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US Army Purchases Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s Solar Drone
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US Army Purchases Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s Solar Drone

The U.S. Army has purchased $20 million worth of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s solar drones after using a small number of the systems in regions like the Philippines and Guam.

The K1000 ultra long-endurance unmanned aircraft system aims to develop aerial tier network extension for communications, electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, Kraus Hamdani Aerospace said in an Oct. 30 statement.  

Fatema Hamdani, CEO and co-founder of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, said, “Over time, we have matured our technology in line with the requirements of the U.S. Army and continue to align the K1000ULE to meet the needs of the warfighter in a dynamically changing environment.”

K1000ULE Details

The K1000ULE reportedly fits inside a standard case and takes operators about 10 minutes to assemble and launch. The aircraft currently lacks landing gear and uses 3D-printed skids that can be switched out after they can no longer operate. 

The aircraft, which features two solar panels on its wings, flew for 75 hours and 53 minutes at Pendleton UAS test range in Oregon, breaking the endurance record for class 2 unmanned aerial systems.

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Lauren Stocker Named Deputy Associate Director at OMB
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Lauren Stocker Named Deputy Associate Director at OMB

Lauren Stocker has joined the Office of Management and Budget to serve as deputy associate director of the Office of Performance and Personnel Management, or PPM.

Announcing her new role via LinkedIn on Nov. 2, Stocker thanked her colleagues at the General Services Administration for the opportunities and growth she enjoyed in the past 12 years. The new appointee said she looks forward to a new chapter at OMB, which she described as a partner during her time at GSA.

At PPM, Stocker will support the office’s mission of improving the outcomes of federal programs, organizations and policies.

Stocker’s Career Trajectory

Stocker was the acting deputy associate administrator and associate director of the Office of Shared Solutions and Performance Improvement at GSA, where she drove innovation and promoted collaboration. She also helped address future challenges while serving as director of the White House Leadership Development Program.

Earlier in her career, Stocker was a contract negotiator at the Department of the Navy and a contract specialist at the Executive Office of the President.

The new White House official earned her master’s in business administration from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and her bachelor’s degree in political science from Duke University.

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Tracie Lattimore Takes on Acting DASD Position at DOD
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Tracie Lattimore Takes on Acting DASD Position at DOD

The Department of Defense’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness has appointed Tracie Lattimore, a public health executive, as acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for health readiness policy and oversight.

Lattimore announced her new position in a LinkedIn post published Tuesday.

Lattimore’s Career History

The U.S. Navy veteran most recently served as executive director of health readiness policy and oversight within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Prior to her return to DOD, she was a senior director at Ginkgo Bioworks.

She served in the White House as a program examiner for the Veterans Affairs and Defense Health branch within the Office of Management and Budget and as executive director of the National Science and Technology Council and senior policy adviser within the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Lattimore started her career within the Navy as a nurse and went on to serve as a senior health policy analyst within the Defense Health Agency and director of the U.S. Army’s Traumatic Brain Injury Program.

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Healthcare Summit on Dec. 11, to explore the transformative trends and innovations shaping the future of the U.S. healthcare sector.

POC - 2024 Healthcare Summit
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Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess: Commercial Integration Cell Expanding
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Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess: Commercial Integration Cell Expanding

Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, commander of Space Forces-Space and the Combined Joint Force Space Component, said five companies have been added to the Commercial Integration Cell, or CIC, and two more mission partners are expected to get on board by early 2025, Breaking Defense reported Wednesday.

“We are continually trying to up our game in the commercial world,” Schiess said at an event Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Space Force told the publication that as of October, 15 commercial space operators are under CIC.

Ten of those 15 are legacy partners: Hughes, SpaceX, XTAR, Inmarsat, Viasat, Eutelsat, SES, Maxar, Iridium and Intelsat. The five new partners are BlackSky, Kratos, Leolabs, ICEYE and Telesat.

“Hawkeye 360 and Exoanalytic have agreed to join, and we look forward to welcoming them to the CIC in the future,” the spokesperson added.

What Is CIC?

According to a Space Force announcement, CIC facilitates technology and operational exchange between commercial partners and U.S. Space Command to quickly respond to space events and improve space domain awareness.

CIC partners have initially provided satellite communications and imagery. With the additional companies, mission areas will now include space domain awareness and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

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USCG Unveils Small Business Awardees on $4B Construction Contract
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USCG Unveils Small Business Awardees on $4B Construction Contract

The U.S. Coast Guard has announced the small business awardees on Pool 2 and Pool 3 of the third iteration of the potential 10-year, $4 billion National Multiple Award Construction Contract, or NMACC.

