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Air Force to Integrate ‘Project Maven’ AI Scope Into ABMS; Will Roper Quoted
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Air Force to Integrate ‘Project Maven’ AI Scope Into ABMS; Will Roper Quoted

The U.S. Air Force is transitioning its program office for the Project Maven artificial intelligence effort into the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) portfolio in a push to expand the latter's warfighting scope, FedScoop reported Monday.

Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics and a 2020 Wash100 Award recipient, told the publication that the service wants to integrate more AI and machine-to-machine data transmission elements onto the ABMS network.

ABMS will serve as a major component of the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) system that will encompass sensors deployed across the land, air, sea, space and cyber domains. The Air Force plans to leverage the AI-enabled ABMS to ingest raw data from the battlefield, according to the report.

“There is no distinction between development systems and warfighting systems anymore in IT,” said Roper. “ABMS and Maven are going to start blurring that line in September.”

Google, the contractor for Project Maven, backed out of its contract with the Department of Defense (DoD) in 2018 due to ethical issues.

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NIST Unveils 5G Signal Measurement Tech to Support Network, Device Dev’t
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NIST Unveils 5G Signal Measurement Tech to Support Network, Device Dev’t

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has partnered with the Colorado School of Mines to develop a measurement tool designed to support repeated testing of 5G devices across various signal frequencies.

NIST said Monday the Synthetic Aperture Measurements of Uncertainty in Angle of Incidence (SAMURAI) tool measures 5G communications channels without distorting signal reception and transmission.

SAMURAI can measure signals of up to 50 gigahertz and is intended to help researchers assess the simultaneous transmission of high data rates across multiple channels. This can help inform the development of 5G networks and industrial internet of things (IIoT) devices, according to NIST.

Kate Remley, an electronics engineer at NIST, said SAMURAI will be available for use by academic as well as instrumentation metrology laboratories. NIST noted that it plans to increase the signal measurement capacity of SAMURAI to 75 GHz over the next year.

“Because of its traceability to standards, users can have confidence in the measurements,” she said. “The technique will allow better antenna design and performance verification, and support network design.”

5G Summit Banner

Join Potomac Officers Club for its 5G Summit on Oct. 27, 2020 to learn about the impact that innovative technologies and 5G integration have on the private and public sectors, the steps the federal agencies have taken to remain up to speed with the rapid advancement of technology, and the future programs, plans and priorities as the nation aligns with emerging technology.

Hon. Ellen Lord, undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment at the Department of Defense (DoD) and four-time Wash100 Award recipient, will be featured as the keynote speaker. Don’t miss out on this must see event! Register here for the 5G Summit on October 27th.

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DOE Awards Funding to AI R&D Projects
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DOE Awards Funding to AI R&D Projects

The Department of Energy (DoE) has earmarked $8.5 million in funds to support five three-year projects that seek to enable reusability and accessibility of artificial intelligence data and models.

The selected projects will cover the areas of materials science, high-energy physics, microbial science and high-performance computing, DOE said Monday. The awardees will also explore the relationships between AI models and data in an effort to determine potential applications of AI technology.

“One of the major scientific challenges of our time is being able to access and effectively analyze mounting quantities of data,” said Chris Fall, director of DOE's office of Science.

Fall added the awardees will implement Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable data principles to their projects. DOE picked the awardees through a competitive peer review process.

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FCC to Shuffle Some Executive Roles Next Week; Aji Pai Quoted
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FCC to Shuffle Some Executive Roles Next Week; Aji Pai Quoted

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has added new executives to its chairman office and modified the role of an existing broadband adviser within the agency.

Sean Spivey, former legal and policy advisor to the bureau chief at the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, joins FCC’s chairman office as an adviser for wireless and international matters, FCC said Friday. Spivey succeeds Aaron Goldberger who will fill a role in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.

Allison Baker, economic adviser to Wireline Competition Bureau’s chief, will take up the same role at FCC’s chairman office. Melissa Kirkel, a special counsel for the chairman office, will return to the Wireline Competition Bureau.

Preston Wise, currently the rural broadband adviser to FCC chairman Aji Pai, will take up the additional role of wireline adviser. All these appointments and role changes will be effective as the next week begins.

“I continue to be impressed by the depth of talent we have at the FCC and the number of outstanding public servants who are willing to take on new challenges when asked to serve,” Pai said.

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OSTP Seeks Info on PNT Infrastructure Resilience Approaches
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OSTP Seeks Info on PNT Infrastructure Resilience Approaches

The White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is looking for input that will help inform the Trump administration’s efforts to improve the resiliency of the nation’s positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) architecture.

OSTP said in a Federal Register notice posted Monday that OSTP and the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Subcommittee on Resilience Science and Technology (SRST) seek to create a national strategy for PNT-related research and development.

In February, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other agencies to work on a strategy for fortifying PNT assets and infrastructure.

The plan will cover pilot testing operations for PNT systems designed to resist manipulation and interference while operating independently from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS).

According to the notice, SRST seeks input specifically on future PNT capabilities and R&D proposals in various areas including PNT sources, distribution methods, augmentation approaches and related equipment.

OSTP will accept feedback from interested parties until Sept. 9.

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Space Force Publishes First Doctrine to Define Service Mission; Gen. Jay Raymond Quoted
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Space Force Publishes First Doctrine to Define Service Mission; Gen. Jay Raymond Quoted

The U.S. Space Force has issued its first doctrine, a document that tackles the service branch's approach as a distinct military force and role in joint missions. The "Spacepower" Space Capstone Publication discusses space as a unique domain and will function as USSF's basis for future doctrines that will address various space defense challenges, USSF said Monday.

