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Navy Gets New Ship-to-Shore Landing Craft from Textron
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Navy Gets New Ship-to-Shore Landing Craft from Textron

The U.S. Navy has received a new Textron-made landing craft designed to perform amphibious and on-shore transport operations. The new Ship to Shore Connector Landing Craft Air Cushion 101 (SSC LCAC 101) will deploy from amphibious ships and bring weapons, cargo, personnel and other deliverables to shore environments, Naval Sea Systems Command said Friday.

The new landing craft can transport up to 70 tons of payload from ships to the beach. The Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey conducted acceptance trials that preceded LCAC 101's delivery.

“Our next generation surface connectors are going to significantly enhance the Navy and Marine Corps team’s capability to execute missions – from humanitarian assistance to amphibious assault,” said Capt. Cedric McNeal, amphibious warfare program manager at NAVSEA's Program Executive Office Ships.

Textron also designed LCAC 101 to be compatible with older LCACs employed by the Navy.

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Justin Johnson Named Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for DoD’s Space Policy
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Justin Johnson Named Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for DoD’s Space Policy

Justin Johnson, who is a senior member of the staff for Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, has been appointed to serve as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Space Policy on an acting basis, Air Force Magazine said Monday.

Johnson succeeds Stephen Kitay who recently stepped down after three years in the role and 18 years in the public sector.

In his new role, Johnson will help DoD identify military assets that would be transitioned to the U.S. Space Force. The newly appointed acting space policy head advised Esper on defense matters including management and reform.

His DoD career also includes work as a special assistant to the deputy secretary of defense. Johnson also served as a legislative director and defense policy adviser for the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Gen. Charles Brown: Air Force Must Accelerate Partnerships, Joint All-Domain Efforts
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Gen. Charles Brown: Air Force Must Accelerate Partnerships, Joint All-Domain Efforts

Gen. Charles Brown, chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, is urging the service branch to accelerate efforts to exploit the air domain through collaborations with the Department of Defense (DoD), Congress and industry. 

Brown told attendees in a recent media roundtable that his strategic approach, titled “Accelerate Change or Lose”, requires the Air Force to partner with key stakeholders including traditional and emerging companies to “streamline processes and incentivize intelligent risk-taking,” the Air Force said Monday.

He added that the service must take steps to mitigate threats from peer competitors like Russia and China while increasing focus on the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) program.

“While we have made progress, our Airmen need us to integrate and accelerate the changes necessary to explore new operational concepts and bring more rapidly the capabilities that will help them in the future fights,” Brown said in the document.

“To be successful, the U.S. Air Force must continue its future design work and accelerate the evolution and application of its operational concepts and force structure to optimize its contribution to Joint All Domain Operations.”

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NASA Enters Assembly, Testing Phase of Lucy Asteroid Exploration Mission
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NASA Enters Assembly, Testing Phase of Lucy Asteroid Exploration Mission

NASA has completed the requirements needed to move forward with the production and testing of a mission to study the Trojan asteroids near Jupiter. The space agency said Friday its Lucy mission, under the Discovery Program, has reached the Key Decision Point-D milestone and may now move forward to components delivery, assembly, integration and testing activities.

Lucy's spacecraft bus will undergo completion and integration with science instruments under the next phase before delivery to  NASA's Florida-based Kennedy Space Center.

"We now have a spacecraft structure in the Lockheed Martin high bay and a team ready to install the instruments and components," said Donya Douglas-Bradshaw, project manager for Lucy at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

A team at Lockheed Martin's Colorado-based space unit already commenced work on Lucy's assembly, testing and launch operations. Lucy will undergo a mission operation review in October 2020, for NASA to verify the spacecraft's operational readiness.

NASA expects to conclude testing by July 2021, with the launch scheduled for October 16, 2021.

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GAO: SSA Must Determine Clear Roles for Officials Handling ‘Agile’ Software Dev’t Contracts
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GAO: SSA Must Determine Clear Roles for Officials Handling ‘Agile’ Software Dev’t Contracts

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Social Security Administration (SSA) should identify clear roles for contracting personnel that handle acquisition activities for software development efforts.

GAO said in a report released Monday that SSA has been executing Agile approaches for information technology modernization programs since 2015.

The GAO Agile Assessment Guide requires agencies to develop acquisition policies that determine clear roles for contracting officials working on Agile-based development projects due to such initiatives’ need for different approaches, according to the watchdog.

SSA needs to revise its acquisition guidance to specify the roles of contracting personnel involved in Agile procedures. Doing so will “better position SSA to achieve its IT modernization goals and provide appropriate levels of oversight,” GAO noted.

