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USAF Unveils Flight Test Engineering Lab at Edwards AFB
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USAF Unveils Flight Test Engineering Lab at Edwards AFB

The U.S. Air Force has opened its Flight Test Engineering Lab, or FTEL, at Edwards Air Force Base which will develop advanced warfighting capabilities.

The laboratory will test electro-optics/infrared sensors, long-range kill chain data link capabilities and digital twin tools to accelerate the development of innovative combat technologies, USAF said Thursday. The goal is for FTEL to help the service build modern warfare tools to combat emerging global threats.

Meeting US Military’s Evolving Requirements

According to Paul Waters, director of the 412th Test Engineering Group, the lab will play a crucial role in meeting the U.S. military’s evolving requirements. The facility will enable USAF to produce “weapons systems that can detect and engage targets more effectively.” “By refining advanced sensors, data links and validated models, we are preparing our forces for an increasingly complex global security environment,” Waters explained.

He added that FTEL will help the Air Force train its workforce, noting that the laboratory features “three state-of-the-art training rooms” to expedite the development of young USAF engineers.

Costing $41.35 million, the FTEL is a massive undertaking, a hub designed to develop and deploy more effective and adaptable tools to protect U.S. national security.

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Kimberly Ziegler Is Acting DOD Procurement Director Anew
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Kimberly Ziegler Is Acting DOD Procurement Director Anew

Kimberly Ziegler, a senior procurement analyst at the Department of Defense’s DARS, short for Defense Acquisition Regulations System, has been named as acting director of the DOD unit for six months, effective Feb. 18. 

A memo from John Tenaglia, principal director of the DOD’s Defense Pricing, Contracting and Acquisition Policy, announced the appointment for the acting director role that has been filled on a rotating basis since the former incumbent, Linda Neilson, retired in August 2023. Tenaglia said in his memo digitally signed Feb. 13 that he will continue a competitive hiring process for a permanent DARS director.

Ziegler’s Career History

Ziegler’s appointment in an interim capacity is her second, with Tenaglia first naming her acting DARS director for six months in February 2024.  In August 2024, the acting director post was assigned to Dawn Messer, DARS deputy director, a role that she reassumed following Ziegler’s new appointment, Tenaglia said in his recent memo.

Ziegler in her interim capacity chairs the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council and is in charge of the acquisition rules and guidelines for the DOD’S procurement of goods and services for warfighter support. Her tasks as DAR Council head cover the development and enforcement of the Federal Acquisition Regulation the Defense FAR Supplement, as well as support functions to the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council. 

Before her DARS stint, Ziegler served for over two years as chief of the National Guard Bureau’s Acquisition Policy and Oversight Division and more than three years as a senior procurement analyst in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army.

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Scott Jones on Selective Service System’s IT Modernization Effort
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Scott Jones on Selective Service System’s IT Modernization Effort

Scott Jones, chief information officer of the Selective Service System, said SSS is close to completing the initial phase of its modernization effort for its registration system, which will enable the agency to better manage, share and store information, Federal News Network reported Monday.

In March 2022, SSS received $5.9 million in funding from the Technology Modernization Fund Board to safeguard the personal data of Selective Service registrants and improve its cybersecurity posture. With the funding, the agency is migrating its system to the cloud and updating its data infrastructure.

To date, SSS has spent approximately $3.8 million and repaid about 12 percent of the funding it received.

IT Modernization Effort Phase 2

According to Jones, the IT modernization effort’s second phase will commence shortly after the initial phase.

“That final phase is the design and delivery of our data warehouse, and is expected to be complete in fiscal 2026. The entire project will be completed in mid-2026 with our transition to full operations and maintenance,” Jones said on FNN’s Ask the CIO. 

“This modernization initiative is delivering resilience and agility to the systems that manage the registration of millions of men aged 18 to 25 including U.S. citizens at home and abroad, as well as male immigrants residing in the United States. Maintaining a comprehensive and secure registration system supports national readiness in the event of a return to conscription during a national emergency,” he added.

Creating a Centralized Data Warehouse

The second phase of the agency’s modernization effort will focus on consolidating and moving various databases into a centralized data warehouse.

