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Lt. Gen. Eric Wesley: Army Needs to Decide Soon on Electric Vehicle Adoption
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Lt. Gen. Eric Wesley: Army Needs to Decide Soon on Electric Vehicle Adoption
Eric Wesley
Eric Wesley

Lt. Gen. Eric Wesley, deputy commander of Army Futures Command, said the service branch may need to soon begin alterations to adopt the use of electric engines in vehicles, Military.com reported Wednesday.

Wesley said the Army’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle may employ an upscaled version of electric motors as demonstrated by car maker Tesla.

The service is challenged to manage the supply chain for the adoption effort, but the automotive industry’s shift towards electric engines, Wesley noted.

This potential industrial shift may also further prompt the Army to go electric due to the resulting cost changes and factors like fuel transportation, the general added. Electrification would reduce the need to transport fuel during battle and lessen the operational burden.

Wesley said the Army has to make its decision on the potential adoption within the next decade.

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Robert Sharp on NGA’s Efforts to Address Telework Needs for Unclassified Access
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Robert Sharp on NGA’s Efforts to Address Telework Needs for Unclassified Access
Robert Sharp
Robert Sharp

Robert Sharp, director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient, has said that the agency is leveraging commercial technologies and making changes to its unclassified data infrastructure for telework setups, C4ISRnet reported Wednesday.

Sharp told attendees at a U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation virtual event that NGA deployed Common Access Card readers that allow its workforce to access agency networks and intelligence systems from home.

He said the move enables personnel such as analysts to conduct unclassified data processing work to support ongoing machine learning efforts that require computer visualization and data labeling functionalities.

“We immediately started to reposture and reposition our force as COVID-19 really took hold here and the government started responding,” Sharp noted.

According to the NGA head, the agency also used commercial imaging tools, created online support teams and conducted virtual town halls in efforts to adapt to telework needs.

About The Wash100

This year represents our sixth annual Wash100 Award selection. The Wash100 is the premier group of private and public sector leaders selected by Executive Mosaic’s organizational and editorial leadership as the most influential leaders in the GovCon sector. These leaders demonstrate skills in leadership, innovation, achievement, and vision.

Visit the Wash100 site to learn about the other 99 winners of the 2020 Wash100 Award. On the site, you can submit your 10 votes for the GovCon executives of consequence that you believe will have the most significant impact in 2020.

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Mark Lewis: DoD Monitoring Hypersonics Supply Chain for Operational Disruptions
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Mark Lewis: DoD Monitoring Hypersonics Supply Chain for Operational Disruptions
Mark Lewis
Mark Lewis

Mark Lewis, director of defense research and engineering for modernization, has said that he and Ellen Lord, the Department of Defense’s acquisitions head, are monitoring coronavirus-induced operational impacts “across the board”, Defense News reported Wednesday.

Lewis said at a Mitchell Institute event that his office is also carefully monitoring obstacles to the hypersonics supply chain as defense contractors terminated operations early last month.

“If you look at hypersonics, for example, some of the most critical elements are produced by relatively small operations, and so we’re very sensitive to that, we’re including that as we look at the impacts of coronavirus on the industrial base,” he added.

Lewis noted that a hypersonics group under his office is slated to submit a  preliminary report to guide DoD hypersonics procurement in the coming months.

Lord, a 2020 Wash100 Award recipient, previously said that over 106 contractors ceased operations due to health concerns while 68 have since reopened. Major defense projects may also face delays of around three months, according to Defense News.

About The Wash100

This year represents our sixth annual Wash100 Award selection. The Wash100 is the premier group of private and public sector leaders selected by Executive Mosaic’s organizational and editorial leadership as the most influential leaders in the GovCon sector. These leaders demonstrate skills in leadership, innovation, achievement, and vision.

Visit the Wash100 site to learn about the other 99 winners of the 2020 Wash100 Award. On the site, you can submit your 10 votes for the GovCon executives of consequence that you believe will have the most significant impact in 2020.

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JAIC Unveils AI-Based Supply Chain Forecast Tech
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JAIC Unveils AI-Based Supply Chain Forecast Tech

JAIC Unveils AI-Based Supply Chain Forecast Tech

The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) has developed an artificial intelligence system that works to forecast supply chain issues and COVID-19 hotspots through various data sources, Defense One reported Wednesday. Salus is designed to predict potential concerns based on the kind of data fed by its users.

