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Legislators Reintroduce American Innovation Act for Steady R&D Funding
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Legislators Reintroduce American Innovation Act for Steady R&D Funding

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., have reintroduced the American Innovation Act, a bicameral bill that would ensure annual budget increases at a rate of five percent for critical research at five federal agencies. The bicameral bill will ensure that American scientists at the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Defense, and NASA will have sustained access to funding to create more jobs, strengthen national security and “push our world forward,” Durbin said in a press release posted Thursday. 

“If we want to maintain our status as a world leader in research and technology, we must empower and fund our federal research agencies and retain their top talent,” the democratic whip commented.

Senators Champion American Innovation

According to the press release, the United States is in danger of falling behind adversaries in investment in basic science. Whereas China’s research and development intensity, or percentage of gross domestic product spent on R&D, increased by 500 percent since 1996, America’s stalled. Since the ‘70s, funding for research in the United States decreased tenfold to just about 0.1 percent of the GDP. 

If the trend continues, China will surpass the U.S. in the area of science investments. 

In his statement, Foster highlighted the role played by investments in scientific studies in national security and the economy. 

“Since World War II, investments in science and technology have helped expand our economy, create millions of jobs and advance our national security,” he pointed out. 

“As we confront new and existing challenges, it’s critical that our scientists have the resources they need to ensure our nation remains at the forefront of research and innovation,” the House legislator added.

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Air Force Seeks Prototypes of ‘Flex Fuel’ Power Systems
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Air Force Seeks Prototypes of ‘Flex Fuel’ Power Systems

The Department of the Air Force has issued a solicitation for prototype multi-fuel power systems to back up its existing on-site power sources. The “flex fuel” prototypes DAF wants are designs that not only increase power sources and fuel options but also clean energy systems that reduce costs and minimize maintenance and operational requirements, according to the department’s Thursday Tradewinds post.

Prototype Technical Requirements     

The technical specifications required for prototype proposals include power systems at between the 100-kilowatt and 1 megawatt range, with the initial design’s ideal capacity at 230kW up to approximately 460kW. 

Proponents should also submit prototypes with a capacity factor of less than 30 percent, operating as a stationary platform with integration capability with current government and commercial power infrastructures. In addition, DAF seeks models that can operate using multiple gaseous fuels in varying purities, with at least one conventional fossil fuel as power source.

Video Pitches With Business Model Presentations

Interested parties on the solicitation have to submit a video pitch to the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace Opportunity Page, with May 1 as the submission’s deadline. Besides the solicitation’s technical specifications, the pitch should present a comprehensive business model defining the proponent’s prototyping goals, strategies, activities and alternatives either as a prime contractor, subcontractor or partner.

Additionally, the proposal should detail the prototype’s differences from other similar technologies and services, as well as present prototype financing plans minus the land, site control and project access cost that DAF will provide. After the proposals’ assessment, DAF may opt to negotiate with just one, some or all of the prototype proponents.

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DIU Developing Digital Platform for Simplifying DOD Solicitations
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DIU Developing Digital Platform for Simplifying DOD Solicitations

The Defense Innovation Unit is working with technology companies to develop a secure digital platform for matching private sector capabilities with defense opportunities.

Using advanced artificial intelligence and large language model technologies, the Digital OnRamp platform is envisioned to enhance the process of pairing tech products and services with business opportunities in the defense sector, the Department of Defense said Thursday. The tool will allow users to discover commercial and academic capabilities that meet their mission requirements in a single digital location.

Finding Tech for DOD Mission Problems

The DOD Digital OnRamp will provide a pathway for tech companies to find an opportunity and for DOD employees to find technologies for mission problems, according to Cheryl Ingstad, deputy director of digital platforms and developer ecosystem at DIU. “Imagine the speed and scale of innovation that can be achieved when an AI-enabled platform connects countless companies, professors and students to billions of dollars of DOD opportunities,” she said.

Simplifying DOD Solicitations

The AI-powered system will make commercial and academic offerings visible to agency personnel looking to solve a mission problem. The DOD noted that the Digital OnRamp will simplify solicitations, enable the private sector to discover defense opportunities and accelerate the adoption of commercial technologies.

Currently, DIU is evaluating user experience surveys and technical data from a technology demonstration of the platform in December 2024 to develop requirements for the next stage. The agency is targeting to deliver the minimum viable product in late 2025.

POC - 2025 Digital Transformation Summit

Join us on April 24 at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Digital Transformation Summit to gain insights into how technology innovations are reshaping federal operations, improving efficiencies and enhancing government responsiveness to public needs. Reserve a spot now to attend the important event!

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New Coast Guard Initiative Seeks to Ensure Service Is ‘Always Ready’
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New Coast Guard Initiative Seeks to Ensure Service Is ‘Always Ready’

Adm. Kevin Lunday, the acting commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, has unveiled Force Design 2028, which serves as a blueprint that would ensure the service’s readiness for future national requirements.

Implementation of Coast Guard Force Design

The Coast Guard said Thursday that a team is being formed to coordinate the implementation of FD 2028 and continue initiatives that are already underway.

