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NAWCAD Opens New Cyber Range Focused on Ensuring Aircraft Cybersecurity
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NAWCAD Opens New Cyber Range Focused on Ensuring Aircraft Cybersecurity

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 16 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River to mark the opening of a new national cyber range — a facility that provides technology developers with a secure virtual environment where they can test their solutions for digital vulnerabilities.

The cyber range at NAS Patuxent River will be focused on training activities and cyber testing involving aircraft, their subsystems and supporting technologies, the Naval Air Systems Command said Monday.

Steve Cricchi, executive director of NAWCAD, said the new cyber range will help secure and strengthen future flight lines and air wings, adding: “This wide-reaching investment protects warfighters from increasingly advanced cyber enemies—something we can all feel proud of.”

The cyber range at Patuxent River is the fourth of its kind, following one in Eglin Air Force Base, another in Orlando, Florida and a third in Charleston, South Carolina.

The new facility is expected to generate $20 million in revenue for St. Mary’s County in Maryland and produce new job opportunities.

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Army Officials Cite Organizational Changes as Key to Achieving Network Simplification
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Army Officials Cite Organizational Changes as Key to Achieving Network Simplification

U.S. Army officials said the military branch has initiated organizational changes in the way it procures information technology platforms and services, which they believe could enable the service to make great strides when it comes to simplifying its IT networks, Federal News Network reported Monday.

“Don’t underestimate institutional change, because I would submit to you that’s one of the key things that is very, very different here,” said Lt. Gen. John Morrison, deputy chief of staff for the Army’s command, control, communications, cyber operations and networks (G-6).

“We’re used to 40 to 60 different organizational networks that were out there, and that made us wildly inefficient. … And so this is an institutional shift: We’re not going to do that anymore,” Morrison added.

He mentioned some of the earlier institutional changes that could help the Army achieve network simplification, including the centralization of network defense and management responsibilities within Army Cyber Command.

The Army’s program executive officer for command, control and communications-tactical now oversees network capability development and acquisition responsibilities, which were previously divided into two PEOs.

Mark Kitz, the top official at PEO-C3T, cited some examples of measures his office has introduced to address network complexity issues. Among them is having unified network operations.

“Another example is in our next generation tactical terminal program, where we’re consolidating our SATCOM capabilities,” Kitz said.

“We’re doing that in a way that challenges industry to deliver a capability that can be flexible to the future so we’re not stuck with one band or one technology for 20 years. So already in our programs, we’re baking in the ability to be flexible and agile,” he added.

Army Acquisition Priorities: Balancing Readiness and Modernization Forum

ExecutiveBiz will host the Army Acquisition Priorities: Balancing Readiness and Modernization Forum on Nov. 8. Register here to attend this important event.

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Gen. Chance Saltzman Announces System Delta Units to Enhance Mission Tech Development
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Gen. Chance Saltzman Announces System Delta Units to Enhance Mission Tech Development

Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force and a 2023 Wash100 Award winner, said the service branch will create new System Delta units to collaborate with the integrated mission deltas on mission capability development.

The System Delta units will operate under the Space System Command and consolidate SSC units that design, develop and deliver mission systems under a single command, Space Force said Friday.

“These units will directly complement IMDs by developing, acquiring, and fielding capability that satisfies operational needs,” Saltzman said.

The new SYD model aims to synchronize weapon systems development while collecting real-time input from operators.

The announcement follows the development of the first provisional IMDs that will focus on electronic warfare and positioning, navigation and timing.

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How CHIPS Act Fuels 5G Innovation: JMA’s Rishi Bhaskar Explains
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How CHIPS Act Fuels 5G Innovation: JMA’s Rishi Bhaskar Explains

The Department of Defense is undergoing myriad efforts to modernize its systems, information technology infrastructure and communications capabilities. Rishi Bhaskar, senior vice president and general manager at JMA Wireless, asserted that 5G and Open Radio Access Networks known as O-RAN will be a critical component of the Pentagon’s modernization push.

