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Defense Intelligence Officials Push Congress to Renew Notable Surveillance Authority; Timothy Haugh & Jeffrey Kruse Quoted
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Defense Intelligence Officials Push Congress to Renew Notable Surveillance Authority; Timothy Haugh & Jeffrey Kruse Quoted

Defense intelligence leaders have expressed their support for the renewal of a surveillance authority.

Testifying before the House Armed Services’ Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee on Thursday, three officials advocated for the extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which enables the collection of electronic intelligence against non-U.S. persons overseas under federal court supervision, the Department of Defense said on Friday.

These activities are authorized by Section 702 of the act, which National Security Agency Director Gen. Timothy Haugh, a 2024 Wash100 Award winner, said “is absolutely critical to our foreign intelligence mission.”

“There is no substitute for this authority,” said Haugh, who also serves as commander of the U.S. Cyber Command. “The timely, actionable information it provides cannot be replicated by other means.”

Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and a fellow 2024 Wash100 awardee, said reauthorizing FISA Section 702 is one way Congress “can provide its most effective support and defense of the nation.”

While DIA does not operate under this authority, “our all-source analysis mission, our ability to operationalize intelligence, and our support to Congress is dependent on those who do,” he added.

Milancy Harris, acting undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security, noted that keeping pace with China is still the DOD’s top priority.

“Our network of regional allies and partners is deep, wide, strong and committed to a shared vision of peace, stability and deterrence,” she said.

“The trajectory and rate of change in the national security arena is perhaps the highest and most consequential we’ve seen in our lifetime,” Kruse noted.

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New Guidance Informs AI Use in Practice Before USPTO
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New Guidance Informs AI Use in Practice Before USPTO

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office within the Department of Commerce has issued guidance on the use of artificial intelligence technologies in proceedings and other matters before the USPTO.

The guidance reminds practitioners and the public of the rules and policies relevant to AI use in practice before USPTO, informs them of the risks associated with the use of the emerging technology and suggests measures to mitigate those risks, the agency said Wednesday.

“The requirements in existing USPTO rules serve to protect the integrity of our proceedings and to avoid delay and unnecessary cost, and they apply regardless of how a submission is generated,” said Kathi Vidal, undersecretary of commerce for intellectual property and director of the USPTO.

In a notice published in the Federal Register, the USPTO acknowledged the possibility of using AI in preparing and prosecuting patent and trademark applications and other filings before the office but highlighted the need to address risks related to AI use through technical mitigations and human governance.

“We will continue to listen to stakeholders on this policy and on all our measures to use AI responsibly and safely to democratize and scale U.S. innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship,” Vidal said.

In February, the USPTO released guidance on determining the patentability of an invention created with the assistance of AI systems in response to President Biden’s executive order on the safe, secure and trustworthy development and use of AI.

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CISA Launches New System for Automated Malware Analysis
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CISA Launches New System for Automated Malware Analysis

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has unveiled Malware Next-Gen, a new platform designed to provide automated analysis of newly identified malware to support threat detection and response efforts.

Malware Next-Gen works to enable government agencies to submit malware samples and suspicious artifacts for automated analysis to inform their cyber defense initiatives, CISA said Wednesday.

“Our new automated system enables CISA’s cybersecurity threat hunting analysts to better analyze, correlate, enrich data, and share cyber threat insights with partners. It facilitates and supports rapid and effective response to evolving cyber threats, ultimately safeguarding critical systems and infrastructure,” said Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA.

Since November, Malware Next-Gen has analyzed over 1,600 files from nearly 400 registered users from defense and civilian agencies and has identified and shared approximately 200 suspicious or malicious files and uniform resource locators.

The Potomac Officers Club will host the 2024 Cyber Summit on June 6 to hear from government and industry experts about the dynamic and ever-evolving role of cyber in the public sector. Register here!

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Army Launches New Digital Learning Management Tech; Tim Hale Quoted
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Army Launches New Digital Learning Management Tech; Tim Hale Quoted

The U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems, also known as PEO EIS, has unveiled a new enterprise learning management system designed to provide soldiers and civilians with a key platform for asynchronous digital learning.

The Army Training Information System product office within PEO EIS launched the ATIS Learning platform in late March to replace the two-decade-old Army Learning Management System—or ALMS—which delivered more than 600 course offerings to nearly 1.5 million users in the past year.

“ATIS Learning is the first capability to be released from the ATIS objective environment,” said Tim Hale, product manager for ATIS at PEO EIS.

“We have created a learning management system that will see the U.S. Army well into the 21st century and will support the growing needs of a modern fighting force,” Hale added.

The ATIS Learning platform works to help warfighters assess, manage and complete their online training, comes with a modernized user interface and improved course finding features and has been developed using Agile software development processes.

Starting this summer, PEO EIS will allow select units to offer feedback on Small Unit Leader and Digital Job Book tools of the new digital learning platform.

POC - 9th Annual Army Summit

Attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 9th Annual Army Summit on June 13 to hear military officials, government leaders and industry executives share their most urgent priorities, strategies and solutions to their toughest challenges. Click here to register.

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Edward Lane Named DCSA Program Executive Officer
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Edward Lane Named DCSA Program Executive Officer

Edward Lane, an acquisition executive within the federal government and private sector, will officially assume the role of program executive officer at the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency on April 22.

In this capacity, he will manage multiple portfolios of information technology systems at DCSA supporting federal and defense services, the agency said Wednesday.

Those IT platforms include the National Background Investigation Services, DITMAC System of Systems and the National Industrial Security System.

