The U.S. Navy issued a written testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee stating plans to integrate multi-domain capabilities into its next-generation offensive missiles, USNI News reported Monday.

The Navy’s Offensive Missile Strategy succeeds the Cruise Missile Strategy and includes non-nuclear offensive strike missiles with a capacity of over 50 nautical miles. The service plans to implement a three-pronged approach to the program which involves the sustainment of weapon systems, procurement of updated capabilities and development of modernized strike missile technologies.

“The OMS construct supports a wider, more systematic approach towards delivering a capabilities balance to increase overall force effectiveness to address emerging threats,” according to the testimony.

Technologies covered by the OMS framework will include Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare and Next Generation Land Attack Weapon capabilities. The fiscal 2020 budget proposal requests $143.2 million for the Navy’s weapons procurement efforts and $386.7 million for the purchase of missiles and related systems.

Matthew Cornelius, senior technology and cybersecurity adviser at the Office of Management and Budget, said the office of the federal chief information officer within OMB continues to promote transparency, Nextgov reported Monday.

“This OMB—and Suzette Kent, my boss—have been very adamant about us being transparent and open in the policymaking process,” Cornelius said at an Association for Federal Information Resources Management-hosted event in response to reports that OFCIO was in turmoil. “Now, [we are] much more comfortable letting agencies do what they need to do.”

Jacob Wood, deputy director of communications at OMB, told the publication that Kent and her team are working to improve morale and operations. Wood added that Kent’s team at OFCIO “has been purposeful in seeking input from agencies, industry and academia for IT modernization, data accountability and transparency goals and multiple new policies under development.”

John Sanders, a more than 30-year national security veteran and chief operating officer of Customs and Border Protection, has been named acting commissioner of the CBP. “Sanders has proven instrumental to advancing CBP’s mission and organizational priorities across the agency,” Kevin McAleenan, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and 2019 Wash100 Award winner, said in a statement released Monday. 

“In addition to bringing greater focus on the agency’s operational requirements, he has provided strategic direction and oversight to critical enterprise services and operations support functions across the agency,” added McAleenan. 

As the CBP COO, Sanders develops the agency’s strategic direction, oversees enterprise services and support units, identifies operational requirements and drives collaborative efforts with industry and other stakeholders.

He previously served as chief technology officer with the Transportation Security Administration and co-founded Reveal Imaging Technologies, a provider of threat detection and screening platforms. Sanders also held positions at M33 Growth, Evolv Technology, Pramatha Solutions, OGSystems and American Science and Engineering.

The National Background Investigation Service plans to launch its first artificial intelligence algorithm to accelerate review of federal security clearances, FedScoop reported Monday.

The current clearance application requires paperwork, interviews with applicants’ friends and family members and an evidence package for assessment.

“We already have about 1.1 million names in the system in today as part of the initiative,” said Terry Carpenter, a program executive officer for the service. “It just goes through the data sources on some recurring schedule, according to rules set by the business organization, and if an anomaly comes up, then we look at the anomaly and decide what to do with it.”

The office began streamlining form submissions through the Trusted Workforce 2.0 app launched in 2018 by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The agency moved the app to the cloud and plans to compile data from various sources to prepare the tool for AI integration. AI will assist NBIS officials with decision-making by analyzing data for evidence.

Members of the House Homeland Security Committee are urging the Appropriations Committee to increase the spending cap on the Department of Homeland Security cyber budget to address national security threats, FCW reported Monday.

Twenty-eight lawmakers from both parties stated in a letter dated April 10 that DHS needs to invest in operations under the recently created Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

“Now that CISA has demonstrated it is up to the task, it is time for Congress to resource the agency to fully execute its critical homeland security mission,” the letter stated.

The lawmakers noted that there are increasing threats to critical infrastructure, federal data and election systems from various entities and enemy states.

“Despite the warning signs, investment in our federal civilian cybersecurity capabilities simply has not kept pace,” the letter stated.

Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the committee and ranking member Mike Rogers, R-Ala. were among the letter’s signatories. 

Air Force F-35A units from arrived in the Middle East for the aircraft’s first deployment in the branch’s central command area. The jets, coming from the active duty 388th and the reserve 419th fighter wings, are preparing for the AFCENT mission, the Air Force said Monday.

“The sensor fusion and survivability this aircraft provides to the joint force will enhance security and stability across the theater and deter aggressors,” said Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, CENTCOM commander for the Air Force.

The aircraft is built to integrate data for sharing with battlefield associates, boosting survivability against threats. The F-35A mission with CENTCOM follows the aircraft’s deployment to the U.S. Pacific Command AOR in 2017.