Commenting on the effort, Lunday said, “We are executing transformational change to renew the Coast Guard. Force Design 2028 will ensure the Coast Guard remains Semper Paratus, Always Ready, to serve the American people.”

FD 2028 Campaigns

FD 2028 focuses on four campaigns, namely: people; organization; acquisition and contracting; and technology.

The people campaign seeks to increase the Coast Guard workforce and make it more capable. Efforts under this campaign include alignment with the Department of Defense‘s standards on physical fitness, body composition and grooming, and the removal of administrative burdens on personnel by reducing redundant reporting requirements.

The organization campaign seeks to adapt the Coast Guard’s construct and processes to ensure the service is responsive to various security threats, changes to technology and evolving operational demands. Efforts under this campaign include the establishment of a USCG HQ director of staff, who will work to streamline decision-making and optimize HQ processes.

The acquisition and contracting campaign seeks to establish a system that will accelerate the delivery of capabilities needed by the Coast Guard to accomplish its mission. Efforts under this campaign include the elimination of acquisition bureaucracy, the increasing of engagement between the Coast Guard and the Defense Innovation Unit and the development of a contract tracking system for improved transparency and accountability.

The technology campaign seeks to enhance the operational effectiveness of the Coast Guard through the adoption of secure technologies. Efforts under this campaign include the establishment of a rapid response rapid prototype team and the use of industry offerings to speed up the IT systems authority to operate process.

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Army to Issue Updated Training Regulation in June
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Army to Issue Updated Training Regulation in June

The U.S. Army will release an updated training regulation on June 1 as part of efforts to streamline training requirements and improve warfighting readiness across the force.

Simplifying Army Training Requirements

The military branch said Tuesday the revised Army Regulation 350-1, Army Training and Leader Development, reduces the number of mandatory training tasks from 24 to 17 and seeks to highlight tasks that are key to warfighting, lethality and readiness.

The service has removed outdated programs, including “Structured Self-Development” and “Resilience Training,” transitioned six tasks to optional training at the commanders’ discretion and reorganized appendices for improved clarity.

According to the Army, the new regulation eliminates administrative burdens and redundancies and aims to provide commanders more flexibility in customizing training schedules to meet mission requirements.

The revised AR 350-1 also promotes alternative methods of training delivery and removes restrictions on the locations and duration of certain training activities.

Gain insights into modernization imperatives, force structure optimization, national security missions and more at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Army Summit on June 18. Register here.

POC - 2025 Army Summit
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NSA Issues Advisory on Fast Flux Cyberthreat
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NSA Issues Advisory on Fast Flux Cyberthreat

The National Security Agency has issued new guidance to warn the public against the threat of fast flux, a technique cyber actors use to conceal nefarious activity. The “Fast Flux: A National Security Threat” cybersecurity advisory published Thursday details how attackers make discovery and tracking more difficult and what organizations can do to safeguard their systems. 

“Fast flux is an ongoing, serious threat to national security, and this guidance shares important insight we’ve gathered about the threat,” stated Dave Luber, the agency’s cybersecurity director. 

What Is Fast Flux?

Cyber actors use the fast flux technique to avoid detection by rapidly changing the Domain Name System, or DNS, records associated with a domain name, hiding the location of malicious servers. 

According to the document, there are two variations of a fast flux attack: a single flux wherein a single domain name is linked to numerous IP addresses and a double flux, which also changes DNS name servers.

The NSA warned that nation-state actors employ the technique to build a resilient command and control infrastructure to hide their activities, posing a threat to national security. Moreover, cyber criminals are also using fast flux in tandem with other techniques such as phishing and distributed denial of service. 

NSA and partner agencies from the United States, New Zealand, Australia and Canada urge cybersecurity providers to review the CSA and take steps to mitigate potential attacks.

Join government leaders and cybersecurity experts as they explore ways to build cyber resilience across the public sector at Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Cyber Summit on May 15. Register for the in-person event today!

NSA Issues Advisory on Fast Flux Cyberthreat
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DOE to Build Data Centers, Energy Facilities to Enhance AI Infrastructure
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DOE to Build Data Centers, Energy Facilities to Enhance AI Infrastructure

The Department of Energy has issued a notice soliciting industry feedback on potential vendors for its recently launched initiative aimed at accelerating the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure in line with efforts to ensure U.S. leadership in AI.

The agency said Thursday the request for information seeks input for the construction of data centers and energy infrastructure on DOE-owned sites by the end of 2027. It also covers information on possible development strategies, technology offerings, operational frameworks and economic implications of building AI infrastructure.

Boosting AI Infrastructure Development

Under the potential contract, DOE will build data centers and energy facilities necessary for the development of AI infrastructure. The department has identified 16 potential locations that can be utilized for this project. The selected DOE lands have been determined to be ideal for rapid construction of the data centers and in-place energy infrastructure. The locations also enable new energy generation like nuclear.

“The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan project and with President Trump’s leadership and the innovation of our National Labs, the United States can and will win,” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said. “With today’s action, the Department of Energy is taking important steps to leverage our domestic resources to power the AI revolution while continuing to deliver affordable, reliable and secure energy to the American people,” he added.

