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NASA Conducts Series of F-15 Test Flights to Support the Quiet SuperSonic Technology Mission
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NASA's recently conducted a series of test flights using F-15 jets, which support the Quiet SuperSonic Technology program.

NASA has conducted a series of flights to validate the capability of its F-15 research jets to measure and record the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft shock waves. 

Throughout May, two F-15s lifted off equipped with recording tools and flew faster than the speed of sound to match the conditions at which the X-59s are expected to operate, NASA said Tuesday. 

The X-59, developed in partnership with Lockheed Martin, is part of NASA’s Quiet SuperSonic Technology, or Quesst, program. The aircraft is designed to reduce the booms of commercial supersonic planes to a thump. 

F-15 Test Flight Details

Cheng Moua, engineering project manager for the Schlieren, airborne measurements and range operations for Quesst project at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, described the F-15 test flights in May as “a graduation exercise.” He said the test brought together all components and equipment in their final configuration to prove that they work. 

NASA is using an F-15D, a tactical aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, and an F-15B, which is more typically deployed to evaluate the performance of equipment or for pilot training. 

The tools onboard both F-15s are:

  • A near-field shock sensing probe, which measures shock waves
  • The Airborne Location Integrating Geospatial Navigation System, or ALIGNS, to identify precise positioning
  • The Airborne Schlieren Photography System to capture real-world images of air density changes caused by the X-59. 

NASA Prepares for X-59 Flight

During the Quesst mission, the F-15D will lead data gathering using the near-field shock sensing probe. The F-15B will serve as a backup. 

Both jets will fly behind the X-59 to measure and capture images of small pressure changes and demonstrate how shock waves form and evolve during flight. 

The Quesst mission aims to provide critical data and guide regulators in crafting rules for commercial supersonic flight over land, which is currently prohibited due to concerns about sonic booms disrupting communities.

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NIST’s NCCoE Publishes Zero Trust Architecture Implementation Guide
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The National Institute of Standards & Technology‘s cyber center of excellence has issued its final zero trust practice guide

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence has unveiled its final practice guide for zero trust, Implementing a Zero Trust Architecture, or NIST SP 1800-35.

Guiding Zero Trust Architecture Implementation

NIST said Tuesday the special publication is intended to guide organizations in implementing end-to-end zero trust architecture and reducing the risk of cyber attacks. It offers detailed technical information for each sample implementation and replicable samples that can be utilized as a resource for technology implementers. In addition, the guide provides best practices and lessons learned, enabling organizations to save time and resources.

Protecting Distributed Data and Resources

The practice guide is the result of the comprehensive work of 24 vendors, who demonstrated 19 sample end-to-end ZTA implementations. The NCCoE intends to address the challenge of safeguarding distributed data and resources in on-premises and multi-cloud environments, providing users with options for round-the-clock access to information globally and across devices.

NIST SP 1800-35 Formats

The NCCoE has released the NIST SP 1800-35 in two formats. The “High-Level Document in PDF Format” offers an introductory view and insight into the project. This includes a summary of the project’s goals, reference architecture, different ZTA implementations and key findings.

The “Full Document in Web Format” is an in-depth look at the leveraged technologies, integrations, configurations and demonstrated use cases. It includes details on the security capabilities implemented and their mappings to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST SP 800-53r5 and NIST critical software security measures.

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Bipartisan Lawmakers Introduce Defense Acquisition Reform Bill
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Aerial shot of the Pentagon building

A bipartisan House bill is seeking to restructure, streamline and modernize the Department of Defense’s acquisition system to accelerate technology and weapons procurement for warfighters under the fiscal 2026 defense policy bill.

SPEED Act Details

Introduced by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., and Ranking Member Adam Smith, D-Wash., on Monday, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery Act, known as the SPEED Act, would reform the defense acquisition system, which they said is paralyzed by bureaucracy.

