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JAIC’s Stephanie Culberson on New JAIC Forum’s Role in Driving AI-Driven Readiness
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JAIC’s Stephanie Culberson on New JAIC Forum’s Role in Driving AI-Driven Readiness

Stephanie Culberson, head of international artificial intelligence policy at the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), said the center’s new forum is meant to drive discussion on AI’s role in ensuring military readiness, C4ISRnet reported Saturday.

The Partnership for Defense, which JAIC created late last year, is meant to provide an “open door” to allies in AI efforts in addition to driving talent-sharing across the Department of Defense (DOD) to address workforce shortages, Culberson told the publication.

“I see it has kind of the same thing actually for international: to help enable key allies and partners, which at the end of the day is going to make our war fighter more ready to have ready allies at their side,” noted Culberson.

The partnership includes representatives from allied defense entities and is expected to gather thrice a year. According to Culberson, the U.S. must work to coordinate with “like-minded allies” and leverage its data collated from past decades to improve readiness.

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Jens Stoltenberg: NATO Must Consider Interoperability in Emerging Tech Development
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Jens Stoltenberg: NATO Must Consider Interoperability in Emerging Tech Development

Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general at North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said member nations should maintain interoperability as they invest in next-generation technologies over the next decade. 

Stoltenberg said Monday in a virtual conference that NATO allies must avoid technological gaps and observe common standards in the development of emerging technologies, Defense News reported Monday.

He added that NATO holds the potential to establish standards that guide the technologies' ethical aspects. The secretary-general's statements come as he prepares to propose to defense ministers about what he envisions for the NATO 2030 strategy.

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AIS Names Microsoft’s Patricia Obermaier to Board of Directors; Larry Katzman Quoted
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AIS Names Microsoft’s Patricia Obermaier to Board of Directors; Larry Katzman Quoted

Applied Information Sciences (AIS) has appointed Patricia Obermaier, vice president of the U.S. Health and Life Sciences unit with Microsoft, to its Board of Directors, the company reported on Tuesday. “As a senior leader in Microsoft, her insight and guidance will help us forge new opportunities to expand our already impressive 25+ year partnership with Microsoft, particularly with Azure cloud offerings," said Larry Katzman, president and CEO, AIS.

Obermaier is a leader in the health and IT industries, joining AIS with decades of experience and expertise in digital transformation strategies. “Patty's domain expertise in Health and Government will help us increase our depth and impact in highly regulated enterprises, including our fast-growing managed services offerings for Healthcare and Financial Services clients,” Katzman added. 

Before her career with Microsoft, Obermaier served as the CEO and founder of Resigility, where she consulted healthcare clients on their digital strategies and expansion of their IT, analytics, and customer-driven solution development capabilities. 

"Patty's passion and dedication to innovation in Healthcare and Government make her a great fit for our team," Katzman stated. "She has a remarkable track record of driving swift business results and building diverse, effective teams.”

Prior to launching Resigility, Obermaier was head of US Payer, Provider and Government Markets with IMS Health. In the position, she drove strategic direction, market and business development and P&L management for three high growth verticals for the company. 

She also held leadership roles at Unisys Corporation, most recently serving as partner of Health and Human Services. With Unisys, Obermaier supported account leadership, business development, market strategy, and P&L management. She also directed a team of over 300 staff delivering full-portfolio solutions to the CDC, FDA and HHS headquarters. 

With her recent appointment, Obermaier joins Tish Long and Sanju Bansal on the Board. Long, a two-time Wash100 Award recipient, was appointed to AIS’ Board of Directors in Dec. 2020, and Bansal was named to his position in Nov. 2020. 

“I have been tracking AIS’ evolution as a premier digital transformation enabler for some time,” said Obermaier. “I am looking forward to working with Larry and other members of the Board, including Tish Long and Sanju Bansal, as AIS continues its fast-paced growth, especially in Azure offerings.”

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Tyto Athene to Host Charity Golf Tournament to Support Fisher House Foundation
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Tyto Athene to Host Charity Golf Tournament to Support Fisher House Foundation

Tyto Athene has announced that it will host its 13th annual charity golf tournament to raise funds to support the Fisher House Foundation, a private-public partnership that supports members of the Armed Forces, retirees, veterans, and their families by offering shelter and support during a medical crisis.

The company held their first Charity Golf Tournament as a grassroots effort in collaboration with the Department of Information Management (DOIM) at Fort Bragg, N.C. in 2007. The effort was intended to raise funds for a Fisher House to be built at Fort Bragg. 

This year, Tyto Athene’s event will take place on Sept. 9, 2021 at 1757 Golf Club in Dulles, Va. The company’s tournament has helped to raise more than $250 thousand since its launch to further the Fisher House’s mission. 

