///
US, Allies Release Joint OT Asset Inventory Guidance
Published on
Cybersecurity. The U.S. and its allies released a joint operational technology asset inventory guidance.

The United States and its allies have published a joint guidance to help operational technology owners and operators safeguard critical infrastructure.

Joint Effort to Strengthen Critical Infrastructure Security

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, in collaboration with the National Security Agency, the FBI, the Environmental Protection Agency and cybersecurity authorities from Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and New Zealand, published the guidance, titled “Foundations for OT Cybersecurity: Asset Inventory Guidance for Owners and Operators.”US, Allies Release Joint OT Asset Inventory Guidance

Intelligence-gathering and analysis are critical to protecting national security amid increasing threats, technological advancements and geopolitical shifts. The Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Intel Summit will bring together the intelligence community’s top leaders to provide their insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the IC. Register now and take the opportunity to gain insights into the future of intelligence.

The cybersecurity technical report provides a structured approach for creating and maintaining OT asset inventories and taxonomies. OT systems support essential functions like process automation, industrial control systems and cyber-physical operations that support energy grids, water systems, manufacturing and transportation networks.

Building OT System Visibility and Resilience

The guidance emphasizes that comprehensive asset inventories are critical for identifying and securing key systems and reducing the risk of cybersecurity incidents.

“OT systems are essential to the daily lives of all Americans and to national security,” said Madhu Gottumukkala, acting CISA director. “As cyber threats continue to evolve, CISA through this guidance provides deeper visibility into OT assets as a critical first step in reducing risk and ensuring operational resilience.”

NSA officials, meanwhile, stressed the importance of the guidance in defending national security systems, Department of Defense networks and the defense industrial base from malicious cyber activity.

Organizations are encouraged to review the document, which aligns with the Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals, and adopt the best practices outlined to ensure safety, resilience and mission continuity across operational environments. 

/
ICE Law Enforcement Recruitment Drive Reaches Over 100,000 Applications
Published on
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Noem is encouraging Americans to join ICE

The Department of Homeland Security has received over 100,000 applications from Americans who want to become Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The government recently removed the age limits for applicants and is offering incentives, including a maximum of $50,000 signing bonus.

“Our country is calling you to serve at ICE. In the wake of the Biden administration’s failed immigration policies, your country needs dedicated men and women of ICE to get the worst of the worst criminals out of our country,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, a 2025 Wash100 Award winner. “This is a defining moment in our nation’s history. Your skills, your experience, and your courage have never been more essential. Together, we must defend the homeland.”

ICE Law Enforcement Recruitment Drive Reaches Over 100,000 Applications

Leaders and experts from across government and industry will discuss the latest U.S. homeland security programs and initiatives at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12. Register for the in-person event here.

ICE Recruiting New Agents

The administration of President Donald Trump launched an effort at the end of July to recruit 10,000 additional ICE agents. Aside from a signing bonus, the government is also offering successful applicants student loan repayment and forgiveness options, enhanced retirement benefits and 25 percent Law Enforcement Availability Pay, or LEAP, for homeland security investigations special agents.

All ICE law enforcement recruits will be required to undergo medical and drug screening and pass a physical fitness test.

The agency’s recruitment effort is funded by Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which the president signed into law in July.

“Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, we now have funding to recruit and hire Americans who want to patriotically serve their country and protect American communities,” commented Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE.

/
Golden Dome Missile Defense System to Have 4 Integrated Layers
Published on
Missiles and missile interceptors over Earth. The Golden Dome missile defense system will include four layers.

A U.S. government slide presentation shows that the Trump administration’s Golden Dome next-generation missile defense shield will include four layers: one satellite-based platform and three land-based missile systems, Reuters reported Tuesday.

The missile defense shield is expected to cost $175 billion and be completed by 2028.

According to the slides, one of the layers will be a space-based sensing and targeting layer for missile warning and tracking, and missile defense. Meanwhile, the three ground-based layers consist of radar arrays, missile interceptors and lasers.

The slides presented to 3,000 defense contractors in Huntsville, Alabama, show 11 short-range missile batteries located across the continental U.S., Hawaii and Alaska.

