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Navy-Johns Hopkins APL Partnership Equips USS Bataan With Hybrid Metal 3D Printer
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Navy-Johns Hopkins APL Partnership Equips USS Bataan With Hybrid Metal 3D Printer

A hybrid metal 3D printer was installed on a U.S. Navy ship for the first time through the collaboration of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the Naval Surface Force Atlantic and Naval Sea Systems Command Technology Office.

The additive and subtractive 3D printing system placed on the USS Bataan produces 316L stainless steel, a critical component in U.S. Navy ships, Johns Hopkins APL said Tuesday.

The equipment features Haas Automation’s TM-1 CNC milling machine and Meltio’s 3D wire-laser metal print head. It is capable of layer-by-layer material addition as well as selective material subtraction. It can also make ready-to-use parts or their prototypes using a Markforged X7 polymer-based printer installed by the team.

Engineers designed a data acquisition system to monitor the vessel’s movement or vibrations, which could affect production success. The printer also comes with a digital manufacturing environment that receives technical data packages developed by NAVSEA.

“The metal hybrid system installed on Bataan will improve ship self-sufficiency and enable the sailors to fabricate parts to keep systems operational,” said Scott Storms, NAVSEA 05T deputy program manager supporting the unit’s Additive Manufacturing Research and Development program. 

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Air Force Global Strike Command’s Innovation Lab Unveils Counter-Small UAS Competition
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Air Force Global Strike Command’s Innovation Lab Unveils Counter-Small UAS Competition

Air Force Global Strike Command’s innovation arm has launched a new competition to develop technology designed to counter threats posed by small unmanned aerial systems.

STRIKEWERX said Tuesday it is seeking submissions from private companies, academia and small businesses for the Mobile C-sUAS Swarm Defeat Challenge, which aims to protect mobile transport systems against drone swarms.

Russ Mathers, director of STRIKEWERX, said the command is encouraging businesses, educators and inventors to bring all ideas to the table to help its government partners “learn about the latest and greatest technology available.”

“This challenge will discover the newest developments in industry to address threats and maintain the command’s commitment to nuclear deterrence,” said Donna Senft, chief scientist at AFGSC.

STRIKEWERX has scheduled a special workshop on May 4 and 5 at the Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City, Louisiana, to provide further details about the challenge to approximately 50 industry, academia and government experts.

The command will then open an eight-week solution submission period.

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State Department to Advance CHIPS Act ITSI Fund Projects in Semiconductor, ICT Sectors
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State Department to Advance CHIPS Act ITSI Fund Projects in Semiconductor, ICT Sectors

The U.S. Department of State has revealed plans to implement the International Technology Security and Innovation Fund to help ensure the expansion and security of the semiconductor supply chain and information and communications technology in compliance with the CHIPS and Science Act.

The department said Tuesday the CHIPS Act of 2022 authorizes $500 million over five years to implement new programs under the ITSI Fund.

The department will allocate $100 million in fiscal year 2023 funding for CHIPS Act ITSI Fund projects under the semiconductor and ICT sectors.

For the semiconductor area, ITSI funding will support initiatives aimed at securing critical material inputs, strengthening international policy coordination, expanding and diversifying downstream capacity in the Indo-Pacific and the Americas and protecting national security.

The State Department will also use ITSI funding to support the deployment of secure ICT infrastructure and defend ICT ecosystems against malicious cyber activities. Additionally, they intend to provide capacity-building training and technical consulting support to promote risk awareness and adoption of regulatory frameworks and policies in support of secure ICT ecosystems.

Army Brigade Combat Team Receives Initial BAE-Built Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles
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Army Brigade Combat Team Receives Initial BAE-Built Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles

The U.S. Army has provided new ground combat vehicles built by BAE Systems to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division.

Soldiers at Fort Stewart in Georgia accepted the initial Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle deliveries as part of the branch’s initiative to replace aging M113 armored personnel carriers, the service said Tuesday.

BAE developed the AMPV platform as part of a $1.2 billion contract awarded in December 2014.

The acquisition program is currently in low-rate production of five vehicle models intended for general purpose, medical evacuation, medical treatment, mission command and mortar carrier operations.

AMPVs are equipped with a powertrain and suspension package similar to the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzer systems.

