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Russell Mathers Tapped as STRIKEWERX Chief, William Weiford as Deputy
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Russell Mathers Tapped as STRIKEWERX Chief, William Weiford as Deputy

Cyber Innovation Center has announced the appointments of Russell Mathers and William Weiford as STRIKEWERX director and deputy director, respectively.

CIC said Monday that Mathers will continue to advance its technology transfer and transition efforts as the partner of the Air Force Global Strike Command’s Office of the Chief Scientist. Meanwhile, Weiford will take over from Mathers’ previous role of leading new STRIKEWERX projects. (STRIKEWERX is an Air Force innovation arm.)

Particularly, Weiford will support the center’s mission of developing innovative capabilities for U.S. warfighters and building up the U.S. Air Force nuclear enterprise.

Equipping US Warfighters With Innovative Capabilities

According to CIC President Kevin Nolten, Mathers displayed leadership, expertise and excellence since joining the organization in 2020. Nolten added that the new STRIKEWERX chief played a critical role in projects and design sprints that “delivered nearly $300 million in savings to the U.S. Air Force.”

Commenting on his promotion, Mathers noted, “I am especially excited to continue delivering results and savings for the U.S. Air Force, ensuring we provide innovative and cost-effective solutions that enhance mission success.”

STRIKEWERX Leaders’ Career Highlights

Serving for nearly three decades at USAF, Mathers retired as the Eighth Air Force’s commander. He was also an executive director at AFGSC/A6 and the Air Force Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Center. The former USAF pilot earned a master’s in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College and his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan.

A 24-year Air Force veteran, Weiford served at the military branch’s major command levels and performed various staff duties related to the nuclear enterprise. His last assignment was as executive director of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Modernization Directorate at AFGSC.

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NASA Releases 2024 Small Spacecraft Technology Report
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NASA Releases 2024 Small Spacecraft Technology Report

NASA has published a new iteration of its Small Spacecraft Technology State-of-the-Art report, a document published annually to track the evolution of small spacecraft technologies based on publicly available information. The 2024 edition of the report features changes in several chapters to include new technologies and use cases, the space agency said Friday. 

Update on the UAS Sector 

The Small Spacecraft Technology State-of-the-art report was published by the Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute based on information from NASA and other sources. NASA has been publishing the report annually since 2013. The inaugural report identified 247 CubeSats and 105 other small spacecraft weighing 50 kilograms that are not CubeSats. 

The current edition of the report lists down dozens of companies from around the world that manufacture CubeSats; PocketQubes or spacecraft that measure about 5 centimeters; and Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Secondary Payload Adapter-class, or ESPA-class, space buses. According to NASA, CubeSats and small satellites are likely to continue growing in popularity, with multi-manifest launches enabling organizations to deploy large numbers of spacecraft to orbit. 

The report also has additional sections to better reflect the state of development of smallsat technologies. For instance, NASA introduced a section on Formation Flying and Rendezvous and Proximity Operations under the Guidance, Navigation and Control chapter and the Additive Manufacturing section within the Structures, Materials, and Mechanisms chapter. The space agency also added Free Space Optical Communications section to the communications chapter.

NASA warned that the report is not an endorsement of the technologies mentioned nor an exhaustive list of all the small spacecraft available in the market today. The public is welcome to submit corrections or suggestions before the publication of the 2025 report in August.

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Navy ONR Seeks Contractor Info for Composites Tech Center
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Navy ONR Seeks Contractor Info for Composites Tech Center

The Department of the Navy’s Office of Naval Research has issued a request for information on the contractor approaches to managing and operating the Center of Excellence, or COE, of its Composites Manufacturing Technology Center. 

The contractor will support the center’s mission of developing and transitioning naval technologies to applications under the Navy’s Manufacturing Technology Program, according to ONR’s SAM.gov post. The contractor’s duties will require a strong and responsive resource base on scientific and engineering capabilities on composites and non-metallic manufacturing, or C&NM, technologies, the post added.

Work Scope

The contractor’s scope of work in C&NM includes undertaking a selection process and recommending technical steps for projects supporting key naval platform programs identified under the ONR ManTech Investment Strategy. In addition, government-required technical studies on specific C&NM and industry networking will be handled overall by the contractor. 

The contractor shall also initiate and manage ManTech projects, including the application of the right approaches on monitoring costs, schedule and accomplishments. To carry out its functions, the key personnel that the contractor are asked to provide are a COE director, technical director, financial manager and contract manager, with Arlington, Virginia as place of performance.

The deadline for responses to the RFI is March 5.

