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Adam Cassady Nominated as Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace & Digital Policy
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Adam Cassady. The NTIA deputy administrator has been nominated as ambassador at large for cyberspace and digital policy.

President Donald Trump has nominated Adam Cassady, principal deputy assistant secretary and deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, to serve as ambassador at large for cyberspace and digital policy.

Adam Cassady Nominated as Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace & Digital Policy

Federal attention on cyberspace and digital policy continues to signal the strategic importance of technology leadership on the global stage. As conversations around cybersecurity and digital governance evolve across government and industry, forums for dialogue remain critical. Register now for the 2026 Cyber Summit to gain insights from leaders at this May 21 event.

What Did NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth Say About Cassady’s Nomination?

In a statement published Monday, NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth congratulated Cassady on his nomination and highlighted his leadership at the agency.

Roth, who also serves as assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information, noted that Cassady has provided strategic leadership across broadband, spectrum, digital policy and commercial space.

“He has been a tireless champion of America First technology leadership—ensuring the United States strengthens its competitive edge and protects its interests. At a pivotal moment for global technology governance, he is the right choice to represent American strength and leadership on the world stage,” Roth added.

Who Is Adam Cassady?

Cassady has served as NTIA’s principal deputy assistant secretary and deputy administrator since March 16, 2025. In this role, he provides advice and support to the assistant secretary for communications and information in shaping, developing and carrying out the executive branch’s telecommunications and information policies.

Before joining NTIA, he spent more than four years at the Federal Communications Commission under Commissioner Nathan Simington, including as chief of staff and senior legal adviser.

Prior to his federal service, Cassady co-founded a technology firm focused on enterprise machine learning platforms.

The Ohio State University graduate holds a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School.

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DIU Completes Cassowary Vex Hypersonic Test Flight Under HyCAT Program
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Defense Innovation Unit logo. DIU performed a suborbital launch of a hypersonic test platform under the HyCAT program.

The Defense Innovation Unit has conducted a suborbital launch of a hypersonic test platform as part of the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities, or HyCAT, program.

DIU Completes Cassowary Vex Hypersonic Test Flight Under HyCAT Program

As hypersonic innovation accelerates through initiatives like the HyCAT program, government and industry leaders will continue the conversation at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30. The event will bring together military leaders and industry executives to discuss next-generation air and space capabilities shaping national security. Book your spot now!

DIU said Monday the Cassowary Vex mission lifted off Friday, Feb. 27, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

According to the agency, the flight demonstrated the ability to inject a payload at defined speeds and altitudes into a high-dynamic-pressure environment to validate propulsion and vehicle performance. The mission combined a modified Rocket Lab suborbital launch vehicle with a scramjet-powered test article developed by Hypersonix.

What Is the Cassowary Vex Mission Architecture?

The Cassowary Vex mission architecture integrated two primary HyCAT components: an air-breathing hypersonic testbed and a commercial suborbital launch system.

Rocket Lab supplied a modified Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, or HASTE, vehicle. DIU said the modification included an extended fairing with thermal protection and separation systems designed to enable low-altitude payload release for air-breathing propulsion testing.

The payload was Hypersonix’s three-meter DART AE demonstrator, a gaseous hydrogen-fueled scramjet vehicle built using high-temperature alloy additive manufacturing.

“Accessing the commercial and non-traditional ecosystem is a key enabler to accelerating progress in the hypersonics community of interest, particularly for closing mission timelines and driving towards mass and affordability,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Estep, emerging technologies portfolio director at DIU.

What Is the HyCAT Program?

Introduced in early 2023, the HyCAT program aims to speed up the development, evaluation and transition of emerging hypersonic technologies through low-cost, long-endurance test flights.

In March 2023, DIU awarded HyCAT prototype contracts to companies, including Hypersonix Launch Systems and Fenix Space, to develop airborne hypersonic test systems and reusable launch platforms. That same year, the agency issued a vendor solicitation for the program’s next phase.

