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ClearShark to Offer Cybersecurity Software Products Under DOD Agreement
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ClearShark to Offer Cybersecurity Software Products Under DOD Agreement

ClearShark, a reseller of information technology offerings to the federal government, will distribute cybersecurity software products and services to Department of Defense organizations under an enterprise-wide blanket purchasing agreement.

The company said Thursday it will serve as a contract agent under the Enterprise Software Initiative BPA to provide DOD custoners access to cybersecurity software from 11 vendors including Forcepoint and Okta.

The contract also includes offerings from CyberArk, Fidelis Cybersecurity, Fortinet, Illumio, LogRhythm, Ping Identity, RedSeal, SailPoint and Tychon.

Brian Strosser, president of ClearShark, said EIS serves as a software acquisition platform through which defense and intelligence agencies can acquire cybersecurity products with pre-negotiated terms, conditions and price discounts.

ESI has a five-year base period of performance and five one-year options.

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Mitre’s OSTP RFI Response Affirms National Microelectronics R&D Strategy Proposal
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Mitre’s OSTP RFI Response Affirms National Microelectronics R&D Strategy Proposal

Mitre has validated the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s proposed national strategy to advance microelectronics research, development, supply chain security and manufacturing.

In a response to OSTP’s request for information, the nonprofit company proposed a systematic, time-based and nationwide approach to sustain the strategy after implementation.

The National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Microelectronics Leadership developed the strategy as part of efforts to drive future technological discoveries, bridge the transition from R&D to manufacturing, and expand, train and support the industry’s workforce.

The strategy is intended to serve as a guide for industry leaders to ensure that their activities align with the CHIPS and Science Act.

To help boost the strategy’s impact, Mitre’s Center for Data-Driven Policy analyzed the draft and enumerated six key challenges related to job creation in the industry. The team also cited intellectual property concerns but found no major omissions in the document.

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GAO: DOD Needs Department-Wide Biodefense Strategy
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GAO: DOD Needs Department-Wide Biodefense Strategy

The Department of Defense and its medical intelligence arm need to formulate a comprehensive strategy for emerging biological threat preparedness and response, the Government Accountability Office said.

In a report published Thursday, the government audit agency urged DOD, the Defense Intelligence Agency’s National Center for Medical Intelligence and intelligence agencies to work together to strengthen biodefense programs.

While the DOD coordinates with internal and external parties to conduct research and development on vaccines, it is not fully aware of the range of its biodefense capabilities and gaps, GAO said.

The office found similar limitations in the NCMI, which lacked formal roles and responsibilities for disseminating medical intelligence.

GAO recommended that the Defense Department identify strengths and gaps, bolster strategy and provide guidance on prioritizing biological threat responses in joint exercises. The office also called for better coordination and sharing of confidential medical data, including conducting outreach activities and clarifying roles and relationships with customers.

The report warned of a “top national security threat” arising from attempts by foreign entities such as China to obtain and exploit U.S. genetic information from laboratories that process COVID-19 tests. GAO suggested that the DOD fortify its partnership with policymakers in the monitoring and warning of such security and health risks.

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DOE Issues RFI for $250M Rural Utility Cybersecurity Support Program; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
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DOE Issues RFI for $250M Rural Utility Cybersecurity Support Program; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Department of Energy is soliciting public insights on a program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that seeks to improve the cybersecurity posture of electric utilities owned by small investors, rural communities and municipalities.

The current administration is allocating $250 million in funding for the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program over five years to help utilities improve incident response, enhance their workforce’s cybersecurity skills and strengthen their systems, assets and processes, DOE said Thursday.

The request for information seeks feedback on ways to improve threat information sharing, risks related to technologies fielded on the electric grid, opportunities to advance partnerships, national efforts to improve cybersecurity of rural utilities and selection criteria for funding awards, among others.

According to the department, the RMUC Program will offer technical and financial support to help municipal and rural utilities enhance operational capabilities, deploy cyber platforms and increase their access to cybersecurity support services.

