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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.

DHS S&T Relocates to New Washington D.C. to Boost Interagency Collaboration
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DHS S&T Relocates to New Washington D.C. to Boost Interagency Collaboration

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has relocated its headquarters to the department’s St. Elizabeths Campus in Southeast Washington, D.C. as part of a broader effort to consolidate DHS leadership and agencies at the new location.

DHS S&T said Friday its new headquarters features a collaborative workspace with modern technologies, enabling the agency to boost internal coordination and teamwork.

“Bringing this directorate under the same facilities as the rest of headquarters will enhance collaboration,” said Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of DHS and a previous Wash100 awardee.

Dimitri Kusnezov, DHS undersecretary for science and technology, said the new location will enable the DHS research and development arm to deliver technological support and expertise to agency partners and prepare the department for emerging technologies and future threats.

POC - 2023 Homeland Security Summit

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2023 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 15 to hear from government and industry leaders about the latest digital transformation efforts to protect national security against evolving global threats. Click here to register for the highly anticipated event.

Department of Air Force Opens Proposed Space Force Strategy to the Public
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Department of Air Force Opens Proposed Space Force Strategy to the Public

The Department of the Air Force has opened for public review its Comprehensive Strategy for the U.S. Space Force, which includes training, equipment preparation and organization of the service branch.

The overview was submitted to Congress in August, and is comprised of three lines of effort: collaborating with mission partners, bolstering its workforce and building a field combat-ready fleet, DAF said Friday.

The strategy makes clear the agency’s commitment to developing a resilient, ready and combat-credible Space Force and emphasizes the enhancement of the branch’s data infrastructure as a joint function priority.

In the document, DAF also discusses its plan to cultivate Guardians with in-depth understanding of space operations, problem-solving skills and selfless public service. For its part, the department said it will improve management processes for military as well as civilian personnel.

The comprehensive strategy pledges to eliminate over-classification, incompatibility and other traditional barriers to USSF collaborations. The service branch will engage in mutually beneficial partnerships with industry and academia to expand its global competitive advantage.

Army Leaders Consider Foundational Elements of Data-Centric Force
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Army Leaders Consider Foundational Elements of Data-Centric Force

According to U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, a 2023 Wash100 Award winner, the service branch must “continue to embrace innovation and transformation” to combat future threats.

In a keynote address at the 2023 Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C. last week, Wormuth highlighted data centricity and technology-driven approaches as key considerations in the Army’s journey forward, the Army said on Friday.

Laying the foundation for data centricity, said Army Chief Information Officer Leonel Garciga, is a “big piece” of the service branch’s current direction. What this entails is the implementation of policy, guidance and resourcing.

“I don’t care how good an algorithm is. If you don’t trust the platform, or you don’t trust the network, do you trust the output of that algorithm?” he said during a panel discussion at the event.

Steering the Army’s shift toward a data-driven force is its Digital Transformation Strategy. Released in 2021, the plan is designed to accelerate the process of bringing data to the forefront of Army operations. Its three major focus areas are modernization and readiness, optimized digital investments and a technically savvy, operationally effective digital workforce.

A core part of the strategy’s foundation is ensuring that data is properly collected and labeled throughout the Department of Defense.

Gabe Camarillo, under secretary of the Army, said the service branch must make sure that there is a routine way of tagging, governing and ensuring data accuracy across all functional Army components. Once a common method is established, he expects the service branch to “be able to really start humming.”

He noted that many of the service branch’s technical challenges have already been “figured out” in the private sector.

“The real question is how quickly can we adopt and change our processes to make the most advantageous use of capabilities that are already in the market,” said Camarillo.

Wormuth emphasized the “close partnership” the Army has maintained with industry as it has stayed on course with its “most ambitious modernization effort in 40 years.”

Since data and software will “impact the entire range and spectrum of military operations in the future,” the Army has to get these technologies right to sustain a technological advantage, Camarillo said.

Army Leaders Consider Foundational Elements of Data-Centric Force

Interested in learning more about the Army’s modernization journey? ExecutiveBiz’s Army Acquisition Priorities: Balancing Readiness and Modernization Forum will bring together top Army officials and industry experts to discuss how the service branch is transforming its approach to acquisition. Click here to learn more, and click here to register for the event.

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