Nand Mulchandani, chief technical officer at JAIC, said the tool has been initially employed to organize and monitor information on masks, ventilators and medical supplies. Mulchandani noted JAIC has partnered with data aggregators and retail firms to collect data for the tool.

“The insights we gather we are able to pipe directly into the systems that they’re using,” said Mulchandani.

Salus has been fielded to the U.S. National Guard and U.S. Northern Command’s information systems.

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Sabre Systems Secures $77.7M IDIQ Contract from NAVIAR to Accelerate Technologies, Cyber Support Management; Glen Ives Quoted
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Sabre Systems Secures $77.7M IDIQ Contract from NAVIAR to Accelerate Technologies, Cyber Support Management; Glen Ives Quoted

Sabre Systems Secures $77.7M IDIQ Contract from NAVIAR to Accelerate Technologies, Cyber Support Management; Glen Ives Quoted

Sabre Systems has been awarded a five-year, $77.7 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract by the NAVAIR Digital Department to provide technology acceleration and integration, information technology, information management and cyber security support services, the company announced on Thursday.

“The selection of this award is indicative of the confidence put in us and our world class team of subcontractors. Our elite team includes industry leaders MAGA Design, KPMG, Deloitte, Falconwood Inc. Microsoft, Guidehouse, IBM, Perspecta, Perrygo and NSI,” said, Sabre President and CEO Glen Ives.

The single award contract, cost-plus fixed fee has a 60-month period of performance from May 2020 to May 2025 with an additional 6-month option to extend performance through Nov. 2025. Task orders for this contract will be issued on a basis.

The NAVAIR Digital Department has led the digital transformation of NAVAIR and will continue to accelerate and scale digital/analytic technologies and capabilities across the NAVAIR enterprise. The work will increase speed in the delivery and sustainment of warfighting capabilities.

Under the contract, Sabre Systems will provide support in digital transformation planning and execution; enterprise alignment; technology exploration, acceleration, and integration; digital/IT consultation; business intelligence; application portfolio management; system integration; Enterprise Architecture (EA) design and management, and web management.

Sabre Systems will also support Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI)/Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) program management; IT Operations; cybersecurity; Information Assurance (IA); cloud services; maintenance functions; network security; Automated Data Processing (ADP) support services;

In addition, the company’s efforts will enhance digital modeling and virtual environment support; talent management; change management; data analytics and integration; business process management and improvement; as well as general IT/digital support.

Sabre will leverage the company’s extensive digital transformation expertise for the benefit of the defense department’s warfighting capabilities. “Sabre Systems, Inc. and our diverse team are well prepared and equipped to successfully execute the objectives of this contract and to assist in advancing the mission critical goals of the NAVAIR Digital Department. We are ready and eager to hit the deck running,” added Ives.

About Sabre Systems, Inc.

Sabre Systems, Inc. provides specialized technology solutions, services and mission expertise in the critical domains of Business Intelligence and Data Analytics; Digital Transformation; Cyber; and C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), to meet domestic and national priorities.

We deliver integrated solutions using emerging technologies to provide effective, agile and leading-edge results at the most efficient cost for our defense, federal and commercial customers. Privately-held, Sabre is headquartered in Warrington, Pa., and has major offices in Horsham, Pa., Manasquan, N.J.; and Lexington Park and Belcamp, Md.

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Lockheed Martin Releases First Quarter Financial Results 2020; Marillyn Hewson Quoted
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Lockheed Martin Releases First Quarter Financial Results 2020; Marillyn Hewson Quoted

Lockheed Martin Releases First Quarter Financial Results 2020; Marillyn Hewson Quoted

Lockheed Martin Corporation has reported first quarter 2020 net sales of $15.7 billion, net earnings of $1.7 billion and cash from operations of $2.3 billion, the company reported on Tuesday.

“As we confront the challenges introduced by the global pandemic, our corporation remains focused on providing vital national security solutions for our customers while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our employees,” said Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO, and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient Marillyn Hewson.

The company noted that the COVID-19 outbreak did not have a material impact on the company’s operating results or business in the first quarter of 2020. Lockheed Martin has started to recognize challenges in each of its business areas related to COVID-19.

Lockheed Martin reported its primary challenge has been access to some locations and delays of supplier deliveries. The corporation will continue to update its 2020 guidance for net sales to report the current impacts of the virus within production and supply chain.

The corporation has reported an investment in the AMMROC joint venture with a carrying value of $435 million. Lockheed Martin noted that AMMROC’s current business is dependent on a single customer contract to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for fixed and rotary wing military aircraft that was up for re-competition.