“This new program reflects the Biden Administration’s commitment to improving energy reliability and connecting our nation’s rural communities to resilient energy infrastructure and the transformative benefits that come with it,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

Responses to the RFI are due Dec. 19.

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Air Force Sets Dec. 2 Unveiling Date for Northrop B-21 Bomber; Gen. Charles Brown Quoted
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Air Force Sets Dec. 2 Unveiling Date for Northrop B-21 Bomber; Gen. Charles Brown Quoted

The U.S. Air Force has scheduled the event to unveil the B-21 Raider bomber aircraft for Dec. 2 at a Palmdale, California, manufacturing site operated by prime contractor Northrop Grumman.

A team of company and service personnel will continue testing efforts after the Raider’s public debut to assess weapon system performance, the Air Force said Thursday.

The branch awarded the Long Range Strike Bomber contract in October 2015 to replace the B-1 and B-2 bombers as its flagship bomber fleet. Northrop’s team members on the B-21 program are BAE Systems, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, Janicki Industries, Pratt & Whitney and Spirit Aerosystems.

“We last introduced a new bomber over 30 years ago. As we look to the threats posed by our pacing challenge; we must continue to rapidly modernize,” said Gen. Charles Brown Jr., chief of staff at USAF.

Staying true to its seven Operational Imperatives, the branch is banking on the aircraft’s long-range strike capability, advanced communications, open architecture and sophisticated sensors, weapons and supporting systems.

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Marines Test Medium-Range Intercept Capability Prototype, Rafael’s Tamir Interceptor
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Marines Test Medium-Range Intercept Capability Prototype, Rafael’s Tamir Interceptor

The U.S. Marine Corps completed a series of three trials with a live-fire test of its Medium-Range Intercept Capability prototype system and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ Iron Dome Tamir interceptors at the White Sands facility in New Mexico.

The Marines demonstrated the capability of the MRIC prototype, along with the service’s radar and battle management systems, to continuously launch Tamir missiles to counter various aerial threats in complicated scenarios, Rafael said Wednesday.

“The three tests that took place this year proved that the performance of the MRIC system with IRON DOME interceptors is good and provides a dedicated launcher solution for the Marines,” said Don Kelley, project manager for ground-based air defense for PEO land systems.

Rafael said the Tamir interceptor can intercept cruise missiles, mortars, rockets, precision-guided missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Pini Yungman, executive vice president and head of air and missile defense directorate at Rafael, said the test shows that the company’s technology can provide optimal performance by integrating into existing systems.

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Lt. Cmdr. Megan Silvester: DISA’s Procurement Process Should Keep Pace With Emerging Tech, Cyber Standards
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Lt. Cmdr. Megan Silvester: DISA’s Procurement Process Should Keep Pace With Emerging Tech, Cyber Standards

Lt. Cmdr. Megan Silvester, an official at the Defense Information Systems Agency, said DISA should enhance its procurement process to integrate new cybersecurity standards and emerging technologies into its offerings, FCW reported Thursday.

“Building a ship isn’t the same as developing software, and in many cases, IT evolves at a faster pace than the acquisition process,” Silvester, product owner of DISA’s account tracking and automation tool, said during a virtual event Thursday. “This creates a real challenge for our customers.”

She noted that improving such processes could help DISA ensure that its cloud offerings “support the mission and not detract from it.”

According to the report, DISA has initiated efforts to enhance the integration of data into product development and acquisition practices, including the release of the Data Strategy Implementation Plan in August.

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Corelight’s Federal CTO, Jean Schaffer, Talks Improving Federal Acquisition Processes With Potomac Officers Club
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Corelight’s Federal CTO, Jean Schaffer, Talks Improving Federal Acquisition Processes With Potomac Officers Club

Potomac Officers Club recently featured Jean Schaffer, federal CTO at Corelight, in an Executive Spotlight interview to discuss Schaffer’s thoughts on areas of improvement for the federal government, strategies for leveraging new technologies and ways in which she has adapted to changes across her career.