“Our military is saddled with a bureaucratic acquisition system that is so dysfunctional that the process between identifying a need to deploying it in the field can take more than a decade,” Rogers said. “By that time the threat has changed, the technology is outdated, and the program is over budget.”

According to Smith, the SPEED Act would cut through red tape, encourage innovation and streamline the decision-making process to immediately put necessary tools and materials in the hands of service members to respond to rapidly evolving scenarios and help strengthen national security and defense.

The SPEED Act introduces five key pillars for reform: 

  • Aligning acquisition to warfighter priorities and operational outcomes
  • Accelerating the requirements process
  • Striking a balance between regulation and efficiency
  • Strengthening the defense industrial base and leveraging commercial innovation 
  • Developing a mission-oriented defense acquisition workforce
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INL, Missouri S&T Agree to Collaborate on Energy R&D
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Idaho National Laboratory and Missouri University of Science and Technology have signed a memorandum of understanding.

Idaho National Laboratory has signed a memorandum of understanding with Missouri University of Science and Technology to advance research and development of nuclear reactors, integrated energy systems, electric power and grid system security, and materials and manufacturing for extreme environments.

The agreement will open new opportunities for researchers, students and faculty members to pursue research and development projects of mutual interest, INL said Tuesday. 

INL, Missouri S&T Fostering Deeper R&D Cooperation

Under the MoU, the organizations will exchange academic and research materials and expertise. The partners will also host seminars, workshops, conferences and symposia on areas of interest. 

In addition, INL and Missouri S&T will establish a joint appointment program to facilitate enhanced research and academic collaborations. 

Joseph Newkirk, professor and chair of nuclear engineering and radiation science at Missouri S&T, shared that the academic institution has been an INL partner for years. He added that the collaboration will contribute to “solving some of the world’s most critical energy challenges.”

“With our strong foundation in nuclear research and education, it makes perfect sense for S&T to work alongside a premier national research laboratory,” Newkirk commented. 

The collaboration is in line with the Strategic Understanding for Premier Education and Research, or SUPER, initiative. 

In January, INL signed SUPER agreements with Boise State University and the University of Idaho to strengthen energy resilience, stir economic growth and bolster protections around critical infrastructure across the nation. 

The national lab also has ongoing partnerships with Arizona State University, University of Michigan, University of Utah, University of Tennessee and other academic institutions. 

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NIWC Pacific Seeks Proposals for Advanced C4ISR Research
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NIWC Pacific is soliciting proposals and white papers for research focused on C4ISR capabilities and command suites.

The Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific is soliciting proposals and white papers for research focused on the advancement of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or C4ISR, capabilities and command suites. 

According to the notice issued on SAM.gov Tuesday, the request for proposals covers the research, technology development and prototyping of advanced C4ISR capabilities, enabling technologies for information operations, cyberspace operations and IT systems. Other technical topics of interest include unmanned vehicles, ubiquitous communications and computing environments, advanced power and energy production, cryogenics, quantum and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research.

NIWC Pacific Seeks Proposals for Advanced C4ISR Research

Get the latest on C4ISR and other Navy initiatives and projects. Register to join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Navy Summit.

Investigating Unique C4ISR Approaches

NIWC Pacific requires interested vendors to focus on unique and creative approaches to defining and developing future integratable C4ISR capabilities and command suites. Proposals should align with NIWC Pacific’s interests and those of other Team NAVWAR components.

Interested parties can submit their proposals until June 9, 2026.

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Leonel Garciga Issues Policy for Interim Army Approved Products List
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Headshot of Leonel Garciga, chief information officer at the U.S. Army

Leonel Garciga, the U.S. Army’s chief information officer and a two-time Wash100 awardee, has signed and issued a memorandum establishing an interim approved products list, or APL, that the Army can use pending the creation of a validated servicewide APL.