As part of the initiative, Tyto Athene will cover all the costs associated with the golf tournament so that all sponsorships and golf fees are donated directly to the Fisher House. 

“By supporting our military and veterans, we are supporting the best of our own communities. Partnering with the Fisher House Foundation allows our organization to continue to give back to those that give everything for our country,” the company wrote. 

About Tyto Athene

Tyto Athene, LLC is a full-service systems integrator focused on helping clients accelerate their ability to make decisions by providing secure access to enterprise information throughout their operating environment. 

We use a wide range of technologies, innovative thinking, and proven processes to deliver successful outcomes for its clients worldwide, including a historically proven track record of success within the Federal marketplace providing turn-key voice, data, networking and unified communications systems. Tyto Athene is also the inventor and provider of the ACUITY Micro Data Center product line.

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PSC Names David Broome EVP for Government Relations; David Berteau, Roger Krone Quoted
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PSC Names David Broome EVP for Government Relations; David Berteau, Roger Krone Quoted

Professional Services Council (PSC) has appointed David Broome as executive vice president for Government Relations, effective Feb. 15, 2021. “I’m honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead PSC’s government relations, especially at a time when the new administration’s agenda takes shape,” Broome said.

Broome, a Marine Corps reservist, has more than two decades of experience across the federal government. He will bring a deep understanding of both defense and non-defense agencies and programs. 

“We are pleased to have David Broome serve in this new leadership position for PSC,” said David Berteau, president and CEO of PSC and two-time Wash100 Award recipient. “His background aligns well with PSC’s engagement with Congress, and his private sector experience will amplify our industry’s issues and concerns.”

Broome previously served as senior vice president of Government Relations for Israel Aerospace Industries. Earlier in his career, he developed and implemented legislative and communications strategies in senior positions at Orbital ATK and Northrop Grumman. 

He has held a variety of government positions including roles on Capitol Hill and in the George W. Bush Administration. With Bush’s Administration, Broome served as special assistant to the president for Legislative Affairs, as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Senate Affairs, and as deputy assistant administrator for Government and Industry Affairs in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

“This key hire furthers our efforts to expand and strengthen PSC’s ability to reach decision makers and help shape the future of our industry. We must continue to increase our member companies’ voice on the Hill while working more closely with our government partners,” said Roger Krone, chairman and CEO of Leidos, Chair of the PSC Board of Directors and 2021 Wash100 Award recipient.

Krone was reelected as chair of the PSC Board of Directors in Dec. 2020. The council's board also voted to reappoint Carey Smith, president and chief operating officer at Parsons (NYSE: PSN), as vice chair and PAE CEO John Heller, fellow 2021 Wash100 Award winner, as secretary.

“I look forward to serving in the chair capacity in 2021, working with other member companies to expand and strengthen our collective ability to reach decision makers, shape responses to ongoing challenges, and increase engagement with government agencies and other stakeholders," Krone said regarding his reelection.

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Lockheed Martin Wins Contract to Support U.S. Army Combat Vehicle Protection System; David Rohall Quoted
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Lockheed Martin Wins Contract to Support U.S. Army Combat Vehicle Protection System; David Rohall Quoted

The U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a 36-month contract to support the integration and testing of the service branch’s combat vehicle protection system, which will increase warfighter safety and security from battlefield threats, the company reported on Tuesday. The company will provide its Modular Active Protection System (MAPS) base kit to support this effort. 

"Lockheed Martin partnered with the U.S. Army in 2014 to develop MAPS as a safe and secure vehicle defense system that protects warfighters from a variety of anti-armor threats,” said David Rohall, program manager for Advanced Ground Vehicle Systems at Lockheed Martin. 

Lockheed Martin’s MAPS base kit supports the rapid integration of MAPS-compliant sensors and countermeasures. The system has been designed to protect combat vehicles and support future vehicle protection system capabilities.

MAPS features an open-architecture processor that will integrate vehicle sensors and countermeasures in a common framework to detect, track and defeat rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank guided missiles.

“The MAPS base kit has proven itself in multiple live-fire demonstrations. We’re ready to support integration and testing on a variety of Army combat vehicles, the final step before the Army makes a formal decision on fielding this capability,” Rohall added. 

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver five production-ready base kits with an option for up to 20. The company will support Army integration and testing on Abrams, Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, Bradley and Stryker vehicles. The contract also covers the development of base kit support for vehicle protection capabilities beyond active protection.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 114,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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DynCorp Wins $554M Task Order to Provide UH-60 Contractor Logistics Support; Joe Dunaway Quoted
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DynCorp Wins $554M Task Order to Provide UH-60 Contractor Logistics Support; Joe Dunaway Quoted

DynCorp has been awarded a potential six-year, $554.1 million task order from the Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., to provide UH-60 Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) under the Worldwide Logistics Support Services – Contractor Logistics Support (WLSS-C) multiple award IDIQ, Amentum reported on Tuesday.