According to DIU, limited wind tunnel capacity and a shortage of reusable flight platforms have constrained progress across the hypersonics portfolio. HyCAT supports the prototyping of low-cost, commercially derived airborne testing systems to supplement traditional government infrastructure and increase flight test cadence.

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Air Force Appoints Andrew Schaffer as OCIO Deputy CTO
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Andrew Schaffer. Andrew Schaffer has been appointed deputy chief technology officer of the OCIO.

Andrew Schaffer announced on LinkedIn Sunday that he has been appointed deputy chief technology officer within the Office of the Chief Information Officer for the Department of the Air Force.

Who Is Andrew Schaffer?

Schaffer is a defense technology leader with experience in enterprise IT management, logistics operations and program oversight within large, mission-critical organizations. He also brings expertise in operations and strategic business planning.

What Experience Does Schaffer Bring to the OCIO?

Before his current role, Schaffer held multiple senior civilian and military positions throughout his career. Within the DAF, he served as deputy director of the Directorate of Information Management, deputy CIO and chief of the Logistics CIO Support Division. He also participated in the Defense Senior Leader Development Program Cohort 2024 and served as Department of War adviser to the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy.

Schaffer served in the U.S. Marine Corps for nearly seven years, holding various leadership positions such as logistics IT portfolio manager, regimental S-4 officer, logistics officer and commander of the landing support company. In addition to his civilian service, he has nearly a decade of service with the Marine Forces Reserve.

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Army Wants Industry Partners to Co-Invest in Service’s Enterprise-Wide Modernization
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U.S. Army logo. The U.S. Army introduced a new co-investment model to support its modernization

The U.S. Army is seeking an industry partner to accelerate its enterprise-wide modernization effort. In a request for information published on SAM.gov Friday, the service invited industry to co-invest in installations, technology, energy infrastructure and the broader industrial base.

“The strategic vision for this is building the Army of tomorrow with private industry today,” Dave Fitzgerald, deputy under secretary of the Army, stated. “We know we have to move at the speed of innovation. This initiative is a direct invitation to the private sector to become our partner in a historic modernization effort.”

Army Wants Industry Partners to Co-Invest in Service's Enterprise-Wide Modernization

Learn more about opportunities for industry to meet the requirements of the Army amid the service’s transformation at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Army Summit on June 18. The event will bring together top Army and Department of War officials to discuss strategies and capability needs to meet the service’s 2030s goals. Get your tickets here.

The initiative will focus on six strategic pillars:

  • Energy resilience and dominance
  • Organic industrial base
  • Strengthening logistics and supply chains
  • Real assets and facilities utilization
  • Advanced manufacturing and technology adoption
  • Critical minerals and resource development

Why Is the Army Seeking Private-Sector Partnerships?

According to the RFI, the Army cannot rely solely on annual congressional appropriations to meet its modernization needs. Instead, it aims to unlock private financing and expertise to help de-risk major projects for industry partners.

However, Fitzgerald clarified that the service is not just asking for funding.

“We’re seeking creative, out-of-the-box financial and business models that break the mold,” he explained. “We want joint ventures, long-term leases, and service agreements that align the success of the investor with the soldier and the taxpayer.”

The service envisions a “value for value” exchange, with the Army offering secure land and stable demand signals in return for resilient energy systems, modern facilities and strengthened supply chains.

How Can Industry Participate in the Modernization Effort?

The Army is asking industry partners to submit proposals for pilot projects that demonstrate their financial and partnership models. Responders are encouraged to provide input on risks and barriers to guide the Army’s future formal solicitations and ensure that the service can offer an attractive investment opportunity for the private sector.

Submissions are due April 2.

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CISA Cybersecurity Division Leader Shelly Hartsook to Depart Agency
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CISA's Shelly Hartsook. Shelly Hartsook will resign as acting associate director for cybersecurity within CISA.

Shelly Hartsook will resign as acting associate director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s cybersecurity division, Federal News Network reported Monday. A source familiar with the matter said Hartsook will depart CISA on March 6.

