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Air Force Bombers Conduct Sequenced Bilateral Mission with Japanese, South Korean Fighter Jets
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Air Force Bombers Conduct Sequenced Bilateral Mission with Japanese, South Korean Fighter Jets


Air Force Bombers Conduct Sequenced Bilateral Mission with Japanese, South Korean Fighter JetsA pair of B-1B Lancer bomber aircraft from the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam have completed a 10-hour sequenced bilateral mission with fighter jets from Japan and South Korea, DoD News reported Saturday.

U.S. Air Force officials said the exercise was conducted in response to recent North Korean actions that included an intercontinental ballistic missile launch on July 3.

“We continue to train with our Japanese allies to ensure we are ready to defend ourselves from attack,” said Lt. Gen. Jerry Martinez, commander of U.S. Forces Japan.

Pilots flew the B-1B Lancers to the Korean Peninsula to collaborate with the USAF’s F-16 units and South Korea’s F-15 jets and practice attack capacities using inert weapons.

The bomber aircraft also integrated with Japan’s F-2 planes over the East China Sea.

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Col. Matthew Kelly to Lead V-22 Joint Program Office Within NAVAIR
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Col. Matthew Kelly to Lead V-22 Joint Program Office Within NAVAIR


Col. Matthew Kelly to Lead V-22 Joint Program Office Within NAVAIRCol. Matthew Kelly, formerly MV-22 military lead for the V-22 Osprey program, has assumed leadership of the V-22 Joint Program Office within the Naval Air Systems Command and succeeded former program manager Col. Dan Robinson.

NAVAIR said Thursday Kelly will lead PMA-275’s work to oversee the full lifecycle of the tiltrotor aircraft as it supports the U.S. Marine Corps‘ medium-lift assault requirement as MV-22; the Air Force Special Operations Command‘s infiltration, exfiltration and resupply missions as CV-22; and the Joint Force Maritime Component Commander’s logistics needs as CMV-22B.

“In addition to the accomplishments of the CMV-22 and the [Japanese foreign military sale] case, the focus of each member of the V-22 Joint Program Office team has been to support the Marines and Airmen in the field through working to increase readiness levels,” Robinson, who will move on to the NAVAIR 6.0 Logistics and Industrial Operations team, said during the change-of-command ceremony Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for aviation, has noted the service is working to execute the Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization plan to re-baseline the first 129 V-22 units based on a recent independent readiness review.

Bell and Boeing collaborated to build the joint service multirole combat aircraft.

US Pledges Additional $150M to Help Stabilize Iraq
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US Pledges Additional $150M to Help Stabilize Iraq


US Pledges Additional $150M to Help Stabilize IraqThe federal government has pledged another $150 million to support a stabilization program in Iraq following the liberation of various areas in the country from the Islamic State militant group.

The U.S. Agency for International Development said Thursday it will deliver the funds to the United Nations Development Program as part of efforts to restore education, electricity, health, sewage and water systems for citizens in the liberated areas.

The additional contribution will increase the U.S. government’s total financial support for Iraq’s stabilization to $265.3 million over the past two fiscal years.

USAID added the program will also cater to temporary cash-for-work employment to jumpstart local economies and assist small businesses.

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DHS-FBI Report: Hackers Targeted Energy, Manufacturing Facilities
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DHS-FBI Report: Hackers Targeted Energy, Manufacturing Facilities


DHS-FBI Report: Hackers Targeted Energy, Manufacturing FacilitiesA joint report by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation says hackers have been launching cyber attacks against companies that run nuclear power stations, energy facilities and manufacturing plants in U.S. and other countries since May, The New York Times reported Thursday.

The report obtained by the Times said hackers e-mailed fake resumes to senior industrial control engineers who have access to critical industrial control systems.

The resumes were Microsoft Word documents that contained malicious code, which allowed attackers to steal the recipient’s credentials once a document is opened.

“There is no indication of a threat to public safety, as any potential impact appears to be limited to administrative and business networks,” DHS said in a joint statement with the FBI.

The report suggested that the attacks were carried out by an “advanced persistent threat” actor — a term that cybersecurity specialists use to refer to government-sponsored hackers, the Times noted.

Sources told the publication that the hackers’ techniques were similar to those of the Russian hacking group dubbed “Energetic Bear,” which has been linked to attacks against the energy sector.

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Mike Pence: NASA to Refocus on Human Space Exploration
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Mike Pence: NASA to Refocus on Human Space Exploration


Mike Pence: NASA to Refocus on Human Space ExplorationVice President Mike Pence has said the Trump administration seeks to redirect NASA‘s focus toward human space exploration, including flights to the moon and Mars, Space News reported Thursday.

Pence said in a speech at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center that the revival of the National Space Council will help U.S. regain leadership in space.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to relaunch the National Space Council, which last operated in 1993 under the administration of George H.W. Bush.

Pence noted he will host the council’s first meeting before the end of summer, according to the report.

He added that the council will assess current space policies and long-term goals for national space projects and advise the president on such matters.

Pence said the government also aims to foster increased partnerships between agencies and the commercial space industry.

