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DARPA Triage Challenge Names DART, MSAI as Top Performers in Second-Year Event
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DARPA logo. DART and MSAI topped DARPA’s 2025 Triage Challenge.

DARPA has completed the second year of its Triage Challenge, awarding top spots to DART in the systems competition and MSAI in the data category as competing teams advanced new approaches to medical assessment during mass-casualty incidents. The program, launched to accelerate scalable and accurate triage tools for military and civilian crises, is now advancing to its final 2026 competition, DARPA said Friday.

DARPA Triage Challenge Names DART, MSAI as Top Performers in Second-Year Event

DARPA’s latest Triage Challenge results highlight how emerging technologies — from advanced robotics to data-driven assessment tools — are reshaping emergency response in both military and civilian settings. These rapid innovations in medical readiness and crisis care closely align with the critical conversations to be featured at the 2025 Healthcare Summit on Feb. 12, 2026, where federal health leaders will examine modernization across public health, clinical systems and mission support. Register today to be part of the discussion.

How Did Teams Perform in the Second Systems Event?

The systems competition, held at the Guardian Centers in Perry, Georgia, introduced more demanding layouts than the inaugural event and simulated scenarios such as a C-130 aircraft crash and a nighttime ambush. Smoke, darkness and visual obstructions forced teams to test whether their robots and analytic models could still identify victims and assess injuries when conditions degraded.

The DARPA-funded DART of Battelle Memorial Institute led the systems category standings, maintaining its position after taking first place in the opening event in 2024. RoboScout, another DARPA-funded team, followed in the rankings, with Coordinated Robotics performing strongly among self-funded teams. Coordinated Robotics received a $300,000 award as the highest-scoring self-funded participant, while UAS-DTU earned $150,000 for the next-highest placement among eligible entries.

DARPA-funded and self-funded teams compete together, but only self-funded contenders qualify for prize money during the first two years.

How Did the Data Event Evaluate Trauma Prediction?

The data competition measured how well teams could analyze DARPA-supplied trauma datasets to anticipate which patients were likely to require life-saving interventions. MSAI placed first in the event while Coordinated Robotics secured the second spot and received a $300,000 award. Other leading finishers included DARPA-funded AI-TEMPO, CRITIC and LENS. Battelle’s CRITIC team placed sixth in the first data event.

How Is DARPA Trying to Modernize Triage?

The Triage Challenge aims to rethink how first responders identify life-threatening injuries when they are outnumbered, environments are unsafe and time is limited. DARPA is pursuing technologies that can rapidly detect physiological signs of trauma, such as hemorrhage or airway compromise, and transmit actionable information to medics who must make high-risk decisions under pressure.

What Comes Next for the Competition?

Following this year’s joint demonstration with medic teams — a live test of how autonomous systems can support human responders in real time — DARPA is preparing for the final 2026 event. Qualification submissions for the next systems and data events are open through Jan. 2.

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DARPA Launches 2026 QBI Opportunity to Advance Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing
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Quantum computing. DARPA will welcome new entrants its program to advance the development of quantum computers

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Microsystems Technology Office has launched the 2026 edition of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which aims to identify approaches for utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing.

According to a notice posted on SAM.gov Friday, the agency is opening the program to new entrants to ensure that it can find and evaluate all potential approaches.

The QBI program commenced in 2024 with the goal to build utility-scale quantum computing, or USQC, by 2033. The agency recently named 11 companies that will advance to the next step of the program, a yearlong research and development phase to refine proposed approaches.

DARPA Launches 2026 QBI Opportunity to Advance Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing

Learn more about how the government intends to strengthen U.S. leadership in quantum at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 29. The in-person event will feature networking opportunities with key decision-makers and industry leaders and panel discussions on the technologies revolutionizing the future of warfare, such as quantum, artificial intelligence, 5G and Golden Dome. Secure your tickets today.

What Research Is DARPA Seeking Through QBIT Calls?

DARPA intends to issue requests for proposals for approaches that address various QBI topics, or QBITs. QBITs will focus on technical challenges that must be resolved to design, build and operate a quantum computer.

DARPA plans to verify and validate proposed paths through three stages: describing a candidate system, outlining a research and development plan to realize it, and assessing whether the concept can be built and operated as intended.

The agency intends to award other transaction agreements for eligible approaches. 

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Army’s ACWS Adoption Accelerates With Over 45,000 Contract Actions Logged in FY25
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U.S. Army official seal. The Army reported progress in its implementation of an automated contract writing system

The Army Contract Writing System, or ACWS, processed 45,324 contract actions in fiscal year 2025, a significant increase compared to 3,022 contract actions in FY24 and 95 in FY23.

