House Panel Proposes CR to Keep Government Funded Through November
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Capitol Hill building. The House Appropriations Committee proposed a CR to keep the government funded through Nov. 21.

The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday introduced a continuing resolution, or CR, that seeks to prevent a government shutdown by extending government funding through Nov. 21.

The panel said Tuesday the proposed Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, is expected to be considered on the House floor this week.

“Keeping our government open and working for the American people is not a partisan issue – and this clean, short-term funding extension reflects that. As we continue advancing FY26 conference negotiations, this measure prevents the chaos of a shutdown and allows us to stay focused on restoring regular order,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla.

According to the committee, the House and Senate have moved to conference negotiations appropriations bills for veterans affairs, military construction, agriculture and legislative branch.

CR Offers Funding Flexibility to Wedgetail Program, Virginia-Class Submarine

Breaking Defense reported that the stopgap funding measure includes authorities that would allow the Pentagon to raise the “rate of operations” for the Virginia-class submarine and E-7 Wedgetail prototype program, providing the Department of Defense with greater flexibility to boost spending on such programs as needed for the CR’s duration.

The CR also includes language to extend the Defense Production Act, which is set to expire by the end of September.

According to the report, the bill does not include the White House’s request for $3.9 billion in additional funding for Columbia-class submarines.

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National Labs, University Aim to Advance HPC-Powered Quantum Materials Research
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High-performance computing. ORNL and the University of Tennessee have initiated the four-year CONNEQT collaborative effort.

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have launched a four-year collaborative effort that seeks to accelerate innovation around nonequilibrium quantum materials by exploring the use of high-performance computing.

ORNL said Tuesday researchers from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Los Alamos and Lawrence Berkeley national laboratories are participating in the Controlled Numerics for Emergent Transients in Nonequilibrium Quantum Matter, or CONNEQT, initiative.

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“By leveraging leadership-class exascale computing, we aim to revolutionize computational modeling of transient emergent behavior in quantum materials with strong many-body interactions and deliver a new fundamental understanding of nonlinear quantum phenomena,” said Thomas Maier, a distinguished research staff and section head for advanced computing methods for physical sciences at ORNL’s Computational Sciences and Engineering Division.

CONNEQT’s Main Research Goals

The CONNEQT collaborative effort intends to establish an interdisciplinary research program to transform how scientists understand the complex processes and behaviors that occur when quantum materials are out of balance.

Through CONNEQT, the team aims to develop a controlled and unbiased computational framework to examine how systems of interacting electrons behave when driven by external forces; use computer science methods and mathematical tools to speed up advanced modeling of complex dynamical systems; and leverage supercomputers to understand how interactions between electrons develop complex patterns and behaviors in nonequilibrium quantum materials.

According to ORNL, understanding nonequilibrium quantum materials is key to uncovering their potential applications in quantum computing, IT, microelectronics and other energy-relevant technologies.

The national lab said the Frontier supercomputer will serve as a target platform for implementing new algorithms that will be developed and used to conduct simulations.

National Labs, University Aim to Advance HPC-Powered Quantum Materials Research
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Palantir Secures Marine Corps Contract for Maven Smart System C2 Platform
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Gen. Eric M. Smith, commandant of the Marine Corps. Smith said the MSS enhances intelligence, targeting and more.

The U.S. Marine Corps has signed a contract with Palantir Technologies for the Maven Smart System data-centric command and control platform. The military service said MSS will serve as a key enabler for its ongoing modernization.

“As part of Force Design, we’ve made a deliberate effort to support maritime domain awareness and joint fires integration,” commented Gen. Eric M. Smith, commandant of the Marine Corps. “This capability enhances intelligence, targeting and battlespace awareness to aid in faster decision-making, allowing us to sense and make sense more quickly.”

The Marine Corps finalized the contract in August in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit, the Department of Defense’s chief digital and artificial intelligence officer and the Army Research Laboratory. It gives the entire Marine Corps enterprise, including tactical units within the Fleet Marine Force, access to MSS capabilities.

Palantir’s Maven Smart System Details

MSS is designed to aggregate data from C2 technology stacks used by military services and the Joint Force to create a synchronized and more complete view of the battlespace in real time. The platform is powered by artificial intelligence and automation to advance target management.

“Maven Smart System adds significant value to our ability to support the Joint Force and shows how the Marine Corps is demonstrating its ability to adapt to, harness, and drive the changing character of war,” stated Lt. Gen. Jerry Carter, deputy commandant for information at the Marine Corps. “We continue to look for opportunities to leverage AI and other emerging capabilities at speed and scale.”