Michael Kratsios, policy director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, remarked, “President Trump is committed to ensuring American leadership in artificial intelligence and Secretary Wright is delivering. The Trump administration will unleash federal resources to build out the data resources needed for an AI-powered future.”

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Chance Saltzman to Congress: Restrictive Policies Hindering Space Force
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Chance Saltzman to Congress: Restrictive Policies Hindering Space Force

The chief of space operations told Congress that present policies are restricting the U.S. Space Force’s capabilities to respond to threats on U.S. assets in orbit. During a congressional hearing Thursday, Gen. Chance Saltzman, a three-time Wash100 Award winner, discussed with lawmakers the importance of establishing a declaratory policy to move fast, especially as adversaries like China rapidly expand their presence in space.

Bureaucracy Impeding US Space Superiority

Saltzman explained to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a bipartisan advisory group, the current process to carry out basic operations such as developing and testing capabilities and training, all of which are done in simulation. 

In his written testimony, the space leader pointed out that the U.S. government and the Department of Defense have outdated ways of thinking, leading to restrictive space policies. 

He said, “we restrain ourselves from doing what is needful to avoid creating improper perceptions of ‘weaponizing space.’ In reality, space has been weaponized for at least two decades, and our slowness to absorb that reality has held back our progress.”

He also raised concerns about over-classification, which affects information-sharing across the Joint Force and with partners and allies. Saltzman said the present attitude about information sharing is “need to know” rather than “need to share,” which the official said is a more progressive take.

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DARPA Picks Firms for Quantum Computer Development Project
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DARPA Picks Firms for Quantum Computer Development Project

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected an initial 15 companies for Stage A of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, or QBI, project launched in July to explore the feasibility of building an industrial quantum computer within 10 years with much faster features than current predictions.

The companies were chosen after a team of U.S. quantum experts screened all the proposers’ written abstracts and oral presentations, Joe Altepeter, QBI program manager, said in DARPA’s Thursday announcement of the initial project participants.

What to Expect in Stage A 

“Stage A is a six-month sprint in which they’ll provide comprehensive technical details of their concepts to show that they hold water and could plausibly lead to a transformative, fault-tolerant quantum computer in under 10 years,” Altepeter explained on the subsequent work for the selected companies. 

According to DARPA, it is still negotiating with three companies for addition to the initial 15 entries in QBI stage A, which are as follows:

  • Alice & Bob 
  • Atlantic Quantum 
  • Atom Computing 
  • Diraq 
  • Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  • IBM 
  • IonQ 
  • Nord Quantique 
  • Oxford Ionics, 
  • Photonic, 
  • Quantinuum 
  • Quantum Motion 
  • Rigetti Computing 
  • Silicon Quantum Computing, 
  • Xanadu

The stage A participants are pursuing various technologies for developing quantum bits, also known as qubits, serving as their foundation for quantum computers, such as superconducting qubits, photonic qubits and neutral atom qubits.

What Will Happen in Stages B and C?

Successful companies in stage A will advance to a year-long stage B involving DARPA’s close examination of the participants’ research and development. Qualifiers in the second stage will enter the final Stage C wherein the companies’ computer hardware components, subsystems and algorithms will be tested by QBI’s independent verification and validation, or IV&V, team.

“We’ve built and are expanding our world-class IV&V team of U.S. quantum experts, leveraging federal and state test facilities to separate hype from reality in quantum computing,” Altepeter said.

Earlier, DARPA announced that it will work Microsoft and PsiQuantum in the validation and co-design stage of the companies’ concepts on a utility-scale quantum supercomputer under the Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing program—a.k.a. US2QC—the pilot initiative for QBI.

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DIU Unveils Blue Manufacturing Initiative to Boost Defense Manufacturing
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DIU Unveils Blue Manufacturing Initiative to Boost Defense Manufacturing

The Defense Innovation Unit has unveiled Blue Manufacturing, an initiative aimed at revolutionizing defense manufacturing by facilitating collaborations between advanced technology firms and commercial producers.

DIU said Thursday the initiative is intended to support the Department of Defense in meeting emerging threats by encouraging the agency to adopt advanced manufacturing capabilities, with a more reliable supply chain, to provide warfighters an advantage.

Fostering Collaboration to Boost Production

Through Blue Manufacturing, advanced commercial manufacturers can connect with technology companies to develop and deploy commercial innovations for the defense sector. DIU intends to establish a reliable network of manufacturers adept in 3D printing, automation, high-rate production and other capabilities necessary to accelerate the manufacturing process.

DIU will create a pre-vetted catalog containing a roster of trusted manufacturing partners that can ramp up defense technology production.

The first group of manufacturing companies that will be included in the Blue Manufacturing Marketplace should be capable of small and large-format metal additive parts production, composite or ceramic additive, automated metal machining and forming, advanced post-processing, and 3D printed tooling. In addition, companies specializing in cyber, adversarial capital, supply chain risk and other advanced capabilities will be considered for the marketplace.

Doug Beck, director at DIU, remarked, “The Blue Manufacturing Initiative will focus on pairing the very best hardware and software manufacturers in defense technology with the very best advanced manufacturing providers to help both strategically critical industries to scale.”

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