 From fiscal years 2015 to 2019, SSA allocated 65 percent of its $8.3 billion contract obligations for IT goods and services, according to the report.

GAO: SSA Must Determine Clear Roles for Officials Handling 'Agile' Software Dev't Contracts

If you missed Thursday’s event, check out Potomac Officers Club’s Event Archive to rewatch Secure IT Modernization in Today’s Environment virtual event right here.

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Accenture Makes Strategic Investment in InCountry to Advance Cloud Platform; Tom Lounibos Quoted
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Accenture Makes Strategic Investment in InCountry to Advance Cloud Platform; Tom Lounibos Quoted

Accenture Ventures has made a strategic investment in InCountry, a data residency-as-a-service platform provider, Accenture reported on Tuesday. With the investment, Accenture plans to leverage the InCountry solution within its myNav cloud platform, as part of its sovereign cloud module. Terms of the equity investment were not disclosed.

“Our investment in InCountry aligns directly with Accenture Ventures’ mission to discover and grow the next generation of emerging technologies. InCountry’s solution sits at the intersection of the cloud, security and compliance priorities of our clients and can have a significant impact on how they operate in the cloud,” said Tom Lounibos, managing director, Accenture Ventures.

Accenture launched the myNav platform in Nov. 2019 to enable enterprises to simulate various cloud services and architectures to optimize for costs, existing infrastructure and desired business goals before making a vendor decision.

The myNav process will build a business case for the migration, develop the solution then visualize the new model. Accenture’s platform has provided multiple architectures that include a client’s current configuration, a transition architecture and a future state to account for business growth.

Accenture has also enabled customers to request a recommendation about how the architecture should be adjusted based on future business changes, such as expanding the user base or adding a new product. The analysis ends with a bill of material that includes performance statistics and financial predictions.

myNav will perform assessment of an enterprise’s existing infrastructure and recommend public, private, multi-cloud or hybrid options, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to recommend an architecture based on Accenture’s cloud projects and best practices.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. We combine unmatched experience and specialized capabilities across more than 40 industries — powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. With 513,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture brings continuous innovation to help clients improve their performance and create lasting value across their enterprises.

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Vertex Aerospace Wins $111M Task Order to Support USMC Fleet; Ed Boyington Quoted
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Vertex Aerospace Wins $111M Task Order to Support USMC Fleet; Ed Boyington Quoted

The Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Vertex Aerospace a five-year, $111.4M Contracted Maintenance, Modification, Aircrew and Related Services (CMMARS) task order for the RESET of the U.S. Marine Corps' CH-53E Super Stallion fleet, the company reported on Tuesday. 

"Vertex has been privileged to hold prime seats on contract vehicles and managed complex aircraft modification task orders for over 50 years," said Ed Boyington, Vertex's president and CEO. "We're honored to continue this opportunity to support the improvement of our nation's defense capabilities while alleviating pressure on the Fleet Squadrons."

The task order has expanded Vertex Aerospace Defense Services (ADS) division’s has support of the CH-53E RESET program. Vertex ADS has provided work efforts under the program since April 2016 when it held a prime seat on the Regional Aviation Sustainment Manager – East contract. 

Vertex has previously delivered 23 RESET CH-53E aircraft, accounting for 16 percent of the current Super Stallion fleet. The company’s RESET efforts have enabled the defense division to reduce operating costs of those aircraft by 45.73 percent, with an additional 39 percent reduction in Direct Maintenance Man-hours (DMMH).

Under the new task order, Vertex will continue to support the RESET effort at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina, MCAS Miramar in San Diego, California, and MCAS Kaneohe Bay in Kaneohe, Hawaii.

"Vertex's selection as the prime contractor for this program is a win for everyone involved," said Richard "Vinny" Caputo, Vertex ADS senior vice president and general manager. "We're proud of our RESET accomplishments to date and look forward to continuing the restoration effort offering proven efficiencies for both cost reduction and reduced turnaround times."

The task order has one base year and four option years, including inspecting, rebuilding and restoring the aircraft to a full mission capable status.

About Vertex Aerospace

Vertex Aerospace offers a global capability and complete solution for government and commercial customers. The mid-level aerospace Company operates in over 100 locations worldwide providing aftermarket aerospace services for more than 2,400 fixed and rotary wing airframes. Vertex's agility, rapid deployment capability, and customer optimization have distinguished it from competitors for over half a century. With a 50 percent veteran workforce, the Mississippi-based company understands the challenges faced by the defense sector.

