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DOD Pushing AI Implementation, Space Domain Development for Allies
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DOD Pushing AI Implementation, Space Domain Development for Allies

The Department of Defense believes allied nations ought to tap into innovations in artificial intelligence and space to meet upcoming security challenges.

During the 2024 South American Defense Conference, Air Force Gen. Charles Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a 2024 Wash100 awardee, and Army Gen. Laura Richardson, commander of U.S. Southern Command, spoke on how global partners might go about integrating the technologies, the DOD said Thursday.

Brown named seven challenges—infrastructure, architecture, data, focus, resourcing, talent and culture—that must be addressed to make AI more than just a theoretical conception.

“These seven challenges … are challenges we all face,” Brown emphasized. “But by working together, we can share knowledge, experience and solutions [that enable] us to unlock the full potential of this new technology within our network of allies and partners.”

During Richardson’s remarks, she mentioned enhanced domain awareness, which entails setting conditions for efficient AI and machine learning to advance collaboration in a wholistic federal approach, to achieve a “common operating picture” in space.

“As allies and partners, we will continue our efforts to enable our collective space domain awareness; and improve our readiness, resiliency and capability to overcome threats,” Richardson stated.

Brown then backed up Richardson, emphasizing collaboration is the key to developing the space domain. 

“We must work together to develop norms of behaviors that respect all nations’ rights,” Brown said, “creating a space network where everyone can benefit from its unique capabilities — all for the common good.”

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DIU Awards 2nd Contract on Space Cargo Delivery Project to Stoke Space
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DIU Awards 2nd Contract on Space Cargo Delivery Project to Stoke Space

The Defense Innovation Unit has awarded Stoke Space a $4.5 million contract to prototype a rocket for point-to-point cargo delivery to and from space and across the domain.

According to the Kent, Washington-based rocket developer, the contract was granted through the DIU’s Novel Responsive Space Delivery—or NRSD—project, which kicked off with its first award to The Spaceport Company in May.

The NRSD effort is geared at funding commercial solutions for the rapid reconstitution of space capabilities that would enable resupply missions for precise delivery of time-sensitive cargo to on-orbit or terrestrial destinations.

For the project, Stoke said its rocket design and architecture can be custom-fitted into a dual-use system for cargo delivery directly from Earth to orbit locations, as well as from space to the Earth’s surface.

Andy Lapsa, Stoke co-founder and CEO, conveyed the company’s enthusiasm on collaborating with the DIU to further advance space capabilities.    

“Our unique reusable upper stage technology represents a significant leap forward in improving launch costs and launch availability through a flexible and responsive platform,” he said.

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USAF Nuclear Weapons Center Reorganizes Execution Directorates
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USAF Nuclear Weapons Center Reorganizes Execution Directorates

The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, or AFNWC, has established the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems Directorate in line with its efforts to enhance support for the nuclear enterprise.

The U.S. Air Force Materiel Command said Tuesday the Sentinels Systems Directorate and the Minutemen III Systems Directorate merged on Aug. 27 to form the new directorate.

The ICBM systems directorate is tasked with providing responsive nuclear deterrence capability and sustainment for Air Force Global Strike Command. It will also oversee the LGM-30G Minuteman III and LGM-35A Sentinel programs.

Brig. Gen. William Rogers, the Air Force program executive officer for ICBMs, was officially entrusted with leading the new directorate during a ceremony at Hill AFB, Utah. The event was officiated by Maj. Gen. John Newberry, commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, and attended by Gen. Duke Richardson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, and U.S. Rep. Blake Moore of Utah.

Rogers emphasized the importance of the merger: “Placing our ICBM programs under one directorate will help streamline processes, improving how we coordinate with our partners in the nuclear enterprise.”

Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, stressed that nuclear deterrence is still a top priority of the United States and its allies.

The Wash100 Award recipient also noted the significance of the new PEO position for the ICBMs, “This new PEO position reporting to me and the directorate realignment will support [the] successful restructuring of the Sentinel program and help the Air Force deliver its weapons systems on a schedule that ensures our ability to sustain the nuclear deterrent.”

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CHIPS for America to Advance Metrology R&D via New Community of Practice
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CHIPS for America to Advance Metrology R&D via New Community of Practice

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s CHIPS for America program has established a community of practice to promote knowledge and data sharing across initiatives within the CHIPS Metrology Program’s seven grand challenges.

NIST said Wednesday the CHIPS Metrology Community will serve as a cross-organization and cross-company networking forum and advance metrology research and development by bringing together stakeholders from the semiconductor industry ecosystem.