Published on June 4, the memo applies to all Army systems and components that receive, process, store, display or transmit data throughout the entire system development lifecycle, including platforms that support research, development, test and evaluation and Army-controlled systems operated by a contractor or an entity on behalf of the military branch.

Leonel Garciga Issues Policy for Interim Army Approved Products List

Garciga will be one of the keynote speakers at the 2025 Army Summit on June 18. Hear speakers as they discuss the service’s modernization imperatives, force structure optimization, national security missions and more at this Potomac Officers Club-hosted event.

The Army CIO is responsible for developing APL policy, while the deputy chief of staff, G-6, leads its implementation.

Policy for Interim Army APL 

According to the memo, all Army organizations will comply with the interim policy until a validated Army-wide APL is developed.

Army authorizing officials, or AOs, should not require a full assessment of a product on an APL. The sole requirement is that the organization should ensure that the APL item is suitable for operational use and its employment is consistent with the operational environment’s security measures.

The memo states that validating a product’s security on an APL will be managed through a documented configuration control process published by Headquarters Department of the Army for standardization throughout the branch. 

The Army requires security testing results to be recorded in the eMASS record representing the authorization boundary where the product will be used. 

The AO must approve use and reauthorize the boundary if introducing a product from an APL changes the accepted risk of an authorization boundary.

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FBI Promotes Veteran Agent Brett Leatherman as Cyber Operations Assistant Director
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Veteran FBI agent Brett Leatherman has been promoted to cyber operations assistant director and cyber division head.

Seasoned FBI agent Brett Leatherman shared in a LinkedIn post Monday his appointment as the bureau’s assistant director for cyber operations. Already with more than 22 years of tenure with the FBI, Leatherman served for over a year as the bureau’s cyber operations deputy assistant director previous to his promotion, according to his profile on the social media platform. 

Cybersecurity Intelligence Network 

In his new role, he will head the FBI’s cyber division and its outreach personnel and teams as they collaborate with key public and private sector partners to mitigate U.S. cyber threats. Leatherman will also develop the bureau’s local and international cybersecurity network to foster information sharing among U.S. government agencies, private industry and international organizations.

FBI Promotes Veteran Agent Brett Leatherman as Cyber Operations Assistant Director

Learn more about data-sharing between the intelligence community and private industry from the talks and discussions at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Intel Summit on October 2. Book a seat now!

Other FBI positions that he held previously include an 18-year stint as a supervisory special agent in charge of national cyberthreat management through joint efforts with the U.S. intelligence community, global partner organizations and private industry.

Besides his FBI work, Leatherman is also a part-time adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. He obtained a master’s degree in cybersecurity management from the university and a bachelor of arts in business administration/computer information systems from Cornerstone University.

Predecessor Joins Microsoft

Leatherman took over the FBI cyber division head position from Bryan Vorndran, who departed from the FBI in May after over 21 years of service and joined Microsoft as deputy chief information security officer.

Another FBI cyber division official, Cynthia Kaiser, also left the bureau last week to join Halcyon, a San Diego-based anti-ransomware platform provider.

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House Appropriations Panel Unveils $831.5B FY26 Defense Spending Bill
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Capitol Hill building, home to the U.S. Congress

The House Appropriations Committee on Monday released a bill that would appropriate $831.5 billion in defense funding for fiscal year 2026, adhering to the discretionary budget topline in the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed budget.

Advancing US Military Superiority

The FY 2026 defense appropriations bill seeks to enhance investments in 5th and 6th generation aircraft, including the F-35, F-47 and F/A-XX; support modernization of the nuclear triad that includes the B-21 Raider, Columbia-class submarine and Sentinel; and targeting resources for unmanned aerial systems, uncrewed maritime platforms and land-based counter-unmanned aerial systems to advance capabilities and strengthen national defense.