The corporation’s cash activities in the first quarter of 2020 have included paying cash dividends of $693 million, compared to $638 million in the first quarter of 2019 and repurchasing 1.7 million shares for $756 million.

The shares include $500 million paid pursuant to an accelerated share repurchase agreement (ASR), which will settle in the second quarter; compared to 1.0 million shares for $281 million in the first quarter of 2019. Lockheed Martin has made capital expenditures of $293 million, compared to $284 million in the first quarter of 2019.

Additionally, Lockheed Martin noted no net proceeds from or repayments of commercial paper, compared to making net repayments of $200 million in the first quarter of 2019. The corporation’s effective income tax rate was 15.4 percent in the first quarter of 2020, compared to 12.4 percent in the first quarter of 2019.

The rate for the first quarter of 2019 benefited from additional tax deductions of $65 million, recorded for 2018, based on proposed tax regulations released on March 4, 2019, which clarified that foreign military sales qualify for foreign derived intangible income treatment.

“I’m so proud of the work the dedicated men and women of Lockheed Martin are doing as part of our strong portfolio to deliver critical products and services for our customers and long-term value for our shareholders,” Hewson added.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 110,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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AWS Launches Amazon AppFlow to Manage Bidirectional Data Flows Between AWS, SaaS; Kurt Kufeld, Sarah Franklin Quoted
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AWS Launches Amazon AppFlow to Manage Bidirectional Data Flows Between AWS, SaaS; Kurt Kufeld, Sarah Franklin Quoted

AWS Launches Amazon AppFlow to Manage Bidirectional Data Flows Between AWS, SaaS; Kurt Kufeld, Sarah Franklin Quoted

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched Amazon AppFlow, a fully managed service that provides an easy, secure way for customers to create and automate bidirectional data flows between AWS and SaaS applications without writing custom integration code, the company announced on Thursday.

“It can be difficult to manage the flow of data between AWS and these applications,” said Kurt Kufeld, vice president, AWS. “Amazon AppFlow provides an intuitive and easy way for customers to combine data from AWS and SaaS applications without moving it across the public Internet.”

Amazon AppFlow’s interface will be able to build and execute data flows between sources in minutes to securely orchestrate the data transfer. Amazon AppFlow console, customers can configure multiple types of triggers for data flows, including one-time on-demand transfers, routine data syncs scheduled at predetermined times.

In addition, customers will be able to pull logs and metric data from monitoring tools for deep analytics in Amazon Redshift, or send customer engagement data for sentiment analysis. The solution will enable customers to transform and process the data by combining fields, filtering records, masking sensitive data and validating field values.

Amazon AppFlow will automatically encrypt data at rest and in motion using AWS or customer-managed encryption keys, and will enable users to restrict data from flowing over the public Internet for applications that are integrated with AWS PrivateLink to reduce exposure to security threats.

“With Amazon AppFlow, our customers bring together and manage petabytes, even exabytes, of data spread across all of their applications – all without having to develop custom connectors or manage underlying API and network connectivity,” added Kufeld.

One of AWS’ customers, Salesforce, a cloud-based software company that provides customer-relationship management service and also sells a complementary suite of enterprise applications focused on customer service, marketing automation, analytics, and application development has integrated the solution to improve business operations.

“With Amazon AppFlow integrating directly with Salesforce Private Connect, joint customers will be able to establish a secure, private connection for passing data back and forth between the Salesforce and AWS platforms,” said Sarah Franklin, EVP & GM Platform, Trailhead & Developers, Salesforce. “And because these connections can be set up by Salesforce admins in just a few clicks, companies can cut down on costly and timely engineering resources, and begin doing more with their data faster than ever before.”

About Amazon Web Services

For 14 years, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. AWS offers over 175 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, robotics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), media, and application development, deployment, and management from 73 Availability Zones (AZs) within 23 geographic regions, with announced plans for 12 more Availability Zones and four more AWS Regions in Indonesia, Italy, Japan, and Spain. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs.

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Jacobs Participates in SERDP Research to Develop New Methods for PFAS Site Characterization; Jan Walstrom Quoted
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Jacobs Participates in SERDP Research to Develop New Methods for PFAS Site Characterization; Jan Walstrom Quoted

Jacobs Participates in SERDP Research to Develop New Methods for PFAS Site Characterization; Jan Walstrom Quoted

Jacobs has collaborated with Principal Investigator Dr. David Hanigan at the University of Nevada, Reno, to participate in a research and development grant from the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) for Rapid Site Profiling of Organofluorine: Quantification of PFASs by Combustion Gas Analysis, the company announced on Thursday.

