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US, China Aviation Agencies Ink Agreement for Airworthiness Standards Recognition
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US, China Aviation Agencies Ink Agreement for Airworthiness Standards Recognition


US, China Aviation Agencies Ink Agreement for Airworthiness Standards RecognitionThe U.S. and China aviation agencies have signed an agreement that works to validate each country’s regulatory standards on airworthiness of flight systems.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that it has inked the Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness with the Civil Aviation Administration of China in efforts to enable both authorities to utilize each other’s approvals on design, production and airworthiness.

Applications for validation of aviation products may be submitted by both authorities under the IPA amid challenges in globalization.

The agreement is anchored on the compatibility between FAA and CAAC certification systems and serves  to realize arrangements under the U.S.-China Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement created in 2005 and the certification strategy refresh of FAA’s aircraft certification service.

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Marines Conduct Nighttime Aerial Refueling Exercise in Japan
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Marines Conduct Nighttime Aerial Refueling Exercise in Japan


Marines Conduct Nighttime Aerial Refueling Exercise in JapanU.S. Marine Corps troops in Iwakuni, Japan have commenced a nighttime aerial refueling exercise in aims to improve operational readiness and pilot proficiency.

The Defense Department said Friday the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 or VMGR-152 refueled Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121’s F-35B Lightning II aircraft and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251’s F/A-18C Hornets using a KC-130J Hercules aircraft.

“Every 180 days the squadrons should have completed at least five successful movement-to-contact scenarios with tankers to stay proficient,” said Marine Corps Maj. Brian Miller, aircraft commander at VMGR-152.

“We practice this because if we’re conducting a real-world scenario it’s not always going to be during the day. It could be in inclement weather at night,” Miller added.

The effort aims to train marines to provide aerial refueling and assault support for the Marine air-ground task force, regardless of condition and operation type.

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Report: DoD Surpasses $1.4T in Post-9/11 War Spending
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Report: DoD Surpasses $1.4T in Post-9/11 War Spending


Report: DoD Surpasses $1.4T in Post-9/11 War SpendingA new report from the Defense Department says the U.S. government has exceeded $1.46 trillion in direct war-related spending since Sept. 11, 2001.

The 74-page DoD report obtained by Secrecy News provides details on war-related appropriations and expenditures, including costs of military operations, deployed troop support and personnel and equipment transportation, the Federation of American Scientists said Sunday.

The figure includes $83 billion in classified spending, but does not cover non-DoD classified projects such as those run by the CIA.

War-related costs exclude indirect expenditures such as veterans’ benefits, healthcare support for injured personnel and post-conflict reconstruction or stabilization programs.

Total war spending, including indirect costs, exceeded $1.6 trillion in 2014, FAS said.

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NASA Mission Concept Would Seek Gravitational Wave Sources Aboard ISS
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NASA Mission Concept Would Seek Gravitational Wave Sources Aboard ISS


NASA Mission Concept Would Seek Gravitational Wave Sources Aboard ISSA proposed NASA mission aims to install an optics system aboard the International Space Station to locate and characterize sources of gravitational waves that result from powerful cosmic events.

The Transient Astrophysics Observatory on the ISS project, or ISS-TAO, is one of three mission concepts that NASA could select in 2019 as the next Explorer Mission of Opportunity, the space agency said Thursday.

ISS-TAO will feature a soft X-ray Wide-Field Imager from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and a Gamma-Ray Transient Monitor from Israel’s space agency.

The mission will look for transient X-rays and gamma rays that are released during supernovae and merging of black holes and neutron stars.

The ISS-TAO team designed the optics system based on lobsters’ eyes to provide a wide field of view necessary for the detection and imaging of unpredictable transient events.

Jordan Camp, principal investigator of ISS-TAO, said gravitational-wave observatories, such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory and the Virgo interferometer facility, can detect gravitational waves but cannot precisely locate their sources.

ISS-TAO will work to aim its optics on portions of the sky identified by LIGO and Virgo, then focus X-rays to localize and characterize gravitational wave sources on behalf of the observatories, Camp added.

He noted that ISS-TAO could be launched by 2022 if chosen as an Explorer Mission of Opportunity.

Gravitational waves give scientists a “new view” of the universe and complement existing space knowledge, NASA said.

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Cybercom Establishes Strategic Concepts to Mitigate Cyber Threats to Natl Security
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Cybercom Establishes Strategic Concepts to Mitigate Cyber Threats to Natl Security


Cybercom Establishes Strategic Concepts to Mitigate Cyber Threats to Natl SecurityThe U.S. Cyber Command has developed an operational approach to defensive cyber operations and strategic concepts which aim to help address a number of cyber threats to national security.

According to a Department of the Navy report published Wednesday Cybercom also helped establish the Proactive – Defensive Cyberspace Operations Board which works to align the resources of multiple organizations and create focused and prioritized proactive cyber protection team operations designed to strengthen the Department of Defense Information Networks.

The P-DCO Board used an intelligence and threat-based strategy to engage the total force which included cyber forces under services and combatant commanders.

The total force approach led to more than a 100 percent rise in the deployment of Cyber National Mission Force cyber protection team operations that worked to protect DoDIN from malicious threats and adversaries.

Cybercom added it developed the “Operational Guidance 3-2: Defensive Cyberspace Operations” and “Operational Guidance for Sensing” documents which respectively help plan and execute defensive cyberspace operations as well as support situational awareness.