According to a notice published Wednesday on SAM.gov, the Department of Homeland Security’s USCG awarded the two pools for the NMACC III contract vehicle in August.

There are eight awardees on Pool 2, while nine companies secured spots on Pool 3.

The Pool 2 awardees are:

  • APC Construction
  • Barlovento
  • Bristol
  • CCI-ECS
  • G Force
  • Healtheon
  • Ocean Construction
  • SW Mid Builders

The Pool 3 awardees are:

  • Ahtna Global
  • Bristol Design Build Services
  • CCI Energy & Construction Services
  • CJW-MZT JV
  • Duwamish-Pacific Joint Venture
  • Gideon Contracting
  • Healtheon
  • J.I. Garcia Construction
  • SW Mid Builders JV

About NMACC III Pool 2 and 3

In 2023, USCG solicited proposals for the two small business pools of the multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide construction services for government facilities at various locations within the DHS area of responsibility.

NMACC III has a one-year base period and nine option years and will primarily support design-build projects. The contract covers general construction services, including new construction, renovation, alteration, marine construction, demolition and systems and infrastructure for ground, shore and coastal-type projects.

Pool 2 includes construction projects in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and the U.S. Atlantic region. Pool 3 covers projects in Guam and the U.S. Pacific region.

Register now for the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 13 to learn more about technology initiatives to protect the country amid the evolving geopolitical landscape.

POC - 2024 Homeland Security Summit
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ICE Seeking Industry Partner for Non-Citizen Supervision Program
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ICE Seeking Industry Partner for Non-Citizen Supervision Program

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is conducting market research as part of its planned acquisition of support services for the Alternatives to Detention, or ATD, unit under the agency’s Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations, or ERO. ICE said Wednesday that it will host a virtual industry day to discuss the requirement with potential contractors on Dec. 2. 

ICE’s Intensive Supervision Appearance Program

The ATD is in charge of the development and implementation of programs that improve the appearance rates of non-citizens to immigration interviews and hearings. The unit comes up with cost-effective alternatives to secure detention to prevent overcrowding at detention facilities amid the increasing population of non-citizens. 

The ATD runs the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, which uses technology to ensure that non-citizens comply with their release conditions, court appearances and final orders of removal while living securely within their communities. 

Program Requirements

The ICE needs an industry partner that can provide GPS or biometric technology monitoring, in-person reporting and community supervision through home visits to support the ISAP. 

The selected contractor will provide the GPS tracker or biometric technology that will be used as part of the supervision program. The contractor will also operate in stand-alone offices and assign personnel to work at government sites or at staging sites located along the United States border to supervise or enroll new participants. 

The program is a follow-on to a $2.2 billion contract ICE awarded to Colorado-based electronic monitoring systems company BI in 2020. 

Industry Day

As part of the acquisition process, ICE will host a virtual industry day on Microsoft Teams at 9 a.m. ET on Dec. 2. During the presentation, attendees will be briefed on program requirements and answer any questions from industry. 

ICE personnel will also have one-on-one sessions with potential offerors.

All interested businesses are welcome to register and attend. Requests to be part of the virtual industry day may be submitted until Nov. 20.

Hear directly from experts on national security challenges and concerns at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 13.

ICE Seeking Industry Partner for Non-Citizen Supervision Program
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NIST Seeks Public Comment on 4th White Paper on 5G Cybersecurity
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NIST Seeks Public Comment on 4th White Paper on 5G Cybersecurity

The National Institute of Standards and Technology‘s National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is calling for public comments on the initial public draft version of the 4th entry in “Applying 5G Cybersecurity and Privacy Capabilities,” a series of white papers meant for professionals in technology, cybersecurity and privacy tasked with securing 5G even as its usage and deployment evolve.

Reallocation of Temporary Identities

The latest white paper, titled “Reallocation of Temporary Identities,” discusses how 5G protects subscriber identities, with a focus on how temporary IDs are reallocated by a 5G network to shield users from identification and location by attackers, the NIST Computer Security Resource Center said Thursday.

Interested parties have until Dec. 6 to submit comments.

Using Hardware-Enabled Security to Ensure 5G System Platform Integrity

The NCCoE released the initial public draft version of the 3rd white paper in the series in late September, also for public comment. Titled “Using Hardware-Enabled Security to Ensure 5G System Platform Integrity,” the paper tackles the fostering of trust in a 5G server infrastructure through the use of hardware-enabled security capabilities.

