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NOAA Moves to Expedite Remote Sensing Tech Review Process
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NOAA Moves to Expedite Remote Sensing Tech Review Process


NOAA Moves to Expedite Remote Sensing Tech Review Process

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration‘s Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office has moved to accelerate its licensing process for commercial Earth imaging systems, SpaceNews reported Thursday.

The expedited process was partly driven by a 2017 agreement among the departments of Commerce, State, Defense and Interior and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to establish interagency procedures to review commercial remote sensing license applications.

Samira Patel, an Aerospace Corp. analyst, said that CRSRA worked to complete license application reviews within 91 days on average last year.

The office’s efforts come as the U.S. government considers modifying regulations for the commercial remote sensing technology sector, the report noted.

In February, the National Space Council recommended the integration of CRSRA into the Office of Space Commerce and the recommendation still awaits approval from the White House.

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Report: DoD Establishes Border Security Support Cell
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Report: DoD Establishes Border Security Support Cell


Report: DoD Establishes Border Security Support CellDana White, chief Defense Department spokesperson, told reporters at a Pentagon news briefing that the department has formed a border security support cell effective immediately, DoD News reported Thursday.

Kenneth Rapuano, assistant secretary for homeland defense and global security at DoD, will head the support cell that will serve as the department’s information and coordination conduit with the Department of Homeland Security, White added.

White also announced President Donald Trump’s authorization and the governors’ approval of the National Guard that will provide aviation, engineering, surveillance, communications, vehicle maintenance and logistical support for the Customs and Border Protection in the southern border, the publication detailed.

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Fiscal Service Bureau Unveils New Website to Support US Govt Spending Transparency
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Fiscal Service Bureau Unveils New Website to Support US Govt Spending Transparency


Fiscal Service Bureau Unveils New Website to Support US Govt Spending TransparencyThe Treasury Department‘s Bureau of the Fiscal Service has launched a new website that features data visualization tools meant to provide information on U.S. government spending, Nextgov reported Thursday.

Fiscal Service built the Data Lab site as part of the relaunch of USAspending.gov, which was created as part of congressionally-mandated government transparency efforts.

Data Lab includes six interactive data visualization tools that divide information on the government’s annual spending by agency, office, contractor and other factors.

Justin Marsico, a senior policy analyst at the Fiscal Service, said the new website is intended to deliver data that is “understandable to people and can be used to solve problems.”

Renata Maziarz, data transparency director at the Treasury Department, told Nextgov that Data Lab will also help federal agencies see their spending “in a cohesive manner.”

Marsico noted that the Fiscal Service’s data transparency office plans to update Data Lab regularly.

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Army Performs Airdrop Tests of Ground Mobility Vehicle
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Army Performs Airdrop Tests of Ground Mobility Vehicle


Army Performs Airdrop Tests of Ground Mobility VehicleA U.S. Army directorate has performed low-velocity airdrop tests of a new ground vehicle designed to support tactical operations in urban and non-urban environments.

The airborne and special operations test directorate within the Army Operational Test Command tested the Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1, the service branch said Friday.

GMV 1.1 can be airdropped with parachute systems and transportable through CH-47 Chinook, C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III platforms.

Aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps will provide aerial support for the vehicle.

Lt. Col. Greg Oquendo, test division chief at ABNSOTD, said the GMV 1.1 is built to support core special operations forces activities such as special reconnaissance, counterinsurgency and unconventional warfare missions.

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Report: Former JPMorgan Exec Dana Deasy Named DoD CIO
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Report: Former JPMorgan Exec Dana Deasy Named DoD CIO


Report: Former JPMorgan Exec Dana Deasy Named DoD CIO
Dana Deasy

Dana Deasy, formerly chief information officer at JPMorgan Chase, will serve as the Defense Department’s new CIO starting early May, Federal News Radio reported Thursday.

Deasy will oversee cybersecurity, data use and communication efforts as DoD begins to adopt cloud platforms to help accelerate the decision-making process on the battlefield, Dana White, a spokeswoman for the Pentagon, said during a press briefing Thursday.

“He will also bring greater accountability to the department’s information security posture,” White added.

Deasy moved to JPMorgan in 2013 from oil company BP, where he served as CIO and vice president with oversight on global procurement and information technology.

He also held senior IT positions at several companies such as Siemens, General Motors and Tyco.

Deasy will take over the role from Essye Miller, DoD’s deputy chief information officer for cybersecurity who has been serving as the Pentagon’s CIO on an interim basis since December.

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US, UK Troops Participate in Army-Led Multinational Joint Equipment Training Brief
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US, UK Troops Participate in Army-Led Multinational Joint Equipment Training Brief


US, UK Troops Participate in Army-Led Multinational Joint Equipment Training Brief

Some Defense Department personnel joined U.S. and U.K troops have observed demonstrations of unmanned aerial tools during a multinational joint equipment training brief held in Germany.