“Jacobs brings to this research project extensive planning, technical support, groundwater sampling and technology transfer experience gained on PFAS assessments at thousands of potential release locations around the globe,” said Jacobs People & Places Solutions Senior Vice President and Global Environmental Market Director Jan Walstrom.

SERDP was developed by the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Energy  (DoE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to leverage the latest science and technology to improve environmental performance, reduce costs, and enhance and sustain mission capabilities.

The objective of SERDP will be to develop and validate robust, field-ready instrumentation and methods to quantify total organofluorine. Jacobs will work to help the federal government reduce labor associated with site profiling and reduce analytical lab costs and uncertainty, leading to better site characterization and reduced duration of site remediation.

Sampling and quantifying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is required to assess impacts and remediate contaminated sites, but the process has proven to be time-consuming and has failed to capture many organofluorine transformation products and precursors with possible health impacts to exposed aquatic species and humans.

PFAS are released to the environment through several pathways, including use as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for fire-fighting by the U.S. military and the aviation industry, as well as municipal and industrial fire departments.

The EPA has set health advisory levels for two PFAS based upon environmental persistence and adverse health outcomes, and the subsurface is contaminated with PFAS at multiple U.S. military bases, airports and industrial sites.

After SERDP is completed, the federal agencies expect benefits to the scientific community, including an increased understanding of organofluorine cycling in aqueous and soil systems and understanding of PFAS outside of those quantifiable by modern liquid chromatography.

For more than a decade, Jacobs’ water and environmental technologists have been supporting municipal, federal and commercial clients with PFAS assessment and treatment. Jacobs’ technologists and scientists have partnered with the world’s leading academics to better characterize, understand behavior and develop increasingly effective cleanup technologies for PFAS in groundwater and soil.

For example, in Jan. 2020, Orange County Water District (OCWD) selected Jacobs to participate in a pilot program to provide contracted treatment testing support services for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

“Jacobs’ unique ability to shape the industry for PFAS solutions is drawn from our multidisciplinary capabilities in environmental, water, wastewater, solid waste, aviation and infrastructure,” said Walstrom.

PFAS are a family of oil and water-resistant chemicals found in everyday consumer products and airport firefighting foams that have infiltrated groundwater supplies over several decades.

Jacobs will help OCWD explore long-term solutions to ensure that water supplies continue to meet all state and federal water quality standards before the levels of PFAS in Orange County groundwater wells grow.

The goal of the pilot program is to help retail water agencies in Orange County determine the best available PFAS treatment methods. Jacobs will provide testing of different types of granular activated carbon (GAC), ion exchange (IX) products and adsorbents to determine which applications are best suited for Orange County’s diverse aquifer water quality and geochemistry.

“We challenge today and reinvent tomorrow by integrating both proven and leading-edge detection and treatment technologies to address PFAS chemicals transported in drinking water, groundwater, surface water, wastewater, leachate and soil,” added Walstrom.

About Jacobs

At Jacobs, we’re challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world’s most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

With $13 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector.

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Unisys Enhances Automation of ClearPath Applications to Support Digital Transformation, IT Infrastructure; Vishal Gupta Quoted
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Unisys Enhances Automation of ClearPath Applications to Support Digital Transformation, IT Infrastructure; Vishal Gupta Quoted

Unisys Enhances Automation of ClearPath Applications to Support Digital Transformation, IT Infrastructure; Vishal Gupta Quoted

Unisys Corporation has enhanced automation to its ClearPath Forward ePortal and ClearPath Application Integration Services software solutions to boost the company’s ability to further the digital transformation of business and IT infrastructure, Unisys announced on Thursday.

“Organizations need access to agile, modern application development tools and services to keep up in an environment where the well-being of people and businesses can literally be at stake. Our enhanced ePortal and Application Integration Services solutions can help them weather crises and set up their IT environments for long-term agility and success,” said Vishal Gupta, senior vice president, Products and Platforms and chief technology officer, Unisys.

The enhancements in the new ePortal version 10.0 have included full automation to facilitate development of applications without line-by-line coding. The applications have enabled calls on both internal and external business processes to help create an enterprise-wide application ecosystem.

