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Guardians to Begin Training on Meadowlands Counter Comms System
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US Space Force counter communication platform

U.S. Space Force Guardians will start training on the Counter Communication System, or CCS, Meadowlands, following the recent approval to field an upgraded version of the platform that L3Harris Technologies developed. The system upgrade features a lighter and more compact version that will enhance joint and allied warfighters’ space electromagnetic warfare capabilities, the Space Operations Command announced Wednesday.

Guardians to Begin Training on Meadowlands Counter Comms System

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Air and Space Defense Summit on July 31, which is now open for registration, for more about emerging technologies for warfighters.

Open Software Architecture

CCS Meadowlands is the Space Force’s first tactical electronic warfare system for detecting, identifying and disrupting adversaries’ communication. With its upgrade, the system will provide remote capability, automation and multi-system management. The new version operates through a more open software architecture that would simplify software updates needed for warfighters to keep pace with evolving threats and mission requirements, SpOC said. The system allows one operator to boost simultaneous remote mission management by 300 percent, the command also noted.

The CCS Meadowlands upgrade was made possible through the collaboration and integration efforts between SpOC and SSC, with the Guardians providing support and feedback.

Lt. Col. Natasha Peeples, USSF materiel leader and sustainment squadron commander under SpOC’s Mission Delta 3 – Space Electromagnetic Warfare, described the system’s upgrade as “historic moment that builds upon years of hard work” on CCS Meadowlands’ program baseline. “It was an all-hands-on-deck rapid sprint to the finish line, and we are incredibly proud of this moment for operations and the USSF,” the guardian official remarked. 

L3Harris initially developed an updated CCS version in April 2020 designed to help the U.S. Space Force jam adversaries’ satellite communications. The company delivered to the Department of Defense the first two CCS Meadowlands on April 8, enabling U.S. government integrated tests on them from April 14 to May 2.

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Ohio-based Research Institute Secures $500M AFRL R&D Contract
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The UDRI won a nearly $500 million AFRL research and development contract focused on enhancing operational effectiveness.

The University of Dayton Research Institute will perform research and evaluation of complex solutions that could improve the effectiveness of operational and urgent systems under a $499.99 million cost-plus fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.

The contract provides for the development, testing, prototyping, demonstration and transition of technologies to improve operational effectiveness through improved energy technology and the reduction of manufacturing and lifecycle sustainment burden of coatings, materials, inspections, repairs, energy, and resource technologies and processes, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.

Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and in Dayton, Ohio, through May 17, 2032. The AFRL obligated $18.86 million in fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds at the time of the award.

Air Force Contract Wins

UDRI previously won R&D contracts with the Air Force. In 2018, the university was awarded a six-year, $72 million contract to support the AFRL’s Quick-Reaction Evaluation of Materials and Processes program through component failure analysis, material and mechanical property evaluations and corrosion assessments.

In 2023, UDRI secured a three-year, $12.5 million contract to design, develop and transfer augmented reality tools to the Air Force to support its use of extended reality resources for systems maintenance activities such as spraying, coating and robotics control.

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GAO Report Calls on NTIA to Implement Cyber, Interoperability Practices Into IT Modernization
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A visualization of IT modernization

The Government Accountability Office has called on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop and implement organization-wide risk assessment, establish a data governance plan and implement other leading cybersecurity and interoperability practices to enhance the spectrum and broadband agency. 

In a report published Thursday, GAO pointed out that implementing these practices would enable the NTIA to mitigate, reduce, identify and track risks. 

NTIA’s Modernization Journey

According to the congressional watchdog, NTIA has been in the process of modernizing its spectrum IT for over three years. In December 2024, the telecommunications agency awarded two contracts with a total value of $110 million to support the effort. 

However, the watchdog pointed out that NTIA will continue to use its legacy IT. 

GAO Recommendations

In the report, GAO found that NTIA did implement all leading cybersecurity practices during the planning stage of its modernization project. While the agency categorized and managed risks associated with its legacy spectrum IT systems, the NTIA did not have a risk management strategy and did not conduct an organization-wide risk assessment. NTIA also did not fully define user privilege levels for its systems. 

In terms of interoperability, NTIA followed and implemented GAO’s leading practices for collaboration. The report also noted that NTIA fully adopted three of the five leading practices for data governance. However, the agency has no data governance plan to address conflicts that might arise from new standards. 

GAO made five recommendations, all of which NTIA concurred with.

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NSA Publishes Joint Guidance on AI System Data Security
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The cyber and intel agencies of the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the UK have released a joint cybersecurity info sheet

The cybersecurity and intelligence agencies of the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have released a joint cybersecurity information sheet urging public and private sector organizations using artificial intelligence systems and those planning to integrate the technology into their operations to implement best practices and recommendations for AI data security.

NSA Publishes Joint Guidance on AI System Data Security

In today’s complex and interconnected world, intelligence plays a crucial role in safeguarding the nation, preventing crises and informing policy decisions. The rise of new threats, technological advancements and geopolitical shifts has made intelligence-gathering and analysis more essential than ever. Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Intel Summit, where the intelligence community’s top leaders will provide insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the IC today and into the future. Register here.