GAO Urges State Department to Enhance Weapons Misuse Investigations
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GAO logo. GAO released a report recommending the State Department to enhance its investigations of weapons misuse.

The Government Accountability Office has released a report highlighting the lack of formal procedures within the Department of State for investigating foreign partners’ misuse of U.S. military equipment and training.

GAO Urges State Department to Enhance Weapons Misuse Investigations

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Gaps in Arms Transfer Investigation

According to the report published Tuesday, the State Department has been inconsistent with its investigations regarding the lack of security, and unauthorized use and transfer of military assets acquired from the U.S. government. This is mainly due to the absence of clear guidance for conducting investigations and the proper record-keeping of past violations.

GAO Recommendations

To address these issues, GAO offered the following six recommendations to the State Department:

  • Clearly define what incidents qualify as arms transfer violations and establish a timeline to report the violation to the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfer, or PM/RSAT.
  • Establish clear procedures and timelines for investigations.
  • Update Foreign Affairs Manual ensuring proper assignment of investigative responsibilities.
  • Document the status and results of investigations.
  • Share the status and findings of its investigations to agencies such as the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and Security Cooperation Organizations.
  • Establish a formal guidance for reporting violations to Congress.
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Air Force Issues Presolicitation for High Band Mission Application Software Contract
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Air Force seal. The Air Force has issued a presolicitation notice for the High Band Mission Application Software contract.

The Department of the Air Force has started seeking industry feedback on vendors for a potential five-year contract to support the High Band Mission Application Software, with a value between $100 and $500 million.

HBMAS Modernization

According to the presolicitation notice issued on SAM.gov Monday, the potential contractor will support the development, modernization, integration, deployment, cybersecurity and sustainment of the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System in alignment with the Operational Requirements Document. These activities will help ensure compliance with the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, or C4ISR, Architecture Framework, and the Joint Technical Architecture standards. Additional support for DCGS ground and airborne elements will be provided as directed.

Enhancing Intel Collection & Dissemination

The contract, which will have one base year and four 12-month options, aims to enhance HBMAS products and services used to gather, correlate data and distribute signals of interest and imagery intelligence from airborne and ground systems. The goal is to provide military personnel with more accurate and actionable intelligence.

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NASA Leads Collins Radar Trial to Advance Drone Integration Into National Airspace
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A drone. NASA's ATM-X initiative intends to identify technology to support drones in the national airspace

NASA, Wisk Aero and Collins Aerospace recently conducted a test of a tool that could enable remotely piloted aircraft to operate in the national airspace and transport people or deliver goods within urban areas.

The space agency said Tuesday that its Air Traffic Management eXploration project, known as ATM-X, assisted Wisk Aero’s Bell 206 light turbine helicopter flight in Hollister, California, to test Collins’ ground-based radar.

ATM-X is an initiative intended to identify the technologies the Federal Aviation Administration needs to facilitate the safe integration of drones and air taxis into the national airspace.

Collins’ Ground-Based Radar Demonstration

During the test, the Collins radar collected and transmitted aircraft location data to NASA’s Mission Visualization Research Command Center at Ames Research Center in California. Initial analysis determined that radar actively and accurately surveilled the airspace throughout the flight.

By monitoring and sharing location data, the organizations can enable remotely piloted aircraft operators to detect and avoid other aircraft and keep the airspace safe.

NASA, Wisk and Collins will continue to analyze flight data collected during the test to better understand radar performance.

NASA and Wish will also work together on potentially integrating electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, or eVTOLS, into the national airspace.

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Stealth Solutions Books $50M Coast Guard Contract to Modernize Mariner Credentialing
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Wayne Arguin Jr. U.S. Coast Guard officer on benefits of streamlining mariner credentialing

The U.S. Coast Guard has tapped Virginia-based Stealth Solutions for IT modernization of the service’s Mariner Credentialing Program, or MCP, and to support the recuperation of the maritime industry and its workforce, under a $49.6 million blanket purchase agreement.

The MCP modernization highlights its commitment to supporting commerce by safeguarding ports, waterways and shipping—both physically and in cyberspace—while working to strengthen U.S. maritime leadership, the Coast Guard said Tuesday.

Stealth Solutions Books $50M Coast Guard Contract to Modernize Mariner Credentialing

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Initial Navita System Order

Alongside the five-year contract award, the Coast Guard placed a $3.8 million order for Stealth Solutions to develop the first release of Navita, a new system to streamline issuance of credentials and medical certificates for U.S. merchant mariners. The system is envisioned as an automated, faster and more efficient platform that will replace the current labor-intensive manual process for issuing credentials. 

Rear Adm. Wayne Arguin Jr., USCG assistant commandant for prevention policy, described Navita as a “transformative leap” toward strengthening the U.S. merchant marine workforce. 

