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Three Lawmakers Suggest Ways for Federal Gov’t to Advance AI Development
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Three Lawmakers Suggest Ways for Federal Gov’t to Advance AI Development

Reps. Will Hurd, R-Texas, Robin Kelly, D-Ill., and Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., said they believe the federal government will play a key role in pushing the development of artificial intelligence by ensuring access to data and education, Nextgov reported Tuesday.

“Let’s also make sure that whenever the federal government is doing research and has data, that that information is available for everybody to use so that you don’t have to be a large business or corporation … to take advantage of artificial intelligence and the data you need in order to do that,” said Hurd, a two-time Wash100 Award recipient.

McNerney called on the government to promote ethical AI development by establishing national standards for data used for training AI algorithms. 

“We need to have a test facility to test algorithms so that we can understand what bias is going into artificial intelligence,” McNerney added.

Kelly recommended that the government provide historically black colleges and universities more access to opportunities when it comes to AI research.

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Army Research Lab Funds University Study on Rechargeable UAVs
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Army Research Lab Funds University Study on Rechargeable UAVs

Army Research Laboratory has invested $8M in the University of Illinois Chicago for research that would explore recharging technologies for unmanned air vehicles. 

The cooperative agreement, issued in August, would support the design of ground vehicles where UAVs would mount on to autonomously recharge, the U.S. Army said Monday. The university will create and provide algorithms that would shape route planning for the battery-powered UAVs and corresponding ground vehicles.

“With this research project, we’re operationalizing scientific endeavors to increase Soldier readiness on the battlefields of tomorrow," said Mike Kweon, who manages ARL’s Versatile Tactical Power and Propulsion Essential Research Program.

The Army also seeks to develop small fuel sensors that would support hybrid-electric propulsion systems for larger UAVs. Work under the ARL-funded research begins this fall and aligns with the Army's Future Vertical Lift modernization program.

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USAF Concludes Tinker AFB Modernization Project; Joseph Cecrle Quoted
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USAF Concludes Tinker AFB Modernization Project; Joseph Cecrle Quoted

The U.S. Air Force wrapped up a $243 million modernization project that sought to augment energy efficiency and resiliency at Tinker AF Base in Oklahoma.

Honeywell implemented 25 energy conservation measure updates into 57 buildings while Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (OC-ALC) worked to modernize Tinker AFB's industrial infrastructure to obtain ISO-50001 certification from the International Organization of Standardization, the Defense Logistics Agency said Monday.

"The ISO 50001 Energy Management System certification also satisfies the Air Force Sustainment Center’s Art of the Possible for continuous energy improvements," said Joseph Cecrle, energy manager at OC-ALC.

The accreditation reflects that Tinker AFB achieved a "sustained program structure" and met ISO's stringent energy management requirements. USAF awarded Honeywell a contract in 2016 to update various facilities at Tinker AFB.

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DHS Unveils Cybersecurity Tool for Mobile, IoT Devices; Vincent Sritapan Quoted
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DHS Unveils Cybersecurity Tool for Mobile, IoT Devices; Vincent Sritapan Quoted

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched a software security tool that works to monitor, detect and eliminate attacks to internet of things devices without modifying source codes.

DHS said Monday its Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate partnered with Rockville, Maryland-based company Intelligent Automation to pilot the Trusted Mobile System (TrustMS) intended for protecting agency systems against known and “zero-day” cyber attacks.

TrustMS includes features for preventing the manipulation of information technology stacks, buffer flows and application codes. The tool also automatically monitors attacks and issues customized responses to prevent the infiltration of malicious actors.

“It will give mobile and embedded device owners and users peace of mind that their devices are safeguarded against zero-day attacks,” said Vincent Sritapan, program manager for mobile security research and development at S&T.

“It also will significantly strengthen the entire mobile ecosystem—from mobile devices to the software that provides functionality to the backend systems that empower mobility,” he added.

DHS envisions TrustMS to support a range of applications such as national defense systems, power and gas utilities and other infrastructure for critical sectors.

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DOE Allots Funds to Help NIST Bolster Energy, Maritime Cybersecurity; Sean Plankey Quoted
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DOE Allots Funds to Help NIST Bolster Energy, Maritime Cybersecurity; Sean Plankey Quoted

The Department of Energy (DOE) has agreed to invest $3 million in research and development of tools and methods that support energy and maritime cybersecurity. 

DOE said Monday its Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER) partnered with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to bolster cybersecurity in maritime transportation and energy grids.

“Approximately forty percent of all maritime traffic is transporting an energy product, making U.S. energy security inland a linked partner with the maritime market,” said Sean Plankey, CESER's principal deputy assistant secretary.

The CESER-NIST partnership will work over two years to update and sustain the Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model that energy organizations use to evaluate and augment cybersecurity.

The effort will also develop a cybersecurity framework profile for maritime transportation systems.

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Navy to Field MQ-8C Unmanned Helicopter for Surface Warfare Missions; Cmdr. Matthew Wright Quoted
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Navy to Field MQ-8C Unmanned Helicopter for Surface Warfare Missions; Cmdr. Matthew Wright Quoted

The U.S. Navy is fielding an MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter to support squadron operations ahead of its deployment with a littoral combat ship (LCS) next year. 

The Navy's Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 recently received the MQ-8C variant of the Northrop Grumman-built unmanned aircraft intended to operate with LCS for surface warfare missions, USNI News reported Monday.

Cmdr. Matthew Wright, commanding officer of HSC-22, told the publication that the squadron’s maintainers are preparing for operations involving MQ-8C, which is larger than its MQ-8B predecessor.

