US Army, Air Force Ammo Shipment Arrives in Germany
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US Army, Air Force Ammo Shipment Arrives in Germany


army-ammunitionMore than 600 shipping containers that carry U.S. Army and Air Force ammunition have arrived at a port in Nordenham, Germany and subsequently transferred to Miesau Army depot for storage and distribution.

Depot personnel unloaded the shipment for storage and transfer to other locations in Germany before the ammunition is distributed to various locations throughout Europe, the Army said Tuesday.

“The shipment by itself is special because it’s over 620 containers,” said Lt. Col. Brad Culligan, commander of the 838th transportation battalion within the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.

Culligan added that the delivery of ammunition to Germany is part of the U.S. military’s continued effort to grow its presence in Europe and reassure the country in terms of common defense.

“We’re bringing ammunition into the theater to resupply and set the stage for the European theater for any type of exercises or potential future missions that may come about,” Culligan said.

Culligan oversaw the distribution of the shipment to trains bound for other facilities in Germany.

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DSCA’s Joseph Rixey: US Foreign Military Sales Reached $34B in FY 2016
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DSCA’s Joseph Rixey: US Foreign Military Sales Reached $34B in FY 2016


Joseph Rixey
Joseph Rixey

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has announced that the U.S. recorded $33.6 billion in total foreign military sales for fiscal year 2016.

DSCA said Tuesday the figure consists of $25.7 billion in deals funded by partner countries; $5 billion in building partner capacity transactions; and $2.9 billion in FMS-related deals.

“Fiscal Year 2016 sales were strong and demonstrate that the FMS process is responsive,” said Vice Adm. Joseph Rixey, director of DSCA.

“This year’s totals indicate that our partners continue to seek the quality products and services we offer.”

The State Department’s secretary oversees the FMS process under the Arms Export Control Act in an effort to help the U.S. government facilitate the sale of defense equipment, military training and other defense services to foreign countries and international organizations.

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Capt. Christopher Flaherty Appointed Commodore of Commander Task Force 57
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Capt. Christopher Flaherty Appointed Commodore of Commander Task Force 57


capt-christopher-flaherty-capt-brett-coffeyCapt. Christopher Flaherty has taken helm as the Commander Task Force 57’s commodore after a U.S. Naval Force Central Command-hosted change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

The U.S. Navy said Tuesday Flaherty has succeeded Capt. Brett Coffey who will report to the Ohio State University Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps unit in Columbus, Ohio as a professor of Naval Science following a nearly two-year stint with CTF 57.

“[Coffey] did all this hard work and he did it by paying attention to his Sailors,” said Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.

CTF 57 offers maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft across the U.S. 5th fleet area of operations and supports four task groups that include more than 650 personnel that operate from four countries.

CBO: Federal Budget Deficit Rose to $587B in FY 2016
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CBO: Federal Budget Deficit Rose to $587B in FY 2016


BudgetA new Congressional Budget Office report says the federal budget deficit in fiscal year 2016 ended Sept. 30 reached $587 billion, about $148 billion higher than the shortfall recorded in the previous fiscal year.

CBO said Monday the FY 2016 budget deficit was equivalent to 3.2 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product in 2016, up from 2.5 percent of GDP in 2015.

The agency attributed approximately $41 billion of the deficit increase to the shift in the timing of government payments.

Government revenues in FY 2016 hit $3.3 trillion that represented 17.8 percent of GDP in 2016, down from 18.1 percent recorded in the previous year but above the average of 17.4 percent over the past five decades, according to CBO.

The congressional budget watchdog also found that net government spending reached $3.9 trillion in FY 2016, a $166 billion increase in outlays recorded in FY 2015.

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Navy Kicks Off Search for Automation, Data Analytics Developers for 2016 SECNAC Innovation Awards
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Navy Kicks Off Search for Automation, Data Analytics Developers for 2016 SECNAC Innovation Awards


additivemanufacturingThe Department of the Navy has begun its search for naval officers, Marines and other service personnel who have developed novel platforms and capabilities in support of the military branch’s missions as part of the 2016 Secretary of the Navy Innovation Awards.

The service branch seeks to recognize innovators in eight categories that include technology development, automated process development, data analytics, innovation leadership, innovation scholar, enlisted innovator, innovation catalyst and outside the box, the Navy said Monday.

Under the technology development category, the Navy seeks new software and hardware platforms in various areas such as additive manufacturing, unmanned systems, robotics, renewable energy, virtual reality and human-machine teaming.

“I want the entire workforce, from the most senior admirals, generals and civilian executives to recruits and officer candidates, to look for ways to improve their organizations and accomplish their missions,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said.

The military branch also launched a contest to design trophies for SECNAV Innovation Awards recipients.

The Navy will accept nominations through Dec. 31 and announce the winners in March.

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DHS, APCO Form Public-Safety Mobile App Security Partnership
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DHS, APCO Form Public-Safety Mobile App Security Partnership


mobile securityThe Department of Homeland Security and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International have partnered to help the first responder community secure mobile applications.

DHS said Monday its science and technology directorate will offer funds and technical support to help APCO refine an evaluation program that will aid interoperability, reliability and security of public safety apps used by citizens and state and local agencies.

The partnership will build on efforts of DHS’ cybersecurity division and first responders group to secure mobile apps across the federal government as well as APCO’s efforts to educate app developers and determine security requirements for public safety users.

