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Air Force Research Lab Mulls ‘Vanguard’ Tech Advancement Program Expansion; Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle Quoted
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Air Force Research Lab Mulls ‘Vanguard’ Tech Advancement Program Expansion; Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle Quoted

Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle, commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, said that AFRL could increase the number of programs to build transformational weapon systems, C4ISRNET reported Wednesday.

AFRL seeks to expedite current Vanguard projects called Golden Horde, Skyborg and Navigation Technology Satellite-3 as part of the U.S. Air Force's 2030 Science and Technology Strategy.

“Our goal is to achieve, or dedicate, up to 20 percent of our investments to this portfolio — this transformational, top-down strategy-driven design — by FY23,” Pringle was quoted as saying.

Golden Horde focuses on networking a swarm of munitions for autonomous multitarget engagement while Skyborg centers on the development of artificial intelligence-based wingmen drones.

The NTS-3 project aims to demonstrate a position, navigation and timing satellite platform that could serve as a testbed for new GPS technology.

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Space Force Eyes Rapid Tech Procurement Approaches
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Space Force Eyes Rapid Tech Procurement Approaches

The U.S. Space Force is looking to host a business-pitch event, work with industry consortia and adopt a middle-tier acquisition model in efforts to accelerate the branch's commercial technology buying process, FedScoop reported Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander of USSF's Space and Missile Systems Center, and other service leaders want to build on previous anti-jamming satellite technology collaboration with the Space Enterprise Consortium to produce other platforms.

Thompson said the branch is also considering using a rapid prototyping and fielding model under Section 804 of the Fiscal 2016 National Defense Authorization Act.

The Department of Defense (DOD) released in late 2019 a guide on middle-tier acquisition procedures that call for DOD components and their industry partners to complete projects within five years when they apply the contracting method.

USSF plans to host its inaugural pitch day in spring to collect technology ideas from the private sector, the report noted.

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Microsoft’s Brad Smith: Reforms Needed to Speed Up Bid Protest Process
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Microsoft’s Brad Smith: Reforms Needed to Speed Up Bid Protest Process

Microsoft President Brad Smith said the federal government should introduce reforms to expedite the protest process for contract awards, FedScoop reported Tuesday.

Microsoft has not started work on the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud computing contract the Department of Defense (DOD) awarded in October 2019 due to an ongoing protest filed by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in November of that year.

Smith told Senate Armed Service Committee members during a hearing Tuesday reforms to the contract protest process would enable federal agencies to quickly acquire and use technology without forgoing the opportunity for companies to raise their concerns.

“How do you move quickly when the protest process moves so slowly?” Smith told lawmakers.

In January, DOD officials informed lawmakers of the possible implications of the ongoing legal battle with AWS over the JEDI contract through a memo and noted that a lengthy legal challenge will likely prompt the department to reassess its cloud procurement strategy.

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Maj. Gen. Neil Hersey, Brig. Gen. Paul Stanton to Switch Army Cyber Leadership Roles
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Maj. Gen. Neil Hersey, Brig. Gen. Paul Stanton to Switch Army Cyber Leadership Roles

The U.S. Army announced that Maj. Gen. Neil Hersey and Brig. Gen. Paul Stanton will switch roles at Army Cyber Command and the Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon in Georgia. 

Hersey, commanding general of the Cyber Center of Excellence, will assume the role of deputy commanding general for operations at Army Cyber Command.

He previously served as deputy commanding general of the Cyber Center of Excellence and commandant of the Army Cyber School prior to taking the helm at the center in June 2019. His military career includes service as director of operations at the Cyber National Mission Force and Joint Task Force Ares within U.S. Cyber Command and deputy chief for operations at U.S. Central Command.

Maj. Gen. Neil Hersey, Brig. Gen. Paul Stanton to Switch Army Cyber Leadership RolesBrig. Gen. Paul Stanton

Stanton will step down from the role that Hersey will fill at Army Cyber Command to serve as commanding general of the Cyber Center of Excellence (CoE).

He has held a number of joint, staff and command positions, including director of capabilities development group at U.S. Cyber Command, commander of the Army Cyber Protection Brigade and senior technical adviser at Army Cyber Command.

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Army Taps Seven Teams for Multidisciplinary Science Research
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Army Taps Seven Teams for Multidisciplinary Science Research

The U.S. Army has selected seven teams from academia to perform basic science research in areas including quantum physics, artificial intelligence, human agent-teaming and novel materials.

Each team will receive $1.25 million per year over a three-year base period to conduct research under the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative or MURI, the Army said Tuesday. The awards also hold options for up to two more years of work.

The Department of Defense's MURI program gathers researchers from across different disciplines to develop emerging technologies that meet the U.S. military's unique needs.

“The multidisciplinary teams are key to accelerating research progress in areas critical to future technological superiority of the Army,” said Barton Halpern, director of the Army Research Office.

