///
Army-Led Task Force Building Online Marketplace to Accelerate Procurement of Counter-Drone Systems
Published on
Unmanned system. The JIATF 401 is building an online platform for buying counter-UAS systems across government

The Army-led Joint Interagency Task Force 401, or JIATF 401, is planning an online marketplace where military and intelligence leaders can quickly and more easily pick and purchase counter-unmanned aerial systems, or c-UAS, from various vendors, Breaking Defense reported Monday.

According to Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of the task force, the c-UAS marketplace will coincide with the UAS marketplace that the Army is also building.

“We are going to establish a UAS and counter-UAS marketplace that will provide authoritative data on how each of these systems performs under varying conditions and allow users or customers to select a tool that’s right for them,” he told reporters. “We’ve got a wide variety of counter-UAS tools, and I actually think that we need all of them, because depending on where you are or what threat you’re focused on, your requirements will be slightly different.”’

Keep up to date with the changes within the Army and what top military officials have planned to achieve the Army’s 2030 goals at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Army Summit on June 18. The event will feature dynamic panels and networking opportunities with key GovCon decision-makers. Get your tickets today.

What Will the Army c-UAS Marketplace Offer?

Ross did not divulge the types of drones that will be available on the marketplace, but shared that the online platform will likely offer drone detectors and non-kinetic effectors.

“Today, if we were to field a counter-UAS solution around some critical infrastructure in the US, we would likely not include an explosive warhead,” he explained. “So, we would want a low-collateral interceptor if we’re going to use a kinetic interceptor, opposed to an explosive solution that might be more appropriate for a combat environment.”

He added that the task force has not set a launch date or determined how many systems will be available. JIATF 401 does not yet have a dedicated budget, but it will likely utilize funding from its operations and maintenance, research and development, and procurement budgets.

The task force plans to host a counter-UAS summit in the coming weeks to coordinate with interagency partners on how it intends to test and evaluate systems that would be added to the marketplace.

What Is JIATF 401?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a 2025 Wash100 winner, established JIATF 401 in August to replace the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office. The task force is in charge of efforts to accelerate the delivery of c-UAS to warfighters.

//
Space Force’s Vector 2025 to Guide Service Transformation
Published on
Chance Saltzman. The USSF CSO said the Space Force must remain adaptable as technologies and threats evolve.

The U.S. Space Force has released Vector 2025, a consolidated reference outlining the direction and momentum the service intends to maintain as it continues its transition into a warfighting organization. According to the service branch, the document compiles the core concepts, priorities and service-level activities that underpin the Space Force’s approach to space superiority.

Gen. Chance Saltzman, Space Force’s chief of space operations and a three-time Wash100 Award recipient, said the publication is not a plan or strategy, but a “vector” meant to help Guardians understand how ongoing initiatives connect across doctrine, force design and day-to-day operations.

What Does Vector 2025 Emphasize?

The document aligns the service around its formative purpose: achieving and maintaining space superiority. It reiterates that the joint force depends on space-enabled capabilities and that the Space Force must be organized and trained to contest and control the domain against a thinking adversary.

Vector 2025 also outlines the Space Force’s theory of success, known as Competitive Endurance, which centers on avoiding operational surprise, denying adversaries a first-mover advantage and conducting responsible counterspace operations that do not create debris hazards.

How Will the Space Force Build the Force It Needs?

Vector 2025 details four service-level activities that anchor the transformation:

Force Design

This activity defines the force that the service needs five to 15 years ahead. It relies on future operating environment forecasts, wargaming, experimentation and detailed mission analysis to shape the “Objective Force,” a blueprint for capabilities, capacity and force structure. The Objective Force serves as a living reference for modernization and informs resourcing discussions with allies and partners.

Force Development

This portion focuses on improving the “Fielded Force,” blending capability development with career-long personnel training. It highlights new training pipelines for officers, enlisted Guardians and civilian professionals, as well as acquisition-specific improvements such as space-focused qualification training. Vector 2025 stresses the need to build a workforce with deep, domain-centered expertise.

Force Generation

Space Force Generation, the Space Force’s rotational readiness model, creates dedicated time for advanced training rather than relying on continuous daily operations. Vector 2025 calls for enhancing the readiness activities enabled by SPAFORGEN by expanding operational test and training infrastructure and implementing mission deltas and system deltas as integrated counterparts to strengthen unity of command and tighten coordination between readiness and capability development.

Force Employment

This activity focuses on the operational roles of Space Force units, including planning, coordinating and integrating space capabilities with the Joint Force. Vector 2025 notes that the service is maturing its component commands, strengthening their ability to shape theater plans, support global operations and provide continuous space domain awareness, defensive space control and other mission essential functions.

Why Issue Vector 2025 Now?

Saltzman wrote that the Space Force must remain adaptable as technologies and threats evolve, noting that “the difference between haste and efficiency is understanding.” He encouraged Guardians to internalize the document’s guidance to support the service’s transition into a fully realized warfighting organization.

The document consolidates direction from existing strategies and doctrine, including the Space Warfighting Framework, the Commercial Space Strategy and the forthcoming Objective Force.

//
DARPA Triage Challenge Names DART, MSAI as Top Performers in Second-Year Event
Published on
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.

//
DARPA Launches 2026 QBI Opportunity to Advance Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing
Published on
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. 

/
Army’s ACWS Adoption Accelerates With Over 45,000 Contract Actions Logged in FY25
Published on
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. 

//
MITRE Outlines Recommendations to Reshape DOD Acquisition Culture
Published on
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.
//
SSC Establishes System Delta 831 to Enhance PNT Capabilities
Published on
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.

//
DOE Seeks Input on Partnerships for Transformational AI Models
Published on
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.

//
Navy Launches Innovation Adoption Kit to Advance Tech Integration
Published on
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.

/
CISA, FBI, Partners Issue Updated Guidance Against Akira Ransomware Threat
Published on
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.

1 … 60 61 62 63 64 … 2,703