Golden Dome Missile Defense System to Have 4 Integrated Layers

Seeking a forum for cross-industry discussion on Golden Dome? Attend Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Navy Summit for an insight-filled Golden Dome panel discussion. This August 26 GovCon networking event will provide a prime opportunity for idea exchange and partnership-building on Golden Dome.

Missile Field for Next Generation Interceptors

The presentation highlighted a new large missile field for Next Generation Interceptors, which would be part of the “upper layer” alongside the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, Aegis systems.

Lockheed Martin is the manufacturer of NGI missiles and THAAD Aegis systems.

The slides also showed the “under layer” and “limited area defense,” which will include the Patriot missile defense system, new radars and a common launcher of existing and future interceptors against all types of threats.

Gen. Michael Guetlein Confirmed as Golden Dome Program Lead

In July, the Senate confirmed by voice vote Gen. Michael Guetlein, most recently vice chief of space operations at the U.S. Space Force and a 2025 Wash100 awardee, as direct reporting program manager for the Golden Dome project. 

With his confirmation, Reuters reported that Guetlein has 30 days to establish a team, another two months to develop an initial system design and 120 days to launch a full implementation plan for the project.

/
ITI Offers Strategic Cybersecurity Policy Recommendations for ONCD
Published on
John Miller. The ITI SVP of policy and general counsel discussed the trade group's results-driven action plan for ONCD.

The Information Technology Industry Council, or ITI, has provided the Trump administration and newly confirmed White House National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross with several policy recommendations to strengthen U.S. cyber defenses.

4 Strategic Priorities to Help ONCD Address Cybersecurity Needs

ITI said Tuesday it organized its recommendations in four sections to help the Office of the National Cyber Director, or ONCD, address cybersecurity needs: lead with strength and speak with one voice; cut red tape and secure the nation; leverage public-private collaboration as a strategic asset; and defend against real and emerging threats.

“ITI’s new recommendations provide a results-driven action plan that equips Director Cairncross, his team at the ONCD, other U.S. policymakers, and cybersecurity defenders with what they need to succeed: efficiency, appropriate resourcing, and the freedom to focus on countering threats rather than navigating conflicting regulations,” said John Miller, senior vice president of policy and general counsel at ITI.

“With over 80% of U.S. critical infrastructure in private hands, effective cyber policy depends on collaborating with industry early and often and building the trusted, operational partnerships needed to stay ahead of U.S. adversaries,” added Miller.

Lead With Strength, Speak With One Voice

ITI recommended that the administration empower ONCD to coordinate federal cyber policy, strengthen cyber resilience through appropriate budgets and adoption incentives, and assert American leadership in global cybersecurity policy.

Cut the Red Tape, Secure the Nation

To reduce red tape, the global tech trade association recommended that the federal government deploy artificial intelligence to secure U.S. digital frontlines, drive consistency in incident reporting and establish consolidated certification systems.

//
GSA, Anthropic OneGov Deal to Deliver Claude AI to All Government Branches for $1
Published on
Anthropic logo. GSA announced a OneGov agreement with Anthropic to advance AI adoption in government.

A new OneGov agreement between the General Services Administration and Anthropic will provide the federal civilian executive, legislative and judiciary government branches with access to Claude for Enterprise and Claude for Government for only a dollar.

Under the agreement, all eligible participating branches will gain up to a year of access to the Anthropic offerings for a nominal fee, including the company’s frontier models with continuous updates as new capabilities are released. The company will also provide agencies with technical support to help them implement artificial intelligence into their productivity and mission workflows, GSA said Tuesday.

Accelerating Government AI Adoption

Claude for Government aims to deliver responsible AI with FedRAMP High and Department of Defense Impact Level 5 authorizations for mission-critical workflows, allowing federal workers to use Claude for sensitive unclassified work.

“OneGov is revolutionizing how the federal government acquires AI technology — delivering unmatched value, accelerating modernization, and opening the door for America’s best AI companies to work at the scale our nation demands,” said GSA Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum, a 2025 Wash100 Award recipient. “This agreement with Anthropic is another major step in the AI-driven transformation of government — advancing efficiency, boosting productivity, and ensuring we meet the priorities laid out in President Trump’s AI Action Plan.”

