The Department of Defense (DOD) has transitioned a set of three technologies designed to support cruise missile operations and deliver jam-resistant autonomy.

DOD said Tuesday that its Low-Cost Cruise Missile Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (LCCM JCTD) transitioned an unmanned air vehicle, autonomy software and data link into programs of record.

The Raytheon Technologies-made Coyote Block III UAV and a corresponding launcher transitioned into Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) Golden Horde program, along with a jam-resistant data link provided by L3Harris Technologies. 

LCCM JCTD also transitioned an autonomy software module made by Georgia Tech Research Institute.

“By working closely with our industry partners and combatant command operators, we delivered needed capabilities that will enhance the warfighter’s ability to accomplish their missions," said Jon Lazar, acting director of prototypes and experiments within DOD.

The military ran LCCM demonstrations in 2018 and 2019 at Arizona-based Yuma Test Proving Grounds, prior to a final test that took place in 2020. DOD expects to additionally transition Coyote Block III to other programs including one with the U.S. Marine Corps.

A Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)-led accelerator is looking to partner with industry for an effort aimed at preventing adversaries from taking the lead in technological innovation, C4ISRnet reported Tuesday. 

The accelerator serves as an expanded effort under the DARPA Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative (EEI) aimed at commercializing more than 150 research concepts within five years. DARPA previously partnered with In-Q-Tel to support investor networking activities as part of the initiative.

DARPA’s accelerator allocates over $250,000 to help research teams connect with U.S. investors for up to two years. The accelerator also enables participants to access mentors under the agency’s Transition Working Group, which includes a network of over 100 corporations and investors.

Kacy Gerst, chief of commercial strategy at DARPA, told the publication that the program serves as an “effective counter against aggressive foreign investors” that target early-stage research efforts.

DARPA has supported a range of research projects including blood sampling and COVID-19 studies during its pilot stage. To date, the agency has raised over $100 million to support 30 research groups through the program.

The General Services Administration-led (GSA) Robotic Process Automation Community of Practice has announced it will prioritize process optimization, automation deployment, technology management, program design and peer-to-peer engagement this year, FedScoop reported Tuesday.

These efforts aim to boost the efficiency of factories, bolster the security compliance of RPA technologies, involve GSA's Centers of Excellence in RPA community efforts and foster related mentorships between agencies.

Gerard Badorrek, executive sponsor of the RPA CoP and GSA's chief financial officer, said Tuesday the community's 1000 members from multiple agencies will attempt to persuade their teams to invest in targeted automation.

Badorrek said he wants to implement GSA's “Eliminate, Optimize and Automate” effort across the entire federal government.

The Department of Defense (DOD) has released an updated version of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF) aimed at simplifying acquisition policies based on different pathways.

The AAF, known as DOD Instruction 5000.02, includes pathways such as software, business systems, services, urgent capabilities, major capabilities and mid-tier procurement.

Mike Coolican, the Defense Acquisition University’s (DAU) AAF lead, told the publication that the pathways are meant to accelerate data-driven assessments, emphasize sustainment, manage risk and empower program heads.

He noted that the software pathway is “the most powerful” among the acquisition categories and that there are 14 programs implementing the software pathway to date.

“Congress, [DOD], everyone has identified the fact that we need to do software better and faster and with a more modern approach,” said Coolican. DAU recently launched a website focused on providing details on AAF fundamentals.

Excelicon announced Wednesday that the company has been named in the 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals list. The list includes the most successful independent small businesses in the Washington D.C. area. Inc. selected companies based in major metro areas, including Baltimore, Maryland, the Washington, D.C. area, and Richmond, Virginia, that brought in the highest revenue.

“We are so proud of our team that makes it possible for the company to deliver Excellence in Consulting. This recognition and our 49th ranking in the DC Region is proof that what we are doing is working,” says Excelicon CEO Tushar Garg.

“Excelicon is proud and humbled to be recognized by Inc. 5000 again, and we will use this as motivation to continue providing excellent support for our clients and their missions,” Garg added.

The Inc. 5000 list presents a look at the most successful independent small businesses on the cutting edge of innovation or producing unique products that excite private and public industries.

