday.

“Because the MCEN is a complex system of systems, assessing changes requires pooling technical expertise, and test infrastructure and resources from across the naval enterprise,” said Mike O’Neil, senior engineer for emerging technology at the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity.

David Goosman, lead architect for TFA, said the task force will employ architectural analysis and data-driven models to help inform the branch’s decision-making process.

The group aims to build a digital twin of the network for its efforts to replicate components and assess complex systems before implementing a technology product. The team will also propose possible MCEN enhancements that could support tactical operations.

The U.S. Space Force is allowing the loan of precise positioning service receiver cards for use in military GPS capability testing work in partner nations as part of a three-year multinational initiative established by USSF's Space and Missile Systems Center.

Project Arrangement took effect when Canada co-signed the document in Dec. and the Canadian government received the initial M-code PSS receivers last month, USSF said Thursday.

The arrangement calls for U.S. allies to test Increment 1 Military GPS User Equipment at laboratories and on the field and share data from MGUE performance and compatibility tests.

USSF projected that France, Germany, South Korea and the U.K. will receive Increment 1 MGUE technology. The military branch noted that Australia, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands intend to join the loan program later this year.

Space and Missile Systems Center coordinated with the Department of Defense's chief information officer and the U.S. Air Force's deputy undersecretary for international affairs to create the program.

M-code technology is designed to help secure positioning, navigation and timing systems against jamming or spoofing attacks.

The General Services Administration (GSA) will hold its second-ever cryptocurrency sale on March 29th as part of the federal government’s clearinghouse operations for excess bitcoin assets. GSA Auctions will open commission-free bidding activities at 4 p.m. CT, the agency said Wednesday.

GSA will auction off 6.79 bitcoin, which is valued at over $383,000 and will be segmented into 10 lots. Bidding will take place within 48 hours and close on March 31 at 4 p.m. CT.

Thomas Meiron, a regional commissioner at GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, said the auction serves as the agency's “first steps wading into the cryptocurrency market” and that he expects the event to generate excitement among investors in cryptocurrency.

Winning bidders must have a digital wallet and are required to make payments through wire transfer by April 2nd. GSA Auctions also handles bidding activities for federally-owned items such as vehicles, office furniture, collectibles and scientific equipment.

Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has created a software application designed to inform the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps on how to efficiently use energy resources. The IPOWER application, accessible via a web browser, simulates how the service branches store, gather and move energy resources, the Navy said Tuesday.

“There is now a pressing need for energy analysis tools such as IPOWER to help acquisitions officers, doctrine developers, logisticians and warfighters make conscious energy-saving decisions,” said Richard Stroman, a mechanical engineer at NRL.

IPOWER determines how energy moves in a unit based on climate data, mission timelines and equipment models.

NRL is now working to identify ways IPOWER can support mission planning with the Windows Tactical Assault Kit, a planning software utilized by ground-based warfighters.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must address its challenges in supply chain operations and establish a comprehensive strategy for logistics and acquisition management. 

GAO said Wednesday that the VA faced “unexpected challenges” especially during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic that exposed vulnerabilities in supply chain oversight. 

The watchdog noted that while the VA executed actions like centralizing medical storage facilities, the department must update strategies to include all current efforts.

GAO also found that the VA faced rollout delays and integration challenges with its Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support system, which is meant to replace most of the department’s supply-chain management infrastructure.

“Until it develops an overarching supply chain strategy and answers key questions, VA will not be able to fully address its high-risk acquisition management and ultimately better meet veterans' needs,” the agency said in the report.

GAO noted that it recognizes the VA’s efforts to participate in initiatives like the Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) Warstopper program intended to streamline critical supply access for emergencies.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is looking to expand a pilot program that connects startups with investors to include other emerging technology areas such as artificial intelligence, National Defense Magazine reported Wednesday.

DARPA’s updated Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative will fall under In-Q-Tel’s Emerge segment and support a maximum of 150 small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The program initially focused on biotechnology and microelectronics projects and has helped 30 startups raise $110 million since its creation two years ago.

Peter Highnam, deputy director of DARPA, said at a National Defense Industrial Association conference that the Department of Defense (DOD) is expressing concerns over China-linked investors allocating funds to U.S. tech firms to secure their intellectual property for use in military applications.

“DARPA helped to prove out the technology,” he noted. “Do you risk it now to make a business? That’s a very different issue.”

The Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $54 million in microelectronics research pursued by the national laboratories, which may apply for three-year awards under the new funding opportunity.

DOE said Wednesday that it will conduct a peer review to determine the awardees, with $36 million of the funds being dependent on congressional approval. Microelectronics research has the potential to catalyze innovative technologies, with applications in energy grid efficiency and clean energy, according to DOE.

“Thanks to microelectronics, transformational technologies that used to swallow up entire buildings now fit in the palms of our hands—and it’s time to take this work to the next level,” said Jennifer Granholm, secretary of Energy.

Executives from the military and the defense industry met virtually on March 17 and 18 to discuss how digital transformation bolsters national security. The New Horizons 2021 event's first week covered presentations and talks on cloud, digital engineering, edge computing, open architecture and agile software, the U.S. Air Force said Tuesday.

The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association sponsored the event, which also discussed the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept of a sensor-driven battlefield.

“We’re building and outfitting the DevSecOps (Development, Security and Operations) platform for all to use, with the security requirements and tools built in so the Air Force and Department of Defense don’t have to continually develop new DevSecOps platforms," said Maj. Gen. Michael Schmidt, program executive officer for command, control, communications, intelligence and networks at Hanscom Air Force Base.

Schmidt manages a $12 billion portfolio that includes digital, communications and information technologies.