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L3Harris to Build Space Reflector Antenna for AirBus Defence; Ed Zoiss Quoted
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L3Harris to Build Space Reflector Antenna for AirBus Defence; Ed Zoiss Quoted

L3Harris Technologies has been selected by Airbus Defence and Space to build a space reflector antenna for a next-generation satellite that will provide mobile telecommunication services throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Central Asia, the company reported on Tuesday.

“This space reflector antenna program is a significant new win for L3Harris and complements our broader strategy of providing end-to-end communication solutions for commercial customers,” said Ed Zoiss, president, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “L3Harris will manufacture, test, deliver and support field activities for the 12-meter reflector antenna.”

L3Harris has designed and built large-aperture reflectors and deployable mesh reflector-feed antenna systems ranging from one meter to the world’s largest commercially available 22-meter reflector. L3Harris has nearly 100 reflectors on orbit. The reflector antenna for the Yahsat/Thuraya 4-NGS satellite will be manufactured and tested at L3Harris facilities in Palm Bay, Fla.

Equipped on the geostationary satellite, L3Harris’ efforts will help AirBus carry an L-band payload that will enable high-speed services for all customer segments, including defense, government and enterprise throughout multiple continents. The satellite is scheduled for operation in 2024.

About L3Harris Technologies

L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 48,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries. L3Harris.com.

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BlackBerry Limited UEM Software Achieves DoDIN Approval; John Chen Quoted
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BlackBerry Limited UEM Software Achieves DoDIN Approval; John Chen Quoted

BlackBerry Limited’s Unified Endpoint Manager (UEM) software has achieved Department of Defense Information Network (DoDIN) approval as a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution, the company reported on Tuesday. 

"BlackBerry is extremely proud to be a partner of the United States Federal Government for over twenty years," said John Chen, executive chairman and CEO, BlackBerry.  "DISA is responsible for delivering world-class secure communications and collaboration tools across the DoD and BlackBerry is honored to receive approval to be on the DoDIN APL."

BlackBerry UEM is the only MDM solution on the DoDIN Approved Product List (APL). The DoDIN APL is a single consolidated list of communication and collaboration products that have completed Cybersecurity and Interoperability certification across the DoDIN.  

The approval was released by the Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) chief information assurance executive (CIAE). The approval adds to BlackBerry’s capabilities to provide work to the federal government. BlackBerry also recently announced that its BlackBerry Government Mobility Suite has achieved Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) authorization.

The company’s Government Mobility Suite is a cloud-based endpoint management solution developed specifically for U.S. government agencies. The solution will protect both stored and in transit sensitive data and will allow secure browsing and access to applications behind government agency firewalls.

BlackBerry Government Mobility Suite will eliminate the need for federal agencies to own, operate and constantly recapitalize on on-premises equipment. The BlackBerry Government Solutions U.S.-based and U.S. citizen-staffed Security Operations and Compliance teams will manage the FedRAMP continuous monitoring and remediation program. 

About BlackBerry

BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. The company secures more than 500M endpoints including 175M cars on the road today.  Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company leverages AI and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, safety and data privacy solutions, and is a leader in the areas of endpoint security management, encryption, and embedded systems.  BlackBerry's vision is clear – to secure a connected future you can trust.

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Airgility Develops Aerial Unmanned System to Support Defense Missions
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Airgility Develops Aerial Unmanned System to Support Defense Missions

Airgility has developed aerial unmanned systems that can fly anywhere, including areas where there is limited or no GPS access and in confined areas to support the national security and defense missions, the company reported last month.

“When you look at not just 10 years out, or 20 years out, we’re looking to design a future system from the ground up that’ll be fully AI enabled, perhaps, in some farther end of the spectrum in terms of autonomy. We’ll have legacy systems and hybrid systems on the way,” said Col. David Barnes, chief AI ethics officer for the Army AI Task Force, in regards to the future of autonomous vehicles.

The company’s advanced capabilities will enable Airgility to conduct the critical missions which include search and rescue, secure borders and deliver medical supplies to remote areas, among others. Airgility’s drones have leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to perceive surroundings, which has enabled the vehicle to map areas, track objects and provide analytical feedback in real-time.

Airgility has developed AI-powered aerial robots for public safety, security and defense, and the commercial sector that are capable of both outdoor and indoor autonomous, self-directed flight. The systems have been powered Airgility’s proprietary operating system, aerial robots can operate independently in complex environments.

The company has also begun development of drone platforms that do not rely on human control or GPS information. Airgility’s unique technology is built upon the fusion of multiple redundant sensors, mapping for obstacle avoidance, and autonomous flight.

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