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Rear Adm. William Merz to Head Navy Undersea Warfare Division
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Rear Adm. William Merz to Head Navy Undersea Warfare Division


William_Merz
William Merz

Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) William Merz has been named director of the undersea warfare division, or N97, at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and promoted to rear admiral upper half.

He most recently served as commander of the Navy’s Task Force 74, Submarine Group Seven and Task Force 54 in Japan, the Defense Department said Friday.

As N97 director, he will be responsible for the planning, programming and budgeting for acquisition, operational readiness and modernization of the submarine force and its support.

Merz previously led the Naval Mine & Anti-Submarine Warfare Command, Task Force 77, Task Force 144, Naval Reactors Line Locker and Submarine Forces Atlantic.

He also held positions aboard the USS Haddo, USS Boise and USS Proteus submarines and supported various U.S., joint and coalition submarine operations overseas.

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Reps. Jim Langevin, John Ratcliffe Propose Bills to Facilitate U.S.-Israel Cybersecurity R&D Partnerships
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Reps. Jim Langevin, John Ratcliffe Propose Bills to Facilitate U.S.-Israel Cybersecurity R&D Partnerships


cyberReps. Jim Langevin (D-Rhode Island) and John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) have introduced bills that seek to facilitate research and development collaboration in cybersecurity between the U.S. and Israel.

The proposed United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2016 seeks to establish a grant program for joint cybersecurity R&D projects, Langevin’s office said in a statement released Thursday.

Under this proposed legislation, the Department of Homeland Security secretary will subject grant applications to a peer-review process based on research requirements set by DHS and an advisory panel to be composed of members from existing partnerships, including the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation.

The proposed United States-Israel Advanced Research Partnership Act of 2016 aims to advance the development and commercialization of cybersecurity platforms through collaboration between DHS and Israel’s public security ministry.

Langevin and Ratcliffe proposed the bills two months after congressional delegates traveled to Israel to discuss cyber threats faced by both countries.

The U.S. and Israel also signed in June an agreement that seeks to expand cyber defense collaboration through cyber threat information sharing.

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DoD Eyes New Recruitment System for Civilian Cyber Employees; Karl Schneider Comments
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DoD Eyes New Recruitment System for Civilian Cyber Employees; Karl Schneider Comments


cybersecurityThe Defense Department has launched efforts to establish a personnel system for the recruitment of employees for civilian cyber posts, Federal News Radio reported Friday.

Jared Serbu writes DoD submitted on June 24 a report to Congress on how the department plans to implement the excepted service for civilian cyber workforce in compliance with the 2016 defense authorization law and the U.S. Code’s title 10.

The 2016 defense authorization law authorizes the DoD secretary to hire and subject cyber employees to a probationary period of three years as well as retain those workers through bonuses and additional pay, Serbu reports.

Karl Schneider, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs, said the Pentagon plans to consider the National Security Agency’s supplemental pay and pay setting system as a model to recruit cyber professionals, according to the report.

“[The personnel system is] going to be a phased approach, starting with a small number of people in the headquarters,” Schneider said at an Association of the U.S. Army forum in Arlington, Virginia.

The report said DoD will set up a board to manage the civilian cyber workforce personnel system.

The Pentagon’s chief information officer will co-chair the cyber workforce management board with DoD’s principal cyber adviser and defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, the report added.

NASA Completes Review, Development Phase of Next Mars Rover; Geoffrey Yoder Comments
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NASA Completes Review, Development Phase of Next Mars Rover; Geoffrey Yoder Comments


Mars 2020 roverNASA is set to kick off the final design and construction phases for the next Mars rover after the space agency completed the review process and development milestone for the vehicle.

The new rover, scheduled for launch to Mars in summer 2020, will work to collect soil and rock samples and probe the Red Planet’s area where scientists believe the ancient environment allowed for microbial life, NASA said Saturday.

“This mission marks a significant milestone in NASA’s Journey to Mars – to determine whether life has ever existed on Mars, and to advance our goal of sending humans to the Red Planet,” said Geoffrey Yoder, acting associate administrator of NASA’s science mission directorate.

The rover is designed to also deposit soil and rock samples on the surface for return on a potential mission to retrieve samples.

“The Mars 2020 rover is the first step in a potential multi-mission campaign to return carefully selected and sealed samples of Martian rocks and soil to Earth,” Yoder added.

Set to reach Mars in February 2021, the rover will incorporate two science instruments to find areas for sample collection through analysis of the chemical, mineral, physical and organic characteristics of Martian rocks.

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Cybercom Task Force Aims to Implement Digital Weapons Against Islamic State Group
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Cybercom Task Force Aims to Implement Digital Weapons Against Islamic State Group


cyberwarfareAdm. Michael Rogers, head of the U.S. Cyber Command, has formed a task force to create digital weapons meant to disrupt the Islamic State militant organization’s online activities, the Washington Post reported Friday.

Ellen Nakashima and Missy Ryan write Joint Task Force Ares, led by Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon, will coordinate with the U.S. Central Command in efforts to damage the networks, computers and mobile phones of the Islamic State group.

The task force comprises approximately 100 military intelligence personnel and staff members at Fort Meade in Maryland, according to the report.

