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Nat’l Security Experts Cite Need to Revise DoD Directive on Autonomous Weapons Dev’t
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Nat’l Security Experts Cite Need to Revise DoD Directive on Autonomous Weapons Dev’t


Nat'l Security Experts Cite Need to Revise DoD Directive on Autonomous Weapons Dev't

Bob Work, vice chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, said the Department of Defense should update a directive on producing autonomous weapons to reflect new technologies like artificial intelligence, C4ISRnet reported Thursday.

Work, who is also a former deputy secretary of defense, told attendees at a private meeting in Washington, D.C. that Directive 3000.09 “only pertained to weapons and weapons systems that were in existence in 2012,” and needs to be revised to include developments in AI.

DoD issued the directive in 2012 and added revisions in 2017. It covers guidance for developing autonomous and semi-autonomous systems that meet requirements for human judgment and lethality.

“The directive lays out this process for how the DoD should think through this kind of challenge and review weapons systems going forward,” noted Paul Scharre, a senior fellow at the Center for New American Security. “But it doesn’t answer this sort of overarching policy guidance about what is the Department of Defenses policy when it comes to autonomy and human control.”

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Dana Deasy: Pentagon to Move 14 Components to JEDI Cloud Environment in February
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Dana Deasy: Pentagon to Move 14 Components to JEDI Cloud Environment in February


Dana Deasy
Dana Deasy

Dana Deasy, chief information officer at the Department of Defense and a 2019 Wash100 winner, said the Pentagon will move 14 components to the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud environment beginning in February as part of the initial deployment of the platform, Federal Times reported Thursday.

Deasy said the early adopters that will first use JEDI on the tactical edge include the U.S. Navy, Transportation Command, Special Operations Command and the Joint Special Operations Command.

The early adopters will help the Pentagon “learn fairly quickly what it takes to actually now go from the strategic vision to the ability to stand it up and to bring it to life,” Deasy added.

The Pentagon wants Microsoft to start the implemention of the unclassified cloud environment in the next two months as part of the $10B JEDI contract awarded to the company in October. A classified version of the platform is expected to be deployed six months after the initial rollout.

DoD will meet with Microsoft officials every two weeks to discuss the 60 to 70 services that need to be available to set up the unclassified version of JEDI. 

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Suzette Kent: Gov’t IT Modernization to Increase in 2020
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Suzette Kent: Gov’t IT Modernization to Increase in 2020


Suzette Kent
Suzette Kent

Suzette Kent, federal chief information officer and a 2019 Wash100 winner, says that the government anticipates an increase in information technology modernization in 2020, Nextgov reported Wednesday.

The government plans to develop data sharing tools, facilitate information exchange between organizations, and focus on supply chain management.

There is also an expected movement towards automation, with officials “choosing the use cases and the applications that augment and empower,” said Kent.

In 2019, the government introduced initiatives to support the changes to come in 2020. An example is the Federal Cyber Reskilling Academy, a program that provides an opportunity for federal employees to receive training to be qualified cyber defense personnel.

“It’s been a fantastic year, but we have a lot of exciting things going forward,” Kent said at an Advanced Technology Academic Research Center event held Wednesday.

She has also said that the Federal Data Strategy’s 2020 action plan “feels different,” and will have details such as action plans and methods to measure success.

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Senate Committee OKs Public Safety Bill for T-Band Spectrum Comms
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Senate Committee OKs Public Safety Bill for T-Band Spectrum Comms


Senate Committee OKs Public Safety Bill for T-Band Spectrum Comms

The Senate Commerce Committee passed a bill that will enable firefighters, police officers and emergency personnel to communicate through the use of T-Band frequencies.

Sponsored by Sens. Edward Mackey, D.Mass, the Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act seeks to sustain emergency responders and public safety personnel’s access to the T-Band spectrum within 11 metropolitan areas including New York and Massachusetts, the office of Edward Markey said Wednesday.

The legislation will also revoke a provision under the 2012 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act that will task the Federal Communications Commission to auction off the T-Band frequency in 2021.

“From coast to coast, brave women and men use T-Band to communicate during emergencies to keep communities safe. We owe it to the public safety community to provide the infrastructure and tools they need to do their jobs,” said Markey.

Various organizations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Verizon have endorsed the bill.

Bipartisan Bill Would Grant CISA Supoena Authority for Critical Infrastructure; Sen Ron Johnson Quoted
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Bipartisan Bill Would Grant CISA Supoena Authority for Critical Infrastructure; Sen Ron Johnson Quoted


Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson

Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., have introduced a bill that would authorize the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to summon internet service providers for information, Fifth Domain reported Thursday.

The bill would grant CISA subpoena authority to gather information of an ISP’s customers suspected to be using vulnerable infrastructure.

CISA would gather only critical infrastructure-related information under this authority, in support of cybersecurity. The subpoenas would require an official electronic signature from CISA to avoid fraudulent access.

The legislation also aims to provide legal grounds through which CISA can identify and notify parties owning vulnerable critical infrastructure.

“This legislation gives CISA the authority necessary to reach out and warn owners of critical infrastructure that they are open and vulnerable to cyberattacks before they become a victim,” Johnson said in a statement posted by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental affairs.

