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Senate Panel OKs FY 2026 Intelligence Authorization Bill
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The U.S. Capitol. A Senate panel passed a bill that would authorize FY 2026 funding for the U.S. intelligence community

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Tuesday voted 15-2 to pass a bill that would authorize FY 2026 funding for the U.S. intelligence community and improve oversight of national security threats.

In a statement published Tuesday, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said he expects the full Senate to approve the FY 2026 Intelligence Authorization Act.

“I am pleased this bill includes needed reforms and restructuring to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, restricts the travel of adversarial diplomats inside the United States and protects intelligence community installations by adding further reviews to nearby land purchases which safeguards them against drone threats,” the senator added.

What Are the FY 2026 Intelligence Authorization Act’s Provisions?

The legislation would improve IC’s AI capabilities and create guidelines for the community’s procurement and use of AI tools, establish authorities to protect CIA facilities from unmanned aircraft systems and require the IC to develop a policy for sharing biotechnological threats with U.S. agencies, allies and private sector partners.

Senate Panel OKs FY 2026 Intelligence Authorization Bill

Listen to the IC’s top leaders as they discuss the community’s adoption of AI and other emerging technologies at the 2025 Intel Summit on Oct. 2. Save your spot now for this Potomac Officers Club-hosted event!

The bill would establish a fund to support IC efforts to procure and integrate emerging technologies proven to meet mission requirements. It would also develop baseline cybersecurity requirements for companies that offer telecommunications services to IC.

Under the proposed measure, the director of national intelligence would be required to identify sites for the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, issue standard guidelines for intelligence personnel to document and report anomalous health incidents and conduct a declassification review and publish intelligence related to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Johns Hopkins APL Appoints Vishal Giare as Air and Missile Defense Sector Head
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A graphic of Vishal Giare. He was named to a new post as Johns Hopkins APL air and missile sector head

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory has named Vishal Giare as the head of its air and missile defense sector. In his new role, he will lead the laboratory’s efforts in advancing homeland defense and the protection of deployed U.S. forces, allies and partners against evolving adversary threats, Johns Hopkins APL said Tuesday.

Who Is Vishal Giare?

Immediately before his appointment, Giare served as APL’s mission area executive for its Theater Defense tasked to develop and deliver systems and platforms to protect frontline U.S. forces, allies and partners from air and missile attacks. He had a stint of over eight years as the lab’s air and missile mission area executive, according his LinkedIn profile.

Discover new requirements in air and missile defense at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Air and Space Summit on July 31 at the Hilton McLean!

The programs that he previously oversaw include Aegis and the Cooperative Engagement Capability. Giare also gained technical experience from his previous work on the  Glide Phase Interceptor Hypersonic Defense program and the Guam Defense System. 

Giare earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and physics from the University of Michigan.

Dave Van Wie, APL director and the lab’s previous air and missile defense head, expressed confidence that Giare’s “outstanding leadership” will enable the laboratory’s continuing delivery of defense game-changers for the United States. “His vision, operational insights and leadership have significantly strengthened APL’s long-standing contributions to current high-priority national security missions and capabilities that will counter evolving threats,” the lab’s head remarked.

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US Army, Anduril Complete Flight Tests of High-Speed Maneuverable Missile
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The U.S. Army logo. The Army and Anduril have wrapped up a series of tests for the High-Speed Maneuverable Missile.

The U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center, in partnership with Anduril, recently completed a series of flight tests for its High-Speed Maneuverable Missile, or HSMM, science and technology program. The effort seeks to develop a compact, fast and highly maneuverable missile that can engage short and long-range targets, including those beyond 120 kilometers, the Army said on Tuesday.

Learn more about advanced missile science and technology programs at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Air and Space Summit on July 31 at the Hilton McLean!
 

Future High-Speed Maneuverable Missile Flight Tests

The next phase of testing will include flight demonstration of the novel boost motor technology being developed under this initiative. Additional testing will involve the integration of Precision Target Acquisition Software, a state-owned and developed image tracking system with autonomous capabilities, leading up to a complete system trial covering the entire flight path from launch to impact.

Remarks by the Army’s Shane Kohtz

Commenting on the completion of the flight tests, Lt. Shane Kohtz, the Army’s senior science and technology officer, said, “This takes a leap from existing systems to a future that will significantly shape the battlefield.”

What Is a High-Speed Maneuverable Missile?

The HSMM integrates several advanced features from the Close Combat Capability Area’s missile science and technology programs into one system. These include a turbojet engine paired with a solid rocket booster, navigation sensors and algorithms that work without GPS. They also include a secure data link for use in radio-frequency-contested environments, a multi-effect warhead and autonomous targeting and engagement technologies.

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House Panel OKs FY 2026 Defense Authorization Bill
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The House Armed Services Committee approved its version of the fiscal 2026 NDAA

The House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday passed its version of the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act in a 55-2 vote.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., welcomed the passage of the FY 2026 NDAA, which he said builds on the One Big, Beautiful Bill and seeks to revitalize the defense industrial base and strengthen U.S. readiness capabilities.

