The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched the Intensity-Squeezed Photonic Integration for Revolutionary Detectors, or INSPIRED, program, to break the quantum noise limit and enhance signal detection capabilities.

The agency said Monday the program intends to reduce the quantum noise limit in order to enhance the sensitivity of optical detectors enabling them to detect faint signals. This is necessary to convert light into measurable signals, which are essential in fiber-optic communication, biological imaging, motion sensors and other critical technologies.

Reducing Quantum Noise Limit

INSPIRED aims to harness “squeezed light,” a special kind of light manipulated to reduce quantum noise in measurements. By utilizing advanced chip-scale photonics technology, the program intends to create compact, integrated squeezed-light sources 40 times quieter than the quantum noise limit. These will then be utilized in developing highly sensitive detectors capable of overcoming traditional noise barriers and enhancing sensing, communication and quantum computing capabilities.

INSPIRED Program Framework

The three-year program has two phases. The first phase involves the development of core squeezed-light components while the second focuses on the completion of a squeezed-light detector.

Eight research teams will be involved in the program, including the University of California, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Santa Barbara, Stanford University, University of Southern California, University of Virginia, Yale University, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and RTX BBN Technologies.

The Missile Defense Agency has issued a request for information to help identify technologies for a next-generation missile defense shield to protect the United States against advanced foreign aerial attacks. According to a SAM.gov post by MDA last week, the RFI acts on a recent presidential executive order titled “The Iron Dome for America.”

Options Sought for Accelerated Defense Deployment  

The MDA seeks responses addressing the EO’s line of efforts, including defense against next-generation missile attacks from peer, near-peer and rogue adversaries. The RFI responses should also inform on deployment acceleration of the hypersonic and ballistic tracking space sensor system and development and operationalization of proliferated space-based interceptors with boost phase intercept capability.

In addition, the responses should address  MDA’s four timelines for capability demonstration or delivery of the EO’s goals, with the first scheduled not later than Dec. 31, 2026.

Gauging Market Capabilities and Acquisition Strategies

The RFI’s inputs will inform agency decisions, business case analyses and acquisition strategies on the current market and industry capabilities on accelerating deliveries and meeting demonstration timelines. 

An industry day for the RFI is scheduled on Feb. 18 to be followed by industry one-on-one sessions on Feb. 18 and 19 either virtual or in person. The deadline for response submissions is on Feb. 28.

The Department of Defense memorandum on the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program Moderate equivalency application for cloud service offerings allows non-FedRAMP certified companies to seek third-party assessment for authorization instead, said David McKeown, DOD’s chief information security officer and a 2025 Wash100 Award winner. He told Federal News Network that his office will schedule an industry meeting in the next 30–45 days to “clarify the memo” issued in December 2023. 

The memo provides guidance on a provision in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement covering the FedRAMP moderate status application for cloud services that contractors use to store defense information.

Clearer Contractor Qualifications 

According to McKeown, the memo addresses the ambiguity of the FedRAMP equivalency concept under the supplement that the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center uses to assess contractors’ qualifications. 

FedRAMP moderate consideration for cloud services under the new memo requires 100 percent compliance with latest FedRAMP moderate security control criteria as determined by a third-party organization. 

A cloud service contractor will have to present compliance evidence to the third party including an action plan and milestones. The memo further requires that the third-party assessor must close the tasks lined up in the action plan and milestones.

FedRAMP Bottleneck Remedy

McKeown said the third-party approach will help the certification of more cloud service providers, as FedRAMP can process only a limited number of organizations each year.

In September, MITRE released its response to a FedRAMP request for information, recommending that certification metrics be expanded to enhance the authorization’s effectiveness beyond cost and timeliness to include the streamlining of compliance and the reduction of redundant assessments.