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Army, General Dynamics OTS Unveil New 155mm Artillery LAP Facility
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Army, General Dynamics OTS Unveil New 155mm Artillery LAP Facility

The U.S. Army, in collaboration with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, opened a new load, assemble and pack, or LAP, facility in Camden, Arkansas, on April 22.

Boosting Critical Artillery Production

The new LAP facility is intended to bolster the production of 155 mm high-explosive artillery projectiles, the Army said Tuesday. This aligns with the service branch’s efforts to bolster its production capacity, with the goal of producing 100,000 155 mm artillery projectiles a month. The modern projectile loading facility has two new LAP lines expected to manufacture 50,000 high-explosive projectiles monthly.

The Camden facility will be utilized for the final stage of the critical artillery production. During this stage, the 155 mm metal projectile bodies will be filled with explosive materials and assembled with other parts before they are packed for delivery.

The new facility is also meant to revitalize the defense industrial base and enhance readiness to reinforce deterrence. It is equipped with advanced automation, digital quality tracking and other technological capabilities to boost consistency and production rate. In addition, the LAP facility is fitted with a modern air-cooling system for explosive curing to minimize water usage compared to existing cooling methods.

“The Camden load, assembly, and pack munitions facility is just one of several modernization investments the Army is making to reinforce and strengthen our defense industrial base,” said Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.

The Army and General Dynamics also worked together to open production facilities in Mesquite, Texas and Marion, Illinois, in 2024.

Potomac Officers Club presents the 2025 Army Summit on June 18. Register and join Army officials, government leaders and industry trailblazers as they discuss the service branch’s most urgent priorities and challenges.

Army, General Dynamics OTS Unveil New 155mm Artillery LAP Facility
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NASA Developing Aerogel Antenna for Enhanced Satellite Communications
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NASA Developing Aerogel Antenna for Enhanced Satellite Communications

NASA has been developing an advanced antenna made of lightweight material intended to enhance satellite communications in situations with limited power and space.

Aerogel Antenna

The agency said Tuesday its engineers are using aerogel, among the world’s lightest solid material and made of flexible polymer with 95 percent air content, to build the antenna that will be embedded directly on the skin of aircraft such as drones and future air transportation systems. The active phased array aerogel antenna is designed to conform to the shape of the aircraft to enhance aerodynamic performance and save valuable weight and space. In addition, it can adjust its array elements to minimize signal interference and boost communication.

To create the antenna, a layer of aerogel was integrated between a small circuit board and a network of thin copper cells. It was then covered with a film with high electrical insulation properties, resulting in a honeycomb-like device.

NASA In-Flight and Ground Tests

NASA researchers demonstrated a rigid version of the aerogel antenna in 2024. The antenna was integrated on a Britten-Norman Defender aircraft and flight tested at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland.

In October, NASA and Eutelsat America researchers conducted ground tests of the antenna. The platform-mounted antenna connected with an Eutelsat satellite in geostationary orbit, which sent a signal back to a satellite dish at the Glenn Research Center in Ohio. Tests conducted by Kepler also showed the antenna’s ability to connect to communications satellites in low Earth orbit.

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Paul Atkins Returns to SEC as Chairman
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Paul Atkins Returns to SEC as Chairman

Paul Atkins, who previously served as a Securities and Exchange Commission member from 2002 to 2008, was sworn in on Monday as the 34th chairman of SEC following his confirmation by the Senate on April 9.

“As I return to the SEC, I am pleased to join with my fellow Commissioners and the agency’s dedicated professionals to advance its mission to facilitate capital formation; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and protect investors,” Atkins said in a statement published Monday.

“Together we will work to ensure that the U.S. is the best and most secure place in the world to invest and do business,” he added.

Paul Atkins’ Career Background

Prior to SEC, Atkins was CEO and founder of Patomak Global Partners.

From 2012 to 2015, he served as an independent director and non-executive chairman of the board of BATS Global Markets.