The total obligated value ACWS processed grew from $39 million in FY23 to $24 million in FY24 and reached $17 billion in FY25, the Army said Friday. 

In total, the platform supports 7,273 users across commands within the continental United States and other regions like Asia, Europe and South America.

What Is the ACWS?

First rolled out in 2023, ACWS automates and streamlines the way contracting officers write and manage contracts. It is managed by the U.S. Army Program Executive Office Enterprise and the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement, or ODASA P. 

What Drove the Increased ACWS Adoption?

The Army credits ODASA P’s ongoing customer engagement initiatives, such as initial and release-specific user training, for the increased usage of ACWS.

At the Army Contracting Command – New Jersey, for instance, ACWS users increased from three in FY24 to 50 in FY25, with transactions growing from four to 1,160 during the same period.

Another key driver of service-wide adoption is the program’s quick response to trouble tickets.

Lt. Col. Camille Morgan, product manager for ACWS at PEO Enterprise, shared that the platform improved user experience through the collaboration among the program office, functional sponsor and system integrators, and field user representatives. 

“ACWS enhanced its architecture to handle surges, improve interface performance and support service desk needs with targeted functional and technical expertise,” the official said. “When users are able to get their mission done faster and easier in ACWS, they promote that capability to others.”

The service desk made significant progress in reducing backlogs, with Tier 3 critical incidents dropping 83 percent from 808 to 133 between February and September. The Army reported over 10,000 incidents resolved throughout FY25. 

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MITRE Outlines Recommendations to Reshape DOD Acquisition Culture
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MITRE logo. MITRE has released a report outlining recommendations to enhance the Department of Defense's acquisition system.

MITRE has released a paper outlining seven actionable recommendations intended to address the challenges in the Department of Defense’s acquisition system.

The report, Bridging the Gap Between Authority and Execution in Transforming the Warfighting Acquisition Workforce, argues that culture, incentives and workforce behavior must align with reform efforts aimed at accelerating the delivery of warfighting capabilities.

What Challenges Have Slowed Past DOD Acquisition Reforms?

According to the report, the DOD’s acquisition system remains heavily compliance-driven, which discourages risk-taking and slows innovation. Short leadership tenures prevent lasting cultural change, while tools designed for speed, such as the Middle Tier of Acquisition, or MTA, pathway, have become burdened with additional requirements and legacy acquisition processes, making them nearly as slow as the traditional Major Capability Acquisition, or MCA. Additionally, the separation between operational users and acquisition teams limits feedback and hinders reform efforts aimed at enhancing acquisition and contracting processes.

What Are MITRE’s Recommendations for Defense Acquisition Reform?

MITRE outlines several key actions to strengthen the acquisition workforce and accelerate capability delivery:

  • Revise audit protocols to promote calculated risk-taking.
  • Coordinate efforts between acquisition and operations to enhance mission-driven collaboration.
  • Enable leadership at every level to champion cultural change.
  • Grant MCA programs greater flexibility to adjust baselines in response to requirements changes.
  • Shift from continuous analysis to streamlined analysis of alternative, or AoA, studies to fast-track MCA progress.
  • Optimize the MTA framework to accelerate capability deployment.
  • Provide programs with tools and guidance to refine acquisition strategies.
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SSC Establishes System Delta 831 to Enhance PNT Capabilities
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SSC logo. The Space Systems Command formally stood up System Delta 831, or SYD 831.

The Space Systems Command formally stood up System Delta 831, or SYD 831, during an assumption-of-command ceremony on Oct. 2 at the Los Angeles Air Force Base.

What Is SYD 831?

SYD 831 is a new organization supporting the Military Communications & Positioning, Navigation and Timing Program Executive Office by consolidating the development, acquisition and delivery of NAVWAR and PNT capabilities for the U.S. Space Force and joint forces, SSC said Thursday.

What Is SYD 831’s Mission?

It complements combat force command mission deltas, which sustain space systems, to consolidate overall mission readiness. Current SSC acquisition deltas are reorganized into SYDs aligned with mission deltas, or MDs, for mission generation, intelligence and cyber defense. This structure improves coordination, readiness, and unity of effort. Additional SYDs are planned to synchronize the acquisition of new space capabilities.

System program directors, formerly senior materiel leaders, will oversee PNT and NAVWAR systems, while system program managers, formerly materiel leaders, will advance and deploy advanced Global Positioning System satellites and user equipment.

Who Will Lead System Delta 831?

Col. Neil Barnas assumed command of SYD 831 during the ceremony presided over by SSC Commander Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant. According to Barnas, GPS and navigation warfare, or the ability to assure PNT capabilities, are critical to the economy, transportation networks and warfare.

