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Industry, Gov’t Address Heavy-Lift Helicopter Engine Integration Issues
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Industry, Gov’t Address Heavy-Lift Helicopter Engine Integration Issues


Industry, Gov't Address Heavy-Lift Helicopter Engine Integration Issues

A team of government and industry engineers addressed exhaust gas reingestion and other engine integration issues for the U.S. Marine Corps’ CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter.

“Bringing together the tiger team exemplifies the importance and purpose of an integrated test team,” Col. Jack Perrin, PMA-261 program manager at heavy lift helicopter program office, said in a statement published Tuesday. “This was a priority for NAVAIR, industry and the Marine Corps, and the team hit it out of the park.”

CH-53K King Stallion is manufactured by Sikorsky and designed to broaden the service’s capability to rapidly transport materials. The platform is equipped with General Electric-built T-408 engines.

Members of the joint team conducted root cause analyses and came up with design models to address the causes of EGR. The team used the resulting model to build components for one of the test aircraft that was used to collect flight test data.

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Howard Whyte to Leave FDIC as CIO, Chief Privacy Officer
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Howard Whyte to Leave FDIC as CIO, Chief Privacy Officer

 

Howard Whyte
Howard Whyte

Howard Whyte, chief information officer and chief privacy officer of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., plans to join the private sector after he leaves the agency on Jan. 3.

FDIC said Tuesday Deputy CIO Sylvia Burns will step in on an interim basis until the government corporation finds a replacement for Whyte.

Whyte initially joined the agency as chief information security officer in January 2017 and assumed the CIO post nine months later. He created a five-year modernization, security and privacy strategy for FDIC’s information technology infrastructure in his current capacity.

In his previous role, he helped update the Security Operations Center as part of efforts to address cybersecurity risks.

“We are grateful for his leadership of the CIO Organization and the advances he has made to ensure the agency is on a strong technological footing,” said Jelena McWilliams, chairman of FDIC.

 

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Report: Commerce Dept Seeks to Restrict Sensitive Tech Exports With New Rules
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Report: Commerce Dept Seeks to Restrict Sensitive Tech Exports With New Rules


Report: Commerce Dept Seeks to Restrict Sensitive Tech Exports With New Rules

The Department of Commerce is working on a set of five rules aimed at restricting exports of quantum computing, 3-D printing systems and other sensitive technologies to China and other potential adversaries, Reuters reported Tuesday.

“Based on their titles, the rules appear to be narrowly tailored to address specific national security issues, which should go a long way to calming the nerves of those in industry concerned that the administration would impose controls over broad categories of widely available technologies,” said Kevin Wolf, former assistant secretary of commerce for export administration.   

A source said the department is expected to ask for industry feedback on the rules before sending them to international agencies for approval and plans to add another rule that will cover artificial intelligence.

Other rules would regulate exports of Gate-All-Around Field Effect transistor technology, single-use chambers for chemical reactions and chemicals used to make Novichok, a Russian nerve agent.

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RAND Report: DoD’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center Needs Five-Year Roadmap to Scale AI
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RAND Report: DoD’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center Needs Five-Year Roadmap to Scale AI


RAND Report: DoD’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center Needs Five-Year Roadmap to Scale AI

A RAND Corp. report says the Department of Defense has yet to provide the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center with sufficient resources, authorities and visibility to allow AI to make its impact across DoD.

RAND said Tuesday the Pentagon’s AI strategy lacks metrics and baselines to evaluate progress and faces several challenges, including the lack of data and clear measures to further develop the AI skills of employees.

“The success of Deep Learning is currently predicated on the availability of large, labeled data sets. Pursuing AI on a department-wide scale will require DoD to fundamentally transform its culture into a data-enabled one,” said Danielle Tarraf, the report’s lead author and a senior information scientist at RAND.

The study presents 11 tactical and strategic recommendations to advance AI adoption, including the need for JAIC to come up with a five-year strategic roadmap to implement the mission of scaling AI and for DoD to advance the practice of testing and verification of AI platforms in collaboration with academia and industry.

The report assesses how DoD works to build, test and sustain AI-related technologies and frames its evaluation based on three categories of the department’s AI applications: enterprise AI, operational AI and mission-support AI apps.

Nat’l Technical Information Service Seeks Industry Partners for Data Science JV Program
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Nat’l Technical Information Service Seeks Industry Partners for Data Science JV Program


Nat'l Technical Information Service Seeks Industry Partners for Data Science JV Program

The Department of Commerce’s National Technical Information Service is looking for private sector entities that have the capacity to take part in a joint venture program aimed at addressing federal agencies’ data science challenges.

NTIS said in a Federal Register notice published Friday that it plans to partner with organizations that can deploy artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity and robotics techniques to support agencies’ efforts to improve data collection, access, analysis and dissemination.

Under the partnership, selected entities will design, analyze and test technologies that will work to process federal as well as non-federal data needed to support agency efforts involving cybersecurity, technology transfer, public services, fraud detection and supply chain optimization. The program will also cover the use of commercial-off-the-shelf capabilities to improve data analytics, discovery and infrastructure security.

NTIS plans to facilitate the program through Sept. 30, 2021 and continue accepting proposals on an ongoing basis until Dec. 13, 2022.

The NTIS JV program is focused on fostering collaborations between the private sector and government agencies to accelerate the delivery of applications and improve the performance of federal data services.

PSC Execs Talk Federal Workforce Training Provisions Under FY20 NDAA
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PSC Execs Talk Federal Workforce Training Provisions Under FY20 NDAA


PSC Execs Talk Federal Workforce Training Provisions Under FY20 NDAA

Leaders from the Professional Services Council have expressed their support for the $738 billion fiscal 2020 defense policy bill’s provisions on certification requirements for federal procurement officials, Nextgov reported Monday.

