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Air Force Seeks Contractors’ Info on Enhanced Theater Deployable Communications Package
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Air Force logo. Service branch's sources sought notice on enhanced agile communications package for warfighters

The Department of the Air Force is conducting market research on an enhanced agile communications package for its Theater Deployable Communications, or TDC, program. 

DAF is seeking contractor information on flexible, scalable and lightweight deployable communications systems that support command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and combat missions, according to a sources sought notice published on SAM.gov Friday.

Connectivity, Package Requirements

The systems must provide warfighters and commanders with secure access to Defense Information Systems Network services, including the Defense Switched Network, the Non-secure Internet Protocol Network and classified networks. 

The Air Force is interested in TDC equipment packaged in portable kits and modules that can be installed, transported and operated from transit cases, connecting users through workstations and Voice Over IP analog phones. The technologies should enable the rapid collection, analysis and sharing of information to support real-time decision-making, even in contested or degraded communication.

Interested parties are invited to submit their capability statements not later than Nov. 6.

An extension of the Department of Defense Information Network, TDC is part of the zero trust-centered task list of DAF’s chief technology officer, Scott Heitmann, who was named to his post in April. 

Iron Bow Technologies is one company already with a stake in the program, having secured in January 2023 a potential four-year $144 million contract to provide connectivity, reach-back support and TDC agile communications packages.

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Thomas DiNanno Confirmed as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control & International Security
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Thomas DiNanno. The national security leader received Senate confirmation for the under secretary of state position.

The Senate on Tuesday voted 51-47 to confirm Thomas DiNanno, a national security leader, as the next under secretary of state for arms control and international security.

According to a congressional notice, President Donald Trump nominated DiNanno for the position in February.

In this capacity, DiNanno will be responsible for interagency policy on nonproliferation and for the U.S. security policy in the areas of arms control, defense relations and regional security.

Who Is Thomas DiNanno?

DiNanno currently serves as director for strategic resiliency and wargaming within the strategic deterrence and nuclear programs focus area at the University of Nebraska’s National Strategic Research Institute, or NSRI. The institute is a Department of Defense-designated university affiliated research center sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command. 

Before joining NSRI, he served as a professional staff member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

From 2018 to 2021, DiNanno was with the State Department as senior bureau official and deputy assistant secretary for defense policy, emerging threats and outreach within the arms control, verification and compliance bureau.

His previous government roles include assistant administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency; deputy assistant secretary for critical infrastructure protection at the Department of Homeland Security; director of corporate relations at the White House Office of Homeland Security; and senior adviser and acting chief of staff at the Small Business Administration.

The newly confirmed under secretary served as senior fellow for homeland security and critical infrastructure protection at the International Assessment and Strategy Center between 2008 and 2017.

The Middlebury College economics graduate has a master’s degree in business and urban planning from MIT and a master’s degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Adria Jackson Named Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System Chief Health Informatics Officer
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VA CHIO Adria Jackson. Adria Jackson was appointed chief health informatics officer for eastern Oklahoma by the VA.

Adria Jackson, a seasoned health informatics and registered nurse leader, announced on LinkedIn Wednesday that the Department of Veterans Affairs has appointed her chief health informatics officer for the Veterans Health Administration’s Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System.

Adria Jackson Named Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System Chief Health Informatics Officer

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In her new role, Jackson will serve as the resident expert in health informatics and information technology and advise the system’s executive leadership team on data management, technology optimization and digital transformation.

Who Is Adria Jackson?

Jackson is a 34-year veteran of the healthcare sector with expertise in health and public health IT and health informatics. She is an adjunct instructor at Purdue Global and the University of Illinois Chicago.

Before joining the VA, she served as a technical public health informaticist at Flourish & Thrive Labs and director of IT and electronic health record applications at VCU Health. She also spent over two years at OhioHealth as a senior director and system director of clinical informatics.

Jackson worked as a health information officer at the Detroit Health Department and division manager at the Houston Health Department. She also spent nearly four years at Houston Methodist, holding various roles, including associate program director and senior application analyst.