The measure would invest in national security space, including missile tracking satellite, proliferated missile warning and next-generation intelligence collection systems; allocate about $13 billion for missile defense and space programs in support of the Golden Dome project; and preserve F-15s and U-2s while investing in next-generation fighter aircraft and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

The proposed legislation would continue to prioritize innovation by providing $1.3 billion combined for the Defense Innovation Unit, the Office of Strategic Capital, and the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies program.

Space Systems Procurement

The measure includes $2 billion to buy 11 space launch missions under the third phase of the National Security Space Launch contract and $680 million to procure two GPS IIIF spacecraft.

Under the defense bill, $7 billion would go to classified space programs, $3.9 billion for missile warning/missile tracking systems and $1.8 billion for jam-resistant and wideband military satellite communications.

Hypersonics Programs

The legislation would provide $955 million for the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon; $483.5 million for the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile program; $806 million for the continued development of the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike program; and $412 million for hypersonics test infrastructure.

Other DOD Provisions

The bill proposes an increase of 3.8 percent in basic pay for all military personnel; seeks to reduce $3.6 billion and almost 45,000 civilian full-time equivalents to capture Workforce Acceleration and Recapitalization Initiative efforts; and requires detailed reporting on DOD’s proposed allocations and expenditures of reconciliation.

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Bipartisan Bill to Foster Defense Tech Innovation Through Hubs Initiative
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A Democrat and a Republican senator have come together to create a new law to spur defense tech innovation in the midwest.

Sens. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo, and John Hickenlooper, D-Co, have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at encouraging defense technology innovation and investment in 10 regions across the country.

Schmitt said Monday the Defense Technology Hubs Act aims to promote the modernization of the defense innovation base and generate jobs through the construction of tech hubs in Missouri, Colorado and other parts of the country.

What Is the Defense Technology Hubs Act?

The bipartisan bill mandates the Department of Defense to establish a program meant to support the facilities in developing defense technologies. The act also highlights the need for a codified eligibility requirements to be deemed a Department of Defense tech hub; regional collaboration and stakeholder commitment; and the presence of “anchor” federal defense institutions or military installations.

The Defense Technology Hubs Act will ensure the hubs do not duplicate existing efforts, prevent foreign entities from participating and authorize $375 million for fiscal years 2026 to 2030.

“We cannot deter great power conflict, we cannot protect the American way of life and we cannot guarantee peace through strength if we cannot build the tools of defense at scale and speed,” remarked Schmitt.

“America needs to double down on our innovation advantage to compete with China’s accelerating investments,” said Hickenlooper.

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New Trump EO Amends Biden, Obama Era Cybersecurity Rules
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A new Trump EO is designed to change the software accounting process for federal contractors and digital identity mandates

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order rolling back some cybersecurity requirements from previous administrations. 

The White House said Friday that provisions under EO 14144, or Strengthening and Promoting Innovation in the Nation’s Cybersecurity, and 13694, or Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities, have been amended.

What Was Repealed? 

According to a fact sheet, the new EO addresses “problematic elements” of the cyber rules set by former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. 

One cyber action removed under the Trump EO is the introduction of software accounting processes, which the White House described as prioritizing “compliance checklists over genuine security investments.” 

EO 14144, issued in January 2025, required federal contractors to submit secure software development attestations. Vendors were also required to submit technical data to back up their attestation, which the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was tasked to review, noted Cybersecurity Dive.   

Trump also rolled back digital identity mandates from Biden’s EO that, the White House explained, are prone to abuse by “illegal immigrants to improperly access public benefits.” 

Strengthening Cybersecurity Efforts

The new EO also aims to bolster the nation’s cybersecurity, especially in the face of rising foreign threats. 

The document specifically mentioned China as “the most active and persistent cyber threat” to the American government, critical infrastructure and private sector, but warned that Russia, North Korea and Iran could also undermine U.S. security. 

In addition, Trump directed federal agencies to accelerate efforts toward adopting artificial intelligence to respond to and eliminate system vulnerabilities and post-quantum cryptography to protect government assets from future attacks.

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