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Report: Trump to Ink Executive Order on Cybersecurity Tuesday
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Report: Trump to Ink Executive Order on Cybersecurity Tuesday


Report: Trump to Ink Executive Order on Cybersecurity TuesdayPresident Donald Trump is set to sign Tuesday an executive order that would require reviews of the U.S. government’s defensive and offensive cyber capabilities, Reuters reported Monday.

Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the order would authorize audit of cyber capabilities at federal agencies and seek feedback on how to build up efforts to protect critical infrastructure from cyber vulnerabilities.

Dustin Volz and Steve Holland write the news on the order comes after U.S. intelligence agencies found about Russia’s cyber hacking operations during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The executive order would require the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to submit within 60 days a review of the country’s principal cyber adversaries and ask the secretary of the Commerce Department to identify options on how to provide incentives to the private sector for the adoption of cybersecurity measures, according to a draft version of the document obtained by The Washington Post.

The proposed policy would also direct the Defense Department to collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security and National Security Agency to conduct a workforce development assessment focused on cybersecurity, according to the draft order.

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DARPA Picks 30 Contenders for EM Spectrum Collaboration Competition Phase 1
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DARPA Picks 30 Contenders for EM Spectrum Collaboration Competition Phase 1


DARPA Picks 30 Contenders for EM Spectrum Collaboration Competition Phase 1The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected 22 teams and eight individuals for the first phase of a $3.75 million competition that seeks to leverage machine learning platforms to provide civilian and military wireless devices access to the electromagnetic spectrum.

The Spectrum Collaboration Challenge calls for competitors to create a wireless spectrum paradigm that would allow radio networks to collaborate and share the RF spectrum with other networks through the use of artificial intelligence-based technologies and software-defined radios, DARPA said Monday.

“SC2 sets out to bring the software defined radio and artificial intelligence communities together to fundamentally rethink 100 years of spectrum practice, and tackle the original and enduring spectrum grand challenge: efficient coexistence of all wireless communications,” said Paul Tilghman, SC2 administrator and a program manager at DARPA’s microsystems technology office.

Six contenders obtained spots in the Proposal Track that covers $500,000 in contract funds as part of the preliminary competition, while the 24 participants vied for slots through the Open Track option of the SC2 competition that was unveiled in March 2016.

DARPA will hold the preliminary competition in December and the challenge’s second phase in December 2018 and then select the top three winners by the end of 2019.

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President Trump: Lockheed Cuts Price on Next F-35 Production Lot
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President Trump: Lockheed Cuts Price on Next F-35 Production Lot


President Trump: Lockheed Cuts Price on Next F-35 Production LotPresident Donald Trump has said Lockheed Martin moved to lower the price of the next batch of 90 F-35s by approximately $600 million, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Aaron Gregg writes Trump made the statement after weeks of discussion with Lockheed CEO Marillyn Hewson about the program’s cost.

Last month, Hewson gave Trump her personal commitment to drive down the cost of F-35 production.

The report said each fighter aircraft costs an estimated $100 million and Lockheed expects the price to drop to as low as $85 million as production volume increases.

Lt. Gen Chris Bogdan, head of the F-35 Joint Program Office, told reporters Dec. 20 that price of F-35 could decrease by six to seven percent per unit in the Defense Department‘s latest order.

The U.S. Air Force‘s budget also takes into account cost reduction of roughly $10 million per aircraft between 2016 and 2017, Gregg wrote.

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DoD Officials: Trump’s Memo Does Not Alter Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair’s Advisory Role in NSC
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DoD Officials: Trump’s Memo Does Not Alter Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair’s Advisory Role in NSC


DoD Officials: Trump's Memo Does Not Alter Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair’s Advisory Role in NSCOfficials at the Defense Department have said Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will continue to provide military advice to the National Security Council, DoD News reported Monday.

Jim Garamone writes DoD officials noted that an executive memorandum President Donald Trump signed Saturday does not have an impact on Dunford’s role as a senior military adviser to NSC members.

The report said Trump’s memo deals with the reorganization of the NSC and Homeland Security Council.

“There has been no change in the role of the chairman in 16 years,” said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a spokesman for DoD.

Defense Secretary James Mattis “consults with the chairman on every decision he makes that impacts either directly or indirectly, our men and women in uniform” and wants Dunford to be present at times when NSC tackles national security issues, Davis added, according to the report.

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Lt. Gen. James McConville: Army Eyes Integrated Personnel and Pay System
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Lt. Gen. James McConville: Army Eyes Integrated Personnel and Pay System


Lt. Gen. James McConville: Army Eyes Integrated Personnel and Pay SystemLt. Gen. James McConville, the U.S. Army‘s deputy chief of staff, has said the service branch plans to update its personnel management system in an effort to gain knowledge on the behaviors and skills of active-duty and reserve troops.

He said in an interview published Monday that the branch seeks an integrated personnel and pay system that will contain all personnel records and offer visibility  across the entire force.

“We also want to know what soldiers want to do and where they want to go.”

“If we can match these desires and have them do the things they are passionate about where they want to do them, we think we will be a much better Army going forward.”

The updated system will work to define soldiers with other variables such as countries visited, language skills, airborne or assault qualification, number of combat deployments, certification and hobbies to have an idea of what each individual can contribute to the Army, according to McConville.

He added the effort aligns with the chief of staff’s readiness priority which covers four factors including equipping, manning, leader development and training.

The service branch also seeks to add new screening measures in a push to recruit the best quality soldiers needed for future missions.

