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House Bill to Create National Commission on AI Policy
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House Bill to Create National Commission on AI Policy

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo.; Ted Lieu, D-Calif.; and Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., have introduced a bill that would establish a national commission to assess the nation’s current approach to artificial intelligence regulation.

The National AI Commission Act would create an independent body to make recommendations on any governmental structures that may be necessary to oversee AI systems, Buck’s office said Tuesday.

The proposed commission is envisioned to comprise government and industry experts who will collaborate on developing a comprehensive AI policy framework.

Lieu said the commissioners would “make recommendations on the best ways to move forward on AI regulation.”

“Our bill forges a path toward responsible AI regulation that promotes technological progress while keeping Americans safe,” he added.

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NTIA Publishes Over 1,400 Comments on Proposed AI Accountability Policy
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NTIA Publishes Over 1,400 Comments on Proposed AI Accountability Policy

More than 1,400 written responses were received by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration commenting on its draft artificial intelligence accountability policy.

The comments have been published two months after NTIA issued its request for feedback, which will help shape its policy recommendations to ensure earned trust in AI technology.

The agency drafted the AI Accountability Policy in an aim to guide the development of assessments, audits, and certifications of AI systems. The document is part of a larger effort by the Biden administration to govern AI-related risks and opportunities.

NTIA sought input on the kind of data access needed for the audits, the feasibility of creating incentives for accountability initiatives and suggested approaches to accountability in different industries.

NTIA published a total of 1,447 comments on its draft policy on the Regulations.gov website.

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911 Veteran Renee Gordon Appointed Vice Chair of FirstNet Authority Board
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911 Veteran Renee Gordon Appointed Vice Chair of FirstNet Authority Board

Renee Gordon, director of the emergency communications center in Alexandria, Virginia, has been appointed vice chair of the First Responder Network Authority board.

Gordon has been a member of the FirstNet Authority board since November 2022 and brings to the position extensive experience in public safety operations, the independent authority said Thursday.

She succeeds Richard Carrizzo, who held the vice chair position for more than two years before becoming the organization’s board chair in April.

“Her deep understanding of the nexus between 9-1-1 and first responder communications will help us further evolve the network and support the men and women who put their lives on the line every day,” Carrizzo commented on Gordon’s experience.

Gordon also led 9-1-1 emergency communications in Baltimore, Maryland, from 2014 to 2020.

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DOD, GSA, NASA Field Comments on Proposed Information Collection Related to Contract Financing
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DOD, GSA, NASA Field Comments on Proposed Information Collection Related to Contract Financing

The Department of Defense, NASA and the General Services Administration have asked the public to share their feedback and insights on whether the proposed collection of data is needed in order for the federal government to properly perform its acquisition-related functions.

The agencies are soliciting comments on an extension regarding contract financing in compliance with the Office of Management and Budget Regulations and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, according to a Federal Register notice published Tuesday.

Interested stakeholders can also provide their input on whether the information will have practical use and ways to improve the clarity, utility and quality of data to be gathered.

The federal agencies also want the public to suggest ways to reduce the burden of data collection on respondents, including the use of automated collection methods and information technology systems.

Public comments are due Aug. 21.

House NDAA Seeks to Create Personnel Management Structure for Space Force
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House NDAA Seeks to Create Personnel Management Structure for Space Force

A provision in the House’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024 would establish a personnel management structure for the U.S. Space Force to provide more flexibility for full- and part-time Guardians, Federal News Network reported Monday.

The proposed NDAA would create a new category called “sustained duty,” which is equivalent to regular component duty where personnel serve in military positions on a full-time basis.

To be considered active duty, the House proposal would set minimum requirements, including time spent on active duty and training, for part-time service members.

The measure would provide the Space Force with the authority to place active duty personnel on sustained duty orders and migrate those on sustained duty back to inactive duty status.

The House Armed Services Committee is set to vote on the proposed personnel management structure and the Space National Guard on June 23.

The full chamber has to approve the bills before heading to the conference panel for reconciliation and for integration into the final version of the NDAA.

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AFWERX to Establish Proving Ground to Test Autonomous Technologies
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AFWERX to Establish Proving Ground to Test Autonomous Technologies

The U.S. Air Force’s innovation arm is planning to establish a proving ground dedicated to testing and experimenting with autonomous technologies and capabilities, Breaking Defense reported Thursday.

Lt. Col. Bryan Ralston, lead of the autonomy prime program at AFWERX, said the technology accelerator has begun building the infrastructure for the testing site to increase “throughput and capability.”

The proving ground will be part of AFWERX’s autonomy prime portfolio that is set to fully launch at the beginning of the next fiscal year. The program is intended to facilitate the collaborative development of autonomy technologies for navigation and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

Ralston plans to carry out up to two tests per week to evaluate new systems and capabilities in the proving ground.