CISA Cybersecurity Division Leader Shelly Hartsook to Depart Agency

Sign up for the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Cyber Summit on May 21 to hear leading cyber officials and industry experts as they discuss escalating digital threats and advance zero trust.

What Role Did Hartsook Hold at CISA?

Hartsook oversaw “capacity building” efforts across the cybersecurity division, managing programs that deliver cyber capabilities to federal agencies. Among those initiatives was the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program, which provides tools, integration services and dashboards to help agencies reduce cyber risk and strengthen network visibility and response capabilities.

The outgoing acting associate director directed externally facing services aimed at helping agencies confront significant cyber threats. She also led the agency’s efforts to build customer capacity to address pressing cybersecurity challenges by delivering externally facing services.

How Did Hartsook Shape Federal Cyber Policy?

Hartsook helped define a long-term strategic recovery roadmap following the 2020 SolarWinds cyber intrusions and spearheaded government-wide initiatives under the May 2021 cybersecurity executive order, including advancing zero trust architecture adoption and enhancing federal cyberthreat detection through enhanced logging practices.

In 2025, CISA issued “Microsegmentation in Zero Trust, Part One: Introduction and Planning,” a guide that provides an overview of microsegmentation as part of its efforts to help agencies implement zero trust architectures.

“So many organizations, both on the federal side and in the private sector, we saw make early investments in zero trust network access tools, or SASE tools – secure access service edge –as part of their early implementation,” said Hartsook.

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Marine Corps Rolls Out DOW’s On-Prem Private 5G Network at MCLB Albany
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Marine Corps logo. The Marine Corps granted an ATO for the deployment of on-premises private 5G network at a military base

The U.S. Marine Corps has rolled out a 5G Private Infrastructure Network, or 5G PIN, at the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany in Georgia to support Marine Corps Logistics Command operations, DVIDS reported Monday.

The service recently granted the network an authority to operate, marking the first fully on-premises private 5G deployment of its kind within the Department of War, to ensure that MARCORLOGCOM can securely interoperate with the Marine Corps enterprise environment.

Federated Wireless, in collaboration with JMA Wireless and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, designed and implemented the network under a $16.2 million prototype contract awarded through the National Spectrum Consortium. The effort has since transitioned into a 42-month sustainment contract valued at more than $6 million.

Marine Corps Rolls Out DOW's On-Prem Private 5G Network at MCLB Albany

Cameron Stanley, chief digital and AI officer at the Department of War, and other defense and government leaders will be present at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 18. The summit will also host the Building Mission-Ready AI Infrastructure: Designing a Data and Security Foundation for the Future panel featuring speakers from the Department of the Army, the Department of State and the FBI. Sign up today to secure your seat.

How Will the 5G PIN Support Marine Corps Logistics?

The 5G PIN is designed to deliver low-latency, highly reliable wireless connectivity for industrial environments. At MARCORLOGCOM, the network enables integration of sensors, robotics, automated storage and retrieval systems, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence-enabled applications.

During a recent demonstration, officials reported 98 percent accuracy in inventory reordering, a 65 percent increase in goods velocity and a 55 percent reduction in labor costs. The network is expected to enhance inventory visibility, predictive maintenance and data-driven decision-making.

“This 5G network gives our logistics teams an unprecedented level of accuracy, efficiency and flexibility in real-time data access, which translates into faster and more effective support for our Marine Corps units,” said Dan Elzie, deputy commander for the Marine Force Storage Command.

Andrew Adams, chief operating officer at JMA Wireless, said the deployment aligns with the Department of War’s Private 5G Strategy, specifically Line of Effort 2 on delivering private 5G networks that meet mission needs.

What Is DOW’s Private 5G Deployment Strategy?

DOW’s Private 5G Deployment Strategy, issued in 2024, is intended to guide the rollout of secure commercial or private 5G networks across military installations. The strategy directs components to accelerate the acquisition and secure deployment of 5G infrastructure and encourages the expansion of open radio access network ecosystems to strengthen interoperability and flexibility.