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OSC’s Adam Miles: GSA Should Provide More Details on Financial Controls Over Acquisition Services Fund
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OSC’s Adam Miles: GSA Should Provide More Details on Financial Controls Over Acquisition Services Fund


OSC’s Adam Miles: GSA Should Provide More Details on Financial Controls Over Acquisition Services FundThe Office of Special Counsel has called on the General Services Administration to provide additional details on how it would implement strict financial controls to address issues with regard to the use of the Acquisition Services Fund, Federal News Radio reported Thursday.

Adam Miles, acting special counsel at OSC, told President Donald Trump in a letter published Wednesday that integrating GSA’s Technology Transformation Service into the Federal Acquisition Service as part of a reorganization effort does not address mismanagement concerns raised by whistleblower and former FAS commissioner Tom Sharpe about TTS.

Sharpe claimed that TTS failed to implement appropriate controls with regard to its use of ASF and has accrued $31.66 million in net losses, according to the letter.

“As GSA’s report confirms, TTS has accumulated significant losses, due to the absence of profit-generating products and an excess of highly paid employees,” Miles wrote.

“These substantial losses demonstrate that proper financial controls have not been exercised.”

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DIA’s Industry Days to Focus on AI, Machine Learning Tech
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DIA’s Industry Days to Focus on AI, Machine Learning Tech


DIA's Industry Days to Focus on AI, Machine Learning Tech
NIH image

The Defense Intelligence Agency will host a two-day event at its Washington headquarters in August to gather technology ideas from industry and academic professionals in the artificial intelligence and machine learning areas.

DIA said Thursday its innovation office aims to identify new technologies and business processes as well as introduce attendees to the agency’s Innovation Hub environment during the Industry Day series scheduled for Aug. 2 and 3.

IHUB is designed to virtually connect entrepreneurs in a collaborative environment for testing and evaluation of intelligence platforms.

“Innovation is happening in the private sector, so we want to leverage that to bring them into our agency and see how we can transform what we’re doing in the defense intelligence enterprise,” said Robert Dixon, special adviser for innovation at DIA.

The agency seeks AI and machine learning tools that can support automated reporting, data transformation, database development, information monitoring and thematic data management activities.

Interested vendors and members of the academia can submit concepts to the DIA in accordance with the “NEED 99 – Other Innovative Capabilities” list on the agency’s NeedipeDIA website.

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James Mattis: US Prefers Diplomatic, Economic Tools to Stop North Korea Threat
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James Mattis: US Prefers Diplomatic, Economic Tools to Stop North Korea Threat


James Mattis: US Prefers Diplomatic, Economic Tools to Stop North Korea Threat
James Mattis

Defense Secretary James Mattis has said the U.S. military supports the White House’s stance on potential methods to address nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, DoD News reported Thursday.

Mattis, an inductee into Executive Mosaic‘s Wash100 for 2017, told reporters Thursday at the Pentagon that President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson want to lead with diplomatic and economic efforts to resolve the problem.

He added the military remains ready to provide options to President Trump if necessary.

The Defense Department currently reviews intelligence from North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this week, according to Mattis.

He said the U.S. government is also working with China to urge North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programs.

Keith Hall: HASC’s Defense Bill Would Affect Net Direct Spending Over 10 Years
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Keith Hall: HASC’s Defense Bill Would Affect Net Direct Spending Over 10 Years


Keith Hall: HASC’s Defense Bill Would Affect Net Direct Spending Over 10 Years
Keith Hall

The Congressional Budget Office‘s preliminary estimates suggest that the implementation of the House Armed Services Committee’s proposed defense spending bill for fiscal 2018 would decrease or raise net direct spending by $500,000 from fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2020.

CBO Director Keith Hall told Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), HASC chairman, in a letter published Wednesday that fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act would result in an increase in pay forfeitures and fines due to the addition of “a specified offense under the military justice system” in the bill.

Hall noted that such increases are categorized as revenues and would amount to less than $500,000 over the next decade.

CBO also predicts the fiscal 2018 NDAA would result in the application of pay-as-you-go procedures since its passage would increase revenues and direct spending, Hall added.

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Army Develops System for Multiple UAS Control
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Army Develops System for Multiple UAS Control


Army Develops System for Multiple UAS ControlThe U.S. Army‘s aviation development directorate has built a new platform designed to help air mission commanders operate up to three unmanned aerial systems at the same time.

The Supervisory Controller for Optimal Role Allocation for Cueing of Human Operators system, or SCORCH, was developed to help air mission commanders complete tasks at a faster rate without the need for additions to operator workloads, the Army said June 29.

“The SCORCH system was designed specifically to support an AMC on board a manned helicopter during manned-unmanned teaming operations,” said Grant Taylor, ADD engineering research psychologist.

Amit Surana, principal research scientist at the United Technologies Research Center, said that UTRC helped ADD develop the supervisory control interface for the SCORCH platform, software and decision-making support tools.

Surana added the system represents an integration of new technologies in areas including autonomy, cognitive sciences, human and machine interaction.

SCORCH’s interface is designed with a touchscreen glass cockpit, a movable game-type hand controller and target recognition system.

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