“By improving our service delivery, we are advancing the effort to restore American maritime dominance and supporting the flow of commerce vital to economic prosperity and strategic mobility through our marine transportation system,” the Coast Guard officer remarked.

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State Department Updates Drone Export Policy
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Drone swarm. Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved an update to the U.S. government’s policy on drone exports.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a 2025 Wash100 awardee, has approved an update to the U.S. government’s policy on the export of unmanned aerial systems in accordance with an executive order seeking to introduce reforms to the foreign defense sales system.

In April, President Trump signed the EO to improve transparency and accountability throughout the system, reduce rules and regulations involved in the development and execution of foreign defense sales and promote U.S. competitiveness abroad.

State Department Updates Drone Export Policy

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In a fact sheet published Monday, the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said the department will now review drone export requests similar to how it evaluates requests to export manned fighter jets.

Opening New Markets for US Drone Industry

The State Department said the policy shift aims to open new markets for the U.S. drone industry by improving the process of adjudicating foreign defense sales requests.

According to the fact sheet, the policy update complements recent changes to the Missile Technology Control Regime-focused export policy under National Security Memorandum 28 and accelerates reforms introduced under the 2020 Revised UAS Export Policy.

The department noted that it will continue to assess all sales on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the U.S. Conventional Arms Transfer Policy.

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CMS Unveils $50B Rural Health Transformation Program
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CMS logo. CMS unveiled the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has launched a $50 billion federal program to enable states to transform the rural healthcare infrastructure to expand healthcare access, improve quality of care and enhance patient outcomes.

CMS Unveils $50B Rural Health Transformation Program

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CMS said Monday states have until Nov. 5 to apply for funding under the Rural Health Transformation Program.

The agency will announce awardees by the end of December and will collaborate with states to facilitate the implementation of initiatives under the program.

“This $50 billion program is about delivering dignity and dependable care to rural communities, making sure every American has access to affordable, high-quality treatment,” said Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Rural Health Transformation Program’s Strategic Goals

Established through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, the Rural Health Transformation Program seeks to enable states to advance the use of innovative technologies that promote data security and access to digital health tools by rural facilities, patients and providers.

Other strategic goals of the program are promoting the growth of innovative care models to foster flexible care arrangements, coordinate care and improve health outcomes; strengthening recruitment and retention of healthcare providers in rural communities to retain a highly skilled healthcare workforce; helping rural providers become long-term access points for care by improving sustainability; and promoting preventative health and addressing root causes of diseases by supporting rural health innovations.

Starting in fiscal year 2026, CMS will allocate $10 billion in annual funding over five years to approved states through the Rural Health Transformation Program.

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Army FUZE Program to Direct $750M Annually Toward Emerging Military Technologies
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US Army logo. The US Army launched the FUZE program with $750 million annual investment to speed military tech development.

The U.S. Army has launched Army FUZE, a venture-capital-style acquisition program that will channel about $750 million per year into early-stage firms developing technologies for defense missions, Breaking Defense reported Monday. The initiative is designed to accelerate innovation and shorten the path from concept to field deployment.

Matt Willis, director of Army Innovation Programs, said FUZE represents a break from traditional, linear acquisition cycles, noting that the military branch is shifting its perspective to the private sector, identifying areas where commercial technology is outpacing the Army and combining its resources with venture capital to speed promising concepts into prototypes and field use.

Army FUZE’s Channels of Investment

FUZE funding will flow through four existing programs — the xTech program, Small Business Innovation Research, the Technology Maturation Initiative, and the Manufacturing Technology office — to support nontraditional and “bleeding-edge” technology firms. Chris Manning, deputy assistant secretary for research and technology, said the new model integrates these pathways into a unified strategy to scale innovation.

Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, who previously worked in private equity and venture capital, pushed for the new approach earlier this year. “The future of warfare will depend on speed. We will need to be able to move fast to get capabilities into the hands of our warfighters. FUZE will align funding and authorities to streamline the acquisitions process,” Driscoll said.

FUZE Technology Priorities and Competitions

The Army plans to focus initial FUZE investments on companies developing unmanned aerial systems, counter-drone technologies, electronic warfare tools and energy resiliency solutions. Rather than dictating fixed funding allocations, officials said soldier feedback and private-sector demand will guide where dollars are directed.

As part of the initiative, the Army will launch a $500,000 prize competition at the Association of the United States Army conference in October. A second prize, valued at $2.5 million and focused on counterstrike capabilities, will be held in coordination with U.S. Army Europe. Beyond these competitions, the Army expects FUZE to support prototype development, integrated capabilities and rapid manufacturing projects.

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