One monumental step toward modernization came with the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which allocated $54.2 billion in total funding to boost U.S. semiconductor research and development, manufacturing and workforce development. A portion of this funding is going directly toward “promoting and deploying wireless technologies that use open and interoperable radio access networks,” according to a White House statement.

“Part of the CHIPS Act was an allocation of funding for the Wireless Innovation Fund, and that’s headed up by the [National Telecommunications and Information Administration],” Bhaskar told Executive Mosaic’s Summer Myatt in a recent video interview. “The government has allocated $1.5 billion into the Wireless Innovation Fund to spur O-RAN R&D here at home in the United States.”

Beyond the CHIPS Act, the NTIA and the DOD have teamed up in the latest 5G challenge, which Bhaskar described as “an initiative that the Department put out in partnership with the NTIA to actually challenge the industry on innovating and driving O-RAN solutions here in the United States.”

The 2023 installment of the 5G challenge awarded a total of $7 million to high-performing 5G subsystems with multi-vendor interoperability.

“There’s been some pretty significant investment by the government, both from a policy perspective and a funding perspective to continue to spur O-RAN R&D here in the U.S.,” Bhaskar added.

Find out how else government agencies are driving 5G and O-RAN innovation — watch Rishi Bhaskar’s full video interview here.

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Accenture, Google Introduce New Cybersecurity Center of Excellence; Karen Dahut & John Goodman Quoted
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Accenture, Google Introduce New Cybersecurity Center of Excellence; Karen Dahut & John Goodman Quoted

Accenture Federal Services and Google Public Sector have established a new Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.

Enabled by Mandiant’s Threat Intelligence platform and Accenture Federal Services’ cybersecurity offerings, the center is designed to assist U.S. government organizations with detecting and responding to evolving cyberattacks, Accenture Federal Services and Google announced in a joint press release on Tuesday.

Karen Dahut, CEO of Google Public Sector and a three-time Wash100 awardee, said the integration of Mandiant Threat Intelligence with Google Cloud’s AI-based security technologies is able to keep government agencies ahead of modern cyberattacks while safeguarding sensitive data.

“Our expanded alliance with Accenture Federal Services will provide the technology and professional expertise that agencies need to mitigate vulnerabilities and quickly respond to threats and breaches,” she said.

Mandiant was acquired by Google Cloud in September 2022. The new center is a joint effort to incorporate Mandiant’s Threat Intelligence platform with Accenture Federal Services’ human-centered cybersecurity services and bring the combined offering to all areas of operation within the federal government, such as the edge, data centers and the cloud.

Google Cloud’s Security AI Workbench and generative AI capabilities will also be meshed with Accenture Federal Services’ offerings to accelerate cyber threat detection and response times for federal agencies.

“Today’s federal missions demand next-generation cybersecurity solutions that can pre-empt and detect threats and assure the reliability of our nation’s critical systems,” said Accenture Federal Services CEO John Goodman, a six-time Wash100 Award recipient.

Accenture Federal Services, said Goodman, looks forward to working alongside Google to build technologies that will help customers “be confident in their cyber readiness and resilience.”

This effort builds on a partnership between the two enterprises that dates back to 2018. Their goal as a team is to combine Accenture’s service offerings with Google’s cloud technologies, and they have supported both public and private sector organizations.

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White House Workshop Fields Discussion on Low Earth Orbit R&D Efforts
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White House Workshop Fields Discussion on Low Earth Orbit R&D Efforts

Federal agencies and departments explored potential programs and discussed opportunities to facilitate collaboration on low Earth orbit research and development efforts during a workshop organized by the White House and held last week.

During the workshop, the agencies expressed their commitment to planning research ideas in biomanufacturing, immune cell aging, tissue engineering and other areas to maintain a U.S. presence in LEO; advancing safety standards and protocols; and developing innovative platforms that could help improve space situational awareness and accelerate emergency response, the White House said Friday.

They also expressed their intent to combine initiatives through a LEO national laboratory and suggested new ideas for LEO development.