NIST Seeks Public Comment on 4th White Paper on 5G Cybersecurity

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 5G Summit, which will tackle various topics like 5G at the edge, how 5G supports the DOD’s CJADC2 efforts, 5G-powered warfighting capabilities and more. The event will take place on Feb. 27, 2025.

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NASA, Skunk Works Test Engine for X-59 Experimental Aircraft
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NASA, Skunk Works Test Engine for X-59 Experimental Aircraft

NASA and Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works subsidiary have started the first testing phase of an engine that will power the X-59 experimental aircraft being built to achieve quiet supersonic flights under the space agency’s Quesst mission.

The modified F414-GE-100 engine, installed atop the aircraft, provides 22,000 lb of thrust to meet the desired cruising speed of 925 mph at an altitude of approximately 55,000 ft, NASA said Wednesday.

Faster Than Speed of Sound

The trial, which began on Oct. 30 at Skunk Works’ facility in California, aims to verify that the engine, while operated at low speed, has no leaks and can power other aircraft systems, including hydraulics, electrical and environmental control, without any issues. Following the first phase, the aircraft will be tested at high power with rapid throttle changes and undergo a simulated flight.  

According to NASA, the Quesst mission will use the aircraft to demonstrate technology that can fly faster than the speed of sound while reducing the loudness of sonic booms to a quiet thump. The effort will enable gathering data on how people perceive the thumps to help regulators decide whether current bans on commercial supersonic flight over land could be lifted, the agency added.

X-59 Maiden Flight Delayed

NASA now expects the X-59, manufactured by Skunk Works, to conduct its maiden flight in early 2025. The flight was previously delayed to 2024 to fully integrate aircraft components and ensure system performance. According to NASA, the demo was moved once again because of the challenges involved with reaching a series of integrated ground tests, including the engine runs, needed to ensure a safe flight.

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NSF to Fund Selected Secure Data Demo Projects
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NSF to Fund Selected Secure Data Demo Projects

The National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics has awarded over $10 million to fund multiple organizations’ proposals for the National Secure Data Service Demonstration Project.

The chosen projects will develop a platform for shared services to support informed decision-making through streamlined data access, enhanced data linkage and strengthened privacy protections, according to America’s DataHub Consortium, or ADC.

The NSDS projects are expected to advance ethical data use and data security for individuals and organizations, ADC added.

The organizations were selected following a competitive process; they include NORC at the University of Chicago, Mathematica, BrightQuery, University of Southern California, The Coleridge Initiative, Clarivate and Westat.

NCSES Director Emilda Rivers said ADC’s work in the NSDS program led to the development of tools that use privacy-preserving technologies and the establishment of models for a comprehensive data concierge service.

“It’s been an exciting couple of years for the ADC in its support of the five-year National Secure Data Service Demonstration project mandated by the CHIPS and Science Act,” Rivers noted.

Managed by Advanced Technology International, ADC is used by the NCSES to facilitate the NSDS pilot projects.

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DOD Developing CHAPPIE for CBRN Defense
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DOD Developing CHAPPIE for CBRN Defense

The Department of Defense has introduced CHAPPIE, a quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicle, or QUGV, being developed for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear—a.k.a. CBRN—field operations.

The U.S. Space Force said Tuesday CHAPPIE is one of two QUGVs at the Buckley Space Force Base repurposed for CBRN operations.

What Are CHAPPIE’s Main Features?

CHAPPIE is an unmanned system that is enhanced with remote CBRN sensing capabilities. It has an updated inventory of detectors that separates it from other systems utilized for CBRN defense.

The QUGV is still under development to enhance its capabilities, including its agility, mobility and ability to navigate challenging terrains. With emerging innovations, particularly in artificial intelligence and sensor technologies, there is the potential to boost CHAPPIE’s ability to detect and respond to threats quickly and more accurately. 

Dominic Garcia, section chief of the Installation Office of Emergency Management, started the QUGV project in 2022 after he received $1.24 million from the Small Business Innovation Research Grant through AFWERX, the technology and trial experimentation division of the Air Force Research Laboratory. The developers managed to conduct tests at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Dugway Proving Ground in just 20 months. At present, the project is 90 percent complete.

“This QUGV is not only an operational game-changer for CBRN defense but also serves as a proof of concept for technological innovation within the Air and Space Forces,” said Garcia. “The AFWERX vehicle allows end-users from the force, regardless of rank, to collaborate directly with industry to develop what the multi-capable warfighter needs at the speed of relevance, not 10 to 15 years later.”

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