The National Science Foundation has awarded a total of $21 million to multiple higher education institutions as part of a research program focused on quantum technology-driven data processing.

NSF said Friday awardees will take part in studies encompassing the fields of physics, computer science, materials research, engineering and chemistry through the Expanding Capacity in Quantum Information Science and Engineering program.

The first track involves individual participants from Virginia Commonwealth University, Arizona State University, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Cleveland State University, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Howard University, Morehouse College and UT Arlington. They will receive up to $800,000 over a maximum period of three years.

For the second track, groups composed of up to five members and their external collaborators will receive a maximum of $5 million for up to five years. Participants come from the University of Texas at Dallas, University of Wyoming and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

“Quantum information science has the powerful potential to advance nearly every field of science forward. NSF is expanding access and skills and fostering talent so the U.S. leads the quantum future,” NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said. 

The U.S. Marine Corps heavy lift helicopter, manufactured by Lockheed Martin‘s Sikorsky subsidiary, has been deployed to its first fleet exercise in Mountain Home, Idaho.

Marines assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 practiced external lifts with the CH-53K King Stallion, which was designed with increased lift capacity than its predecessor, the service branch said Thursday.

Staff Sgt. James Ganieany, airframes division chief for HMH-461, said the squadron has been training with the CH-53K since it conducted its first operational flight for the heavy-lift military helicopter in April.

The Marine Corps declared initial operational capability for the CH-53K program in April, paving the way for a full-rate production decision in 2023.

Lockheed said the service branch plans to buy as many as 200 CH-53Ks through the “Approved Acquisition Objective.”

Barry Kirkendall, technical director for space at the Defense Innovation Unit, said the technology accelerator is tapping into the private industry to accelerate the testing and development of new military hypersonic technologies, Forbes reported.

Kirkendall envisions that private sector capabilities and capital can reduce pressure on the U.S. missile infrastructure that could not support rapid testing of new technologies.

“So we find ourselves leaning on wind tunnels and test ranges that have hardly any availability. We can’t afford to build new infrastructure and new ranges so we’re looking for another solution,” Kirkendall said.

DIU has a new program, dubbed Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities, that calls for the development of a hypersonic test aircraft for the military that can fly and maneuver at a speed greater than Mach 5.

The high-speed vehicle must have the capacity to enable long-endurance testing of hypersonic platforms and related components and collect near real-time data on the performance of in-flight vehicles.

The Defense Information Systems Agency is soliciting information on potential industry sources of technical and engineering services in support of the Defense Enterprise Office Solution program.

DISA wants information on potential vendors that could support the integration of existing Department of Defense applications and infrastructure within a cloud environment and provide services in the areas of risk analysis and mitigation, cybersecurity policies and reports, service desk, configuration management and lifecycle cost analysis, according to a sources sought notice published Tuesday.

Potential offerors should have knowledge and experience in cloud computing infrastructure and information technology; integration, testing, sustainment and migration; infrastructure development and design; and voice, video, records management, productivity tools and collaboration services.

The needed support services will cover the department’s user base across secret and non-classified internet protocol router networks, denied environments and future domains.

DISA expects the performance period for the DEOS technical and engineering support requirement to kick off on June 7, 2023 and run through June 6, 2026.

According to the notice, Booz Allen Hamilton provides engineering, programmatic and technical services for DOD’s DEOS cloud adoption effort under a sole-source contract.

Interested vendors should submit capability statements through Sept. 28.