During his tenure as an SEC commissioner during President George W. Bush’s administration, he pushed for consistency, transparency and the use of cost-benefit analysis. He also represented the commission during meetings of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets and the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council.

Atkins previously served as a consultant on securities and investment management industry matters and started his career as a lawyer in New York, supporting U.S. and international clients in mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings.

He has helped lead initiatives to establish best practices for the digital asset sector.

The Vanderbilt University School of Law graduate is a member of the New York and Florida bars.

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Air Force CIO Emphasizes Need to Invest in IT Infrastructure Upgrades
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Air Force CIO Emphasizes Need to Invest in IT Infrastructure Upgrades

Venice Goodwine, chief information officer of the Department of the Air Force and a two-time Wash100 awardee, highlighted the need to invest in IT system upgrades to maintain combat readiness and resilience amid threats posed by geopolitical adversaries, the U.S. Space Force reported Monday.

“As CIO, my role includes advocating to modernize information technology at our Air and Space Force installations – enterprise systems that need to be able to communicate with each other. Strategic readiness hinges on systems that are both interoperable and secure. To do this, we need to constantly invest in upgrading our critical IT infrastructure,” Goodwine said.

The Air Force CIO called on the service to be vigilant with its tech investments, particularly in modernizing IT infrastructure and command and control systems.

“Leaders might say, ‘Oh, the network worked fine today; I was able to send emails, make phone calls, join a VTC and the planes still took off.’ I understand that perspective and it can be challenging to convey the urgency. However, as technology advances, our adversaries are actively seeking vulnerabilities within our infrastructure and C2 systems. It’s crucial to remain vigilant in our investments to ensure we are always ready to fight tonight,” Goodwine stated.

What Is the Base Infrastructure Modernization Program?

Goodwine cited the Base Infrastructure Modernization, or BIM, program and discussed how it helps the Department of the Air Force address infrastructure needs.

The BIM program is an extension of DAF’s Enterprise IT as a Service initiative and seeks to deliver a modernized wireless architecture to facilitate interoperability with joint network and mission systems, offer reliable data connections across installations and provide centralized vulnerability management.

“By contracting out non-military IT functions, we ensure that the new equipment is consistent with industry best practices and can be implemented more quickly than a piecemealed approach. Working with our acquisitions partners, BIM-provided systems provide baked-in cybersecurity features and adhere to a standardized risk framework,” the DAF official said.

In August 2024, the Air Force awarded 23 companies spots on the $12.5 billion BIM multiple award contract to modernize, maintain and operate DAF’s base area network infrastructure.

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Digital Transformation Summit on April 24. Listen to experts as they discuss how emerging technologies and the latest tech advancements are reshaping government operations. Register now!

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FAA to Deploy Modernized Aviation Safety Comms System in September
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FAA official

The Federal Aviation Administration is modernizing a decades-old, critical safety system years ahead of schedule. The agency said Monday that a new Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, will be delivered in the coming months.

“Americans deserve the best aviation system in the world,” commented Chris Rocheleau, administrator of the FAA. “We worked with the best and brightest and came up with an accelerated approach to bring our technology into the 21st Century.”

The FAA initially planned to develop and deploy a new NOTAM by 2030 but, according to the new schedule, CGI Federal is expected to deliver the modernized system by July. Deployment of the critical system is planned for September. 

Table of Contents

What Is NOTAM?

NOTAM is used to disseminate information about flight operations to relevant personnel across the National Airspace System. Details about temporary runway closures or obstructions, for instance, are communicated to pilots and flight planners through NOTAM. 

Over 4 million notifications are issued per year.

In 2023, the critical necessity to modernize NOTAM was made apparent by an outage that forced the FAA to halt all domestic flight departures across the United States. The agency also had to use a backup system in February during another outage that authorities said caused “minimal disruptions” to flights. 

“The Notice to Airmen system is deeply outdated and showing serious cracks”, stated Sean P. Duffy, secretary of transportation.