The Army expects to receive approximately 3,000 new vehicles within the next two decades.

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Charles Luftig Named Deputy DNI for Policy & Capabilities
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Charles Luftig Named Deputy DNI for Policy & Capabilities

Avril Haines, director of national intelligence and a 2023 Wash100 awardee, has announced the appointment of Charles Luftig as deputy director of national intelligence for policy and capabilities.

In his new role, Luftig will oversee ongoing strategy, policy and capability development efforts to help the intelligence community “meet the challenges of an evolving national security landscape,” Haines said in a statement published Tuesday.

“Charles brings a wealth of national security experience to P&C having served in a variety of national security roles, to include most recently as my Chief of Staff, and I am so pleased the IC will continue to benefit from Charles’ expertise, professionalism, and integrity,” Haines added.

Luftig joined the Office of the DNI in January 2021 following a three-year career at asset management firm Bridgewater Associates, where he most recently served as counsel and manager of security policy.

Before that, he was deputy general counsel at the Office of Management and Budget and provided legal advice and senior adviser to the deputy national security adviser at the National Security Council.

Luftig succeeds Dustin Gard-Weiss, who held the position in August 2020.

“I would also like to express my gratitude to Dustin Gard-Weiss for his instrumental leadership as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for P&C for the past two and a half years,” Haines said.

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Watch: Amentum CEO John Heller Shares How UAVs Are ‘Changing the Battlefield’
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Watch: Amentum CEO John Heller Shares How UAVs Are ‘Changing the Battlefield’

Technology is developing and advancing at a rapid pace, and leaders from government and industry alike are working to harness these changes at the speed of innovation. For Amentum, the company is viewing emerging technologies through the lens of their core growth markets.

In the area of engineering modernization, Amentum CEO John Heller said unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVS, and counter UAVs hold great potential for the future of defense and represent a major growth market for the company.

“We’ve seen just recently on the battlefield over in Ukraine how effective autonomous technology can be on the battlefield — how it’s really changing our idea of how the battlefield field will operate not just today, but just perceiving change for the future,” said Heller, a 2023 Wash100 Award winner, in an exclusive video interview with Executive Mosaic.

Heller explained that Amentum has “tremendous experience” in UAVs as well as an established leadership position in operating and maintaining UAVs for the U.S. government. Beyond Amentum’s work on its own though, the company is forging key partnerships with technology companies as it expands its UAV portfolio and offerings.

The company is working with Spark AI to develop “the next generation of artificial intelligence to help deliver unmanned, autonomous technology to the battlefield,” Heller said, noting that he also sees major applications for autonomous technology off the battlefield too, specifically in helping businesses operate more effectively.

Additionally, Amentum is partnering with DJI and Deep Trekker to develop drones that can assist in cleaning environmental waste or help with dangerous environmental problems, Heller mentioned.

Watch John Heller’s full video interview here, and vote for him in the 2023 Wash100 popular vote competition at Wash100.com.

John Mengucci of CACI & Maria Demaree of Lockheed Martin Space Reach Career Highs with 2023 Wash100 Award
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John Mengucci of CACI & Maria Demaree of Lockheed Martin Space Reach Career Highs with 2023 Wash100 Award

Today, Executive Mosaic is singing the praises of two private sector juggernauts in light of their induction to the 2023 Wash100 class. CACI CEO John Mengucci and Lockheed Martin Space General Manager Maria Demaree were commended in ExecutiveGov sister publications GovCon Wire and ExecutiveBiz for the feats that led them to be counted among the top government contracting executives in the U.S.

The Wash100 Award is an annual compilation and commemoration of GovCon and the federal sector’s best and brightest. EM’s discerning voting body considers a plethora of candidates and factors, weighing traits such as vision, innovation, leadership and reliability. Now having completed its first decade of life, the award marks an enormous and widely-respected honor in the industry and the Capitol region.

After announcing the honorees in January, EM begins a yearly, much anticipated popular vote competition. Participants like yourself can — nay, should! Ought to! — submit 10 votes before voting closes at the end of April. Support your favorite Wash100 winners at Wash100.com now.