In late March, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released a national strategy outlining the current administration’s vision to maintain U.S. leadership in LEO through R&D efforts.

NASA Concludes RS-25 Engine Installment Onto SLS Rocket Core Stage
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NASA Concludes RS-25 Engine Installment Onto SLS Rocket Core Stage

NASA has completed the installation of four Aerojet Rocketdyne-manufactured RS-25 engines onto the core stage of the Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis II mission.

The agency said Friday it worked with Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies subsidiary, and core stage lead contractor Boeing to secure the engines to the SLS core stage.

Boeing and Aerojet Rocketdyne engineers and technicians placed the first RS-25 engine at the top left corner of the SLS core stage in September.

Engineers at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility have begun final integration testing in preparation for acceptance review before delivering the SLS core stage to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The team will test the entire stage and its avionics and electrical systems in the coming weeks.

DOE Embarks on $7B Initiative to Launch Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
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DOE Embarks on $7B Initiative to Launch Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Department of Energy is investing $7 billion in seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs across the United States, as part of the Biden administration’s renewable power and energy security goals.

The H2Hubs will be comprised of producers and infrastructure expected to generate 3 million metric tons of hydrogen per year, DOE announced Friday.

The sites nominated to become an H2Hub are:

  • Appalachian Hydrogen Hub across West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania
  • Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems in California
  • Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub in Texas
  • Heartland Hydrogen Hub in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota
  • Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub across Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey
  • Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen across Illinois, Indiana and Michigan
  • Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub across Washington state, Oregon and Montana

The grantees will match the DOE investment to raise a total of $50 billion to be spent on job creation and strengthening local economies. The California H2Hub, for instance, estimates that its project will generate 130,000 construction jobs and 90,000 permanent jobs.

DOE’s clean hydrogen initiative aims to offset 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from end-uses annually.

“Unlocking the full potential of hydrogen—a versatile fuel that can be made from almost any energy resource in virtually every part of the country—is crucial to achieving President Biden’s goal of American industry powered by American clean energy, ensuring less volatility and more affordable energy options for American families and businesses,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm commented.

Navy Commissions USS Hyman Rickover Virginia-Class Nuclear-Powered Submarine
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Navy Commissions USS Hyman Rickover Virginia-Class Nuclear-Powered Submarine

The U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Hyman G. Rickover Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine — built by General Dynamics’ Electric Boat subsidiary — during a ceremony held at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, DVIDS reported Saturday.

The USS Rickover is the second Navy submarine named after Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, a figure seen as a pioneer of the nuclear Navy.

The first Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709) is a Los Angeles-class submarine commissioned on July 21, 1984, and decommissioned in December 2007 after 12 deployments.

With a crew of nearly 135 Navy personnel, the new USS Rickover is capable of diving to depths greater than 800 feet at speeds faster than 25 knots.

“The crew of Hyman G. Rickover and our industry partners have worked tirelessly over the past several years to bring our nation’s newest submarine to life and we wouldn’t be here today without them,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, a 2023 Wash100 awardee.

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SBA Seeks to Improve Small Business Participation in Federal Contracting With New Final Rule
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SBA Seeks to Improve Small Business Participation in Federal Contracting With New Final Rule

The Small Business Administration has published a final rule stating that prime contractors with individual subcontracting plans may elect to receive credit for lower-tier subcontracts and must integrate the lower-tier subcontracting performance into their individual subcontracting plan goals.

SBA introduced the rule in accordance with the provisions of the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, per a Federal Register notice published Wednesday.

The notice dictates that section 870 of NDAA prohibits agencies from establishing tier-specific goals for contractors that use lower-tier credit.

Under the new rule, all prime contractors will have only one set of goals for first-tier and lower-tier subcontracting and should include in their subcontracting plans a written statement of the types of records they will keep to prove the subcontracting credit.

“In sum, the regulatory amendments implemented by this rule will not have a disparate impact on small businesses and will increase their opportunities to participate in Federal Government contracting as subcontractors without imposing any additional costs,” the notice reads.

The final rule will take effect on Nov. 13.

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