Advanced Technology International holds a current U.S. Navy contract to manage and operate the Naval Shipbuilding and Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence under the Navy’s ManTech program. The company secured the five-year, $99 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in August, with the work conducted in Summerville, South Carolina.

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NIST Report Says Standards Needed for Digital Twin Integration
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NIST Report Says Standards Needed for Digital Twin Integration

Digital twin technology offers various advantages but its wide use would likely be impacted by whether standards are developed and adopted, according to a new internal report published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Integration Challenges

The IR, released Friday by NIST and titled “IR 8356 – Security and Trust Considerations for Digital Twin Technology,” defines digital twins as the virtual representation of real-world notions, concepts or entities, which may be physical or perceived. According to the report, technologies that can generate these representations are advantageous because people can study the models and experiment on them to study effects even before having to create their real-world counterparts.

The report notes, however, that the technologies underpinning digital twins, like simulation and modeling software and virtual reality systems, are proprietary, making integration difficult. The digital representations are proprietary as well, making file-sharing equally challenging.

Need for Standards

To achieve what the report describes as “plug and play integration” in digital twin technology, the adoption of and adherence to standards are crucial. Standards have the additional benefits of promoting compatibility, safety and cybersecurity. They also engender credibility and trust.

“Efforts are underway to develop digital twin specific standards that will be utilized in addition to the existing various information and communication technology standards,” the report says.

US, India Issue Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership
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US, India Issue Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership

U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi have issued a joint leaders’ statement reaffirming the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. 

The White House said Thursday that the two nation leaders launched the U.S.-India Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology—or COMPACT—for the 21st Century initiative as part of the cooperation.

Joint Statement on Defense

In the statement, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced plans to sign a new 10-year Framework for the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership in the 21st Century this year. They also discussed the possibility of integrating U.S.-origin defense items into India’s inventory, such as the MH‑60R Seahawk helicopters, the C‑17 Globemaster III aircraft and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

The leaders additionally talked about reassessing their respective arms transfer regulations and opening negotiations for a reciprocal defense procurement agreement to align their procurement and supply systems for military goods and services.

Space Cooperation

In the technology and innovation portion of the joint statement, the leaders also touched on U.S.-India civil space cooperation and said 2025 would be a pioneering year due to plans for a NASA-Indian Space Research Organisation initiative, or ISRO, via Axiom Space.

Under the agreement signed by Axiom with ISRO, an Indian astronaut will be flown to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 4.

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Robert Kennedy Jr. Takes Role as HHS Secretary
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Robert Kennedy Jr. Takes Role as HHS Secretary

Now officially secretary of the Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump’s second administration, Robert Kennedy Jr., was sworn in Thursday in a ceremony that proceeded with Trump signing an executive order creating a Make America Healthy Again Commission, HHS announced. 

The HHS secretary will head the commission that mainly focuses on children’s health, according to the White House.

The U.S. Senate earlier confirmed Kennedy’s appointment by a vote of 52-48, after intense questioning on his views on vaccine and public health policy, CNN reported.

Administration of $2T HHS Budget

As department secretary, Kennedy will oversee all HHS divisions and their programs and activities funded by close to a $2 trillion budget. 

The agencies under the secretary include National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Career Track Record

Coming from a long lineage of prominent U.S. politicians, Kennedy brings to the HHS his advocacy of children’s health and environmental causes. He is a recipient of the “Hero of the Planet” award from TIME Magazine. 

Kennedy is an environmental lawyer who pursued corporate and local communities’ compliance with the Clean Water Act. During his 40-year career in the private sector, he founded the Waterkeeper Alliance, wherein he served as its chairman and legal counsel. He is also the founder of the mass membership organization Children’s Health Defense and had served as its chairman and chief litigation counsel. 

Kennedy graduated from Harvard University, after which he studied at the London School of Economics and received a law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. He also holds a master’s degree in environmental law from Pace University School of Law.

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Brian Peretti Named CTO at Treasury Department
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Brian Peretti Named CTO at Treasury Department

Brian Peretti has been appointed as chief technology officer at the Department of the Treasury, bringing over two decades of expertise and experience in the federal government service.

Announcing his promotion in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday, Peretti said he will manage a strategic IT process and align it with the Treasury Chief Information Office’s vision. The new CTO will also identify tech innovations to improve business processes and develop emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, biometrics and quantum computing.

Long Record of Government Service

Peretti most recently served as deputy chief AI officer and director of domestic and international cyber policy at the Treasury, an agency that he first joined in December 2002 as a financial services critical infrastructure program manager.