He noted that in addition to the Fire Scout aircraft, HSC-22 is also looking to expand its fleet of H-60 manned helicopters.

“We’re actually going to actually gain a few manned aircraft, since we’re supporting a lot more LCS detachments,” said Wright. “We’ve gained some more personnel, and we just train them all up.”

HSC-22 will undergo safe-for-flight certification for MQ-8C before the aircraft is sent to Wallops Island, Virginia, to undergo land-based activities and other predeployment procedures.

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Concentric Real Time Receiver Obtains NASA License
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Concentric Real Time Receiver Obtains NASA License

NASA has licensed a search-and-rescue technology built by Concentric Real Time to transmit location data. The receiver works with a new high-resolution signal to enhance the accuracy of location results, NASA said Tuesday.

Reese Bovard, president at Concentric Real Time, said the technology complements a search-and-rescue (SAR) platform developed by NASA's SAR office. Bovard added the office implemented a number of technologies into astronauts' survival gear to assist in their return to the Earth's surface.

NASA's SAR office built search-and-rescue technologies for the Cospas-Sarsat community, an international cooperative system that employs satellites to send location data to authorities to support their operations.

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Lt. Gen. John Thompson: Space Force Updating Contracts to Cover Advanced Cyber Measures
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Lt. Gen. John Thompson: Space Force Updating Contracts to Cover Advanced Cyber Measures

Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander of the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), said the service is modifying its contracts to ensure that companies implement advanced cybersecurity measures in their systems.

Thomson told attendees at a California Polytechnic State University event that the Space Force continues to add language to its contracts to include “more advanced protective measures” involving supply chain and data handling operations, FCW reported Monday.

System developers need to secure contractor technologies and ensure cyber protections from program inception to launch operations, he noted.

According to Thompson, the U.S. needs to ensure control over its satellite networks to fortify defenses against evolving cyber threats such as denial of service attacks.

"Space is becoming congested and contested and that contested aspect means that we've got to focus on cybersecurity in the same way that the banking industry and cyber commerce focus on cybersecurity day in and day out," said Thomson.

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PSC Provides FY21 NDAA Commentary; David Berteau Quoted
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PSC Provides FY21 NDAA Commentary; David Berteau Quoted

The Professional Services Council (PSC) has commented on the recent provisions in the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The organization sent a letter to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee regarding the government’s processes and procedures for acquiring services from the contractor community, PSC reported on Monday.

“PSC appreciates the committees’ work to pass their respective versions of the NDAA and  include important provisions that will improve government-wide and Defense Department policies for soliciting, acquiring, and managing services and technology from contractors,” said PSC’s president and CEO, and Wash100 awardee, David Berteau. 

Berteau noted that the FY21 NDAA bills will better acquisition outcomes, improve the federal contracting system and support the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). PSC’s letter highlighted various provisions that are consistent with PSC priorities. 

The letter included commentary for incremental funding by the Department of Defense (DoD), better contract closeout methodologies, implementation of prior-year NDAA provisions to measure and report on wasteful Procurement Administrative Lead Time and cybersecurity and supply chain risk management initiatives.

“If enacted, the FY21 NDAA will mark 60 consecutive years that the Congress has passed this important legislation. We urge the Congress to meet this milestone with a final conference bill and report as soon as possible,” Berteau continued. 

About PSC

PSC is the voice of the government technology and professional services industry. PSC’s more than 400 member companies represent small, medium and large businesses that provide federal agencies with services of all kinds, including information technology, engineering, logistics, facilities management, operations and maintenance, consulting, international development, scientific, social, environmental services, and more. Together, the trade association’s members employ hundreds of thousands of Americans in all 50 states.

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Red Hat Launches Red Hat Accelerators to Support IT Community; Chris Wright Quoted
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Red Hat Launches Red Hat Accelerators to Support IT Community; Chris Wright Quoted

Red Hat has launched its enterprise customer advocacy program, Red Hat Accelerators, to advance the company’s customer-focused approach to its open source and enterprise product portfolio, Red Hat reported on Tuesday. 

“As open source champions and community builders, Red Hat is always interested in hearing from members within its communities, and the Red Hat Accelerators community is no exception. In my experience collaborating with the Accelerators, I’ve found that substantial innovation comes from engaging real world customers and being truly receptive to their feedback,” said Chris Wright, senior vice president and chief technology officer, Red Hat.

Red Hat Accelerators was enacted by the company to form deeper and more engaging relationships with its customers. The program will offer peer-to-peer networking with Red Hat practitioners to promote learning and educate on various products, technologies and use cases. 

Users will also gain access to products to develop domain expertise and build credibility. Red Hat Accelerators will support personal and professional development by expanding knowledge and skills to remain current in the industry and market.

Forrester published a report, Credible Empathetic Content Wins Over Elusive B2B Buyers, stating 87 percent of technology buyers at global enterprises said it’s important for vendors to understand their business, industry or market conditions. 82 percent stated they want vendors to understand what’s most important to their job. 

The company launched Red Hat Accelerators to serve enterprise customers and create a way to share and engage with like-minded peers about IT issues, remedies and solutions. The program has also integrated a continued focus on customer advocacy. Red Hat Accelerators will leverage real-world enterprise customer experience and  provide a direct line to help influence product development. 

“Customers appreciate the continuous ability to share commentary on offerings and even influence products. With Accelerators, we cherish the opportunity to pull in some of the most passionate enterprise customers in their industries to the Red Hat fold,” Wright added.

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