The new community of practice will provide professional development opportunities for participants, offer a source of shared knowledge regarding the development of new measurement capabilities and provide a forum to link subject matter experts to stakeholders and their measurement challenges and emerging technology requirements.

According to NIST, the community will help inform industry standards that are key to improving U.S. economic and national security competitiveness.

The identified metrology challenges impacting the country’s semiconductor industry include advanced metrology for future microelectronics manufacturing, enabling metrology for integrating components in advanced packaging and modeling, and simulating semiconductor materials, designs and components.

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GSA Solicits Comments on Draft MAS Contractor Team Arrangement Guidance
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GSA Solicits Comments on Draft MAS Contractor Team Arrangement Guidance

The General Services Administration has started seeking feedback on updated draft guidance on Multiple Award Schedule contractor teaming arrangements, or CTAs.

GSA said Thursday responses to questions and other comments are due no later than Sept. 16.

According to the revised guidance, contractor team arrangements could help vendors increase their market share, reduce risks while sharing responsibilities and focus on services and supplies that best match their strengths and resources.

The agency is asking stakeholders about the most common point of confusion related to CTAs on MAS and the biggest challenge facing vendors and customers using CTAs on the schedule.

Stakeholders can also submit to GSA their specific questions about how such arrangements work under MAS.

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HP’s Oregon “Lab-to-Fab” Facility Secures $50M CHIPS Act Funding
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HP’s Oregon “Lab-to-Fab” Facility Secures $50M CHIPS Act Funding

HP Inc. has secured CHIPS and Science Act funding of up to $50 million to expand and modernize its Corvallis, Oregon-based “lab-to-fab” facility transitioning research and development efforts to commercial manufacturing.

According to the Department of Commerce, it signed with the Palo Alto, California-based company a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms, or PMT, for the CHIPS support after a merit review of HP’s application.

Under the PMT funding agreement, the company’s Corvallis facility would pursue the development and production of silicon devices vital to life sciences’ discovery tools, such as devices for drug invention and single-cell research. HP will deploy its expertise in microfluidics technology and microelectromechanical systems in the CHIPS-funded project.

The facility, one of HP’s three R&D Centers for Excellence, would also strengthen its capability to assist partner institutions in academia, the government sector and private industry, including Harvard Medical School and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Commerce Department said. It added that the facility’s expansion and modernization would create an estimated 150 jobs in construction and 100 in manufacturing.

Enrique Lores, HP’s president and CEO, cited the CHIPS funding as a further investment in the company’s microfluidics technology, which involves harnessing fluid behavior on a microscopic scale.

“Microfluidics has the potential to drive revolutionary changes across industries, delivering speed, efficiency, and precision, to help pave the way for the next generation of innovation in life sciences and technology,” he said.

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DCMA Facilitates Policy Updates to Support NASA Deep Space Missions
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DCMA Facilitates Policy Updates to Support NASA Deep Space Missions

The Defense Contract Management Agency has been working to support NASA in its mission to conduct human spaceflight, not just in low Earth orbit, but in deep space as well.

A key milestone in this collaboration is the updated edition of DCMA Support to NASA Manual 3101-03, which was released in February, according to a news article posted Monday on the DCMA website. Released in 2000, the original manual only covered continuous human LEO spaceflight.

The manual’s revision was facilitated by the establishment of the NASA Rapid Action Team, or RAT, which was spearheaded by DCMA NASA team lead Craig Bennett.

Comprising various DCMA departments, including NASA Product Operations, the Enterprise Analytics and Modernization Directorate and the Financial and Business Operations Directorate, NASA RAT sought to align the core competencies of DCMA with the mission of NASA to return U.S. astronauts to the moon as well as establish a continuous presence beyond near-Earth orbit.

Other achievements under the collaboration include the development of new policies, tools and training programs in support of deep space human spaceflight, and, according to Bennett, the development of new industry best practices and requirements.

The latter achievement has already borne fruit, resulting in the deployment of predictive analysis tools for the identification and validation of critical supply chain processes.

“This approach can lead to a reduction of mandatory inspections and transition toward contractor capabilities and predictive insight,” Bennett said.

The memorandum of agreement governing the collaboration between the two agencies will also be rewritten to further streamline the partnership, the DCMA official noted.

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USTRANSCOM Says 16 Installations to Begin Global Household Goods Contract Phase-In in September
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USTRANSCOM Says 16 Installations to Begin Global Household Goods Contract Phase-In in September

U.S. Transportation Command announced that transportation offices supporting 16 domestic installations will start awarding task orders for local shipments under the Global Household Goods Contract, a.k.a. GHC, in September.