“The Space Capstone Publication explains why spacepower is a vital element of U.S. prosperity and security – now and in the future – and guides its employment in multidomain operations," said Gen. Jay Raymond, USSF's chief of Space Operations and 2020 Wash100 Award winner.

The doctrine's tackled topics include national and military spacepower, space forces development and the space domain's unique characteristics. The Space Force intends to update the doctrine over time based on future application and evaluation.

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MITRE Names Pete Leroy as VP of Integration & Operations; Jerry Hogge Quoted
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MITRE Names Pete Leroy as VP of Integration & Operations; Jerry Hogge Quoted

MITRE has appointed Charles “Pete” Leroy as vice president of integration and operations within MITRE Public Sector (MPS), the company reported on Tuesday. 

“Pete’s robust, cross-sector track record will be an asset as he takes on this new role and facilitates collaboration across our diverse populations, projects, and teams,” said Jerry Hogge, senior vice president and general manager, MITRE Public Sector. “His experience leading complex, large-scale projects will greatly benefit MITRE’s ability to deliver impact to a wide range of challenging problems.”

Leroy will bring more than two-decades of experience in leading business development, strategy, operations, and project management to MITRE. Leroy has focused within the defense and telecom industries, and will provide an understanding of the impacts of business decisions and operational performance to corporate financials.

With MITRE, Leroy will develop and supervise the implementation of operational policies and practices. He will also lead the integration of efforts across MPS, focusing on workforce engagement, program execution, business development, financial management and quality assurance.

Prior to joining MITRE, Leroy most recently served as chief of staff, military and veterans’ health, for Leidos Health Group. In the role, he supervised program operations and oversight to support capture and business development opportunities. 

With SAIC, which he was appointed as AHLTA program manager in 2003, Leroy developed strategy for and led SAIC proposal effort for the MHS AHLTA Integration contract and built a new team from the ground up to design all processes, procedures and tools for the company’s efforts. 

Leroy has also served in a variety of leadership positions with Verizon Communications, ReFlex Communications, and Sky View World Media. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance, real estate, and law from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona. He also holds active certifications as a Project Management Professional and ITIL Foundation V3.

About MITRE

MITRE’s mission-driven teams are dedicated to solving problems for a safer world. Through our public-private partnerships and federally funded R&D centers, we work across government and in partnership with industry to tackle challenges to the safety, stability, and well-being of our nation.

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DoD Signs Agreement with BioFire Defense to Increase COVID-19 Test Kit Production
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DoD Signs Agreement with BioFire Defense to Increase COVID-19 Test Kit Production

The Department of Defense (DoD) has entered into a $3.1 million agreement with bioMerieux's BioFire Defense subsidiary to increase manufacturing capacity for COVID-19 test kits.

The company will use the investment to install two new production lines into its facility in Salt Lake City to expand test kit production in September, DoD said Monday.

BioFire's test kits are built to work with the company's FilmArray panel, an instrument designed to help users identify pathogens related to an infectious disease.

The agreement is a part of the Joint Acquisition Task Force's efforts to ensure the availability of medical resources via the Defense Production Act Title III program.

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Bipartisan Bill Aims to Technologically Bolster U.S. Border Security; Michael McCaul Quoted
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Bipartisan Bill Aims to Technologically Bolster U.S. Border Security; Michael McCaul Quoted

Reps. Xochitl Torres Small, D-N.M.; Michael Cloud, R-Texas; Michael McCaul, R-Texas; and Elisa Slotkin, D-Mich., have introduced a bill to strengthen the U.S.-Mexico border's technological capability. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced the bill in the Senate side of Congress.

The Southwest Border Security Technology Improvement Act of 2020 would task the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to analyze the border's technological gaps, Torres Small's office said Aug. 5.

"By determining gaps in our border technology, we will be able to detect where improvements must be made to strengthen our border security and national security,” Rep. McCaul said.

The legislation's sought analysis would address the areas of terrorist prevention and criminal activity reduction, and explore new security-applicable technologies such as unmanned aerial systems and tunnel detection.

DHS would also form a border security technology plan based on the analysis. The plan would include efforts to procure or develop the identified technologies.

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ECS Names Pamela Rothka CFO; George Wilson Quoted
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ECS Names Pamela Rothka CFO; George Wilson Quoted

ECS has appointed Pamela Rothka as chief financial officer (CFO) to supervise strategic finance, accounting, contracts, pricing, business operations and facilities, the company reported on Tuesday. 

“Pamela is an industry leader with the knowledge and experience to have a significant impact on ECS’ future,” said George Wilson, president of ECS and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient. “We are proud to have Pamela join our team and look forward to leveraging her partnership, knowledge, and experience to support our growth.”

In her new role, Rothka will also spearhead ECS’ mergers and acquisitions, as well as divisional reporting.  She brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, a career that spans both the government and commercial sectors. Prior to joining ECS, Rothka served as CFO with Octo Consulting. 

“I’m excited to be a part of the ECS family and look forward to serving our customers,” said Rothka. “I am eager to collaborate with my new teammates to chart the financial path forward for ECS.”

About ECS

ECS, a segment of ASGN, delivers advanced solutions in cloud, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), application and IT modernization, science, and engineering. 

The company solves critical, complex challenges for customers across the U.S. public sector, defense, intelligence, and commercial industries. ECS maintains partnerships with leading cloud, cybersecurity, and AI/ML providers and holds specialized certifications in their technologies. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, ECS has more than 3,000 employees throughout the United States.

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