The agreement is expected to help position the United States as the global leader in government AI adoption by enabling the federal workforce to harness the power of AI to modernize operations, improve decision-making and deliver better results for taxpayers.

“As they explore the most powerful ways to leverage this transformative technology, the federal government shouldn’t have to choose between capability and affordability when it comes to AI,” said Thiyagu Ramasamy, Anthropic’s head of public sector. “With this offer, we are removing barriers so organizations in all three branches of government can harness the same advanced AI tools that are already driving transformation in the private sector.”

/
Dean Ball Appointed Senior Fellow at Foundation for American Innovation
Published on
Dean Ball. Ball was named as the Foundation for American Innovation's senior fellow.

Dean Ball has been named senior fellow at the Foundation of American Innovation, or FAI. He announced Tuesday on LinkedIn that he has returned to the private sector after the release of the AI Action Plan and will continue writing the Hyperdimensional newsletter.

Commenting on his appointment, the former senior policy adviser at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy thanked the Trump administration and his colleagues for giving him an opportunity to serve the country.

“Ultimately, I believe my skills are better suited to public writing and scholarship. But there is a remarkably capable group of people throughout government who already are working diligently to implement the President’s vision for AI, as laid out in the Action Plan. I look forward to celebrating their successes over the months and years to come,” Ball remarked.

Who Is Dean Ball?

Ball is a board member of the Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization. Before joining the FAI and serving at OSTP, he was a research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He also became the senior program manager of the state and local governance initiative at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University. At the Scala Foundation, he served as a secretary and treasurer. Ball was also an executive director at the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation and completed a six-year stint at the Manhattan Institute, beginning as a manager of state and local policy. 

//
Department of Energy Announces Firms to Accelerate Advanced Nuclear Reactor Deployment
Published on
James Danly, deputy secretary at the Department of Energy. Danly said DOE will support the Reactor Pilot Program participants

The Department of Energy has named the companies that will participate in the Reactor Pilot Program, which aims to accelerate the testing and deployment of advanced reactor technologies.

As part of the program, the DOE will work with the firms to construct and operate nuclear reactors and achieve criticality by July 2026.

Reactor Pilot Program Details

The Reactor Pilot Program was announced in June following President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14301, which called for a reform in how DOE conducts nuclear reactor testing and reestablishes the United States as a global leader in nuclear energy.

“President Trump’s Reactor Pilot Program is a call to action,” commented James P. Danly, deputy secretary of energy. “These companies aim to all safely achieve criticality by Independence Day and DOE will do everything we can to support their efforts.”

DOE selected 11 advanced reactor projects for the pilot. The companies will bear the costs associated with designing, manufacturing, constructing, operating and decommissioning the proposed reactors.

The selected firms are as follows:

  • Aalo Atomics
  • Antares Nuclear
  • Atomic Alchemy
  • Deep Fission
  • Last Energy
  • Oklo
  • Natura Resources
  • Radiant Industries
  • Terrestrial Energy
  • Valar Atomics

“We are pleased to have been selected by the DOE for this important project, which will help the U.S. win the race to energy dominance that is now so important for competitive commercial [artificial intelligence] and the re-shoring of U.S. manufacturing,” Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy, commented about his company’s selection in the pilot.

/
ULA Launches First Space Force-Sanctioned Vulcan Mission
Published on
ULA logo. ULA launched the first Space Force-sanctioned Vulcan mission.

United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has launched its Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, CBS News reported Tuesday.

Vulcan Rocket Deploys Military Payloads

The event marked the third overall and first operational launch of the Vulcan rocket, which is expected to replace ULA’s Atlas 5 and Delta rockets. The U.S. Space Force-sanctioned mission reportedly carried two military satellites, a classified spacecraft and the experimental Navigation Technology Satellite-3 Vanguard, onboard the Vulcan rocket, which features four solid-fuel strap-on boosters and two methane-fueled BE-4 engines. The satellites were bound for geosynchronous orbit.