She was a senior consultant at Vitalize Consulting Solutions. Before that, she spent over 10 years at the University of Michigan Health System. She worked as a registered nurse from 1988 to 2005. Jackson also served as a medic and combat medic in the U.S. Army.

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Senate OKs $914B FY 2026 Defense Policy Bill
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Capitol Hill building. The Senate voted 77-20 to pass the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

The Senate on Thursday voted 77-20 to pass a $913.9 billion defense policy bill for fiscal year 2026, ending a monthlong delay caused by disputes over amendments that had stalled the measure, Breaking Defense said.

The Senate’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act reportedly enables the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to start the conference process and work out a compromise between their respective versions of the bill.

Senate-Approved Amendments in FY26 NDAA

Some amendments secured bipartisan support in the upper chamber. These include a provision to extend an existing prohibition on B-1 bomber retirements through the end of fiscal year 2030 and a measure that would provide the Department of Defense with additional authorities to mitigate drone threats over military bases.

“Hundreds of drones have been spotted in the vicinity of military installations over the past few years, including military-sensitive sites like Langley Air Force Base,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.

“But current laws give the Department of Defense quite limited authority to mitigate these threats, and the patchwork of interagency coordination required to address them leaves gaps that endanger our military bases and the men and women who serve there,” Gillibrand added.

House’s FY 2026 NDAA

In September, the House approved its version of the NDAA, along with the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery, or SPEED, Act. SPEED intends to shorten the Pentagon’s process of developing requirements from the current average of 800 days to just about five months.

The defense policy measure that passed the lower chamber would authorize $848 billion to modernize the U.S. military, give service members a 3.8 percent pay raise and strengthen border security efforts.

The House-passed NDAA would also codify over 45 of the administration’s executive orders and legislative proposals and advance the implementation of the Peace Through Strength agenda.

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US, Finland Partner on Arctic Security Cutter Development
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Arctic military presence. The US and Finland agreed to build new Arctic security cutters.

The United States and Finland will jointly construct up to four Arctic security cutters—dubbed ASCs—under a recently signed memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening shipbuilding collaboration and enhancing Arctic defense capabilities. Under the agreement, the first four cutters will be built in Finnish shipyards, followed by the transfer of Finnish expertise to support the construction of up to seven additional vessels in the United States, the White House said.

US, Finland Partner on Arctic Security Cutter Development

Presidential Authorization

The partnership stems from a memorandum signed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, temporarily authorizing the foreign construction of ASCs to address urgent national security needs in the Arctic. Trump directed the U.S. Coast Guard to develop a phased plan that allows for the onshoring of ASC production, ensuring future cutters are built domestically once the necessary industrial capacity is established. He described foreign construction as a time-limited bridge to close capability gaps while bolstering domestic shipbuilding expertise.

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Arctic Leadership

Trump framed the move as part of a broader push to restore America’s status as a great Arctic power as adversaries increase their presence in the region. His earlier initiatives included a 2020 memorandum accelerating icebreaker construction and new funding under his proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which allocates nearly $9 billion for heavy, medium and light ASCs.

“We need icebreakers in the U.S. And if we can get some inexpensively, I’d like to do that,” Trump said in remarks included in the White House fact sheet.

The new authorization will remain in effect for four years, unless extended or terminated earlier by presidential action.

Expanding the Arctic Fleet

The initiative comes as the Coast Guard’s operational Arctic fleet remains limited, with only two ice-capable cutters currently in service — one commissioned in 1976 and another recently converted from commercial use. The service estimates that at least nine ASCs are needed to sustain year-round Arctic operations and protect U.S. sovereignty amid growing competition in the region.

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Atlantic Council Calls for Rapid Hypersonic Weapons Development
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Hypersonic weapon. The Atlantic Council released a report detailing recommendations to advance hypersonic weapon development.

The Atlantic Council’s Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force released a report on Oct. 9 urging the U.S. to rapidly advance its hypersonic strike capabilities to counter growing threats from China and Russia.