His long government service includes senior leadership roles at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where he held responsibilities in operational resilience, risk management, disaster recovery, information security and regulatory compliance initiatives. Peretti also worked at the Department of Homeland Security and the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.

Peretti earned a doctorate in legal studies from the American University Washington College of Law and his bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Rider University.

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Breaking Down the DOD’s Chief Digital & AI Office Budget for FY25
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Breaking Down the DOD’s Chief Digital & AI Office Budget for FY25

The Department of Defense is making a bold investment in the future, dedicating $139.9 million to its Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office for fiscal year 2025. This funding signals a strong push to accelerate AI and machine learning across military operations. Here’s a look at the key priorities and ambitious goals shaping the CDAO’s mission for the year ahead.

If you’re a member of government or industry who needs to know what the latest AI focus areas are in the government and military, look no further than the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 AI Summit. On March 20, POC will gather the foremost experts in AI/ML for a day of informative and compelling keynotes and panel sessions, with many built-in networking sessions and Q&A opportunities. Tickets are going fast — register now!

AI/ML Scaffolding Initiatives

The CDAO continues to expand its AI/ML scaffolding efforts to ensure robust integration of innovative technologies into complex DOD systems. Key initiatives include: 

AI Testing and Evaluation and Assurance Case Best Practices 

  • Focus: Development of guidance for T&E of high-consequence systems and integration of AI into operator workflows. 
  • Outputs:
    • AI Operational Testing and System Integration Testing Frameworks. 
    • DOD large language model benchmarks and usage guides. 
    • Comprehensive assurance frameworks for novel AI technologies, emphasizing their safe usage and understanding of associated risks. 

DREAM Program 

  • Goals:
    • Develop AI/ML reference architecture models tailored to DOD mission needs. 
    • Facilitate collaboration with industry partners and CTO peers to exchange strategic insights. 
    • Advance vendor engagement to align technological trends with department requirements. 
    • Conduct experiments and surveys to refine data management policies and frameworks. 

AI/ML Operations and Model Management 

The focus on operationalizing AI/ML capabilities involves efficiently managing and deploying models and data.

EPC AI/ML Operations 

  • Monitoring, retraining and deploying machine learning models at scale. 
  • Enhancing the use of open-source tools while ensuring security. 
  • Promoting the reuse of production models to improve cost efficiency.

COBRRA a.k.a. Continuous Operational Behavior Risk and Resilience Assurance

  • Real-time monitoring of model performance in active deployments. 
  • Identifying data drift to mitigate potential prediction inaccuracies. 
  • Providing lightweight software for edge environments to enable adaptive learning capabilities in AI systems. 
  • Implementing live outlier detection for operational scenarios.

Join CDAO Chief Information Officer Daniel Holtzman and Deputy Director for the CDAO’s Advanced Command and Control Accelerator Lindsey Sheppard at the 2025 AI Summit on March 20! Register here.

Advancements in AI Testing Tools and Standards 

CDAO integrates cutting-edge tools and standards to ensure reliable and secure AI implementation across the DOD. 

JATIC (Joint Artificial Intelligence Test and Evaluation Center) 

  • Development of enterprise-level TEVV tools for model testing and evaluation. 
  • Advancing adversarial AI techniques to strengthen AI systems’ robustness, building upon DARPA’s GARD program. 
  • Creation of AI/ML model cards for transparency about model information and dataset usage. 
  • Establishing data repositories and ontologies specific to DOD applications. 

T&E Infrastructure Gap Studies 

  • Assessing current and future needs for AI T&E infrastructure, identifying gaps and proposing investments to close these gaps. 
  • Conducting AI cybersecurity posture studies to evaluate risks and recommend improvements.

Perceptor and Smart Sensor Initiatives 

Perceptor 

  • Core software lifecycle management and user interface enhancements. 
  • Deployment support for mission partners, including analytic containerization and repository integration. 
  • Building customer engagement to provide feedback channels and expand analytic-sharing possibilities. 

Smart Sensor Program 

  • Focusing on sensor autonomy and non-GPS navigation technologies. 
  • Enabling AI-driven reasoning for automated target recognition and data fusion. 
  • Advancing AI-enabled control platforms for autonomous operations.

Responsible AI Implementation 

The CDAO prioritizes responsible AI (RAI) practices to mitigate risk and enhance governance. 

RAI Tools and Best Practices 

  • Creation of RAI tools for governance, auditing and simulation, including an executive dashboard and bias detection systems. 
  • Developing a Risk Management Framework for evaluating high-consequence AI risks. 
  • Partnering with academic institutions and building mission partnerships to refine RAI integration. 