Lane previously served as deputy senior acquisition executive at the Defense Intelligence Agency, where he helped execute over 2,200 annual contract actions in support of combatant commands and the Intelligence Community.

His government career also includes time at the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security and the National Reconnaissance Office.

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Space Command’s Modeling & Simulation Tool Achieves Minimum Viable Capability
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Space Command’s Modeling & Simulation Tool Achieves Minimum Viable Capability

Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command and a 2024 Wash100 awardee, announced during the 39th annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado that the command’s Capability Assessment and Validation Environment, or CAVE, has reached minimum viable capability.

According to Whiting, CAVE is a modeling and simulation platform designed to provide insights into multidomain joint warfighting concepts to inform how the command plans for space operations.

“U.S. Space Command does not want any war, let alone a war that starts in or extends into space, which would be particularly bad for our domain. We want to remain in enduring competition and not progress into crisis or conflict,” he said. 

During the event, Whiting also said that partnerships with international allies play a key role in maintaining the U.S. warfighting advantage in the space domain.

“At U.S. Space Command, we are committed to building a coalition of teammates to achieve a collective advantage, and we’re committed to being great teammates ourselves,” Whiting said.

Whiting highlighted the role of Operation OLYMPIC DEFENDER, or OOD—the command’s multinational effort to optimize space operations—in strengthening international partnerships.

Launched in 2020, OOD includes the U.K., Australia and Canada and has invited three more countries to join its efforts to synchronize efforts to enhance space resilience, improve mission assurance and optimize space assets.

“I’ve been proud to work alongside Germany, France and New Zealand for many years, and I look forward to their consideration of our invitation to join OOD,” Whiting said.

NSF & NobleReach Emerge Choose 11 Biotechnology Projects for Research Commercialization Pilot
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NSF & NobleReach Emerge Choose 11 Biotechnology Projects for Research Commercialization Pilot

Eleven biotechnology projects have been selected for inclusion in a pilot program that seeks to accelerate the translation of research efforts to commercially and socially impactful applications.

The National Science Foundation said Wednesday that the pilot, a $5 million collaboration with nonprofit organization NobleReach Emerge, would be used to inform translational funding opportunities in the future.

The 11 chosen projects are already recipients of funding from the NSF. Under the pilot program, the projects would receive additional investment.

Work has also been carried out to prepare the research for the market. Advisers from NobleReach Emerge helped the researchers determine the paths that could be taken towards product development. The advisers also supported the researchers with business fundamentals.

According to NSF Division of Translational Impacts Director Barry Johnson, the pilot program “can accelerate the translation of NSF’s investments in basic research to products that positively benefit society.”

For his part, Glenn Gaffney, chief strategy officer at NobleReach Emerge’s parent organization NobleReach Foundation, said, “We are excited to collaborate with these 11 research teams to help move new technologies, capabilities and services toward commercial use in support of NSF’s vision.”

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Maximus Unveils Cloud-Based Tool to Improve Federal Customer Experience
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Maximus Unveils Cloud-Based Tool to Improve Federal Customer Experience

Maximus has introduced a new system designed to enable government customers to integrate emerging technologies and human-centered design principles to improve customer experience and enhance service delivery.

The Maximus Total Experience Management tool is a cloud-based, digitally powered platform that features a suite of strategic methodologies, best practices and tools certified by the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program to deliver customer experience as a service to government agencies, the company said Wednesday.

“We designed Maximus TXM to apply customer experience methodologies and innovation to ensure long-term success for our federal agency partners, and we did so by understanding how our customers and employees engage through technology,” said MaryAnn Monroe, vice president of total experience at Maximus.

Maximus TXM also features artificial intelligence-powered web services, chatbots and the Maximus Intelligent Virtual Assistant.

“The Maximus team developed this solution in collaboration with our agency and technology partners and we anticipate several early adopters,” said Joe Jeter, senior managing director of federal technology at Maximus.

With Maximus TXM, federal agencies have reportedly saved $26 million in reduced onboarding costs and realized a 27 percent improvement in quality scores within the first six weeks.

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Keith Hardiman Appointed Enterprise IT Director at Department of the Air Force
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Keith Hardiman Appointed Enterprise IT Director at Department of the Air Force

Keith Hardiman, former director of the Headquarters Air Force Information Management, has transitioned to the role of director of enterprise information technology at the Department of the Air Force, according to a DAF Chief Information Officer LinkedIn announcement.

He will have oversight of the management, planning, governance and resourcing for enterprise IT for DAF’s nearly $7 billion information and cyber enterprise.

Hardiman will build on his previous experience in managing the Air Force’s declassification office, publications distribution office and multimedia services.

In addition to his over two years of stay at DAF, the new enterprise IT director also served as the technical director and chief data officer for the Logistics Chief Information Officer Support Division, Directorate of Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

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Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro Announces 2024 Naval S&T Strategy
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Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro Announces 2024 Naval S&T Strategy

Secretary of the Navy and 2024 Wash100 awardee Carlos Del Toro announced on April 9 at the Sea-Air-Space maritime expo the release of the 2024 Naval Science and Technology Strategy.

According to Del Toro, the strategy will serve as guidance for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps as they carry out technology research amid “an innovation race” that the country must win, the U.S. Navy website reported Wednesday.

Del Toro also said the strategy serves as a “call to service” to partners in industry, academia and the government to partner with the Department of the Navy “in solving naval problems to ensure our freedom and way of life.”

The Navy secretary went on to underscore the importance of technological research, saying, “this innovation is the key to ensuring our competitive edge over our adversaries.”

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