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Budhu Bhaduri Named ORNL Chief Data Officer
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Budhu Bhaduri. The ORNL Corporate Research Fellow has been named the lab’s first chief data officer.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has appointed Budhendra “Budhu” Bhaduri, most recently director of science, programs and partnerships at ORNL’s National Security Sciences Directorate, as its first chief data officer.

Budhu Bhaduri Named ORNL Chief Data Officer

As federal agencies and national laboratories continue to elevate data and AI leadership roles, conversations around strategy and implementation remain top of mind across government and industry. Sign up now for the 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 18 and join leaders for discussions on emerging AI priorities.

ORNL said Friday the creation of the new executive role seeks to unify the lab’s enterprise data strategy and support mission delivery across energy, open science and national security programs.

“Establishing a Chief Data Officer underscores ORNL’s commitment to treating data as a strategic asset for science and operations,” said Susan Hubbard, ORNL’s deputy for science and technology. “Budhu’s proven leadership in complex, data-intensive programs will help unify our enterprise data strategy, modernize our architecture and governance, and accelerate responsible, AI-enabled discovery.”

What Are Bhaduri’s Responsibilities as ORNL Chief Data Officer?

Bhaduri will report to the deputy for science and technology within the laboratory director’s office and work with the chief information officer and associate lab directors to align data infrastructure, governance and enterprise strategy across ORNL’s facilities and organizations.

In this capacity, he will help execute initiatives to accelerate research and improve operations. He will also chair the ORNL Data Governance Council and collaborate with leaders of facilities and AI-intensive projects, including those supporting the Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission.

Who Is Budhu Bhaduri?

Bhaduri is an ORNL Corporate Research Fellow who joined the national lab in 1998 as a research scientist.

He led ORNL’s Geospatial Science and Human Security Division from 2018 to 2024. He also founded and directed the lab’s Urban Dynamics Institute, where he advanced data-driven research on complex urban systems.

He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Association of Geographers. He holds a master’s degree from Kent State University and a doctorate from Purdue University.

What Is DOE Genesis?

The Genesis Mission is a DOE-led national initiative that aims to develop a scientific platform to drive energy innovation, accelerate discovery science and strengthen national security.

Formed through a November executive order, the mission seeks to connect leading supercomputers, AI systems, experimental facilities and unique scientific datasets to double the research productivity and impact of U.S. research and innovation within 10 years.

To support the mission, ORNL established the Next Generation Data Centers Institute to help address AI energy demands.

DOE recently announced 26 science and technology challenges intended to advance the Genesis Mission and accelerate AI-enabled innovation.

In December, the department signed agreements with NVIDIA, Accenture, Amazon Web Services, Google, Oracle, Microsoft and 18 other organizations to advance the Genesis Mission and announced a $320 million investment to accelerate the development of AI capabilities in support of the initiative.

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Linux Foundation Launches OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation
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6G. The Linux Foundation launched the OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation to drive AI-RAN innovation and support 56 and 6G services.

The Linux Foundation has launched the Open Centralized Unit Distributed Unit, or OCUDU, Ecosystem Foundation to drive open source artificial intelligence-radio access network, or AI-RAN, innovation and accelerate 5G and early AI-native 6G deployments.

Linux Foundation Launches OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation

As AI continues to shape the capabilities of next-generation 5G and 6G networks, government and industry leaders will gather to explore its evolving role in federal missions. Sign up now to join the conversation at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 18.

LF said Sunday the foundation will operate as an open collaboration hub focused on developing, scaling and sustaining open source software for the centralized unit and distributed unit layers of Open RAN architectures while establishing a foundational reference platform that incorporates AI-based algorithms to support software-defined RAN deployments.

Arpit Joshipura, general manager of networking, edge and IoT at the Linux Foundation, said the effort aligns global stakeholders under an open, trusted and secure framework to power the next decade of wireless innovation.