DHS added the collaboration seeks to engage public safety professionals, application developers and security experts through workshops, direct consultation and stakeholder events.

S&T began to fund Kryptowire in 2015 to support efforts to evaluate and protect mobile apps designed for first responders.

APCO will work with Kryptowire to apply the latter’s app testing platform to public safety apps offered on AppComm — APCO’s repository of public safety and emergency response apps.

The nonprofit organization’s online mobile app store offers more than 200 apps for iOS and Android devices.

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Army Reserve, Carnegie Mellon University Establish Database to Support Cyber Talent Identification
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Army Reserve, Carnegie Mellon University Establish Database to Support Cyber Talent Identification


PeopleThe U.S. Army Reserve and Carnegie Mellon University have developed a database designed to support cyber talent identification tasks of the reserve unit and help track skills soldiers develop in civilian jobs.

The Army said Friday its reserve component has discussed plans with the Army Cyber Command on the potential adaptation of the Cyber Warrior Database as a standardized tool of the cyber force for talent management.

Col. James Chatfield said CWARD is intended as similar to a casting tool that helps select a particular actor with a specific talent set that fits the need for a particular film.

Chatfield added that the database can support talent identification tasks as well as provide details on the qualifications of soldiers in all the standard Army ASIs as well as a soldier’s practical experience on various missions from their civilian lives and as a cyber soldier and reservist.

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CBO: Senate’s NASA Authorization Bill to Cost $19.4B From 2017 to 2021
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CBO: Senate’s NASA Authorization Bill to Cost $19.4B From 2017 to 2021


International Space StationA new Congressional Budget Office report says a proposed Senate bill that would require NASA to create a transition plan to facilitate the involvement of industry partners and partner countries in the International Space Station would cost $19.4 billion to implement over five years.

CBO said in a report published Monday that the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2016 would result in the application of pay-as-you-go procedures since its passage would lead to a $35 million increase in net direct spending from 2017 through 2026.

According to the report, the proposed legislation would authorize $19.5 billion in fiscal year 2017 appropriations for NASA and require the agency to develop propulsion systems and strategic framework designed to facilitate human space flight to Mars.

The passage of the proposed legislation “would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits by more than $5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027” and would not impose costs on local, state and tribal governments, CBO added.

CBO noted that the bill also lacks private-sector or intergovernmental mandates based on the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not have an impact on revenues.

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NASA Plans 6 Small Satellite Missions to Support Earth Science Research
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NASA Plans 6 Small Satellite Missions to Support Earth Science Research


CubeSatNASA aims to launch six small satellite missions beginning this month to study Earth’s hurricanes, energy budget, aerosols and weather.

The agency said Tuesday small satellites are often deployed as “secondary payload” aboard other missions’ rockets.

The Radiometer Assessment using Vertically Aligned Nanotubes CubeSat will be launched this month to monitor changes in Earth’s energy budget at the top of the atmosphere to help identify greenhouse gas effects on climate, NASA added.

NASA also plans to launch IceCube and the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter CubeSats in 2017 to provide data that will support scientists’ study of clouds.

IceCube is designed to measure cloud ice through a miniature high-frequency microwave radiometer while HARP is built to measure airborne particles and the distribution of cloud droplet sizes.

The Microwave Radiometer Technology Acceleration will also be deployed in 2017 with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Joint Polar Satellite System-1 to gather data on temperature, water vapor and cloud ice for weather forecasting and storm tracking, NASA added.

NASA will launch Cyclone, Global Navigation Satellite System — a constellation of eight small satellites that will measure wind intensity over the ocean in efforts to provide insights into tropical cyclones.

The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats or TROPICS will explore insides of hurricanes through a constellation of 12 CubeSats, according to the agency.

TROPICS will use radiometer instruments based on MiRaTA to regularly measure temperature and water vapor profiles throughout the life cycle of every storm, the agency added.

NASA’s Earth science technology office funds and manages RAVAN, HARP, IceCube and MiRaTA while CYGNSS and TROPICS also benefited from the office’s technology investments.

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Commerce Dept Awards Grants to 24 Universities Via Economic Devt Program Competition; Penny Pritzker Comments
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Commerce Dept Awards Grants to 24 Universities Via Economic Devt Program Competition; Penny Pritzker Comments


mentorThe Commerce Department has awarded $2.5 million in total grants to 24 universities and colleges as winners of a competition that seeks to build up regional economies and promote innovation.

The department awarded the grants as part of the Economic Development Administration’s 2016 University Center Economic Development Program Competition, the Commerce Department said Monday.

“The investments announced today will allow these higher education institutions to build the public-private partnerships that are so vital to helping America stay innovative and competitive in the 21st century,” said Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.

Awardees will use the grants to implement five-year initiatives, such as the provision of technical assistance to businesses, entrepreneurs and economic development districts; support to the digital game industry; and establishment of a cybersecurity research center.

Awardees include:

  • Becker College
  • Bowling Green State University in partnership with Ohio University in Athens
  • Cleveland State University
  • Delaware State University
  • Marshall University
  • Michigan State University
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • Purdue University in partnership with Ball State University
  • Rutgers University
  • The Research Foundation for the State University of New York
  • University of Connecticut
  • University of Illinois-Champaign
  • University of Illinois-Chicago
  • University of Maryland
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Puerto Rico
  • University of Rochester
  • University of Southern Maine
  • University of Wisconsin in Madison
  • University of Wisconsin in Menomonie
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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