Civilian members of the U.S. Army‘s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center led the event that featured the Instant Eye, Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System and Puma drones, DoD said Thursday.

The course was meant to prepare service members for the Robotic Complex Breach Concept showcase.

Army Staff Sgt. Brian Logan said that Instant Eye works to detect hazardous exposure such as chemical and biological threats and helps prevent chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear injury through avoidance.

Kenneth Martin, a Puma system operator, said the small unmanned aircraft employs a change-detection software to discern possible hazards through the identification of alterations to routes or roads.

Beler Watts, an LMAMS spokesman, said the direct-fire missile is designed to neutralize enemy targets and soft-shell vehicles and leave a low collateral damage footprint.

Soldiers will demonstrate new air and ground equipment at the upcoming breach concept exercise.

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Dan Coats: US Needs to Stay Competitive as Adversaries Launch Space Tech Devt Efforts
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Dan Coats: US Needs to Stay Competitive as Adversaries Launch Space Tech Devt Efforts


Dan Coats: US Needs to Stay Competitive as Adversaries Launch Space Tech Devt Efforts
Dan Coats

National Intelligence Director Dan Coats has said the U.S. needs to ramp up efforts to maintain its technological edge as several countries develop anti-satellite systems, space-based navigation and surveillance platforms that could potentially challenge U.S. space dominance, SpaceNews reported Wednesday.

“We have to up our game if we’re going to stay competitive… We have to become much more agile, more innovative, more creative,” Coats, a 2018 Wash100 recipient, told reporters during a breakfast meeting Wednesday.

He said space has evolved into “an ever more important domain” and that several countries such as Russia and China have initiated efforts to develop space capabilities based on a threat assessment report the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released in February.

“That includes anti-satellite capabilities. We track that very, very carefully,” Coats added.

He noted about the Defense Department‘s role in the establishment of a new space force and that the creation of such a military branch should be based on national security requirements.

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Maj. Gen. Christopher Ballard Named NSA SIGINT Deputy Director
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Maj. Gen. Christopher Ballard Named NSA SIGINT Deputy Director


Maj. Gen. Christopher Ballard Named NSA SIGINT Deputy Director
Christopher Ballard

Maj. Gen. Christopher Ballard, commanding general of the U.S. Army‘s Intelligence and Security Command, has been assigned to the National Security Agency as deputy director for NSA’s signals intelligence directorate.

Gen. Mark Milley, the Army chief of staff, announced Ballard’s new assignment in a Defense Department news release published Wednesday.

Ballard will support NSA’s efforts to collect information about foreign powers, organizations or persons using communications systems, radars and weapons systems that pose national security threats to U.S.

Ballard assumed his role as INSCOM leader at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in 2016.

He previously served as an intelligence officer and led multiple company, battalion and brigade units.

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Transcom, Pentagon’s CAPE Org Start Mobility Requirements Study
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Transcom, Pentagon’s CAPE Org Start Mobility Requirements Study


Transcom, Pentagon's CAPE Org Start Mobility Requirements StudyThe U.S. Transportation Command and the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation organization have partnered to determine the number of airlift, tanker and sealift platforms needed to support combatant command missions.

The Mobility Capabilities and Requirements Study, mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2018, aims to identify fleet requirements necessary to address the National Defense Strategy, Transcom said March 29.

Gen. Darren McDew, commander of Transcom, told House Armed Services committee members at a hearing that there are potential gaps between the needs and capacities for air refueling and organic sealift.

“The combination of an aging fleet, increasing demand and global tanker distribution puts a significant strain on this scarce national resource,” McDew added.

Transcom aims to complete the MCRS-18 study this fall.

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Global Cyber Alliance: 18 of White House Email Domains Fail to Deploy DMARC Security Protocol
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Global Cyber Alliance: 18 of White House Email Domains Fail to Deploy DMARC Security Protocol


Global Cyber Alliance: 18 of White House Email Domains Fail to Deploy DMARC Security ProtocolA new Global Cyber Alliance report says 18 of the 26 email domains managed by the executive office of the president have not begun implementing the Domain Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance protocol.

GCA said Wednesday it also found that seven of the White House email domains have deployed the DMARC protocol at the “none” level, which works to facilitate email monitoring but fails to block spoofed emails.

The report noted that Max.gov is the only White House email domain that has deployed the highest-level DMARC policy that works to block email spoofing and phishing activities.

“The lack of full DMARC deployment across nearly every EOP email address poses a national security risk that must be fixed,” said Philip Reitinger, president and CEO of GCA.

“The EOP domains that have recently deployed DMARC at its lowest setting include WhiteHouse.gov and EOP.gov, two of the most significant government domains,” Reitinger added.

EOP oversees email domains such as WhiteHouse.gov, Budget.gov, OMB.gov, USTR.gov, OSTP.gov and EOP.gov.

The Department of Homeland Security released a directive in October 2017 to help federal agencies protect emails and websites from cyber threats through the adoption of DMARC and other security protocols.

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