The National Institute of Standards and Technology found that artificial intelligence-based tools could help commercial wireless providers and the U.S. Navy better manage radio frequency spectrum for communications. In a new paper issued Wednesday, NIST said demonstrations show that deep learning algorithms are working better than traditional tools to detect whether radars are operating or not, which allows commercial providers to better plan the allocation of 3.5 Gigahertz Band.

The Navy relies on automated detectors to detect radar signals from ships at sea. However, NIST said the technology lacks consistency and accuracy. For the demonstrations, NIST researchers explored the use of deep learning to improve communications. The team found that AI technology can be trained to recognize offshore radar signals. The technology also outperformed traditional detectors during tests. The researchers plan to continue training AI detectors with higher-resolution, more-detailed radar data.

Vice Adm. Thomas Moore, head of Naval Sea Systems Command, said the U.S. Navy won’t restore inactive destroyers, frigates and other combat vessels to meet the planned 355-ship fleet, the Military website reported Wednesday. He told reporters on Tuesday that the decision was based on a review conducted by service leaders of the Navy’s list of decommissioned vessels stored at ship maintenance facilities in Philadelphia; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and Bremerton, Wash.

“I was just up in Philadelphia on Friday, and we concluded that the cost of bringing them back was pretty expensive. But more importantly, the capability of the platform itself just didn’t lend itself well,” Moore said. “With all the ships that we have, if you’re willing to do the maintenance on them, you can keep them a little longer.”

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Moore added that the Navy plans to extend the service lives of its current ships to meet the target 355-ship size by early 2030’s.

President Trump issued a new strategy to protect the U.S. aviation domain from cyber attacks, unmanned aircraft and other threats. The White House announced the release of the National Strategy for Aviation Security in a press statement published Wednesday.

The new strategy sets a framework to implement an integrated approach to safeguard the aviation ecosystem and facilitate aviation-related activities supporting the U.S. economy. NSAS has four strategic objectives: protect the U.S. and its global interests in the aviation ecosystem; maximize aviation security while maintaining aviation safety and balancing economic impact; improve resilience, expedite recovery and mitigate damage and engage domestic, international and private sector partners.

The document also sets four strategic actions to maximize domain awareness; assess vulnerabilities and threats; strengthen layered aviation security; ensure continuity and promote resilience of the aviation domain. 

Adm. Christopher Grady, head of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said during the WEST 2019 conference he intends to create a Fleet Analytics Office supporting the U.S. Navy fleet readiness efforts, USNI reported Tuesday. Grady noted that the new office will use real-time reporting systems to handle data collection and risk assessment operations under the Revolutionize Readiness Campaign Plan initiative.

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He added that he wants to appoint a chief readiness officer to oversee enterprises such as information warfare, aviation, submarine, surface and expeditionary programs. Other readiness objectives outlined by Grady include the use of metrics to measure improvements in operational readiness, structural readiness and foundry readiness.

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Operational readiness focuses on fleet warfighting capabilities while structural readiness involves establishing relationships to aid the Navy during challenges. Foundry readiness revolves around operations at the shipyard level. Grady noted that appropriate metrics will help Navy personnel understand “how any one unit’s readiness affects the fleet’s ability to perform its wider mission.”

The Department of Veterans Affairs implemented legislation to streamline the agency’s claims and appeals process for former U.S. service members. VA said Tuesday that the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 will reduce its inventory of legacy appeals. 

“Beginning today, veterans will have greater choice in how VA reviews their disagreement with a VA claims decision and enjoy timely resolutions of disagreements through a streamlined process,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. 

The legislation gives veterans three options to review a claims decision, which will provide them an adjudicator, assistance to submit new evidence and a way to decide whether to request a direct review, evidence or hearing. VA said the new options would accelerate the decision review from 125 days to one year. In the current process, decisions commonly take three to seven years.

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The agency also established two new Decision Review Operations Centers in Florida and Washington to help streamline its claims and appeals process.