“SYD 831 brings together the elements of capability development – program management, engineering, intelligence, logistics, finance, and contracting — under a single organization that is laser focused on delivering the gold standard of PNT capabilities,” said Barnas.

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DOE Seeks Input on Partnerships for Transformational AI Models
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Artificial intelligence. DOE seeks input on a plan to establish a consortium to curate scientific data for use in AI models.

The Department of Energy has issued a request for information to explore the formation of a public-private consortium focused on curating scientific data from national laboratories for artificial intelligence applications.

DOE Seeks Input on Partnerships for Transformational AI ModelsJoin us for the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 18, featuring top voices from agencies and industry. Register now to explore cutting-edge use cases and join the dialogue shaping the future of AI in government.

According to the RFI published Thursday on SAM.gov, DOE also expects the consortium to develop self-improving AI models for science and engineering and make them available to the scientific community through government, private sector and academic programs and infrastructure, including the use of cloud platforms. The move is part of the department’s effort to harness AI for scientific discovery, energy innovation and national security.

What Input Is DOE Seeking About the AI-Focused Consortium?

DOE is requesting feedback from businesses, research organizations, think tanks and investors on how to best structure partnerships between national labs and industry.

Stakeholders are asked to provide input on data curation, privacy-preserving AI methods and the integration of general-purpose AI models with scientific datasets. The RFI also seeks guidance on identifying data modalities, evaluating AI model performance and determining the best mechanisms for cloud-based distribution of AI models to drive innovation.

DOE wants advice on governance, intellectual property rights and the use of the other transaction authority to promote innovation while protecting U.S. research, technology and manufacturing interests. The department is also seeking input from stakeholders on lessons learned from existing AI consortia and less-traditional award structures that could inform the development of the consortium effort.

Responses are due Jan. 14.

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Navy Launches Innovation Adoption Kit to Advance Tech Integration
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Department of the Navy seal. DON introduced the Innovation Adoption Kit to help commanders evaluate and scale technologies.

The Department of the Navy has unveiled the Innovation Adoption Kit, or IAK, a framework designed to help commanders and program managers evaluate, implement and scale innovative technologies across the DON enterprise. 

Navy Launches Innovation Adoption Kit to Advance Tech Integration

Be part of the conversation shaping government technology at the 2026 Digital Transformation Summit on April 22. Hear from experts on AI, cyber and enterprise IT. Register today to secure your spot!

What Is the Purpose of DON’s Innovation Adoption Kit?

In a memo published in October, the Office of the DON Chief Information Officer said the IAK aims to bridge the gap between emerging commercial innovations and mission-ready capabilities, providing practical methods for transitioning from pilot projects to programs.

According to the memo, the IAK provides a unified framework that advances IT modernization while systematically identifying technologies for divestment.

What Is the Investment Horizons Framework?

A central component of the IAK is the Investment Horizons framework, which helps users evaluate the technology’s lifecycle, drive innovation and encourage divestment.

The framework consists of Horizon 3: Evaluating; Horizon 2: Emerging; Horizon 1: Scaled Production; and Horizon 0: Retiring.

What Are World-Class Alignment Metrics?

The IAK emphasizes the use of World-Class Alignment Metrics, or WAMs, to help assess IT investment and performance by linking data to mission outcomes. WAMs aim to increase effectiveness across the Navy and Marine Corps through a data-driven approach to evaluating success.

According to the memo, WAMs enable data-driven decisions through five outcome-driven metrics: time lost, customer satisfaction, operational resilience, adaptability/mobility and cost per user.

What Are DON’s Implementation Best Practices? 

The document outlines several best practices for implementing the IAK. According to the memo, the commands should consider establishing cross-functional innovation adoption teams that include acquisition, technical and operational stakeholders. 

Another best practice is using Investment Horizons Charts to identify Horizon 3 capabilities that align with Modern Service Delivery, or MSD, design concepts and priority tech areas, and are prioritized by WAM data.

Stakeholders should also advance technologies through structured piloting when they meet MSD compliance.

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CISA, FBI, Partners Issue Updated Guidance Against Akira Ransomware Threat
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CISA logo. CISA, FBI and international partners have issued updated guidance against the Akira ransomware.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the FBI, other U.S. agencies and international partners have issued new guidance identifying new methods used by the Akira ransomware group and how to defend against them.

What Does the CISA Guidance Against Akira Ransomware Include?

The joint advisory provides indicators of compromise and common tactics, techniques and procedures, allowing IT teams to identify Akira ransomware activity and protect their networks, CISA said Thursday. The update is part of CISA and the FBI’s ongoing efforts to combat ransomware.