“We are excited to expand our position as the largest aviation services provider for the U.S. Army,” said Joe Dunaway, president of DynAviation. “This award continues DI’s legacy of support for MASPO and the Afghan forces.”

Under the award, Dyncorp will deliver critical equipment, material and services to support the U.S. Army, Multi‐National Aviation Special Project Office (MASPO), Department of Defense (DoD) and the host nation of Afghanistan.

DynCorp will provide the purchase of parts, components, equipment, spares and consumables to support the MASPO, the Afghan Special Mission Wing (SMW) and its Special Operations Advisory Group (SOAG), as well as the Afghan Air Force (AAF) and its Train, Advise and Assist Command ‐ Air (TAAC‐A).

In addition, the company will perform CLS and hybrid CLS through the integration of Afghan military workers to support continued airworthiness of aircraft. DynCorp will leverage its DynMRO as the maintenance management information system (MMIS) for the Afghan fleet of UH-60 aircraft. DynMRO will deliver maintenance management proficiencies to enable the Afghan military to perform supply support functions.

DynCorp began work in Jan. 2021. The company will perform work in Afghanistan and manage efforts from DynCorp’s Huntsville, Ala. office. Amentum acquired DynCorp in Nov. 2020. Since then, the combined companies have provided enhanced capabilities for their customers.

John Vollmer, CEO of Amentum and 2021 Wash100 Award recipient, followed up with ExecutiveBiz regarding the acquisition. During the interview, he discussed how purchase would expand the combined companies’ offerings, the expansive culture and the new markets that will come into play after they complete integration. To read John Vollmer’s full Executive Spotlight, visit ExecutiveBiz.

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FAA Seeks Public Comment on Aviation Noise Research Program
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FAA Seeks Public Comment on Aviation Noise Research Program

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requesting public input on agency-sponsored research into the effects of civil aircraft noise on the well-being of residents in areas surrounding U.S. airports. The comment period is open through March 15th. 

FAA said Thursday it will hold a virtual event Monday to present results from the Neighborhood Environmental Survey (NES) and initiatives to address community impacts of noise exposure.

For the NES program, FAA polled more than 10,000 people who live close to 20 airports nationwide and found increased noise annoyance levels among respondents to the national survey compared with previous studies.

The agency added it works with airlines, local governments and community groups to reduce aviation noise and manage use of land to avoid exposing residential locations to the disturbance caused by aircraft sound.

According to FAA, the number of people exposed to airport noise throughout the country dropped by 94 percent during the past 40 years to roughly 400,000.

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DOD IG Report: Weapon System Program Officials Initiate Actions to Update Cyber Requirements During Operations, Support Phase
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DOD IG Report: Weapon System Program Officials Initiate Actions to Update Cyber Requirements During Operations, Support Phase

The Department of Defense’s (DOD) office of inspector general (OIG) conducted an audit of cybersecurity requirements for five weapons systems during the operations and support phase of DOD’s acquisition lifecycle and found that program officials for those systems complied with the Risk Management Framework and secured an authorization to operate. 

Program officials also initiated measures to update those cyber requirements during the O&S phase based on known cyber vulnerabilities and security threats obtained from intelligence agencies, according to OIG’s report released Wednesday.

The five weapon systems assessed in the report were the Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures/Common Missile Warning System; Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System; Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile; B-2 Spirit Bomber; and AC-130J Precision Strike Package.

The officials performed best practices to help reduce the risk of cyber threats to DOD’s weapon systems. These include conducting cyber tabletop exercises, participating in intelligence-based working groups and performing cyber threat and risk assessments.

“Program officials for all weapon systems should consider the best practices described in this report when developing plans and procedures for reducing cybersecurity risks within their programs,” the report states.

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Army’s Gunsmoke-J Cubesat to Launch Aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron Vehicle in March
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Army’s Gunsmoke-J Cubesat to Launch Aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron Vehicle in March

A cubesat designed to help the U.S. Army demonstrate the collection of data from overhead satellites to support battlefield surveillance and combat operations will fly aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron vehicle in mid-March, SpaceNews reported Monday.

The Gunsmoke-J spacecraft is one of the seven satellites that will take off from New Zealand as part of the 19th launch mission of the Electron rocket.

Lira Frye, a spokeswoman for Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said the small satellite "will demonstrate an ability to deliver situational awareness down to the lowest tactical level possible.”

In October, TriSept received a contract from Army Space and Missile Defense Command to integrate the Gunsmoke-J cubesat with the dispenser that will field the satellite into orbit.

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