MURI's newest run will support the following projects:

  • Cohesive and Robust Human-Bot Cybersecurity Teams
  • Emergent Topological and Hierarchical Ordered Structures
  • Multi-functional Devices in Precisely Engineered Van der Waals Homojunctions
  • Rethinking Reinforcement Learning with Astrocyte-Neuron Computations
  • Theory and Engineering of Large-Scale Distributed Entanglement
  • Tunable III-Nitride Nanostructures for N=N and C-H Bond Activation
  • Understanding and Engineering Transient Mechanical Responses

 

These projects will be led by the following universities:

  • Harvard University (two projects)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • University of Arizona
  • University of California, Berkley
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Wisconsin
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Army Invests in AFRL’s New Anti-Drone Directed Energy Weapon; Lt. Gen. Neil Thurgood Quoted
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Army Invests in AFRL’s New Anti-Drone Directed Energy Weapon; Lt. Gen. Neil Thurgood Quoted

The U.S. Army is working with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to further develop the latter’s directed energy weapon that attacks swarms of enemy drones.

The partnership between AFRL and the Army will further build the Tactical High Power Operational Responder or THOR prototype, which can neutralize the electronic components of multiple drones at the same time, the Army said Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. Neil Thurgood, director of hypersonics, directed energy space and rapid acquisition at the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, visited Kirtland Air Force Base on Feb.11th to see THOR demonstrated.

“High energy lasers kill one target at a time, and high powered microwaves can kill groups or swarms, which is why we are pursuing a combination of both technologies for our Indirect Fire Protection Capability rapid prototyping effort,” Thurgood said.

The Army wants to prototype a high-power microwave system for indirect fire protection by fiscal year 2024, based on THOR’s fielding. THOR is now undergoing trials at Kirtland AFB, in preparation for overseas deployment.

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Jessica Rosenworcel Issues Draft Order for FCC’s Mid-Band Spectrum Auction for 5G Access
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Jessica Rosenworcel Issues Draft Order for FCC’s Mid-Band Spectrum Auction for 5G Access

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to auction off mid-band spectrum access to support 5G implementation throughout the continental U.S. Jessica Rosenworcel, acting chairwoman of the FCC, released a draft order seeking to free up 100 megahertz in the 3.45-3.55 GHz band for federal and nonfederal use, FCC said Tuesday.

In addition to supporting low-latency network services and a potential $1.5 trillion market, the Auction 110 initiative is also meant to drive the transition to the 2.9-3.0 GHz band for radiolocation operators that do not fall under the federal government.

The auction comes as part of efforts to comply with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which tasks the FCC to establish competitive bidding procedures for licensing 3.45 GHz band access by the year’s end.

“We need to deliver the 5G that the American people were promised,” said Rosenworcel. “That means a 5G that is fast, secure, resilient, and—most importantly—available across the country.”

The adoption of Rosenworcel’s draft order will be discussed at the FCC’s March 17th Open Meeting. Bidding activities are scheduled for October 2021.

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DOD’s Paul Lopata: Quantum Science Brings Many Military Tech Opportunities
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DOD’s Paul Lopata: Quantum Science Brings Many Military Tech Opportunities

Paul Lopata, principal for Quantum Science at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, said quantum science may help the military develop innovative technologies, such as quantum computing and sensors. 

Lopata said in an interview that the Department of Defense (DOD) can use quantum science to more effectively decrypt or encrypt communications for network security. DOD has partnered with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and non-government parties to set new standards for cryptography, Lopata said.

The defense executive also noted that quantum sensors can help forces track missiles and aircraft, and that atomic clocks use quantum science to maintain synchronization in GPS satellites.

"We're just starting to understand the possibilities," he said about the role of quantum science in the military.

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President Biden Nominates Kiran Ahuja as OPM Director
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President Biden Nominates Kiran Ahuja as OPM Director

President Biden has nominated Kiran Ahuja, CEO of Seattle-based nonprofit network Philanthropy Northwest, as director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Government Executive reported Tuesday.

Ahuja served as chief of staff at OPM for almost two years and helped lead policy development efforts as well as over 6,000 employees, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She also served as executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under the Obama administration from 2009 to 2015. She held a similar role at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) and spent time at the Department of Justice (DOJ) as a trial attorney under the civil rights division.

If confirmed as OPM director, Ahuja would serve as the first Asian American woman and South Asian official to lead the agency.

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Sen. Roger Wicker: President Biden Must Revive National Space Council
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Sen. Roger Wicker: President Biden Must Revive National Space Council

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has said the nation must take a “whole-of-government approach” and relaunch the National Space Council (NSC) to drive the discussion on the space domain while eliminating bureaucracy.

Wicker, who serves as a ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, wrote in an opinion piece published Tuesday on SpaceNews that President Biden must reactivate the National Space Council to “keep space issues on the radar” and provide a forum for related diplomatic discussions.

The council must also have a diverse set of experts to reflect space policy's implications on commercial, military and civil customers, he noted. These applications include satellite communications technologies and on-orbit servicing which is an inherently dual-use concept.

“The Biden Administration should reenlist the proven success of the National Space Council,” said Wicker. “Space policy is too important to be delegated to mid-level interagency groups who lack the authority to make difficult and consequential decisions. The ever-expanding space domain requires the attention of the President’s appointees.”

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