CISA and the FBI are urging organizations to act quickly by backing up critical data regularly, adopting multifactor authentication and addressing known exploited vulnerabilities.

CISA, FBI, Partners Issue Updated Guidance Against Akira Ransomware Threat

Learn how cyber experts from the government and industry deal with similar threats by attending the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Cyber Summit on May 21. Register here.

Nick Andersen, executive assistant director for the cybersecurity division at CISA, said, “The threat of ransomware from groups like Akira is real and organizations need to take it seriously, with swift implementation of mitigation measures.”

“We urge every organization, large or small, to follow the guidance released today and take steps now to protect their organizations against ransomware threats,” Andersen added.

What Is the Akira Ransomware Group?

The ransomware group mainly attacks small and medium-sized businesses but has also targeted larger organizations across multiple industries, including manufacturing, education, financial services and healthcare. Akira threat actors initially focused on Windows systems, but in an April 2024 advisory, CISA said the group had deployed a Linux variant targeting VMware ESXi virtual machines.

Since January 2024, Akira has impacted more than 250 organizations globally and collected around $42 million in ransom payments.

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Sandia, NNSA Complete B61-12 Flight Tests on F-35
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F-35A. Sandia and NNSA completed B61-12 flight tests on the F-35A.

Sandia National Laboratories and the National Nuclear Security Administration conducted a series of B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb flight tests in Nevada in August, validating the weapon’s performance when carried and released by an F-35A aircraft, Sandia said Thursday.

What Did the Sandia, NNSA Tests Demonstrate?

The trials, held Aug. 19 to 21 at the Tonopah Test Range with aircraft support from Hill Air Force Base, used inert B61-12 joint test assemblies to evaluate end-to-end reliability of the aircraft, crews and weapon system. The test series also included the first thermal preconditioning of a B61-12 test assembly aboard an F-35 aircraft prior to its release, providing additional data on how the system performs under combined environmental conditions. 

“These B61-12 F-35A stockpile flight tests and captive carry flight test were the capstone accomplishment of a tremendous amount of planning and effort by those who were involved across not only Sandia, but many other agencies,” said Jeffrey Boyd, Sandia’s surveillance lead for the B61-12 and B61-13. “In addition, these B61-12 stockpile flight tests represent the completion of the most B61-12 flight testing surveillance scope in a year to date and the most in a given year for the foreseeable future.”

Why Are the Tests Important?

A test range official said the team completed evaluations on three assets over two days after adjusting plans to meet safety and range requirements. According to Sandia, the results will support annual assessments of NNSA laboratories and enhance warfighter capabilities.

The B61-12 is the most recent modification of the B61 family of nuclear gravity bombs. NNSA completed its B61-12 Life Extension Program in December 2024, extending the bomb’s service life by at least 20 years. The agency is now transitioning production to the B61-13, with the first unit expected by fiscal year 2026.

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NASA’s ESCAPADE Satellites Deployed, Targeting Mars in 2027
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Mars. NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft were deployed in MEO after a New Glenn launch.

NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft, designed by Rocket Lab, have deployed into orbit following their launch aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, beginning the first coordinated two-spacecraft orbital science mission to Mars.

What Happened During the Launch?

The mission lifted off on Nov. 13 from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, NASA said Thursday. After stage separation, New Glenn’s first stage began its autonomous descent toward Blue Origin’s landing platform in the Atlantic Ocean, while the second stage’s BE-3U engines ignited to carry ESCAPADE, short for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, to medium Earth orbit.

NASA confirmed the payloads were released, marking the start of the mission’s yearlong Earth-proximity phase.

What Is ESCAPADE’s Flight Path to Mars?

During the Earth-proximity phase, the spacecraft will build the speed needed for a trans-Mars injection burn planned for November 2026. NASA said ESCAPADE will take advantage of the Oberth effect, increasing efficiency by firing the engines at higher speeds.

The satellites are expected to arrive at Mars in September 2027. They will enter a large capture orbit before NASA and its partner teams adjust and synchronize their trajectories for a science mission scheduled to begin in spring 2028.

What Will the Mission Study?

Using coordinated measurements from different points around the planet, the two ESCAPADE orbiters will investigate how Mars’ magnetosphere responds to solar activity and how energy and particles move around the planet. NASA said the findings will help improve understanding of environmental conditions relevant to future robotic and human missions.

Who Is Involved in the Mission?

The ESCAPADE mission is managed by the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Advanced Space and Blue Origin serve as key partners.

Launch services were provided under NASA’s Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare contract, which supports lower-cost launch opportunities for science and technology missions.

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