The House voted on Thursday to pass the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act, which seeks to align the Department of Defense’s workforce training procedures with those in the private sector.

Under the legislation, the defense secretary will be authorized to establish training requirements in line with national or international standards. The bill will also create a Defense Civilian Training Corps responsible for addressing the skills gap in acquisitions as well as other areas.

According to David Berteau, president and CEO of PSC and 2019 Wash100 winner, the NDAA provisions will “promote a more effective, streamlined, and competitive federal contracting system and lead to improved mission outcomes.” 

Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president and counsel at PSC, said the provisions would help improve other training and certification programs if implemented effectively.

“Successful acquisition programs depend on a highly trained, highly skilled workforce in the government and in the support contractors, especially for complex technology and professional services contracts,” he said.

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Ramon Colon-Lopez Begins New Joint Chiefs of Staff Advisory Role
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Ramon Colon-Lopez Begins New Joint Chiefs of Staff Advisory Role


Ramon Colon-Lopez
Ramon Colon-Lopez

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez has been sworn in as senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at a ceremony last Friday. Colon-Lopez succeeds John Wayne Troxell who retired from service during the same day of the ceremony, USAF said Monday.

Gen. Mark Milley, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient, administered Colon-Lopez’s swearing-in.

Colon-Lopez joined USAF in 1990 and went on to serve in efforts with Air Combat Command, Air Forces Central Command, Pacific Air Forces and other USAF divisions across his career. He also supported various military missions such as operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

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Lawmakers Approve $425M Funds for Election Security Updates
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Lawmakers Approve $425M Funds for Election Security Updates


Lawmakers Approve $425M Funds for Election Security Updates

Members of Congress have reached a consensus to allot $425M for the Election Assistance Commission’s implementation efforts across states, FCW reported Monday. The funds would help states update election infrastructure, systems and other assets such as security.

The agreement allows states to use the funds for updates that would improve the management of federal elections. These purchases would include updates in election security and technology.

Lawrence Norden, deputy director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s election reform program, said states must consider the importance of security in using the funds, amid cyber threats that surround elections.

The funding approval follows the Senate’s allotment of $250 million earlier this year for election security.

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Carey Smith Elected Vice Chair of PSC Board of Directors
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Carey Smith Elected Vice Chair of PSC Board of Directors


Carey Smith Elected Vice Chair of PSC Board of Directors

Carey Smith, president and chief operating officer of the Parsons Corporation, has been elected as vice chair, beginning on Jan. 1st, 2020, for Professional Services Council’s (PSC) board of directors, Parsons announced on Tuesday. 

Smith will work with PSC CEO David Berteau and PSC chair Roger Krone, both are 2019 Wash100 Award recipients, and other board members to fulfill PSC’s objective of being the government technology and professional services industry’s advocate by focusing on legislation and regulation related to government acquisition, business and technology.

“I’m excited to continue decades of working with the PSC on promoting the essential role of federal contractors in supporting the security, stability and growth of our nation and its allies,” said Smith. “Our industry provides valuable insight, innovation, talent and partnership to the full range and diversity of the government technology and professional services sector.”

During her tenure at Parsons, Smith has produced strong organic growth, significant margin expansion, acquired and integrated four companies and won multiple, highly strategic contracts over $100 million. 

She has shaped the portfolio to drive growth in advanced technology emerging markets and played a significant role in the company’s successful initial public offering by delivering the business results that enabled this transformational event.

Smith joined Parsons in 2016 as president of the firm’s Federal Solutions business. She was appointed chief operating officer in 2018 and president and chief operating officer in 2019.

About Parsons

Parsons (NYSE: PSN) is a leading disruptive technology provider for the future of global defense, intelligence and critical infrastructure with capabilities across cybersecurity, missile defense, space, connected infrastructure and smart cities.

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Tom Arseneault to Succeed Jerry DeMuro as President, CEO of BAE Systems; Roger Carr Quoted
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Tom Arseneault to Succeed Jerry DeMuro as President, CEO of BAE Systems; Roger Carr Quoted


Tom Arseneault to Succeed Jerry DeMuro as President, CEO of BAE Systems; Roger Carr Quoted

BAE Systems announced on Tuesday that Tom Arseneault will become president and chief executive officer of the company on April 1, 2020. 

Jerry DeMuro, who has served as CEO of BAE Systems since 2014, will continue to serve on the company’s board of directors and will transition into the executive vice president of Strategic Initiatives role. 

DeMuro navigated and returned the company to sustainable growth through protracted defense spending downturns, which were  intensified by sequestration measures, government shutdown, and macroeconomic pressures.

“Tom has extensive experience and a deep commitment to our mission, and his selection represents a natural next step for our leadership team,” said Jerry DeMuro, CEO of BAE Systems and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient. 

“Tom knows our business and lives our values, and I’m confident he’s the right person to guide the company into the future and ensure BAE Systems and its dedicated employees continue to thrive and deliver for our customers,” DeMuro added. 

As the current president and chief operating officer, Arseneault is responsible for delivering business and functional performance across BAE Systems’ three sectors. Arseneault has served in a wide range of senior management positions with the company over his 22 year tenure. 

“I would like to thank Jerry for his outstanding leadership since his appointment in 2014, both as a highly effective member of the Executive team and a valuable contributor to Board discussion and decision making,” commented Sir Roger Carr, Chairman of BAE Systems plc.

“In addition, I look forward to Tom joining the Board in 2020 knowing that his skills, industry experience, and expertise will be important to the delivery of our operational performance and strategic objectives in the years ahead.”

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