Officials said the unit aims to disrupt Islamic State group-related payment systems as well as identify and destroy the communications platform or Dabiq online magazine of the militant organization, the report states.

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Ashton Carter Raises Concerns About Fiscal 2017 Defense Policy Bill
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Ashton Carter Raises Concerns About Fiscal 2017 Defense Policy Bill


Ashton Carter
Ashton Carter

Defense Secretary Ash Carter has sent a letter to the leaders of House and Senate Armed Services Committees to outline his concerns about funding strategies and certain measures contained in the fiscal 2017 defense policy bill, DoD News reported Thursday.

Terri Moon Cronk writes Carter is concerned about a 2017 National Defense Authorization Act provision that would redirect $18 billion in wartime funds toward manpower and equipment acquisition programs.

Carter said he believes that several other provisions of the bill do not consider the resource environment and proposed force-posture updates while a proposal to separate the Defense Department‘s acquisition, technology and logistics functions could lead to “excessive and unproductive micromanagement” of the department.

“It’s important to note that Secretary Carter’s message to Congress reiterates that if legislation in the current form of either the House or the Senate bill is presented to the president, the secretary will recommend a veto of that legislation,” said Peter Cook, Pentagon press secretary.

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Army’s Cyber Org Receives Service Component Command Designation; Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon Comments
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Army’s Cyber Org Receives Service Component Command Designation; Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon Comments


CyberStockThe U.S. Army Cyber Command has been designated by the Department of the Army as an Army service component command.

ARCYBER will work in support of the U.S. Cyber Command as well as lead and execute operations in cyber space in an effort to deny cyber access to potential adversaries under the ASCC status, the Army reported Thursday.

“A dedicated Army service component command for the cyber domain is an important step to strengthen the Army’s ability to deliver important cyber capabilities and synchronize operations for the Army and joint force,” said Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon, commander of ARCYBER and Second Army.

The ASCC designation that was granted through a general order signed on July 11 also authorizes the ARCYBER commander to collect resources necessary to develop and use cyber capabilities in order to support the joint force’s efforts.

CBO: State Dept Authorization Act Would Increase Direct Spending by $6.5B Over 5 Years
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CBO: State Dept Authorization Act Would Increase Direct Spending by $6.5B Over 5 Years


budget analysis reviewThe Congressional Budget Office estimates a proposed Senate bill that would make some changes to the State Department‘s operations could trigger a $6.5 billion increase in direct spending from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal 2021.

CBO said Wednesday the Department of State Authorization Act (S. 2937) would allow the department to retain its passport and visa applications processing service fees as well as use the surcharges it collects to facilitate consular activities up to two years without further appropriation action.

The department spent more than $3.4 billion in consular fees collected during fiscal 2015 on consular, border security and information technology programs and remitted about $0.8 billion to the Treasury, according to CBO.

The bill also contains provisions that seek to expand the purposes for which the state can spend registration fees for defense-related items from manufacturers and exporters as well as extend the Fishermen’s Protection Fund through 2018.

CBO added the implementation of the bill would reduce the State Department’s net discretionary costs by nearly $50 million during the next five fiscal years.

The agency also estimates the bill would increase net direct spending and on-budget deficits by more than $5 billion over four consecutive 10-year periods from fiscal 2027.

Senate Bill Seeks to Expand Emergency Telecom Services Access
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Senate Bill Seeks to Expand Emergency Telecom Services Access


CellTowerA bill introduced in the Senate would require the Federal Communications Commission to explore new methods to expand telecommunications services access in the event of a natural disaster.

The Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act of 2016 would also mandate that the Government Accountability Office examine potential strategies for the government to increase security of emergency communications services, the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday.

“The bill also would redefine the term “essential service provider” to explicitly include certain telecommunication mediums, such as internet and cable services, in a list of entities that provide essential services,” CBO noted.

CBO estimates the bill’s requirement would increase FCC’s administrative costs by less than $500,000.

The enactment of the legislation would not affect direct federal spending or revenues nor the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments, according to CBO.

The agency said a similar bill that was passed by House members in May would generate the same budgetary effects as the Senate version.

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Navy, Coast Guard Plan New Joint Polar Icebreaker Office; Charles Michel Comments
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Navy, Coast Guard Plan New Joint Polar Icebreaker Office; Charles Michel Comments


ArcticThe U.S. Navy and Coast Guard plan to create a joint program office that will be responsible for the acquisition of a new polar icebreaker, Navy Times reported Thursday.

The chief of staff for Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-California), chairman of the House Transportation Coast Guard and maritime transportation subcommittee, told reporter Meghann Myers the Navy and Coast Guard are working on a memorandum of understanding to act as a foundation for the office’s formation.

Hunter called on the Navy in May to help the Coast Guard develop a new heavy icebreaker ship prior to its scheduled deployment in 2025.

Rep. John Garamendi (D-California) told Navy Times the service branch could use its funds and acquisition processes to procure two icebreakers for the Coast Guard over the next five-to-seven years, according to the report.

Adm. Charles Michel told the subcommittee Tuesday that the icebreakers must have navigation rights, be able to conduct search and rescue operations and address environmental disasters, the report says.

A Department of Homeland Security study says the U.S. requires three heavy and three medium icebreakers in order to move through the Arctic region, according to Navy Times.

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