The experimental spacecraft will conduct tests of enhanced atomic clocks and navigation technology. The Air Force Research Laboratory-developed NTS-3, designed by L3Harris Technologies, is intended to strengthen the resilience and responsiveness of space-based positioning, navigation and timing capabilities. It is meant to reinforce the reliability and security of GPS and other systems.

ULA CEO Tory Bruno on the Vulcan Launch

ULA president and CEO Tory Bruno, a one-time Wash100 Award winner, said the Vulcan rocket is engineered to handle heavy military payloads, thanks to the BE-4 engines from Blue Origin and its high-power Centaur upper stage.

“It is specifically designed for these exotic orbits that are primarily for the government. And this particular mission is the quintessential example. It is a direct injection to geosynchronous orbit. That means that it is a very, very long-duration mission,” said Bruno.

/
DARPA Unveils Digital RF Battlespace Emulator for Electronic Warfare
Published on
DARPA logo. DARPA unveiled the Digital RF Battlespace Emulator virtual test range.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has developed the Digital RF Battlespace Emulator, or DRBE, to accelerate the creation of advanced radio frequency systems in response to evolving electronic warfare threats.

Addressing Complex RF Threats

DARPA said Tuesday the DRBE, the largest virtual radio frequency test range in the world, simulates complex electronic warfare scenarios. The high-fidelity real-time platform enables simultaneous interactions of synthetic RF entities in a software-defined environment, allowing artificial intelligence-powered EW capabilities to be tested.

The DRBE features a high-performance, wafer-scale computing architecture, which provides the massive throughput and ultra-low latency necessary to simulate complex RF engagements and modern EW tactics accurately.

DARPA aims to deliver the first DRBE system to the Navy in late 2025. The agency will then proceed with enhancing the DRBE system by integrating advanced optical interconnects to boost its bandwidth and enable connectivity between hundreds of wafer-scale computers. This expansion is intended to allow the system to support other mission domains, including battlespace autonomy, materials science and digital twins. 

Remarks From DARPA Executive

“DRBE is a leap forward in how we can prepare and equip RF systems against sophisticated adversaries,” said Anna Tauke-Pedretti, DRBE program manager in DARPA’s Microsystems Technology Office.

“DRBE is not only setting a new benchmark for real-time simulation but is also accelerating our ability to develop and refine advanced electronic warfare capabilities that keep pace with emerging threats,” she added.

//
GSA Says FedRAMP Hit Record Cloud Security Authorizations in July
Published on
Michael Rigas. The acting GSA administrator said FedRAMP 20x reflects a shift to "outcome-focused security."

The General Services Administration announced that the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, or FedRAMP, completed 114 cloud security authorizations in July for fiscal year 2025, more than double the number finished in FY 2024.

GSA said Monday FedRAMP also authorized four new cloud service offerings through the FedRAMP 20x Phase One pilot.

What Is FedRAMP 20x?

Launched in March, FedRAMP 20x is a cloud-native authorization approach that seeks to reduce red tape and advance automation to enable companies to continuously validate the security of their cloud offerings.

The framework seeks to simplify security requirements to speed up the authorization of new cloud services within weeks. It also aims to provide more flexibility and promote better collaboration between federal agencies and cloud service providers.

“FedRAMP 20x represents a critical shift from process-driven compliance to outcome-focused security, empowering agencies to adopt innovative cloud services faster while maintaining robust protections for federal data,” said GSA Acting Administrator Michael Rigas. 

“The program is setting a new standard for federal IT modernization and reaffirming GSA’s commitment to delivering smarter, more secure services for Americans,” Rigas added.

Rethinking FedRAMP Cloud Authorization Model

GSA noted that it will continue to collaborate with industry and agency partners to further refine the FedRAMP 20x model.

“FedRAMP 20x has allowed us to rethink the entire authorization model and prove that security and speed can coexist in the federal space. We’re not just catching up—we’re leading,” said FedRAMP Director Pete Waterman.

Since the launch of FedRAMP 20x, GSA said it has shortened the time for cloud security authorizations from over a year on average to approximately five weeks.

1 … 60 61 62 63 64 … 2,656