The CIO noted that the project’s Phase 2 seeks to ensure data security and make the data easily accessible for artificial intelligence, advanced visualizations, business intelligence and other capabilities.

“We want to use analytics to be able to leverage that data as a strategic asset. It’s the federal government’s data, it’s the public’s data, with regards to which we utilize that to meet end goals of the agency’s mission,” Jones said.

During the interview, Jones announced the appointment of Alma Cruz, most recently with the Federal Reserve Board, as chief data officer to help create the data warehouse at SSS.

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DIU Updates Blue UAS List, Framework With 23 Drones & 14 UAS
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DIU Updates Blue UAS List, Framework With 23 Drones & 14 UAS

The Defense Innovation Unit has announced the selection of 23 unmanned aircraft systems and 14 UAS components and software that will transition to cybersecurity review and the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, verification process.

DIU said Friday the selections were made after conducting three days of flight demonstrations as part of the Blue UAS Refresh Challenge held at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms in California.

In August 2024, DIU sought proposals for the challenge as part of a push to expand its approved drones in the Blue UAS List and NDAA-compliant UAS components and capabilities in the Blue UAS Framework.

In response to emerging problem sets for end users, First Person View, tethered platforms and Group 3 were selected for potential inclusion in the Blue UAS list. This provides an opportunity for developers to quickly bring such capabilities into the hands of warfighters. 

DIU said it received 369 proposals for the refresh challenge from companies in the U.S. and 18 other countries, including Ukraine, Norway, Denmark and Canada.

What Is the Blue UAS List?

The Blue UAS List is a list of Department of Defense-cleared drones designed to meet government users’ evolving mission requirements. The drones are compliant with the 2024 American Security Drone Act and with section 817 of the fiscal year 2023 NDAA and section 848 of FY 2020 NDAA.

What Is the Blue UAS Framework?

The Blue UAS Framework is a list of interoperable, NDAA-compliant UAS components, software, modules and related capabilities for industry and government partners. It provides advanced capabilities for small drone developers and reduces risks for government clients.

The 23 platforms selected to undergo cybersecurity review and NDAA verification for the Blue UAS List are:

  • AeroVironment Dragon
  • Anduril Ghost/GhostX
  • Easy Aerial Sparrow
  • Edge Autonomy VXE-30 Stalker
  • Flightwave Edge 130
  • Freefly Systems Astro
  • Hoverfly Spectre
  • Kraus Hamdani Aerospace K1000
  • ModalAI Stalker
  • Mountain Horse Solutions Rotron DT-300
  • Neros Archer
  • Parrot Anafi UKR
  • PDW C100
  • Quantum Systems Vector
  • Shield AI V-BAT
  • Skydio X10D
  • Skyfall Vampire
  • Skyfront Perimeter 8
  • Teal Black Widow
  • Teledyne FLIR Black Hornet
  • Vantage Robotics Trace
  • Zepher Flight Z1
  • Zone 5 Paladin

UAS components and capabilities selected to undergo verification processes under the Blue UAS Framework are:

  • ARK Electronics Flight Controller
  • Athena Artificial Intelligence Athena Computer Vision
  • Auterion Government Solutions Skynode S
  • Doodle Labs Wi-Fi transceivers
  • Greensight UltraBlue and MicroBlue
  • Locus Lock Global Navigation Satellite System receiver
  • Mobilicom Skyhopper PRO / Pro Lite
  • Pierce Aerospace B1 Remote ID Beacon
  • Primordial Labs Anura
  • RPX Technologies EmbIR camera
  • SensorOps SynDOJO
  • TILT Autonomy Lightweight Starlink PoE
  • UVX Technologies Swappable Radio Module
  • Vertiq Electronic Speed Control

DIU said the Neros Archer and Hoverfly Spectre are the first platforms to secure an Authority to Operate following the completion of the verification process.

The agency also added critical components from Locus Lock, ARK Electronics, Mobilicom and Vertiq to the Framework list.

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Russell Mathers Tapped as STRIKEWERX Chief, William Weiford as Deputy
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Russell Mathers Tapped as STRIKEWERX Chief, William Weiford as Deputy

Cyber Innovation Center has announced the appointments of Russell Mathers and William Weiford as STRIKEWERX director and deputy director, respectively.