AFWERX began seeking industry comments on the autonomy prime program in September 2022.

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US Defense Firms Make Strong Presence at Paris Air Show
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US Defense Firms Make Strong Presence at Paris Air Show

More than 400 U.S. defense exhibitors have participated in the 2023 Paris Air Show, which has increased its focus on military equipment and other defense systems driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Agence France-Press reported Monday.

At least 158 aircraft, drones and helicopters are being exhibited at the biennial event, which features 125,000 square meters of space and is expected to draw approximately 320,000 visitors.

The F-35 fighter jet, Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft and the Aarok combat drone are some of the planes that are on display at the event.

The week-long exhibition also highlights the industry’s initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, including the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel.

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Jim Garrettson Delivers 2023 Wash100 Award to Battelle CEO Lou Von Thaer
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Jim Garrettson Delivers 2023 Wash100 Award to Battelle CEO Lou Von Thaer

Battelle President and CEO Lou Von Thaer accepted his 2023 Wash100 Award during a recent meeting with Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and creator of the Wash100.

The award marks Von Thaer’s eighth induction into the Wash100, an elite group of leaders making an impact on the government contracting industry.

His leadership in the past year has enabled Battelle to win critical contracts including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s four-year Environmental Microbes as a BioEngineering Resource program, an $869 million R&D and engineering project with the U.S. Army and the Defense Health Agency’s $10 billion medical research and development services contract.

The nonprofit organization also established new entities, such as Revive Environmental with partner Viking Global Investors, and the ARCH2 hydrogen energy and technology coalition.

“In the five years since taking the helm of the GovCon industry’s most complex scientific integrator and research colossus, Lou has lifted Battelle’s growth by more than doubling top-line revenue to over $11 billion while overcoming the nation’s limited supply of technologists and engineers,” said Garrettson, creator of the Wash100 Award. “Lou is an enthusiastic and evangelical leader of STEM and environmental solutions, and he leads Battelle with the energetic confidence that comes from decades in the industry,” he remarked.

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Nigel Sutton Joins TCOM as VP of Business Development
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Nigel Sutton Joins TCOM as VP of Business Development

Nigel Sutton has been selected as vice president of business development at TCOM, L.P.

In his new role, he will bring over 26 years of career experience primarily focused on defense and business capture to the organization, TCOM announced from its Columbia, Maryland headquarters on Tuesday.

“Nigel is a well-respected professional in the business development community, and all of us at TCOM are excited to welcome him to the team,” said Ron Bendlin, the company’s president and CEO.

“I’m confident his experience can help us move into new areas of opportunity while continuing to deliver cost-effective and efficient systems that meet the growing needs of existing customers,” Bendlin added.

Sutton’s experience spans both the public and private sectors. In the industry realm, Sutton’s responsibilities have included international business profit and loss, business development, congressional engagement development, capture management and operations.

Prior to joining TCOM, Sutton served as vice president of business development at General Motors Defense, where he led the effort to secure the $214 million Army Infantry Squad Vehicle contract in 2020.

Before General Motors, Sutton was vice president of the International Business Defense Systems Group at Orbital ATK, a role in which he supervised operations with over $500 million in annual sales. While holding this position, Sutton also served as chairman of the board for Orbital ATK Middle East.

He previously spent eight years at Raytheon, during which he oversaw the operational management of Raytheon International as regional director for Middle East and North Africa business development.

Sutton’s career began in the U.S. Air Force as an airfield management and administrative non-commissioned officer. He later held the roles of program director of engineering, deputy and IPT lead of the Naval Air Systems Command’s F/A-18 Program Office. From 2018 to 2020, he was a member of the State Department’s defense trade advisory group.

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AFRL Research Engineers Develop AR Technology for Nondestructive Aircraft Inspections
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AFRL Research Engineers Develop AR Technology for Nondestructive Aircraft Inspections

Research engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate have developed an augmented reality system for nondestructive inspections of military aircraft.

The Augmented Reality for Nondestructive Evaluation was designed to project three-dimensional hologram images onto physical aircraft parts to guide technicians through the process of using eddy current for bolt hole inspections, AFRL said Thursday.

“ARNE walks them through a series of processes by superimposing actual equipment and the interfaces that they see, in their direct field of use, so the information is right in front of them,” said Eric Lindgren, nondestructive technology lead at AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate.

A bolt hole eddy current procedure is done to detect the presence of fatigue cracks between metal aircraft layers to determine the airworthiness of the U.S. Air Force’s fleet.

ARNE has been demonstrated at a U.S. Air Force-wide NDI Working Group conference for nondestructive inspectors in Dayton, Ohio, attended by over 100 airmen and NDI inspectors from Japan, South Korea and other countries.

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