The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has asked Congress for approval to shift $216.7 million in funds, including $131 million for the Advanced Battle Management System and another $25 million for the Agility Prime program, Inside Defense reported Tuesday.

The service wants to reprogram $97 million in funds allocated for the Multidomain Command-and-Control account toward the ABMS program as part of efforts to integrate the two accounts into a single program element in budget activity 4, according to a reprogramming document signed by Elaine McCusker, acting comptroller of the Department of Defense (DoD).

The Air Force also requested to transfer $25 million from the Aerospace Technology Development/Demonstration account to Agility Prime, which seeks to speed up technology adoption in the electric vertical take-off and landing sector.

The service said the reprogramming plan seeks to reflect the prototyping and experimentation work it intends to carry out.

Engineers from Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC Atlantic) have modified a certain mobile networking technology for use with a vehicle used by the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Networking on the Move technology is designed to facilitate exchanges of information between deployed combat units, the U.S. Navy said Monday. NIWC Atlantic augmented the technology’s size, weight and power requirements to accommodate the limited space in a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle that already houses a large antenna and other equipment.

NOTM underwent half-sizing and power and weight reduction to fit inside JLTV. The SWaP-reduced NOTM variant is also made to mount on Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and humvees.

“The team replaced hardware, reconfigured layouts and converted most of the components to DC power,” said Aaron Wirges, NIWC Atlantic’s project lead for NOTM’s development.

The technology features a point-of-presence vehicle that uses a satellite communications dome to support command and control functions, full-motion video access and internet connectivity.

The SWaP-reduced NOTM underwent an initial full system assessment in November and is now in the second FSA. The Navy will put the technology in a physical configuration audit after the second FSA’s completion.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is looking for input on a proposed rule to reimburse eligible telecommunications carriers that deployed components from blacklisted firms as part of the Universal Service Fund program.

The FCC said in a Federal Register notice that it plans to modify the reimbursement program and identify “providers of advanced communications service” that will be covered by the agency’s “Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain” rulemaking.

Under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, service providers may use USF allocations to replace equipment and services obtained no more than 60 days from companies that pose national risks such as ZTE and Huawei.

FCC also initially required ETCs to report Huawei or ZTE equipment in their inventory and provide cost estimates for replacement work.

In addition, the agency is seeking feedback on potential modifications to application and review procedures, disposal requirements and suggested replacements for risky telecom equipment, management software and virtual communications platforms.

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has brought four B-1B Lancer bombers to the Pacific Air Forces for bomber task force operations including training activities. On May 1, three of the aircraft went to Andersen Air Base in Guam and one flew to the east of Japan to support training operations before rejoining the others, USAF Academy said Monday.

The overall effort aims to fortify training and strategic deterrence missions with foreign allies and international partners essential to Indo-Pacific peacekeeping. Dyess Air Force Base in Texas sent all four of the bombers, along with 200 personnel from the 7th Bomb Wing.

“Deployments like this allow our Airmen to enhance the readiness and training necessary to respond to any potential crisis or challenge across the globe,” said Col. Ed. Sumangil, commander of the 7th BW.

He added that the effort offers an opportunity to better integrate with foreign partners in joint exercises and operations. The BTF effort follows a previous one in 2019 when Whiteman AFB sent three B-2 Spirit bombers to Hawaii.

Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., is requesting New York-based artificial intelligence technology maker Clearview AI to ensure transparency in the company’s use of data obtained from its facial-recognition offering intended for COVID-19 contact tracing.

Markey wrote a letter to Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That on April 30 detailing the former’s concerns over the firm’s marketing of its AI offering which may result in ethical biases amidst COVID-19 patient tracking efforts.

According to Markey, Clearview is yet to subject its technology to “rigorous accuracy and bias testing” and address privacy concerns with regards to image deletion in cases of false matches and other errors.

He noted that media reports discovered inaccuracies in Clearview’s claims that an independent review panel reviewed the firm’s technology in line with American Civil Liberties Union standards. ACLU also disproved the company’s claims and “exposed serious flaws with the panel’s assessment,” said Markey.

The senator urges Clearview to identify all government entities that deployed the company’s product and submit the tool for independent assessments by facial recognition experts.