Goals for FY 2025 AI Budget Allocation 

Aligned with its 2025 objectives, the CDAO aims to reinforce the DOD’s competitive edge through the implementation of advanced AI solutions. Primary goals include improving efficiency, risk mitigation and operational excellence in AI systems by focusing on the areas above. 

Target Audience Impact 

These investments are critical for ensuring defense contractors, the industrial base and technology providers are aligned with DOD’s future operational goals. The 2025 CDAO budget not only signals opportunities for private sector collaboration but also highlights the importance of innovative, responsible and mission-oriented AI solutions for national defense. 

By emphasizing comprehensive T&E frameworks, leveraging advanced AI/ML models and promoting responsible AI practices, the DOD continues to forge pathways for effective, efficient and secure applications of enterprise-grade AI technologies.

Join your most beloved peers and fiercest competitors at the year’s definitive AI GovCon conference — the 2025 Artificial Intelligence Summit, from Potomac Officers Club. It’s all happening on March 20 at the Hilton McLean in Virginia. Secure your spot before it’s too late.

Breaking Down the DOD’s Chief Digital & AI Office Budget for FY25
Haywood Talcove: Public Sector Has a 20% Fraud Rate
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Haywood Talcove: Public Sector Has a 20% Fraud Rate

Haywood Talcove, CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ Government Group, said the public sector experiences fraud at a rate of about 20 percent compared with about 3 percent in the private sector.

At a House subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Talcove attributed the disparity to the federal government’s inability to use the tools employed in the private sector.

“Front end identity verification, self-certification, and then finally, making sure that individuals are who they say they are. If we start using these tools, you will see the fraud rate go down dramatically because for the most part, this fraud isn’t taking place by real individuals. It’s individuals whose identities have been stolen on the dark web,” he told lawmakers.

Criminals “use that information pretending to be somebody else. And because of the antiquated systems, processes and technologies in place in government programs, they were able to steal at scale,” Talcove added.

During the hearing, he agreed with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., that the federal government never addresses its issues with data theft and stolen identities “because it can’t be forced to go out of business.”

“One of the things I noticed during COVID was that criminals learned that government was the mark because it never runs out of money … and the likelihood of getting caught is virtually zero,” Talcove noted.

Digital Matching

The three-time Wash100 awardee touched on the issue of digital matching and the need to update the 1974 Privacy Act.

“These aren’t people problems. These are technology problems. You can’t process the number of individuals that are accessing our systems person by person. It just takes too much time,” Talcove said during the hearing.

“So, by updating the 1974 Privacy Act and allowing for digital matching, you would very quickly realize that a large portion of the PPP loan funds were going to the wrong person. You would have been quickly able to match, I think the number was 20%, and were on the do not pay list. You can’t expect people to do what a machine and especially AI can do today,” he added.

3-Step Plan to Reclaim Control of Federal Payment Systems

The chief executive suggested a plan outlining three measures to prevent fraud and abuse of federal payment systems.

“There’s no excuse for the government to lag if we do the following. Number one, implement identity verification on the front end. Criminals should never receive a dime. Eliminate self-certification. No more honor system for billion-dollar programs. And continuous auditing. Keep verifying because criminals never stop adapting,” Talcove stated.

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Hegseth Says DOD to Reform Foreign Military Sales Process
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Hegseth Says DOD to Reform Foreign Military Sales Process

Defense News reported Friday that the Department of Defense plans to reform the foreign military sales, or FMS, process, according to Secretary Pete Hegseth, a 2025 Wash100 Award winner.

In a press briefing following a NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in Brussels, Belgium, the defense secretary said, “We need to reform that process so it’s quicker, so a request today isn’t delivered seven years from now but three years from now with less red tape and with the most efficient and effective technology possible.”

Reforming the FMS Process

The FMS process involves years of exchanges between the United States and foreign countries interested in purchasing U.S.-made weaponry. Due to its slow pace, the process has been the subject of criticism and reform initiatives prompted by the Ukraine war.

In 2023, Congress, the Pentagon and the State Department created a tiger team to accelerate the process and remove barriers. In June 2023, a memo ordered the agencies to implement the tiger team’s recommendations.

These include improving the Defense Department’s understanding of ally and partner country requirements, providing them with relevant priority capabilities, and increasing the efficiency of technology release review processes.

Despite efforts by the tiger team to streamline sales approval, the challenge of the industry’s manufacturing capacity not keeping up with orders remained.

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