“It’s time our technology enters the 21st Century. NOTAM modernization is the first step as we work to deliver an all-new air traffic control system that makes air travel safer and more efficient,” he added. 

New NOTAM

The modernized NOTAM is expected to facilitate near-real-time data exchange and improve stakeholder collaboration. It will be hosted on a cloud platform, which will support system resilience and scalability.

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Army Expands Wickr Communication Audience
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Army Expands Wickr Communication Audience

The U.S. Army Office of the Chief Information Officer’s Enterprise Cloud Management Agency, or ECMA, has widened the audience reach of the Army Enterprise Wickr to enable more users to communicate in an end-to-end encrypted messaging system protected against adversarial communication threats. Requests for Wickr access can now be filed, with application acceptance prioritized based on mission needs, ECMA said Thursday.

FedRAMP IL5 High Certification

The agency manages the cloud-native messaging and collaboration platform in the cArmy landing zone. Under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, Army Wickr has an Impact Level 5 certification for handling controlled unclassified information. The platform has been piloted operational security in various Army programs, such as during training exercises that call for file sharing, video, chat, text and voice communications.

Army Wickr offers enterprise-level data storage and administrative controls for record-keeping requirements. Its users can manage data remotely and tap federation capabilities between networks.

The platform is also designed for seamless integration with the Android Tactical Assault Kit, a geospatial system and situational awareness tool for users to have a real-time common operating picture.

Army’s Future Plans for Wickr

The Army further plans to expand Wickr’s current use in on-demand translation, data storage and as broadcast bots. The future uses that ECMA is eying include integrating the platform with enterprise cross-domain system and cross-platform chat to make it interoperable with Army Vantage, the Army Intelligence Data Platform, mission support services and a custom chatbot with capabilities in generative artificial intelligence and large language models. 

Amazon Web Services made the Wickr platform available on the Department of Defense Cloud One as a recall, alert and messaging, or RAM, service in August 2022. Wickr, which AWS acquired in 2021, initially secured a potential two-year contract in 2020 worth $35 million for the RAM platform’s adoption across the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force.

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SpaceX Launches 32nd Resupply Mission to ISS for NASA
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SpaceX Launches 32nd Resupply Mission to ISS for NASA

A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off a Cargo Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center on Monday for SpaceX’s 32nd cargo mission to the International Space Station.

The spacecraft will bring 6,700 lb of supplies and scientific hardware to the ISS under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with SpaceX, NASA said. The Dragon capsule is expected to arrive at the space station and dock with the Harmony module on Tuesday.

What Is SpaceX Bringing to the ISS?

Science experiments and technology trials onboard the spacecraft include an enhanced air quality monitoring system that could protect crew members on exploration missions to the moon and Mars, a demonstration of refined maneuvers for free-floating robots, and two atomic clocks to examine fundamental physics concepts and test global synchronization of precision timepieces.

According to NASA, the scientific investigations will help establish the foundation for future human exploration under the Artemis mission, which aims to bring astronauts to the moon and beyond.

The Cargo Dragon will return to Earth in May, carrying time-sensitive research and cargo.

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AT&T Boosts FirstNet Connectivity With 1,000 New Cell Sites
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AT&T Boosts FirstNet Connectivity With 1,000 New Cell Sites

AT&T and First Responder Network Authority have launched 1,000 new cell sites using Band 14 spectrum to bolster connectivity on FirstNet, a nationwide network designed for America’s first responders.

AT&T’s Public Safety Network Adds Cell Sites

AT&T said Monday it managed to deliver the new cell sites in 46 states and the District of Columbia, nine months before the scheduled launch. This recent development is part of the company’s 10-year investment initiative in collaboration with the FirstNet Authority aimed at enhancing the nation’s public safety network and extending its dedicated Band 14 spectrum to more critical public locations.