Protecting the data used throughout the development, testing and operation of an AI system will ensure the accuracy and integrity of AI outcomes and help mitigate risks arising from data integrity issues in various stages of AI development and deployment, according to the CSI the National Security Agency published Thursday.

Data Security Risks

The document provides an in-depth examination of three significant areas of data security risks in AI systems, namely data supply chain, maliciously modified data and data drift, and offers general best practices to mitigate such risks and secure sensitive, proprietary or mission-critical data throughout the AI system lifecycle. The best practices include employing digital signatures to authenticate trusted revisions, tracking data provenance and leveraging trusted infrastructure.

Cyber Info Sheet Authors

The document was authored by the NSA’s Artificial Intelligence Security Center, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the FBI, the Australian Cyber Security Centre, and the national cybersecurity centers of New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

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John Hobbs Named CTO for MDA Transformation & IT Office
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John Hobbs is now chief technology officer at the Missile Defense Agency’s Transformation and IT Office.

The Missile Defense Agency has promoted John Hobbs, most recently director of digital infrastructure, to chief technology officer at the Transformation and Information Technology Office.

Hobbs announced his appointment in a LinkedIn post published Wednesday.

He is an experienced IT professional with skills in cloud, virtualization, information security and systems engineering, among other areas.

John Hobbs’ Career Background

According to his profile on the professional networking site, Hobbs joined MDA in 2022 as a cloud specialist. He also served as cloud and data center manager at the agency.

Prior to MDA, the IT executive worked at Jacobs, where he served as CTO for the ‍Integrated Research and Development for Enterprise Solutions program and chief of operations.

He also held IT leadership roles at Northrop Grumman, OPEC and Priority Systems.

Hobbs has a bachelor’s degree in IT from National American University-Colorado Springs.

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Johns Hopkins APL Appoints Robert Vercher as Strategic Deterrence Mission Area Exec
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Headshot of Robert Vercher, strategic deterrence mission area executive at Johns Hopkins APL

Robert Vercher has assumed new responsibilities as the strategic deterrence mission area executive at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. APL said Wednesday that Vercher will ensure the delivery of key engineering and technical capabilities, analyses and evaluations to the U.S. Navy and Air Force. 

“It’s a privilege to lead such a talented team at the forefront of the nation’s nuclear modernization programs, and I am proud to build on the vital contributions that our mission area has delivered for many decades,” the executive commented.

The strategic deterrence mission area works with the U.S. government and industry to evolve legacy systems and capabilities to better meet the needs of current and future threats. 

Vercher succeeds Steve Lewia, who led the lab’s strategic deterrence mission area for nearly 10 years.

Who Is Robert Vercher?

The executive joined APL in 2016 as an analyst for nuclear command, control and communications. More recently, he served as the laboratory’s Air Force strategic systems program area manager, where he was involved in key military initiatives such as the Sentinel weapon system.

Before APL, Vercher was a missile and space officer for the U.S. Air Force. Throughout his 24 years of service, he had multiple leadership positions, including as commander of an intercontinental ballistic missile wing and deputy director of mission assessment and analysis for U.S. Strategic Command. 

“Rob possesses a rare combination of technical expertise, operational experience and strategic vision that positions him to excel in this critical role,” Lisa Blodgett, head of force projection sector at APL, stated. “With his exceptional leadership abilities, I am confident he will inspire and effectively lead high-performing teams, strengthening APL’s commitment to strategic deterrence and continuing to advance our mission to support the warfighter.”

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GSA in Talks With Other Agencies to Take Charge of Several IT GWACs
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GSA has plans to shift NASA’s SEWP, NIH’s CIO-SP3 and several IT governmentwide contract vehicles under its management.

The General Services Administration is working with NASA, the Office of Management and Budget and the National Institutes of Health on plans to move several IT governmentwide contract vehicles under its management, Nextgov/FCW said Wednesday.

Some of the contract vehicles that are expected to transfer to GSA are NASA’s Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement, or SEWP; NIH’s Chief Information Officer–Solutions and Partners 3, or CIO-SP3; Chief Information Officer-Commodities and Solutions, or CIO-CS; and the CIO-SP4 contract, according to plans shared with select GSA personnel during a workforce town hall Tuesday.

According to the report, CIO-SP3 has been extended through April 2026. The NIH Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center has yet to award the CIO-SP4 vehicle.

NASA’s Plans for SEWP VI

Nextgov/FCW reported that NASA has several plans for the sixth iteration of the SEWP contract, including adding standalone IT services to the vehicle.

The agency also expects to increase the number of prime contractors on SEWP VI to about 1,000, up from 147 vendors on SEWP V, which is set to expire in October.

Consolidating Federal Procurement Within GSA

The latest development reflects GSA’s expanding role in government acquisition and aligns with an executive order that President Trump signed in March.

The executive order calls for the consolidation of federal procurement of goods and services within GSA as part of a push to remove waste and duplication and enable agencies to focus on their mission of delivering services to citizens. The policy also directs the head of OMB to designate the GSA administrator as the executive agent for all IT GWACs.

