The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has signed a memorandum of understanding with the American Society of Civil Engineers that attempts to address climate change through building and infrastructure design and construction.

As part of the agreement, NOAA’s products and scientific data will be applied to ASCE’s standards, best practices, and building and civil engineering codes, the agency said Thursday.

“Sustained partnerships like this one are key to this effort, and will help foster a Climate-Ready Nation where individuals, businesses and communities have the knowledge and tools to take action to mitigate risk and support economic growth,” NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad remarked.

Partially administered by UMD, the collaboration and the MoU aim to advance sustainable infrastructure, especially in vulnerable populations such as low-income communities.

The MoU was prompted by NOAA’s findings that atmospheric-related disasters accounted for $165 billion in total damages in 2022 alone—the third biggest annual sum on record.

The NOAA Climate Program Office initially teamed up with ASCE and the University of Maryland Center for Technology and Systems Management in 2021 to work toward climate-resilient infrastructure.

Lt. Gen. Clinton Hinote, deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration and requirements at the U.S. Air Force, has called upon the Defense Innovation Board to use its influence to help facilitate the adoption of innovative technologies for military applications, Defense One reported Thursday.

According to Hinote, the board must map out competing incentives that guide defense acquisition players to identify barriers and seek opportunities to address longstanding cultural and structural concerns.

“If we’re not incentivized to fight better so that we can save lives and defend the country better, then I don’t know what we have to do, but we’ve got to do something because the incentives right now are lined up against rapid, scalable progress,” Hinote said.

He also noted that the Department of Defense must be transparent with congressional stakeholders and flexible in spending money and sharing intellectual property with allies and partners.

The Defense Innovation Board is reviewing the Pentagon’s upcoming National Defense Science and Technology Strategy, which is primarily concerned with hypersonics, quantum science and other technology focus areas.

The U.S. Department of Defense has committed more than $2 billion in funds to continue supporting Ukraine’s security initiatives through the delivery of critical air defense capabilities, armored infantry vehicles and other supplies.

The assistance package is composed of a Presidential Drawdown valued at up to $425 million and a $1.75 billion allotment from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the DOD announced on Friday.

The Presidential Drawdown, which represents the 31st mobilization of equipment from the DOD reservoir made by the Biden Administration since August 2021, will finance the supply of Javelin anti-tank missiles, artillery ammunition and conventional and long-range rockets for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems.

Specific provisions include 2,000 anti-armor rockets, 250 Javelin anti-armor systems, 190 heavy machine guns, 181 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, and supplementary 155 millimeter artillery rounds and 120 millimeter mortar rounds, among others.

Funds from USAI will enable the delivery anti-aircraft weapons, Counter-Unmanned and Puma Unmanned Aerial Systems, multiple types of radars, medical supplies and other equipment as well as tools to integrate a variety of Western weapons into Ukrainian air defense systems and sustainment support.

While Presidential Drawdowns obtain equipment from the DOD inventory, USAI finances procurement from the private sector. This assistance package marks the commencement of a contracting process to expand U.S. support for the Ukrainian military’s immediate and future needs.

Since President Biden assumed office, the U.S. has allocated $30 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The nation has committed over $32 billion since 2014 and more than $29.3 billion since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

DOD said that the U.S. will continue collaborating with its allies and partners to help Ukraine meet the current and long-term demands required for the nation to maintain its security.