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Government Technology/News
Report: Navy Scraps Two UAS-Related Prize Challenges
by Nichols Martin
Published on December 19, 2019
Report: Navy Scraps Two UAS-Related Prize Challenges


Report: Navy Scraps Two UAS-Related Prize Challenges

The Department of the Navy has called off competitions for the development of a mission system architecture and a payload adapter under the Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System Expeditionary program, Inside Defense reported Thursday.

In a pair of notices posted on the beta SAM website, DON said the department and the U.S. Marine Corps will review the requirements for the two prize challenges.

USMC has envisioned MUX UAS as a multimission platform with the capacity to operate from guided missile destroyers and other “air capable” vessels or ashore locations.

The first competition called for the design of an adapter that would insert mission payload containers into a drone’s airframe and the second competition sought a modular architecture that would accommodate multiple UAS mission system payloads.

Both challenges were originally unveiled in May.

News
Transcom Requests Info on C5, IT Support Services for Joint Enabling Capabilities Command
by Matthew Nelson
Published on December 19, 2019
Transcom Requests Info on C5, IT Support Services for Joint Enabling Capabilities Command

Transcom Requests Info on C5, IT Support Services for Joint Enabling Capabilities Command

The U.S. Transportation Command has issued a request for information to determine potential sources of command, control, communications, cyber and collaboration support for Transcom’s Joint Enabling Capabilities Command.

A notice posted Friday on the beta SAM website stated that information technology services such as network operations, maintenance and cyber defense are required to manage the JECC C5 environment.

Transcom intends for a potential contractor to help the subunified command to integrate systems, manage infrastructure, configure software and perform lifecycle support.

JECC’s C5 environment is built to connect with onsite and remote commercial, common-user and Department of Defense networks.

Interested parties can submit input via email through Jan. 3.

News
2020 NDAA Conference Report Includes ‘Explainable’ AI Requirement
by Matthew Nelson
Published on December 19, 2019
2020 NDAA Conference Report Includes ‘Explainable’ AI Requirement


2020 NDAA Conference Report Includes 'Explainable' AI Requirement

The Senate incorporated an amendment into the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act conference report in a move to ensure that the U.S. military and Congress understand a new concept of artificial intelligence.

“Explainable AI has a lot to offer. As we deploy autonomous systems, we also should understand why those systems make the decisions they do,” Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said in a statement released Tuesday.

“By requiring our military to think about the uses of explainable AI, the capabilities and limitations of the technology, and the obstacles to the deployment of explainable systems, the inclusion of this requirement in the NDAA conference report is a step towards that goal,” Portman added.

Explainable AI systems are designed to help users comprehend, trust and validate the decision-making capacity of a platform.

Some lawmakers believe the adoption of such technology can have potential impacts on the application of an autonomous vehicle or weapon and on initiatives to address bias from an automated decision-making process.

Government Technology/News
CNAS Report Presents R&D, Tech Talent Policy Recommendations to Ensure US Leadership in AI
by Jane Edwards
Published on December 19, 2019
CNAS Report Presents R&D, Tech Talent Policy Recommendations to Ensure US Leadership in AI


CNAS Report Presents R&D, Tech Talent Policy Recommendations to Ensure US Leadership in AI

A new Center for a New American Security report offers several recommendations for U.S. government leaders to help ensure U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.

CNAS said Tuesday the recommendations are classified into seven sections: research and development; human talent; illicit technology transfer; AI hardware; AI norms; government readiness; and AI standards and measurement.

The center called on the government to increase annual R&D spending on AI to $25B by 2025, incentivize industry research on AI by providing tax credits and access to government datasets and promote international R&D cooperation.

The government should raise the cap for H1-B visas, eliminate the cap for advanced degree holders and boost funding opportunities for university researchers to further develop tech talent.

Small and medium-sized companies should get more cyber defense support and universities should enhance collaboration with U.S. counterintelligence experts to address illegal tech transfer.

CNAS also recommended the establishment of multilateral export controls on semiconductor manufacturing equipment, an increase in the availability of affordable compute resources and diversification of semiconductor fabrication through the creation of an international fab consortium with allies. Domestic semiconductor manufacturing efforts should be supported with retooling incentives and semiconductor supply chains should be secured through public-private partnerships.

Government Technology/News
MDA Eyes Regional Approach to Hypersonic Missile Defense
by Jane Edwards
Published on December 19, 2019
MDA Eyes Regional Approach to Hypersonic Missile Defense


MDA Eyes Regional Approach to Hypersonic Missile Defense

The Missile Defense Agency and industry representatives held a meeting at MDA’s Alabama headquarters to discuss potential ways of targeting hypersonic missiles and lay the groundwork for the Hypersonic Defense Regional Glide Phase Weapon System, Breaking Defense reported Wednesday.

“They’re going after the regional as opposed to the homeland mission,” Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said of MDA’s efforts.

The new program comes as the Department of Defense works to accelerate hypersonic defense initiatives amid recent efforts of Russia and China to deploy such weapons.

A defense bill the Senate sent to the White House Tuesday includes $230.9M in funds to advance hypersonic defense programs. House and Senate appropriators also approved $108M in additional funding in support of MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor program.