The report titled, “The imperative for hypersonic weapons and counterhypersonic defenses,” warns that China and Russia have developed hundreds of hypersonic weapons, creating a strategic imbalance. These systems are part of broader anti-access and area-denial strategies, including advanced missile defenses, space and cyber tools, and nonkinetic disruptors.

Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force Recommendations

The task force provided 10 recommendations to Congress and the Defense Department that should help rapidly and efficiently field hypersonic weapons. These are:

  • Create a senior program manager reporting to the deputy secretary of defense to oversee all high-speed weapons programs and budgets, including hypersonic offense and defense.
  • Ensure stable funding and rapid deployment of first-gen hypersonic weapons, with block upgrades to expand capabilities and reduce costs. 
  • Prioritize affordable next-gen systems by funding low-cost expendable missiles and reusable hypersonic aircraft.
  • Accelerate fielding of hypersonic systems.
  • Enhance affordability and production scalability by investing in manufacturing innovation and supply chain resilience.
  • Build testing infrastructure such as hypersonic wind tunnels, flight ranges and simulation environments to support rapid development and validation.
  • Develop counter-hypersonic defenses like interceptors, sensors and layered defense systems.
  • Invest in reusable hypersonic aircraft support through the development of platforms for persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, or ISR, and strike missions.
  • Strengthen workforce and talent pipelines through STEM education, training programs, and public-private partnerships.
  • Enhance international collaboration with allies on joint development, testing and deployment of hypersonic systems.
  • Establish a “Golden Dome” missile defense shield.

What Is the Atlantic Council Hypersonics Task Force?

The Atlantic Council’s Hypersonic Capabilities Task Force brings top defense leaders and industry experts together to accelerate U.S. hypersonic weapons development. It is co-chaired by former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and former Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, a Wash100 Award recipient. Other notable members include Reggie Brothers, former under secretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security, also a Wash100 honoree.

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Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks to Renew Expired Cybersecurity Measures
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US Capitol. Bipartisan Senate bill seeks cybersecurity measures renewal

Sens. Gary Peters, D–Mich., and Mike Rounds, R–S.D., have introduced a bipartisan bill to reactivate cybersecurity provisions that expired on September 30.

The proposed legislation, titled Protecting America from Cyber Threats Act, would reauthorize the decade-old Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 allowing private companies to voluntarily share with the Department of Homeland Security cybersecurity threat indicators, including malware signatures and malicious IP addresses, according to a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee statement Thursday.

On Nov. 12, Potomac Officers Club will host its annual, much-anticipated Homeland Security Summit. The 2025 edition will feature the lunch panel “Building a Resilient Homeland Security Enterprise Through AI-Driven Cyber Defense,” which should be highly of interest to all contractors who are looking to help DHS with AI-powered cyber modernization and defense. Register here now!

Strengthening the Cyber Response Framework

The information-sharing framework has helped prevent data breaches, protect personal information and strengthen the federal response to cyberattacks from foreign and criminal actors, the committee added. 

The proposed measure builds on the 2015 bipartisan law on improving federal responses to major incidents in the magnitude of previous cyberattacks, such as SolarWinds, Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon. The bill renews liability protections for companies that share threat data and includes strong privacy safeguards to protect personally identifiable information. 

The proposed legislation aims overall to enhance public-private collaboration and bolster national cyber resilience. Major industry groups, including Airlines for America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, support the proposed measure.

Peters and Rounds earlier filed a bill in April to extend a provision of Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 facilitating cyberthreat-sharing between the federal government and the private sector.

Other Proposed Bipartisan Cyber Legislations

Peters also co-authored the National Quantum Cybersecurity Migration Strategy Act with Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., filed in August, to ensure that the U.S. government is ready to face emerging cybersecurity threats posed by advancements in quantum computing.

In addition, Peters and Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., proposed in July 2024 the Streamlining Federal Cybersecurity Regulations Act, a bill that would establish an interagency committee within the Office of the National Cyber Director to develop a framework to harmonize cybersecurity and information security regulations and compliance requirements across the federal government.

Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks to Renew Expired Cybersecurity Measures
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Space Force Launches Up to $1.2B Fund to Boost Military Access to Commercial Satcom
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Tim Trimailo, director of Commercial Space Office. Trimailo comments about Space Force's new working capital fund

The U.S. Space Force has introduced a working capital fund for the purchase of satellite communications services and other commercial space offerings, SpaceNews reported Wednesday.

Col. Timothy Trimailo, head of the Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office, said the working capital fund, or WCF, is “an important milestone in integrating commercial capabilities into the architecture.”

SSC also announced the establishment of the Enterprise Space Activity Group on Oct. 1 under the Air Force WCF.

What Will USSF’s WCF for Commercial Services Do?

The fund will initially offer $120 million deposit, but it is expected to grow to over $1.2 billion annually. Instead of relying on congressional appropriations, the WCF will be self-sustaining. Customers will pay for services and reinvest reimbursements into the fund to keep it going.

The SSC said the WCF can lead to lower rates for customers if its profits, or incur higher rates due to losses.

The Commercial Satellite Communications Office, a.k.a. CSCO, is the first program authorized to use the funding. CSCO is in charge of all military contracts for commercial satellite services, which are collectively worth nearly $7 billion.

“This is a strategic advantage for the Space Force and more importantly, our warfighters,” CSCO Director Clare Hopper stated about the fund. “We’re looking forward to offering even more capabilities that our warfighters need and deserve to be successful.”

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Senate Confirms Marc Andersen as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management, Comptroller
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Logo of the U.S. Army. Marc Andersen will serve as the Army's assistant secretary for financial management and comptroller

The Senate has confirmed Marc Andersen as the new assistant secretary of the Army for financial management and comptroller. According to Congress records, Andersen, who was nominated to the role by President Donald Trump, secured the role in a 51-47 vote from legislators on Tuesday. 

He replaces Caral Spangler, who held the position from August 2021 through December 2024. 

Andersen was nominated to be an Army assistant secretary in March. At the time, he said in a LinkedIn post that soldiers and their families “embody the very best of America” and, if confirmed, he will ensure that the “organization that serves them reflects that same excellence.”

Who Is Marc Andersen?

Andersen brings to the role extensive leadership experience in the public and private sectors. He served as a senior partner emeritus at EY,  a consulting, assurance, tax and transaction services provider, for over 22 years. 

He also founded his own advisory services firm, called Andersen Advisory, where he also serves as a managing member. 

According to his LinkedIn profile, he also serves as a venture partner at IronGate Capital Advisors, a senior adviser for Tesla Government, a senior strategic adviser for Infuse and board of advisers chairman at vTech.

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Senate Confirms Jack Dever & Chris Fox to Key ODNI Roles
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ODNI seal. The U.S. Senate confirmed Jack Dever as general counsel and Chris Fox as intelligence community inspector general.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Jack Dever as general counsel and Chris Fox as intelligence community inspector general at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, ODNI announced Wednesday.

Table of Contents

Who Is Jack Dever?

In his new role, Dever will provide legal guidance to the ODNI and the broader intelligence community. He was CEO of Lockhaven Solutions, a cybersecurity consulting firm. The cybersecurity expert held leadership roles at General Electric, Wells Fargo and UBS. 

Dever also served as assistant general counsel at the FBI and assistant U.S. attorney. His military service included stints as a signals intelligence Korean linguist and Judge Advocate General officer.

“His proven leadership—spanning military service and distinguished roles across the government and private sector—makes him an asset to our mission at ODNI. He will serve with the highest standards of integrity, strengthening the security of our country and upholding the Constitution,” said Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Who Is Chris Fox?

Fox will oversee independent reviews across the intelligence community, advancing transparency, accountability and operational efficiency while identifying fraud, waste and mismanagement.

Fox previously worked at Six Technologies and Matrix International and was a specialized skills and covert action officer at the CIA’s directorate of operations. He also had stints at the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events. Early in his career, Fox served as a special warfare airman and joint terminal attack controller for the U.S. Air Force.

“With nearly two decades of experience in national security spanning military service, intelligence operations, legal practice and entrepreneurship, Chris steps into this role with the integrity, fortitude and commitment to country needed to serve as inspector general for the intelligence community,” said Gabbard.

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