2023 is Mengucci’s fourth consecutive Wash100 win. The former CACI COO and Lockheed Martin veteran earned yet another spot in esteemed company due to his dogged pursuit of new and wide-ranging contract award opportunities for CACI, such as massive wins from the Army, Navy and the Defense Agencies Initiative. 2022 also saw CACI log high, $1 billion-plus revenue numbers that easily bested and built upon prior year periods.

Read more about Mengucci and CACI’s banner year at GovCon Wire here.

Demaree, a first-time Wash100 awardee, has been a dedicated Lockheed Martin team member for over 30 years. Her work as vice president and GM of special programs at LM Space entails overseeing the unit’s construction and execution of high-performance systems as well as developing boundary-pushing concepts for national security space needs.

In addition to being on the cutting edge of the creation of new technologies for NASA missions, Demaree is committed to uplifting young people — particularly women — to succeed in STEM. Learn about Demaree’s unique career and her plan for future success at ExecutiveBiz here.

Executive Mosaic extends a hearty congratulations to John Mengucci, Maria Demaree, CACI and Lockheed Martin on their Wash100 wins and encourages everyone to vote for their favorite candidate at Wash100.com today!

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Commission Seeks to Enhance Competition in AbilityOne Program With Proposed Rule
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Commission Seeks to Enhance Competition in AbilityOne Program With Proposed Rule

The U.S. AbilityOne Commission is soliciting feedback on a plan to amend its regulations to clarify its authority when it comes to considering different pricing methods in establishing the fair market price for changes to the FMP and additions to the Procurement List as part of efforts to modernize the AbilityOne Program and align it with the needs of federal agency customers.

The proposed changes also intend to better define the parameters for performing competitive allocations among qualified nonprofit agencies and clarify the commission’s procedures and responsibilities to authorize and deauthorize NPAs, according to a notice of proposed rulemaking published Monday in Federal Register.

The suggested revisions seek to integrate the recommendations by a panel in accordance with Section 898 of the fiscal year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act.

The commission said the panel’s recommended actions are being introduced in the proposed rulemaking.

These include requiring central nonprofit agencies to consider technical capability, past performance and price when making an NPA allocation decision, establishing policy and business rules for competition and recompetition of the Procurement List within the AbilityOne Program and protecting the jobs of incumbent employees who are blind or have other significant disabilities if an NPA is deauthorized.

Comments on the proposed changes are due May 11.

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NASA’s OTPS Conducts Cost-Benefit Analysis of Orbital Debris Remediation Methods
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NASA’s OTPS Conducts Cost-Benefit Analysis of Orbital Debris Remediation Methods

NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy has published a cost-benefit analysis to determine which orbital debris remediation approaches are worth implementing.

The new report suggests that large space debris should be pushed away from collisions rather than being completely removed from orbit in order to minimize near-term expenses for satellite operators, NASA said Saturday.

Remediation is one of the three broad methods proposed under the U.S. National Orbital Debris Implementation Plan to reduce risks posed by space junk. Previous proposals called for the extraction of unused space objects based on their size.

In the current study, OTPS found that the most cost-effective method involves using laser systems to eliminate small debris 1 to 10 centimeter in size, while nudging large debris to steer them away from potential collisions.

The agency intends to obtain the space community’s feedback on the cost-benefit study before conducting a more wide-reaching analysis on debris remediation.

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GSA Aims to Double Down on Initiatives to Boost WOSB Participation in GovCon
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GSA Aims to Double Down on Initiatives to Boost WOSB Participation in GovCon

The General Services Administration is ramping up its efforts this year to reduce the resource and opportunity barriers facing women-owned small businesses, said Exodie Roe, associate administrator of the GSA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

In a blog published Monday, Roe said OSDBU will host more matchmaking events to give WOSBs access to subcontracting prospects, as part of GSA’s goal to grant five percent of prime contracts and five percent of subcontracts to companies with female owners.

Roe noted that their office has reached or exceeded Statutory Federal Small Business Procurement Goals for 12 consecutive years. 

OSDBU helps WOSBs as well as other underrepresented enterprises by educating and training them about government contracting. The office also connects them with procurement experts as needed, and gives them access to the Forecast of Contracting Opportunities online tool.

On March 23, OSDBU is teaming up with the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce to host a Virtual Meet & Match, a networking event to introduce WOSBs and other small enterprises to GSA’s prime contractors.

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