CIC said Monday that Mathers will continue to advance its technology transfer and transition efforts as the partner of the Air Force Global Strike Command’s Office of the Chief Scientist. Meanwhile, Weiford will take over from Mathers’ previous role of leading new STRIKEWERX projects. (STRIKEWERX is an Air Force innovation arm.)

Particularly, Weiford will support the center’s mission of developing innovative capabilities for U.S. warfighters and building up the U.S. Air Force nuclear enterprise.

Equipping US Warfighters With Innovative Capabilities

According to CIC President Kevin Nolten, Mathers displayed leadership, expertise and excellence since joining the organization in 2020. Nolten added that the new STRIKEWERX chief played a critical role in projects and design sprints that “delivered nearly $300 million in savings to the U.S. Air Force.”

Commenting on his promotion, Mathers noted, “I am especially excited to continue delivering results and savings for the U.S. Air Force, ensuring we provide innovative and cost-effective solutions that enhance mission success.”

STRIKEWERX Leaders’ Career Highlights

Serving for nearly three decades at USAF, Mathers retired as the Eighth Air Force’s commander. He was also an executive director at AFGSC/A6 and the Air Force Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Center. The former USAF pilot earned a master’s in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College and his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan.

A 24-year Air Force veteran, Weiford served at the military branch’s major command levels and performed various staff duties related to the nuclear enterprise. His last assignment was as executive director of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Modernization Directorate at AFGSC.

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NASA Releases 2024 Small Spacecraft Technology Report
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NASA Releases 2024 Small Spacecraft Technology Report

NASA has published a new iteration of its Small Spacecraft Technology State-of-the-Art report, a document published annually to track the evolution of small spacecraft technologies based on publicly available information. The 2024 edition of the report features changes in several chapters to include new technologies and use cases, the space agency said Friday. 

Update on the UAS Sector 

The Small Spacecraft Technology State-of-the-art report was published by the Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute based on information from NASA and other sources. NASA has been publishing the report annually since 2013. The inaugural report identified 247 CubeSats and 105 other small spacecraft weighing 50 kilograms that are not CubeSats. 

The current edition of the report lists down dozens of companies from around the world that manufacture CubeSats; PocketQubes or spacecraft that measure about 5 centimeters; and Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Secondary Payload Adapter-class, or ESPA-class, space buses. According to NASA, CubeSats and small satellites are likely to continue growing in popularity, with multi-manifest launches enabling organizations to deploy large numbers of spacecraft to orbit. 

The report also has additional sections to better reflect the state of development of smallsat technologies. For instance, NASA introduced a section on Formation Flying and Rendezvous and Proximity Operations under the Guidance, Navigation and Control chapter and the Additive Manufacturing section within the Structures, Materials, and Mechanisms chapter. The space agency also added Free Space Optical Communications section to the communications chapter.

NASA warned that the report is not an endorsement of the technologies mentioned nor an exhaustive list of all the small spacecraft available in the market today. The public is welcome to submit corrections or suggestions before the publication of the 2025 report in August.

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Navy ONR Seeks Contractor Info for Composites Tech Center
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Navy ONR Seeks Contractor Info for Composites Tech Center

The Department of the Navy’s Office of Naval Research has issued a request for information on the contractor approaches to managing and operating the Center of Excellence, or COE, of its Composites Manufacturing Technology Center. 

The contractor will support the center’s mission of developing and transitioning naval technologies to applications under the Navy’s Manufacturing Technology Program, according to ONR’s SAM.gov post. The contractor’s duties will require a strong and responsive resource base on scientific and engineering capabilities on composites and non-metallic manufacturing, or C&NM, technologies, the post added.

Work Scope

The contractor’s scope of work in C&NM includes undertaking a selection process and recommending technical steps for projects supporting key naval platform programs identified under the ONR ManTech Investment Strategy. In addition, government-required technical studies on specific C&NM and industry networking will be handled overall by the contractor. 