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SEC COO Jeffery Heslop to Step Down in February, Kenneth Johnson Named Acting COO
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SEC COO Jeffery Heslop to Step Down in February, Kenneth Johnson Named Acting COO


SEC COO Jeffery Heslop to Step Down in February, Kenneth Johnson Named Acting COOJeffery Heslop, chief operating officer of the Securities and Exchange Commission since 2010, is due to leave SEC next month.

SEC Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Johnson will succeed Heslop on an acting basis after the latter steps down, the commission said Friday.

Heslop helped integrate innovation into the agency’s approaches to manage human capital, business processes, internal controls and technology infrastructure during his seven-year tenure there.

He also led the improvement of financial management and information security internal controls and compliance as well as the modernization of outdated technology platforms and business processes at the commission.

“As the SEC’s first COO, Jeff helped the agency streamline operations and leverage resources to more effectively serve the investors and markets,” said SEC Acting Chairman Michael Piwowar.

Heslop previously served as managing vice president of information risk management at Capital One and spent 22 years at the U.S. Army before he retired from military service with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

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Proposed Bill Would Require NASA to Develop Long-Range Human Spaceflight Strategy
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Proposed Bill Would Require NASA to Develop Long-Range Human Spaceflight Strategy


Proposed Bill Would Require NASA to Develop Long-Range Human Spaceflight StrategySen. John Cornyn and Rep. John Culberson, both Republicans from Texas, have introduced a bill that would require NASA to craft a strategic plan for human space exploration missions.

Cornyn’s office said Tuesday the Mapping a New and Innovative Focus on our Exploration Strategy for Human Spaceflight Act seeks to designate astronaut landing on Mars as NASA’s long-term exploration goal.

“By requiring a strategic plan from NASA, this bill will help focus existing resources towards achieving our long-term goal of landing a human on Mars,” said Cornyn.

The legislation would also mandate the space agency to update its exploration strategy every five years and work with the National Academy of Sciences to develop the final strategy.

Both Cornyn and Culberson authored the bill based on recommendations from the “Pathways to Exploration: Rationales and Approaches for a U.S. Program of Human Space Exploration” report the National Academies’ Committee on Human Spaceflight published in 2014.

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Army, Marine Corps Form Joint Task Force to Support Multi-Domain Battle Concept Dev’t
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Army, Marine Corps Form Joint Task Force to Support Multi-Domain Battle Concept Dev’t


Army, Marine Corps Form Joint Task Force to Support Multi-Domain Battle Concept Dev'tSenior leaders of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps have established a joint task force to identify new tactics for soldiers to engage enemies in the battlefield as part of the service branches’ multi-domain battle concept development effort.

Gen. Mark Milley, chief of staff of the Army, and Marine Gen. Robert Neller have also produced a white paper about the concept that will be sent to Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for approval, the Army said Friday.

The Army Training and Doctrine Command leads the development of the concept that will involve soldiers’ use of land-based missiles to sink ships and utilization of cyber and electromagnetic tactics to help units get inside enemy territory.

Gen. David Perkins, head of the Army Training and Doctrine Command, said that the U.S. Army Pacific and Joint Pacific Command partnered to plan testing of warfighting ideas in the spring.

“I think what you’re absolutely going to find are combat vehicles that have multiple purposes and can operate in multiple modes,” added Perkins.

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VA Exempts Contracting, Healthcare Positions from Trump’s Federal Hiring Freeze
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VA Exempts Contracting, Healthcare Positions from Trump’s Federal Hiring Freeze


VA Exempts Contracting, Healthcare Positions from Trump’s Federal Hiring FreezeThe Department of Veterans Affairs has exempted contracting, construction and project management professionals from the federal hiring freeze as VA starts construction projects and leases at over 20 medical centers and health facilities, Federal News Radio reported Friday.

Nicole Ogrysko writes President Donald Trump issued a Jan. 23 memo that would bar federal agencies from hiring new employees until the Office of Management and Budget drafts a plan over the next three months on how to implement attrition to shrink the size of the federal workforce.

Rob Snyder, acting VA secretary, said in a Friday memo that the exemption will also cover doctors, nurses, medical center directors, pharmacists, therapies and physicians assistants at VA’s outpatient clinics and medical centers in an effort to facilitate the continuous delivery of healthcare to veterans.

Snyder added that exemptions may also be granted for some support positions at VA’s office of acquisitions, logistics and construction, Ogrysko reports.

The department’s move comes after Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana) and Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minnesota), ranking members of the Senate and House Veterans Affairs committees, led a group of 55 lawmakers to call on Trump to consider the potential impact of the hiring freeze on veterans’ medical care and disability claims backlog, the report added.

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FCC White Paper Outlines Plan to Mitigate Cyber Risks
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FCC White Paper Outlines Plan to Mitigate Cyber Risks


FCC White Paper Outlines Plan to Mitigate Cyber RisksThe Federal Communications Commission has published a white paper that details FCC’s strategy to help the telecommunications sector address cybersecurity risks.

FCC aims to promote cyber risk management best practices; urge providers to incorporate cyber during the development of new products and services; and tighten network outage and data breach reporting requirements, according to the white paper published Jan. 18.

The commission’s strategy also includes real-time information sharing with federal government and industry partners as well as the identification of cybersecurity as a matter of public interest.

The white paper also outlines cyber issues that will require FCC’s involvement such as the projected expansion of the internet of things to 200 billion connected devices.

The increase in potential attack vectors will necessitate “diligence and fresh thinking” from FCC and network operators, according to the document.

FCC also seeks to address the “unique vulnerability” of small and medium telecommunications companies that lack resources to invest in cybersecurity.

The commission added it prefers to work with industry to promote balance between corporate and consumer interests in cyber risk management but that the commission has tools to restore balance “if market forces do not result in a tolerable risk outcome.”

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