The companies on the Inc. 5000 list show incredible growth rates across all industries in the D.C. area. From 2017-2019, the list’s 250 companies averaged a 211 percent growth rate. In 2019, the companies employed over 120,000 people and contributed $15 billion to the local economy.

“This list proves the power of companies in the Washington, D.C. area no matter the Industry. The impressive revenues and growth rates prove the insight and diligence of CEOs and that these businesses are here to stay,” concluded Inc. editor in chief Scott Omelianuk.

About  Excelicon   

Excelicon is an advisor and provider of agile cybersecurity and advisory services to clients, helping government customers increase efficiency, get the best value and bring systems into the modern era. Holding contracts with several federal agencies, Excelicon is dedicated to delivering high-quality service to clients that uphold ethical and humane missions that support national security, resilience, and health.  Excelicon consultants apply their advanced technical acumen on the ground, working with client’s side-by-side to ensure a stronger government for all.

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) has released a document for vulnerability scanning procedures involving container technology for cloud environments.

FedRAMP said Tuesday that the Vulnerability Scanning Requirements for Containers guidance details standards for security considerations, processes and architectures in line with the assessments of cloud service providers during a technical exchange meeting.

The requirements are applicable to systems implementing containerization concepts including security sensors, hardened images, registry monitoring, asset management and orchestration.

According to the document, such guidelines are meant to address risks to containerization technology such as nonstandard configurations, invalidated external software, unauthorized access, unmanaged repositories and unmonitored communications between containers.

The guide also serves as a supplement for scanning requirements detailed in the FedRAMP Continuous Monitoring Strategy Guide.

Tyto Athene, a full-service systems integrator of network services and solutions, has received a NETCENTS 2 task order from multiple sites for the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and Air National Guard.

Through the task order, Tyto Athene will provide enhanced 911 sustainment services, hardware sustainment and digital logging recorder (DLR) sustainment services. The contract also includes operations related to E911 as well as the following:

The latest Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and APL certified software patches

Support for all software revisions and hardware servicing E911 systems

• Hardware replacement to lowest replaceable unit
• Repair and Return (R&R) hardware sustainment to include logistics support
• Remote support for escalation of issues utilizing Tyto’s Network Operations Center (NOC)
• Dispatch of skilled professionals on an as-needed basis to ensure reliable operations

Tyto has supported this crucial worldwide Air Force mission for multiple generations of the program contract, and is privileged to continue meeting this need as a trusted partner and prime contractor.

This task order marks the latest contract award that Tyto Athene has received over the past couple of months. Most recently, the company entered into an agreement to acquire AT&T Government Solutions, Inc. (GSI).

With the acquisition, Tyto Athene and GSI will continue to deliver IT professional services and offerings to support federal agencies. Following the close of the purchase, Tyto Athene will employ approximately 1,200 employees with 18 offices across the U.S. and worldwide.

Tyto Athene has projected that the transaction will further enable the company to address the requirements of technology-enabled digital transformation and joint all-domain operations.

About Tyto Athene

Tyto Athene is a full-service systems integrator providing design, installation, and support of complex voice, data, and security networks. Our wide range of network services and solutions include VoIP/voice, video, data, transport, infrastructure, network management, and security.

Tyto Athene has over fifty years of experience supporting the Federal Government, the Department of Defense, State and Local Governments, communities, first responders and organizations across the United States and around the globe.

The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps have released a campaign plan that outlines a strategy for integrating unmanned systems in support of the future maritime mission.

The Unmanned Campaign Framework has five goals, including advancing manned-unmanned teaming effects within the full range of naval and joint operations, building a digital infrastructure that adopts unmanned capabilities at scale and speed and incentivizing rapid incremental development and testing cycles for unmanned platforms, the Navy said Tuesday.

The plan provides guidance on how the services will identify performance requirements, reduce risks and pursue an agile approach to come up with core technologies in order to integrate unmanned platforms into the Navy’s future force structure.

“The Navy and Marine Corps unmanned campaign plan will guide our naval research and development investments, and through the acquisition process, we will collaborate with our industry partners to design, build, field and sustain manned and unmanned teaming throughout the fleet,” said Frederick Stefany, acting assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. 

“It also sets the framework to enable the Department of the Navy to accelerate, deliver and scale valuable manned and unmanned capabilities,” Stefany added.

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