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12 Organizations to Help FAA Develop Recreational UAS Aeronautical Test
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12 Organizations to Help FAA Develop Recreational UAS Aeronautical Test


12 Organizations to Help FAA Develop Recreational UAS Aeronautical Test

The Federal Aviation Administration has selected 12 organizations that will advise the agency in efforts to create a process for administering aeronautical knowledge and safety tests for recreational drone operators.

Advisers will provide suggestions intended to help inform the development of final requirements for potential test administrators, FAA said Monday.

According to the agency, it will work with third-party entities to conduct training and implement the exam on multiple platforms.

The U.S. government requires that unmanned aircraft system owners to complete an online assessment in order to secure permission to operate UAS for recreational use.

FAA’s advisers on the initiative are as follows:

  • Academy of Model Aeronautics
  • Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
  • DJI
  • Drone Launch Academy Southeastern University
  • Drone Racing League
  • Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
  • First Person View Freedom Coalition
  • Horizon Hobby
  • King Schools
  • Science Applications International Corp.
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Coach
  • Unmanned Safety Institute

Army Uses New Procurement Method to Save Money
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Army Uses New Procurement Method to Save Money


Army Uses New Procurement Method to Save Money

The U.S. Army has generated $1.2 billion in savings through the use of a new data-driven, category-based procurement process, said an executive within the service branch.

Rebecca Weirick, executive director of services acquisition at the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement, said in a statement posted Tuesday that the “category management” approach supports the service’s priority funding. She talked about the concept’s use in the Department of Defense and borrowed traits from industry during a panel at a forum hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army.

The service branch classifies goods in 19 categories, with 10 of which covering common products and services such as security and professional support. The remaining nine include weapons, research work, electronics and other more complex goods.

Weirick said category management allows procurement personnel to better determine the most cost-effective sources for certain goods. James Lewis, another procurement official within Weirick’s same office, chaired the panel and explained how the approach works.

The Army just started to adopt category management last year, following the U.S. Air Force that has already been using the approach for two years. Army Logistics University plans to launch a new course that would educate non-procurement personnel on category management.

The service branch now plans to use generated savings for modernization efforts.

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Tech-Focused GSA Office Tackles National Security, Intelligence
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Tech-Focused GSA Office Tackles National Security, Intelligence


Tech-Focused GSA Office Tackles National Security, Intelligence

An office within the General Services Administration is working with other agencies to address issues in national security and intelligence.

Teams at 18F have attained expertise to digitally prepare other agencies for strategic pursuits in these areas of concern, the GSA office said Tuesday.

The office’s national security and intelligence portfolio team is helping agencies adopt new technologies for the purpose of the nation’s defense.

Work will cover research efforts, delivery and adoption support for open source technologies. National security agencies in need of 18F’s assistance may send requests to this email: inquiries18F@gsa.gov.

The office’s mission is to digitally transform agencies in support of national public service.

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Atlantic Council Issues Report on Aviation Cybersecurity
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Atlantic Council Issues Report on Aviation Cybersecurity


Atlantic Council Issues Report on Aviation Cybersecurity

The Atlantic Council has released a report detailing potential challenges the aviation sector may face in mitigating next-generation cyber attacks.

The report, titled “Aviation Cybersecurity: Scoping the Challenge”, builds on the organization’s findings from its 2017 report on aviation cybersecurity and highlights the implications of 5G connectivity, autonomous systems and electric vertical takeoff and landing technologies to flight operations.

As part of the study, the council surveyed and interviewed over 244 respondents on their views on aviation cybersecurity. The first part of the report covers issues involving enterprise information technology and the role of cyberspace in flight safety, while the second part tackles cybersecurity challenges faced by suppliers and customers in the aviation industry.

The report also discussed the lack of cybersecurity training for aviation personnel and difficulties in navigating regulations and legal authorities for aviation cybersecurity.

“Managing aviation cybersecurity requires making thoughtful choices from a clear and well-informed understanding of risk,” the report stated. “Here, despite ample challenges, there are some glimmers of hope. But, on topics such as information sharing, it was clear that respondents thought there was much more to be done.”

Three Agencies Receive A Grades on 9th FITARA Scorecard
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Three Agencies Receive A Grades on 9th FITARA Scorecard


Three Agencies Receive A Grades on 9th FITARA Scorecard

The General Services Administration, the Department of Education and the U.S. Agency for International Development received the highest grades on the latest version of the biannual modernization scorecard for federal agencies, Federal News Network reported Wednesday. 

The ninth iteration of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act Scorecard awarded A+ grades for overall IT modernization efforts to both GSA and DOE and an A score to USAID, marking the first time that more than one agency received the highest rating. 

“This is the best scorecard ever. Nine agencies moved forward. There are three ‘As,’ we have not seen that in a long time,” said Suzette Kent, the federal chief information officer and a 2019 Wash100 recipient. 

The overall rating was based on agencies’ individual scores on their cybersecurity, agency CIO authority enhancements, risk management, software licensing, data center optimization, portfolio review and modernization of government technology.

The Department of Homeland Security made the biggest improvement in IT modernization effort, increasing from an overall D- grade to a B, mainly due to A scores in data center optimization and software licensing.  

1 … 1,625 1,626 1,627 1,628 1,629 … 2,634