The Cybercom team also launched Operation Gladiator Hunter which synchronizes previous efforts and sets initial benchmarks for strategic prioritization of DCO missions throughout the Defense Department.

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Report: DHS Eyes Single Data Collection Portal for Agencies
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Report: DHS Eyes Single Data Collection Portal for Agencies


Report: DHS Eyes Single Data Collection Portal for AgenciesThe Department of Homeland Security has launched an effort to develop a single portal for data collection across 47 different agencies that handle goods coming into U.S., Federal News Radio reported Friday.

The agencies participated in conference calls, workshops and agile software development to automate and consolidate more than 200 paper forms, the report said.

Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner for trade at Customs and Border Protection, told the Federal Drive radio show that the program involved support from private sector partners.

Smith advised agencies that work with industry to conduct early and frequent communications as well as agree on a solution that works for both parties.

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David Kautter Appointed IRS Acting Commissioner
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David Kautter Appointed IRS Acting Commissioner


David Kautter Appointed IRS Acting Commissioner
David Kautter

President Donald Trump has appointed David Kautter, assistant secretary for tax policy at the Treasury Department, as acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in a move that takes effect Nov. 13, the White House reported Thursday.

Kautter previously worked at professional services firm EY in positions such as director of national tax as well as national director of compensation and benefits, tax services, human resource services, tax methodology development and delivery.

The 40-year tax management veteran also served as a partner and leader of Washington National Tax at RSM US; managing director of the Kogod Tax Center at the American University’s Kogod School of Business; director of national tax at Arthur Young; tax legislative counsel at the U.S. Senate.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame and a juris doctorate from Georgetown University.

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DHS’ Michael Duffy Offers Updates on Kaspersky Anti-Virus Software’s Presence on Federal Networks
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DHS’ Michael Duffy Offers Updates on Kaspersky Anti-Virus Software’s Presence on Federal Networks


DHS’ Michael Duffy Offers Updates on Kaspersky Anti-Virus Software's Presence on Federal NetworksAn official with the Department of Homeland Security has said more than half of federal agencies had complied with the Oct. 13 deadline to identify whether they run Kaspersky Lab-developed anti-virus software on their computer networks, Nextgov reported Friday.

Michael Duffy, a DHS official, told reporters that of those compliant agencies, fewer than half reported their information systems use the Russian company’s anti-virus platform.

Duffy refused to disclose any specific percentage with regard to those that complied with the DHS deadline and those that discovered Kaspersky’s anti-virus tool in their data infrastructure.

DHS issued a binding operational directive in September that requires agencies to remove Kaspersky’s anti-virus software and related products from their information systems within 90 days due to potential security vulnerabilities and the company’s potential ties to the Russian government.

A&D Trade Group Asks Congress to Introduce ‘Revenue-Neutral’ Tax Reform Plan
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A&D Trade Group Asks Congress to Introduce ‘Revenue-Neutral’ Tax Reform Plan


A&D Trade Group Asks Congress to Introduce ‘Revenue-Neutral' Tax Reform PlanAn aerospace and defense trade group has asked Congress to devise a tax reform plan that would not contribute to budget deficit in an effort to prevent potential cuts to defense spending in the long term due to high shortfall, Defense News reported Saturday.

Doc Syers, vice president for legislative affairs at the Aerospace Industries Association, said AIA wants lawmakers to adopt a “revenue-neutral tax plan” as much as possible.

“We wanted all options to be on the table for Congress to offset the rate cuts and make tax cuts permanent,” Syers said Thursday.

“It’s up to the folks who really know all the credits and loopholes and deductions to balance that load and find the best possible situation — and that’s where we find ourselves at the moment.”

AIA also calls for Congress to implement a tax overhaul plan that would replace the worldwide tax system with a structure in which U.S. companies owe tax on domestic profits only.

Companies “want the certainty that comes with permanent tax changes over a decade that allow them to make basic business decisions on investments in [research and development], on whether to modernize plants, whether to do hires and which technologies to explore,” Syers added.

AIA represents defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics.

The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to introduce a tax measure over the next two weeks, the report added.

The trade group’s call came a week after the Senate passed its fiscal 2018 budget resolution that would authorize a tax reform plan.

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Former NASA Chief Michael Griffin to be Nominated DoD Acquisition Deputy Undersecretary
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Former NASA Chief Michael Griffin to be Nominated DoD Acquisition Deputy Undersecretary


Former NASA Chief Michael Griffin to be Nominated DoD Acquisition Deputy Undersecretary
Michael Griffin

President Donald Trump will nominate Michael Griffin, former NASA administrator, as principal deputy defense undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, Reuters reported Saturday.

Once confirmed, Griffin is expected to transition to the role of defense undersecretary for research and engineering by February 2018 as part of a reorganization plan the Defense Department announced in August.

DoD plans to split the AT&L undersecretary role into two positions in which one will oversee acquisition and sustainment functions – USDA&S – while the other undersecretary will be responsible for R&E efforts.

Griffin, who led NASA between 2005 and 2009, recently worked at Schafer Corp. as chairman and CEO.

He held various roles at NASA such as chief engineer and associate administrator for exploration.

He previously served as president and chief operating officer at In-Q-Tel and space department head at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

Griffin also held senior leadership roles at Orbital ATK’s predecessor, Orbital Sciences, such as general manager of space systems group and CEO of the company’s Magellan systems division.

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