The contractor shall also initiate and manage ManTech projects, including the application of the right approaches on monitoring costs, schedule and accomplishments. To carry out its functions, the key personnel that the contractor are asked to provide are a COE director, technical director, financial manager and contract manager, with Arlington, Virginia as place of performance.

The deadline for responses to the RFI is March 5.

Advanced Technology International holds a current U.S. Navy contract to manage and operate the Naval Shipbuilding and Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence under the Navy’s ManTech program. The company secured the five-year, $99 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in August, with the work conducted in Summerville, South Carolina.

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NIST Report Says Standards Needed for Digital Twin Integration
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NIST Report Says Standards Needed for Digital Twin Integration

Digital twin technology offers various advantages but its wide use would likely be impacted by whether standards are developed and adopted, according to a new internal report published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Integration Challenges

The IR, released Friday by NIST and titled “IR 8356 – Security and Trust Considerations for Digital Twin Technology,” defines digital twins as the virtual representation of real-world notions, concepts or entities, which may be physical or perceived. According to the report, technologies that can generate these representations are advantageous because people can study the models and experiment on them to study effects even before having to create their real-world counterparts.

The report notes, however, that the technologies underpinning digital twins, like simulation and modeling software and virtual reality systems, are proprietary, making integration difficult. The digital representations are proprietary as well, making file-sharing equally challenging.

Need for Standards

To achieve what the report describes as “plug and play integration” in digital twin technology, the adoption of and adherence to standards are crucial. Standards have the additional benefits of promoting compatibility, safety and cybersecurity. They also engender credibility and trust.

“Efforts are underway to develop digital twin specific standards that will be utilized in addition to the existing various information and communication technology standards,” the report says.

US, India Issue Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership
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US, India Issue Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership

U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi have issued a joint leaders’ statement reaffirming the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. 

The White House said Thursday that the two nation leaders launched the U.S.-India Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology—or COMPACT—for the 21st Century initiative as part of the cooperation.

Joint Statement on Defense

In the statement, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced plans to sign a new 10-year Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership in the 21st Century this year. They also discussed the possibility of integrating U.S.-origin defense items into India’s inventory, such as the MH‑60R Seahawk helicopters, the C‑17 Globemaster III aircraft and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

The leaders additionally talked about reassessing their respective arms transfer regulations and opening negotiations for a reciprocal defense procurement agreement to align their procurement and supply systems for military goods and services.

Space Cooperation

In the technology and innovation portion of the joint statement, the leaders also touched on U.S.-India civil space cooperation and said 2025 would be a pioneering year due to plans for a NASA-Indian Space Research Organisation initiative, or ISRO, via Axiom Space.

Under the agreement signed by Axiom with ISRO, an Indian astronaut will be flown to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 4.

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Robert Kennedy Jr. Takes Role as HHS Secretary
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Robert Kennedy Jr. Takes Role as HHS Secretary

Now officially secretary of the Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump’s second administration, Robert Kennedy Jr., was sworn in Thursday in a ceremony that proceeded with Trump signing an executive order creating a Make America Healthy Again Commission, HHS announced. 

The HHS secretary will head the commission that mainly focuses on children’s health, according to the White House.

The U.S. Senate earlier confirmed Kennedy’s appointment by a vote of 52-48, after intense questioning on his views on vaccine and public health policy, CNN reported.

Administration of $2T HHS Budget

As department secretary, Kennedy will oversee all HHS divisions and their programs and activities funded by close to a $2 trillion budget. 

The agencies under the secretary include National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Career Track Record

Coming from a long lineage of prominent U.S. politicians, Kennedy brings to the HHS his advocacy of children’s health and environmental causes. He is a recipient of the “Hero of the Planet” award from TIME Magazine. 

Kennedy is an environmental lawyer who pursued corporate and local communities’ compliance with the Clean Water Act. During his 40-year career in the private sector, he founded the Waterkeeper Alliance, wherein he served as its chairman and legal counsel. He is also the founder of the mass membership organization Children’s Health Defense and had served as its chairman and chief litigation counsel. 

Kennedy graduated from Harvard University, after which he studied at the London School of Economics and received a law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. He also holds a master’s degree in environmental law from Pace University School of Law.

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