What Are the Objectives of the OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation?

The OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation seeks to establish a public-private ecosystem to develop and sustain an open source CU and DU software stack within Open RAN. It will host the OCUDU project and related initiatives under a collaborative governance model while promoting global coordination across RAN domains and end-to-end platforms. The foundation also plans to support documentation, testing, integration and other resources to facilitate development, deployment and adoption of the open source project.

OCUDU originated from an investment by the National Spectrum Consortium and the Pentagon’s FutureG Office, which awarded funding to DeepSig and Software Radio Systems to develop the initial software stack for 5G, 6G and AI-RAN in collaboration with the Linux Foundation.

Who Are the Industry Members of the OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation?

The founding industry leaders are AMD, AT&T, DeepSig, Ericsson, Nokia, NVIDIA, SoftBank, SRS and Verizon.

The 21 general industry members are:

  • 1Finity
  • Aalyria
  • Abside Networks
  • Airspan
  • Altio Labs
  • Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Cirrus360
  • Cisco
  • Cohere Technologies
  • ISCO International
  • JMA Wireless
  • Keysight Technologies
  • Marvell
  • ORAN Development Company
  • Radisys
  • Raycom Wireless
  • Red Hat
  • Sempre.ai
  • Skylark Wireless
  • T-Mobile
  • Viavi

Chris Christou, senior vice president of edge and NextG at Booz Allen’s chief technology office, commented on the company’s participation in the OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation in a LinkedIn post.

“The Linux Foundation initiative will drive the future of open source AI-native 5G/6G RAN software. We’re proud to collaborate across industries to advance innovation, security and scalability, shaping a more connected future,” he added.

Who Are the Participating Universities & Research Institutions?

  • Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation
  • Idaho National Laboratory
  • Iowa State University of Science and Technology
  • MITRE
  • Mississippi State University
  • North Carolina State University
  • Northeastern University
  • Rice University
  • SRI International
  • Texas A&M University
  • UC San Diego
  • UNH Interoperability Labs
  • University of Notre Dame
  • University of Texas at Austin
  • University of Texas at San Antonio
  • University of Utah
  • VT Research Contracting Services

The foundation said university participation will strengthen the research-to-production pipeline, support applied experimentation and validation in real-world environments, and help develop the next generation of open source RAN engineers. Research areas include next-generation PHY and MAC development, AI-driven RAN optimization, security and resilience, testing methodologies and energy efficiency.

What Did Pentagon FutureG Director Thomas Rondeau Say About the Foundation?

Thomas Rondeau, principal director of the Pentagon’s FutureG Office and a 2026 Wash100 awardee, said the initiative brings the open source model to a critical layer of future wireless infrastructure.

“By shifting the maintenance of these common components to a collaborative, open-source project, under neutral governance at the Linux Foundation, we enable our industry partners to focus their resources on the innovative and monetizable technologies that are most effective for the nation,” Rondeau said. “We are building a foundation that enables shared success and accelerates progress for the entire ecosystem. We are looking forward to seeing this approach provide a vital platform for strengthening our relationships and collaboration with our allies and international partners.”

DefenseScoop reported that the Pentagon plans to publish the initial version of the OCUDU open source software stack on GitHub in April, making the codebase publicly accessible to military and commercial developers to support innovation in current 5G and emerging 6G networks.

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Navy Begins Enterprise Review of Civilian Workforce Structure
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John Phelan. The Navy has launched a review of its civilian workforce.

The Department of the Navy has initiated a departmentwide organizational assessment that could lead to adjustments in how its civilian workforce is structured and staffed, Federal News Network reported Friday.

A Navy official said the review is intended to align the department’s structure with National Defense Strategy priorities and improve support to warfighters. The effort follows War Secretary and 2026 Wash100 awardee Pete Hegseth’s Workforce Acceleration and Recapitalization Initiative, which directed military departments to assess their organizational frameworks and identify opportunities for reform.