Government Technology/News
FedRAMP Announces Milestone in Authorization Process Automation
by Jane Edwards
Published on December 19, 2019
FedRAMP Announces Milestone in Authorization Process Automation


FedRAMP Announces Milestone in Authorization Process Automation

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program has worked with industry and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop the Open Security Controls Assessment Language to help automate the authorization process.

FedRAMP said Tuesday it is seeking public comments on OSCAL Milestone 2 that offers a number of features, including a system security plan model meant to help organizations automate the documentation of privacy and security control implementation using OSCAL.

OSCAL Milestone 2 also features published draft FedRAMP baselines in JSON and XML formats, tools to convert the OSCAL profile, catalog and SSP content between JSON and XML and guidance document to help tool developers come up with OSCAL-based FedRAMP SSP content.

OSCAL is a standard that can be used in the evaluation and implementation of security controls. It is expected to help cloud service providers speed up the creation of their SSPs and enable third party assessment organizations to automate the planning, reporting and execution of cloud evaluation activities.

Executive Moves/News
Steven Walker Steps Down as DARPA Director
by Brenda Marie Rivers
Published on December 18, 2019
Steven Walker Steps Down as DARPA Director


Steven Walker
Steven Walker

Steven Walker, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and a 2019 Wash100 winner, has resigned from his post in a move that will take effect on Jan. 10, Defense News reported Tuesday. Peter Highman, the deputy director of DARPA, will serve as the agency’s director on an acting basis until a full-time official has been selected.

Walker, who assumed the role of permanent DARPA director in 2017, will transition to the private sector in an undisclosed position.

During his tenure, Walker led efforts at DARPA encompassing hypersonic weapons, anti-ship missiles, artificial intelligence and space technologies including low-Earth orbit satellites. Previously, he served as the agency’s deputy director and eventually acting director following Arati Prabhakar’s departure.

Prior to rejoining DARPA in 2012, Walker spent time at the U.S. Air Force in roles such as deputy assistant secretary for science, technology and engineering at the service branch’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. He also held engineering-related responsibilities at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

News
Senate Sends $738B Defense Policy Bill to White House
by Brenda Marie Rivers
Published on December 18, 2019
Senate Sends $738B Defense Policy Bill to White House


Senate Sends $738B Defense Policy Bill to White House

The Senate voted 86-8 to pass the $738B fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes provisions on a “space force” and a 12-week parental leave for federal employees, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.

The defense policy bill also mandates a 3.1 percent pay increase for Department of Defense personnel and a repeal of the “widow’s tax” for service members’ families. Negotiators agreed to drop provisions such as a measure to block the reallocation of Pentagon funds for the southern border wall.

Defense News reported Tuesday that the bill would allow the Trump administration to use $1.4B from homeland security funding to support border wall construction efforts. The bill would also grant $40M to establish the proposed Space Force.

President Trump is expected to sign the bill before the expiration of government funds on Friday midnight.

News
DOE Eyes External Partnerships for Innovation Community Center Efforts
by Brenda Marie Rivers
Published on December 18, 2019
DOE Eyes External Partnerships for Innovation Community Center Efforts


DOE Eyes External Partnerships for Innovation Community Center Efforts

The Department of Energy’s Innovation Community Center plans to launch partnerships with external entities for efforts like collaborative research, innovation exchanges and testing activities, Fedscoop reported Tuesday. The ICC is currently focused on internal-facing research and development operations.

Pamela Isom, DOE’s deputy chief information officer for architecture, engineering, technology and innovation, said at an AFCEA event that her office is working on internal clearance procedures ahead of the expansion plan slated for “sometime in 2020.”

“One of the things we are doing to manage the data complexities and just the vast amounts of data we’re dealing with in the environment is getting more communities together to talk about what information we have,” she said.

ICC is working on integrating AI into geospatial data processing operations and deploying machine learning to analyze video data that will help users identify vulnerabilities in well systems. The center is also partnering with cloud providers on sandbox testing to ensure the security of IT infrastructure.

Contract Awards/News
Air Force Command Hosts Virtual Pitch Day
by Matthew Nelson
Published on December 18, 2019
Air Force Command Hosts Virtual Pitch Day


Air Force Command Hosts Virtual Pitch Day

The U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa issued a contract following a virtual pitch process under the Commercial Solutions Opening Pitch Day.

The awardee will help augment data connectivity between Aviano Air Base in Italy and Ramstein Air Base in Germany as part of efforts to reinforce mission capacities, the U.S. Air Force said Tuesday.

Nate Searing, a contracting officer at the 764th Enterprising Solutions Squadron, said USAFE – AFAFRICA held the pitch day to obtain technologies that will address gaps in various areas such as base defense platforms, communication networks and digital technology.

“A one-on-one virtual pitch gives USAFE – AFAFRICA the ability to see all the potential technologies and capabilities U.S. businesses have to offer, and simply makes doing business with the government easier,” said Searing.

USAF noted that the service branch was prepared to award over $9.5M in contracts and that more virtual pitch events will be held in the future.

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