The U.S. Air Force’s F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor fighter jets were able to share operational data in their native digital “languages” across multiple domains and platforms using the gatewayONE payload during a series of tests held Dec. 9th at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, the Air Force reported Monday.

During the test, the gatewayONE technology enabled the translation of incompatible data formats to facilitate data sharing between the two fifth-generation fighter aircraft. The flight demonstration achieved nine of the 18 established test objectives.

“The gatewayONE payload really showed what’s possible and helped us take a big step towards achieving (Joint All-Domain Command and Control),” said Lt. Col. Eric Wright, a 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron F-35 pilot. “This critical capability provides additional connections between our advanced fighters and other forces and battle managers across all domains.”

The gatewayONE technology is part of the Advanced Battle Management System program of the Air Force and the U.S. Space Force that seeks to create an internet of things platform for the military and advance the JADC2 concept to link all sensors and warfighters across ground, air, maritime, space and cyber domains.

“The future is promising, and gatewayONE will allow the F-22 and F-35 to connect to and feed data sources they've never before accessed. Those future connections will bring additional battlefield awareness into the cockpit and enable integrated fires across U.S. forces,” Wright added.

The XQ-58A Valkyrie attritableONE platform equipped with the gatewayONE payload flew in formation with Lockheed Martin-built F-22 and F-35 aircraft during the test but lost connectivity shortly after launch.

The State Department created the position of enterprise chief information security officer to help address cyber coordination challenges, and Stuart McGuigan, chief information officer at the State Department, said the E-CISO will be responsible for all cybersecurity aspects across the agency, Federal News Network reported Monday.

“Any bureau that maintains their own cyber infrastructure will be responsible to the E-CISO for meeting all required cyber standards,” McGuigan said in an email to the network.

He said the E-CISO will oversee the development and implementation of enterprise information security initiatives, including procedures and policies aimed at safeguarding the department’s communications platforms from external and internal threats.

In an online video provided to FNN, McGuigan said the new E-CISO will be responsible for all cyber oversight and policy activities carried out by the information assurance organization and the deputy CIO for insurance assurance will oversee all cyber operations of the information resource management office and will be renamed deputy CIO for cyber operations.

“These new enhancements will increase transparency throughout IRM’s cybersecurity efforts and strengthen the partnership we have with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security,” McGuigan said in the video.

The department is also establishing the office of global information technology risk within the E-CISO and McGuigan said in a memo to Undersecretary of State for Management Brian Bulatao, “GITR will develop policy, procedures and templates to guide organizations within the department responsible for IT to conduct their own IT risk assessments and report results” to inform the leadership’s decisions for risk management and situational awareness.

Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has partnered with Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command and Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division to foster multisector collaboration in the Gulf Coast region.

The newly formed Gulf Coast Tech Bridge will work with private companies and academic institutions to study and develop technologies on coastal sciences, meteorology, oceanography and assured maritime access, the U.S. Navy said Friday.

NRL's Ocean Sciences Division brings expertise in ocean physics and coastal sensing technologies to Gulf Coast Tech Bridge that will support efforts in Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.

The U.S. Navy creates Tech Bridge networks through the NavalX program that connects the service branch with non-traditional innovation opportunities. Tech Bridges allow the Navy's industrial and academic partners to look at emerging naval technologies.

“We want to enable our scientists and engineers to transform their discoveries into commercial products,” said Joe Calantoni, a  research physicist with NRL's Ocean Sciences Division.

The Navy also recently stood up another Tech Bridge in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Michael Brown, director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), said at a recent AFWERX event that his organization has been working to study drone swarming technologies, DoD News reported Friday. 

He said autonomous drone swarming is something the military has to be concerned about due to the technology's potentially dangerous uses by terrorists.

Brown talked about DIU's collaborative work with USAF at an AFWERX event panel where Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, was also present.

DIU previously worked with USAF on predictive maintenance technology, an artificial intelligence application that now supports the entire U.S. military. The AFWERX program aims to internally foster technological innovation across USAF.