The new sites will help first responders enhance their capabilities to perform their missions. Many of the cell sites are strategically located in rural, territorial and tribal areas, as well as in critical public safety locations such as hospitals, police departments, fire stations and courthouses. The expansion provides extended coverage, capacity and dedicated spectrum, along with FirstNet MegaRange services that provide a signal that is six times stronger than other carriers.

“These new sites are another major step forward in providing the network that public safety deserves,” said Joe Wassel, executive director and CEO of FirstNet Authority. “We have worked closely with first responders to ensure the network delivers reliable, resilient coverage wherever their mission takes them.”

“Whether in major cities like Boston or rural areas like Butler, Pa., first responders require reliable communication that is always protected in any emergency,” said Scott Agnew, president of FirstNet. “An entire dedicated program of ‘firsts,’ FirstNet is setting the bar for public safety communications so this vital community stays at the forefront of innovative, lifesaving technologies.”

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DOD Issues RFP for CAMP Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
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DOD Issues RFP for CAMP Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

The Department of Defense has commenced seeking industry feedback on readily available, demonstration-ready uncrewed systems for missions in contested environments.

Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform

According to the Defense Innovation Unit, the DOD is soliciting potential contractors capable of developing the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform, or CAMP. The unmanned underwater vehicles, or UUVs, are intended for military applications such as the deployment of large payloads across significant ranges.

Currently, the military is unable to efficiently deploy vital resources in operational environments due to the limited payload capacity and range of existing unmanned maritime vehicles. The project aims to develop UUVs with advanced capabilities needed to maximize operational effectiveness.

CAMP Requirements

To be selected for the project, the vendor should develop a UUV capable of traveling more than 1,000 nautical miles and diving deeper than 200 meters underwater. It should be able to carry payload sizes up to 21 feet long and 21 inches wide and drop them to the seafloor.

Furthermore, the uncrewed system should be operational without GPS and have advanced navigation, guidance, obstacle and collision avoidance capabilities. The CAMP vehicle should be able to perform crucial missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, bathymetric surveys and mapping, and acoustic and radio frequency communications.

Interested contractors have until May 1 to submit their responses.

Project CAMP is named after the late Richard “Mike” Camp, former director of warfare systems of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Camp, a career submarine officer, advocated for the inclusion of large uncrewed undersea vehicles into the fleet.

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Space Force Unveils Space Warfighting Framework
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Space Force Unveils Space Warfighting Framework

The U.S. Space Force has launched a new framework that outlines the service branch’s vision for achieving and maintaining space superiority while ensuring the space domain’s sustainability and safety over the long term.

The service said Thursday the 22-page document, titled Space Warfighting: A Framework for Planners, highlights the importance of space superiority as a joint force priority.

“It is the formative purpose of the Space Force to achieve space superiority — to ensure freedom of movement in space for our forces while denying the same to our adversaries,” said Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations.

“We must be prepared to employ capabilities for offensive and defensive purposes to deter and, if necessary, defeat aggressors that threaten our vital national interests,” added Saltzman, a three-time Wash100 awardee.

Counterspace Operations

The document provides a lexicon for counterspace operations and details a range of defensive and offensive actions Guardians may take to maintain space control and ensure the Joint Force’s success.

According to the framework, Space Force will execute counterspace operations across three mission areas: orbital warfare, electromagnetic warfare and cyberspace warfare.

Combatant commanders may direct Guardians to perform counterspace operations, including terrestrial strike, space link interdiction, orbital strike, and active and passive space defense.

Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton, deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements, said the framework builds on the Space Force Doctrine Document 1 and Military Space Operations terms of reference to boost U.S. lethality and deter potential aggressors in space.

“We developed Space Warfighting to expand on the tenets of Competitive Endurance and the Space Force Truths. With Space Warfighting, we establish the counterspace framework necessary for Guardians to achieve space superiority, a precondition for Joint Force success,” added Bratton.

Gain valuable insights from experts and speakers at the 2025 Air and Space Summit. Save your spot now for this Potomac Officers Club-hosted event on July 31.

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