Navy Begins Enterprise Review of Civilian Workforce Structure

The Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 27 gathers senior Navy leaders and industry executives to discuss the technologies and strategies shaping the future fleet. The event provides contractors with direct access to decision-makers and insight into evolving naval priorities. Register now.

According to a Feb. 17 memo from Navy Secretary John Phelan, a fellow Wash100 awardee, the review builds on earlier consolidation efforts and may inform future workforce shaping decisions in fiscal year 2026. 

Navy leaders have been instructed to analyze potential staffing reduction scenarios ranging from 10 percent to 20 percent in certain areas, particularly within the Navy Secretariat and Budget Submitting Organizations across multiple echelons.

An initial status report is due in March, with a planned implementation timeline of Sept. 30, 2026.

How Could Workforce Data Challenges Affect the Review?

The review comes as the Navy continues to face data accuracy challenges in tracking portions of its civilian workforce — particularly in cyber roles.

A 2024 Government Accountability Office audit found that Navy civilian cyber workforce data are stored in two separate systems with inconsistent information, leading to inaccurate vacancy rates and unreliable workforce visibility. GAO noted that reconciling those systems is essential for effective workforce planning and staffing of critical technical roles.

Navy officials told GAO they are working to reconcile the data and address accuracy gaps. The watchdog has also reiterated a prior recommendation that the Department of War fully review cyber work roles and position descriptions for accuracy.

Reliable workforce data will likely be central to any decisions emerging from the organizational review.

Phelan said he “directed the establishment, consolidation and streamlining of DON organizations, including the Offices of the Chief of Naval Intelligence, Chief of Naval Policy, Director of Administration, and Chief of Information. Further efforts are underway within the Secretariat, Navy and Marine Corps to redefine existing organizational structures and optimize the civilian workforce.”

What Broader Workforce Reforms Are Under Consideration?

The review also unfolds amid wider discussions across the War Department about modernizing civilian hiring practices. 

Defense leaders previously advocated for skills-based hiring approaches to speed recruitment and better align talent with mission needs. 

Jane Rathbun, the Navy chief information officer at the time, called for reducing lengthy hiring timelines, which currently average roughly 80 days to fill civilian vacancies.

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NASA Adds 2027 Mission, Annual Lunar Landing Under Revised Artemis Plan
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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. NASA has unveiled a revised exploration schedule for its Artemis program.

NASA has unveiled a revised exploration schedule for its Artemis program, as part of efforts to return U.S. astronauts to the Moon and sustain long-term operations.

NASA Adds 2027 Mission, Annual Lunar Landing Under Revised Artemis Plan

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The agency said Friday that it aims to increase mission frequency, add a new Artemis mission in 2027 and conduct at least one lunar landing per year beginning in 2028. 

What Changes Are Planned for Artemis Missions?

Under the updated plan, Artemis III mission will shift to 2027 and focus on validating systems in low Earth orbit, setting the stage for a planned lunar landing on Artemis IV in 2028. The flight could include rendezvous and docking with commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin, along with in-space testing of life support, propulsion, communications and the Extravehicular Activity spacesuits. The agency will also cancel previously planned upgrades to the Space Launch System, according to SpaceNews. NASA intends to maintain a consistent SLS and Orion configuration to reduce technical risk and preserve lessons learned from earlier missions.

How Will NASA Support the Accelerated Schedule?

According to NASA, the workforce directive is central to advancing the accelerated schedule. The directive is designed to reinforce core civil service competencies and deepen integrated development efforts with Artemis industry partners to enhance safety and reliability while increasing launch cadence.

“NASA must standardize its approach, increase flight rate safely, and execute on the President’s national space policy. With credible competition from our greatest geopolitical adversary increasing by the day, we need to move faster, eliminate delays, and achieve our objectives,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Standardizing vehicle configuration, increasing flight rate and progressing through objectives in a logical, phased approach, is how we achieved the near-impossible in 1969 and it is how we will do it again,” added the 2026 Wash100 Award winner.

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