In this excerpt from her interview, Schaffer describes the challenges she has identified in the federal government’s acquisition processes:

“The top three changes that I would advocate for in the federal landscape are acquisition, hiring structures (including compensation) and streamlining of processes. You will note that these are not new and novel thoughts, and considerable effort and improvements have been made in each, but there is still such a long way to go. 

Over the decades, federal acquisition rules and laws have been enacted — all for good reasons. But the FAR is so complicated that it takes a huge ecosystem of resellers and other specialists to connect promising tech to buyers who need it. There has got to be a better way!”

Click here to read the full interview with Corelight’s Jean Schaffer, and visit PotomacOfficersClub.com to learn more about the platform’s membership options and benefits.

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Dynetics to Contribute in Prototype Development for Hypersonic Flight Testing Under NSWC Contract; Steve Cook Quoted
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Dynetics to Contribute in Prototype Development for Hypersonic Flight Testing Under NSWC Contract; Steve Cook Quoted

A Leidos business has won a contract from the Naval Surface Warfare Center that calls for technical support services in a U.S. Department of Defense hypersonic flight testing endeavor.

Under the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed contract, Dynetics will assist with the construction of a vessel enabling vehicle launches as well as the development of an experimental glide body, the Huntsville, Alabama-based subsidiary said Thursday.

Steve Cook, group president of Dynetics at Leidos, remarked that the new NSWC project will ultimately work toward the goal of protecting natural security and will find the Dynetics team anticipating the needs of the military of the future.

“Hypersonics are a top priority for our nation, and we’re honored to be a part of this innovative and vital initiative,” Cook continued.

The test bed prototyped through the contract is intended to be used for several commercially-available launch vehicles carrying hypersonic payloads. It will be created via agile and modular processes and the information gleaned from the experimentation is expected to prove valuable to the DOD, who sponsored the contract through the Crane division of the NSWC. The successful completion of the work will hopefully lead to a proliferation of hypersonic weapon apparatuses.

Dynetics is slated to collaborate with organizations such as Peraton, Sandia National Laboratories, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Stratolaunch on the project. They will additionally team with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, JRC Integated Systems, Corvid, SpinLaunch, Kitty Hawk Technologies, X-Bow Systems and RLNS, NineTwelve Institute, as well as several other entities spanning small businesses, academic institutions and more.

Organizations such as the Missile Defense Agency, the Navy Conventional Prompt Strike and Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon are projected to benefit from the centralized hypersonic testing capability engendered by the flight test bed. Air Force hypersonics programs, DOD research efforts, small business, industry and academia will also be impacted.

Furthermore, the contract tasks Dynetics with helping to assemble a modular experimental glide body that is slated to offer ways to efficiently assess technologies in hypersonic environments so that mission-critical weapon acquisition questions can be settled. The company will complete all contract duties in Indiana, Alabama and the Washington, D.C. area.

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NSF Launches Career Development Program for Emerging Technologies
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NSF Launches Career Development Program for Emerging Technologies

The National Science Foundation has unveiled a new program that aims to provide career-enhancing opportunities in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and microelectronics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science and other emerging technology areas.

The Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies program will award up to $1 million in funding to partner organizations for a period of three years to provide paid training opportunities for individuals in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, NSF said Wednesday.

“The ExLENT program offers a new pathway for individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to gain on-the-job training in technologies that are critical to the nation’s long-term competitiveness,” said Erwin Gianchandani, assistant director for technology, innovation and partnerships at NSF.

The workforce development program has three different career pathways for participants with different STEM backgrounds.

Professionals can gain experiential learning to pivot into careers in the emerging technology sector, while participants with limited training can gain deeper knowledge to pursue job opportunities and learners with no STEM background can use the program to build knowledge in their chosen field.

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