Unisys’ solutions in ePortal 10.0 and in Application Integration Services (AIS) Release 5.0 have enabled users to implement new application environments that rely on easily integrated microservices. The enhancements will change and augment applications in real time, without having to stop or recompile business-critical programs.

Both ePortal and Application Integration Services will leverage capabilities of Microsoft VisualStudio, so developers that have been acclimated with contemporary tools can easily program in the ClearPath Forward environment. The software will also include Outbound Web Service Communication.

The communication service will simplify the process of applications created through ePortal and legacy applications written in older languages to interoperate and an enhanced user interface for the ePortal Manager Website. The feature will also enhance the user experience and enable improved role management, authorization and user feedback on long-running processes.

In addition, AIS Release 5.0 has included enhancements that advance the development of distributed applications for the ClearPath and Microsoft Windows environments. Dynamic IP configuration in the new release will eliminate manual tasks and facilitate interaction between ClearPath Forward applications using Unisys Data Exchange cross-platform data-integration software and applications in the Windows environment.

The ePortal 10.0 will provide further enhanced security. It will support Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connections and provide a mechanism to encrypt data between ePortal applications and Unisys Agile Business Suite (AB Suite) users model-driven development environment.

Organizations will additionally be able to complement those products with ClearPath Application Enrichment Services to enable organizations to build a clear, actionable strategy that outlines how to evolve applications in response to new demands.

The addition to Unisys’ software enhancements complements the company initiative to digitally transform Unisys’ offerings. In April 2020, Unisys announced that it has been accepted to provide Cloud Transition Services based on Unisys CloudForte to New Zealand government agencies through Marketplace.

“The New Zealand government has committed to making it easy for citizens to engage with the government using secure, smart and seamless digital services. This includes a requirement to use public cloud services in preference to traditional IT systems,” said Shirley Harrod, vice president, Public Sector, for Unisys Asia Pacific.

Marketplace will connect suppliers with the government, simplifying the procurement process for both sectors. The Marketplace will expedite the initial primary procurement process and reduce the obstacles for suppliers that work with the government.

Unisys’ Marketplace Cloud Transition Services will include cloud strategy, architecture, migration planning, transition execution, cloud optimization and operational handover of current end user services into a public or hybrid cloud environment. The company’s CloudForte will supply a comprehensive array of services designed to successfully transform client organizations to a cloud environment.

About Unisys

Unisys is a global information technology company that builds high-performance, security-centric solutions for the most demanding businesses and governments. Unisys offerings include security software and services; digital transformation and workplace services; industry applications and services; and innovative software operating environments for high-intensity enterprise computing.

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ARRAY Names David Joslin SVP, CGO to Lead Company Growth Strategy; Sumeet Shrivastava Quoted
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ARRAY Names David Joslin SVP, CGO to Lead Company Growth Strategy; Sumeet Shrivastava Quoted

ARRAY Names David Joslin SVP, CGO to Lead Company Growth Strategy; Sumeet Shrivastava Quoted

Array Information Technology (ARRAY) has appointed David Joslin as senior vice president and chief growth officer to lead the company’s growth strategy, Array announced on Thursday.

“David’s extensive experience, strong cultural fit and passion for building trusted partnerships meshes well with ARRAY’s culture of Family, Empowerment and Impact. David significantly enhances ARRAY’s leadership team to drive us forward through our next phase of growth as we continue to bring innovative, mission-focused solutions to support our government clients,” said ARRAY CEO Sumeet Shrivastava.

Joslin will lead ARRAY’s growth strategy and the teams that drive the strategy forward. He will bring more than 30 years of leadership across federal and commercial technology services organizations to ARRAY.

Joslin has a deep knowledge of leading organizations’ growth in competitive markets and has been in integral leadership positions within business development and capture throughout his career.

Prior to joining ARRAY, Joslin had a 21-year career with Perot Systems Corporation, where he served as executive vice president and general manager for the 2,500-person National Security Division. In the role, he led the business unit and helped deliver mission-focused results.

Joslin enhanced the company’s application services programs, cybersecurity solutions, IT infrastructure solutions, as well as IT Planning and Policy engagements. With Perot Systems, Joslin was responsible for the company’s portfolio for the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Security community.

Additionally, Joslin is the former president and CEO of both Link Solutions, Inc. and Information International Associates, two successful graduated small business firms.

“I am very excited to join the ARRAY team as we look to leverage the work we do for our current client base in order to develop solutions for related defense and public sector clients,” said Joslin.

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