House Panel OKs FY 2026 Defense Authorization Bill

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House NDAA Advances Defense Acquisition Reforms

“The FY26 NDAA supports modernization and fundamentally reforms defense acquisition by cutting red tape, eliminating bureaucratic hurdles and encouraging innovation. It refocuses acquisition on its most important mission: getting our warfighters what they need, when they need it,” Rogers said in a statement Tuesday.

Military Times reported that the House panel’s defense policy bill includes proposed changes to the defense acquisition process, including the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery, or SPEED, Act, that Rogers introduced.

According to the report, the SPEED Act would form a new directorate to serve as a decision authority on procurement issues and accelerate development and production timelines.

The latest move came days after the Senate Armed Services Committee approved its version of the defense authorization bill, which includes provisions from the FORGED Act and proposed acquisition reforms.

House NDAA Requires Database of Vendors Backing Clandestine Ops

Defense One reported that the House NDAA would require the DOD to develop and maintain a database of all contractors involved in clandestine military operations.

According to the report, the proposed requirement seeks to strengthen oversight and reduce counterintelligence risks across the U.S. defense community.

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FedRAMP Seeks Comments on Proposed Continuous Vulnerability Management Standard
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The FedRAMP logo. FedRAMP is soliciting public input on the draft Continuous Vulnerability Management Standard

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program has begun soliciting public comments on a proposed standard designed to ensure that FedRAMP Authorized cloud service offerings use automated systems to continuously identify, analyze, mitigate and remediate vulnerabilities.

FedRAMP said Tuesday the comment period for the proposed Continuous Vulnerability Management Standard will run through Aug. 21. Learn more about FedRAMP and other federal IT programs at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Navy Summit on August 26 at the Hilton McLean!

What Is the Purpose of the FedRAMP Continuous Vulnerability Management Standard?

According to FedRAMP, the proposed Continuous Vulnerability Management Standard seeks to ensure that cloud service providers, or CSPs, promptly detect and respond to critical vulnerabilities by prioritizing realistically exploitable weaknesses and advancing automated vulnerability management.

The program expects the standard to facilitate the use of existing commercial tools for providers and reduce custom government-only reporting requirements. The draft standard seeks to define new plain-language terms, include all weaknesses in the definition of a vulnerability, encourage urgent mitigation of vulnerabilities prior to remediation and directly define potential adverse impact levels.

FedRAMP noted that a modified version of the standard will be informed by public input and assessed with volunteer CSPs during 20x Pilot and Rev5 Beta Tests.

Expected Outcomes From FedRAMP Continuous Vulnerability Management Standard’s Implementation

FedRAMP expects the proposed standard to enable CSPs to meet and validate FedRAMP security requirements with simple changes and automated capabilities, and help federal agencies quickly review and use security information about a cloud service to make informed risk-based authorizations.

The standard intends to provide third-party independent assessors with a simpler framework for evaluating security and implementation decisions. When finalized, it will initially apply to all FedRAMP 20x authorizations.

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U-M, ASU Lead Efforts to Create Center for Digital Twins in Manufacturing
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A digital twins graphic. U-M and ASU intend to launch the Center for Digital Twins in Manufacturing.

The University of Michigan and Arizona State University have collaborated to establish a new National Science Foundation research center, Michigan News reported Monday.

Advancing Manufacturing with Digital Twins

The universities intend to launch the Center for Digital Twins in Manufacturing to address the challenges that hinder digital twin technology from advancing manufacturing. The proposed center will focus on resolving precompetitive issues to expand the use of digital twins to enhance manufacturing performance, quality and uptime.

Learn more about how the Air Force and Space Force are utilizing digital twins in their advanced engineering at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Air and Space Summit on July 31 at the Hilton McLean!

The center aims to develop generalized, reusable, extendable and maintainable digital twins for particular machine types, such as a 3D printer that could be customized to simulate another specific machine. The digital twins are intended to simulate natural wear and tear and reflect enhancements after repairs and part replacements.

It is also meant to quantify and reduce uncertainty in digital twins, create digital twins for human-robot collaboration, leverage digital twin software for simulation and “what-if” analysis, and develop Autotwin, a software designed to generate and run digital twins.

“Everyone’s building digital twins, but we’re trying to build the glue or connectivity that enables digital twins to work together — to be composable, reusable and maintainable,” said Dawn Tilbury, chair of the Ronald D. and Regina C. McNeil Department at U-M.

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Expert: Public-Private Partnerships Essential to Cloud Identity Security Challenges
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The CISA logo. JCDC's associate director promotes public-private partnerships to address cloud identity security challenges.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has highlighted the need for public-private partnerships to address the growing risks to cloud identity systems.

In a blog post CISA posted Tuesday, Clayton Romans, associate director of CISA’s Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, said that while cloud providers have implemented security measures, nation-state-affiliated actors have exploited vulnerabilities in token authentication, key management and logging practices.