GSA Senior Procurement Executive Jeffrey Koses said decisions have yet to be finalized.

“Any potential transitions will be carefully coordinated with our partner agencies and will prioritize continuity for industry partners and federal customers alike. Our shared goal is to reduce duplication and enhance efficiency. As I said in our Workforce Town Hall, GSA is in a position to help save tens of billions of tax dollars for Americans,” Koses told Nextgov/FCW.

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Cybersecurity Advisory Warns of Russian Cyber Actor Targeting Western Organizations
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A digital illustration representing cybersecurity and data protection.

A joint cybersecurity advisory from the United States and allied countries revealed that the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate 85th Main Special Service Center, also known as APT28, Fancy Bear and Forest Blizzard in the cybersecurity community, launched a cyber-espionage campaign targeting Western government organizations, commercial logistics entities, transportation services and technology companies, including those involved in providing assistance to Ukraine.

The National Security Agency, one of the authors of the CSA, said Wednesday that the Russian state-sponsored cyber actor uses password spraying, spearphishing and modification of Microsoft Exchange mailbox permissions, among other previously disclosed and novel tactics, techniques and procedures—a.k.a. TTPs—to infiltrate target entities.

Cyber Risk Mitigation

The advisory urged at-risk organizations to increase monitoring and threat hunting for known TTPs and indicators of compromise to defend against potential cyberattacks. Recommended security mitigations include employing network segmentation and restrictions to limit access; considering zero trust principles when designing systems; collecting and monitoring Windows logs for certain events, especially for events that indicate that a log was cleared unexpectedly; and strengthening and refining the processes that manage digital identities and control access.

The CSA identified the countries with targeted entities, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine and the United States.

Cyber Operations Linked to Russia-Ukraine Conflict

According to the advisory, the Russian cyber group likely used access to internet-connected private cameras in Ukraine and those near bordering crossings, military installations and rail stations to track the movement of materials into Kyiv. The actors targeted Real-Time Streaming Protocol servers hosting IP cameras primarily located in Ukraine as early as March 2022 in a large-scale campaign, which included attempts to enumerate devices and gain access to the cameras’ feeds, the CSA added.

To defend against the malicious activity, the advisory recommended applying security patches and firmware updates to all IP cameras, disabling remote access and using a firewall to prevent communication with the camera from IP addresses not on an allowlist.

The CSA’s authoring agencies include the NSA, the FBI, the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre, the German Federal Intelligence Service, the Czech Republic Military Intelligence, the Polish Internal Security Agency and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

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Air Force Conducts Minuteman III ICBM Test Launch
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Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile

An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, equipped with a single Mark-21 high fidelity reentry vehicle, was launched on Wednesday from the Western Test Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The launch, performed by a joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command airmen, is part of routine activities designed to ensure the ICBM, which is part of the U.S. nuclear triad’s ground leg, remains a viable deterrent to 21st-century threats, the U.S. Space Force said.

Air Force Conducts Minuteman III ICBM Test LaunchWith the increasing sophistication of threats, the need for advanced defense capabilities in the air and space domains has never been more urgent. Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Air and Space Defense Summit to gain insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the air and space defense industry. Register here.

According to Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the 377th Test and Evaluation Group dedicated to ICBM tests, the Minuteman III remains the bedrock of the U.S. strategic deterrent until the transition to the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM is completed.

Modernizing the Nuclear Triad

Sentinel is being developed as a replacement for the aging Minuteman III, which has been in service for over 50 years.

The Northrop Grumman-led Sentinel program, however, is facing challenges, including a funding cut and schedule overruns. Building Sentinel was initially expected to cost $77.7 billion, but its future costs are now projected to increase by 81 percent, triggering a Nunn-McCurdy review in 2024.

The review concluded that the program is essential to national security and that no alternatives were identified to provide an acceptable deterrence capability. The Air Force, however, was directed to restructure the program to control costs.

As the program continues to undergo restructuring activities, the service branch found that building new missile silos for Sentinel is needed since the original baseline strategy of converting Minuteman III silos will cause more problems and program delays, Defense News reported.

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CISA, FBI Release LummaC2 Malware Joint Advisory
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Image of a warning sign depicting malware threat

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI have unveiled a joint cybersecurity advisory highlighting the serious threat posed by LummaC2 information stealer, or infostealer, malware.

LummaC2 Malware Advisory

CISA said Wednesday the LummaC2 Malware Targeting U.S. Critical Infrastructure Sectors advisory outlines the tactics, techniques and procedures, or TTPs, as well as the indicators of compromise, known as IOCs, connected to threat actors using LummaC2 malware. The advanced malware presents a serious threat as it can infiltrate computer networks and exfiltrate sensitive data. This can target computer systems utilized by individuals and organizations across critical U.S. infrastructure.

Ongoing Malware Threat Activity

According to the FBI and third-party reports, this malware activity was observed as recently as May 2025. The IOCs detailed in this advisory are derived from LummaC2 malware infections from November 2023 through May 2025.

In light of these findings, CISA and the FBI are urging organizations to review the cybersecurity advisory and implement the recommendations found in the mitigations section.

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