USTRANSCOM said Tuesday those 16 installations are located across nine states, including California, Arizona, Maryland, Colorado and Virginia.

The installations are:

  • Carlisle Barracks
  • Fort Carson
  • Fort Detrick
  • Fort George G. Meade
  • Fort Gregg-Adams
  • Fort Huachuca
  • Fort Stewart
  • Hunter Army Airfield
  • Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
  • Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
  • Minot Air Force Base
  • Naval Postgraduate School Monterey
  • Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach
  • Peterson Space Force Base
  • Presidio of Monterey
  • United States Air Force Academy

The Department of Defense intends to achieve full domestic GHC implementation by spring 2025 and expects international shipments to kick off no earlier than September 2025.

In 2021, USTRANSCOM awarded HomeSafe Alliance — a joint venture of KBR and Tier One Relocation — the $6.2 billion GHC to provide household goods transportation and warehousing support services for DOD and U.S. Coast Guard personnel and other federal employees.

As of Aug. 20, HomeSafe Alliance had received 116 task orders from DOD for shipment requests across the initial sites. A total of 94 shipments were completed under the contract.

USTRANSCOM said the next batch of installations across 13 states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Maryland, are being prepared to kick off GHC shipments in October.

The command’s Defense Personal Property Management Office said 96 percent of GHC customers that submitted survey responses described their overall experience as satisfied or better.

“The positive feedback received from both customers and our transportation offices shows that we are headed in the right direction,” said DPMO Director Andy Dawson.

“This summer provided us the opportunity to validate new business processes and IT systems for GHC on a smaller scale while customers experience the new program. Overall, we are satisfied with how things have gone so far and anticipate continued progress as GHC volume increases this fall,” Dawson added.

ODNI Boosting Private Sector Engagement Focused on AI, Cyber
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ODNI Boosting Private Sector Engagement Focused on AI, Cyber

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is working to strengthen its partnership with the private sector to improve intelligence community access to insights into artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, space and rare earth supply chains, among other areas, Federal New Network reported Tuesday.

Speaking at the Intelligence and National Security Summit, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, a 2024 Wash100 awardee, said her office has new and ongoing initiatives to boost collaboration between the intelligence community and significant commercial industries, including training professionals on declassifying information for companies; developing guidance for better acquisition process and communication with external partners; and leading the intelligence community’s private sector initiatives through the Office of Partnership Engagement.

In the future, ODNI will implement additional efforts to advance its goal. Haines said performance evaluations for intelligence officers will soon include an objective focused on private sector engagement.

According to the official, bolstering ties with commercial entities is essential amid increasing geopolitical threats.

“There is no question that certain industries now wield substantial geopolitical influence, and as the threat landscape has diversified and power has become more diffuse, so has the potential impact of the private sector’s work,” Haines said. “This makes it crucial that we better understand developments in the private sector, as well as the overall balance of competitive strength and security within key sectors.”

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Intel Summit on Sept. 19 to hear about the challenges, opportunities, innovation initiatives and technologies shaping the future of American intelligence. Register here.

ODNI Boosting Private Sector Engagement Focused on AI, Cyber
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OUSD R&E Hosts Event to Examine AUKUS Pillar II Autonomous Capabilities
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OUSD R&E Hosts Event to Examine AUKUS Pillar II Autonomous Capabilities

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering held an event last month to examine modernized autonomous capabilities developed as part of AUKUS Pillar II.

The OUSD R&E event showcased systems that aim to advance naval operations, strengthen situational awareness and broaden defense services under the partnership between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, the DOD said Wednesday.

The emerging technologies and programs featured include the Autonomy Baseline software, Multi-domain Uncrewed Secure Integrated Communications and the Common Control System.

Following the event, the DOD plans to export select platforms and technologies to Australia to run follow-up experiments under the AUKUS Maritime Big Play, or MBP, Initiative. The MBP initiative provides a platform for cooperative manufacturing through integrated trilateral experiments and exercises designed to enhance capability development, facilitate interoperability and broaden the scale of autonomous capabilities meant for aquatic settings.

R&E’s Prototypes and Experiments Office hosted the event from July 15-19.

Learn more about AUKUS Pillar II at the Potomac Officers Club’s first-ever GovCon International Summit. Register now to join tenured government and industry officials with global experience discussing how international partnerships, coalition warfare and technology modernization are evolving the defense landscape.

OUSD R&E Hosts Event to Examine AUKUS Pillar II Autonomous Capabilities
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