To mitigate the risks, cloud service providers are advised to harden authentication and authorization mechanisms, prioritizing improvements in token technology, secrets management, access control, logging and forensic capabilities. Enhancing security in token validation technology, secrets management systems and logging practices, however, presents complex challenges, Romans said. 

Learn more about cloud computing and other cutting edge cybersecurity topics during Navy Chief Information Officer Jane Rathbun’s keynote address at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Navy Summit on August 26 at the Hilton McLean!

Cloud Providers Gathered to Discuss Identity Security Practices

The JCDC is working with cloud service providers to address the challenges, including through the discussion of best practices for strengthening cloud identity security.

In June, CISA hosted the JCDC Cloud Identity Security Technical Exchange, during which 50 experts across the U.S. federal government and top cloud service providers analyzed core cloud identity security practices. The attendees included representatives from Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, HashiCorp, IBM, Microsoft, Okta, Oracle, Wiz, the OpenID Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Security Agency.

According to Romans, the exchange laid the foundation on how the agency can work with the private sector to improve the adoption of essential cloud identity security practices and enhance the resilience of critical cloud infrastructure. 

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Celina Tent, CIC Team on Prototype Shelter for Global Strike Missileer Protection
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A photo of a handshake. Celina Tent and the Cyber Innovation Center developed a prototype shelter for missile maintainers

Celina Tent and the Cyber Innovation Center collaborated to develop a prototype shelter to safeguard Air Force Global Strike Command missile maintainers and equipment from extreme weather conditions and potentially boost productivity.

Celina Tent, CIC Team on Prototype Shelter for Global Strike Missileer Protection

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Prototype Shelter for Global Strike Missileer Protection

STRIKEWERX said Tuesday that the 20-foot-tall shelter comprises two pieces: one stationary section and a second shelter enclosing the intercontinental ballistic missile Advanced Extremely High Frequency antenna and the crane used for its maintenance. The shelter is designed to inflate and deflate quickly to enhance the protection POC – 2025 Air and Space Summitof AFGSC personnel tasked with maintaining the ICBM AEHF antenna.

The tent-like shelter aims to reduce weather-related injuries, including hypothermia and heat exhaustion. The inflatable shelter’s faster deployment and takedown cut maintenance time by half, which could minimize overnight stays at missile alert facilities. The modernized shelter is also intended to lessen the need for “Work Rest Cycles,” which is currently practiced by missile maintainers.

The prototype shelter was developed during a design sprint facilitated by STRIKEWERX, CIC’s innovation hub. Personnel from Celina Tent and multiple Air Force bases worked on the design. The prototype will be tested for further refinement and potential deployment to AFGSC’s Missile Wings.

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Clyde Richards Named NSF CIO
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Clyde Richards has been named the National Science Foundation's CIO

The National Science Foundation has appointed Clyde Richards, a U.S. Army veteran, as chief information officer.

Richards announced his new position at NSF in a LinkedIn post.

Before this position, Richards was NSF’s acting CIO, a position he took on in March following Terry Carpenter’s retirement.

Who Is Clyde Richards?

Richards joined NSF in March 2024 as deputy CIO.

He has over three decades of experience in programs and operations management, business leadership, defense acquisitions, technology, logistics and contract management.

Prior to NSF, he spent more than three years at the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, where he served as deputy program executive officer responsible for the development, implementation and sustainment of the IT systems portfolio.

He held various leadership roles within the Department of Defense, including director of the Army Mission Command portfolio within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army; director of the Army and Marine Corps portfolio at the Defense Contract Management Agency; and senior program manager at the Army’s Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems, now known as PEO Enterprise.

The Rutgers University mathematics and computer science graduate has a master’s degree in information technology management from the Naval Postgraduate School.

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DSCA Director David Cattler to Retire in September
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David Cattler is set to retire as director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency

David Cattler is set to retire as director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, effective Sept. 30.

The DCSA said Monday will retire from public service, capping a 35-year career in the military, national security and civil sectors.

David Cattler’s Career Achievements

Cattler was appointed agency director in March 2024, replacing Daniel Lecce, the acting director at the time. He managed a global workforce of 15,000 federal and contract support personnel while overseeing the DCSA’s efforts to provide integrated security services, including counterintelligence support, industrial engagement, security training and vetting. 

Before joining the DCSA, Cattler served four years at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as the assistant secretary general for intelligence and security. He also spent over four years at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, holding various positions, including assistant director of national intelligence, chairman of the national intelligence management council, national intelligence manager for the Near East and principal deputy national intelligence officer for military issues.

Cattler briefly served as deputy assistant to the president for regional affairs at the National Security Council and was the director of the defense combating terrorism center at the Defense Intelligence Agency, leading its counterterrorism efforts. Cattler also held various leadership roles during his stints at the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Department of the Navy and the Office of Naval Intelligence.

Earlier in his career, Cattler worked at Whitney, Bradley & Brown and was a naval surface warfare officer.

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