DefenseScoop

21/06/2024

Call for new DOD-led quantum hub builds momentum on the Hill, Brandi Vincent reports:

A House lawmaker is proposing a $20 million increase in Army RDT&E funding for a first-of-its-kind quantum center of excellence.

21/06/2024

Air Force likely weighing several factors as it contemplates future of NGAD. Mikayla Easley did a deep dive into the issues that could determine the fate of the next-gen stealth fighter:

Comments recently made by top Air Force leaders suggest the service is having second thoughts on acquiring a next-generation stealth fighter.

21/06/2024

Department of Defense Chief Information Officer John Sherman is calling on other U.S. government agencies, the defense industrial base and international partners to take steps to prevent typos that could accidentally divulge sensitive military information to unintended email recipients.

In a May 23 memo with the subject line, “Unauthorized Disclosure Due to Typographical Errors,” which was recently cleared for public release, the Pentagon CIO highlighted an issue that was in the news last year and appears to be an ongoing problem. https://scoopmedia.co/3VUZkiN

21/06/2024

Jude Sunderbruch has retired from his role as executive director of the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, the organization announced Thursday.

He exited the job June 18 and also retired from the Senior Executive Service and Air Force Reserve, where he reached the rank of colonel, according to a release. https://scoopmedia.co/3zlzHhX

21/06/2024

Artificial intelligence and machine learning adoption will increasingly disrupt and revolutionize the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s operations, so leaders there are getting serious about helping personnel responsibly navigate the development and use of algorithms, models and associated emerging technologies.

“I think the blessing and curse of AI is that it’s going to think differently than us. It could make us better — but it can also confuse us, and it can also mislead us. So we really need to have ways of translating between the two, or having a lot of understanding about where it’s going to succeed and where it’s going to fail so we know where to look for problems to emerge,” NGA’s first-ever Chief of Responsible Artificial Intelligence Anna Rubinstein recently told DefenseScoop. https://scoopmedia.co/4eAG80K

21/06/2024

As the Army streamlines its use of digital engineering, the service is promoting new standards that will enable interoperability and data sharing between government- and industry-owned digital environments, according to a senior official.

In May, the Army released a new directive to broadly adopt digital engineering techniques in order to improve weapon systems development — from the early acquisition stages of new capabilities to the sustainment of systems already fielded. Promoting interoperability and implementation throughout the department is one of four lines of effort outlined in the directive, and a critical hurdle will be ensuring that all of the digital engineering technologies the service uses are interoperable with one another. https://scoopmedia.co/4cyfDaO

21/06/2024

Pacific Army unit gaming out data and identity pilots with international partners. Mark Pomerleau has the story on I Corps:

I Corps is helping test and establish the tactical mission partner environment to create a common operational picture with allies.

21/06/2024

The Space Force’s first-ever chief technology and innovation officer, Lisa Costa, has retired from her position in the federal government.

“From helping define the role of Special Operations in the War on Terror to shaping homeland defense and bringing irregular warfare to space, my career has been marked by pivotal roles and groundbreaking initiatives. Leading innovation and operationalizing AI, cyber operations, and space has been truly rewarding,” Costa said Tuesday in a post on LinkedIn announcing her departure from government service. https://scoopmedia.co/3VywuTY

20/06/2024

Pentagon CIO tells agencies, industry to put a stop to email typos that could disclose sensitive info. Jon Harper has the story:

DOD CIO John Sherman is calling on other U.S. government agencies, the defense industrial base and international partners to take steps to prevent typos that could lead to the accidental disclosure of sensitive military information to unintended email recipients.

20/06/2024

Leader of DOD’s Cyber Crime Center steps down, Jon Harper reports:

Jude Sunderbruch has retired from his role as executive director of the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center.

18/06/2024

NGA launches new training to help personnel adopt AI responsibly. Brandi Vincent has the story:

Soon, the GRAIT training might be a requirement for all NGA employees.

18/06/2024

When it comes to elevation and changes for the Air Force’s cyber component, the service’s top officer wants to make sure officials are meticulous in getting it right.

“AFCYBER is one of those … we want to make sure we measure twice and cut once because there’s different elements of that with respect to where the manpower belongs and … comes from different sources,” Gen. David Allvin, chief of Staff of the Air Force, told reporters at the Pentagon Friday. https://scoopmedia.co/3VLXP6b

18/06/2024

New interoperability standards key to implementing Army’s digital engineering strategy. Mikayla Easley has more on the service's plans:

The Army is promoting new standards that will enable interoperability and data sharing between government- and industry-owned digital environments.

18/06/2024

The Space Force’s acquisition branch has discontinued its contract with Raytheon (RTX) to build three missile warning and tracking satellites for Epoch 1 of the service’s Resilient Missile Warning and Missile Tracking – MEO (MEO MW/MT) program, DefenseScoop has learned.

Space Systems Command notified Raytheon of the discontinuation in May and held a design closure event earlier this month, an SSC spokesperson said in an email. The service decided to drop the company from the program “because the RTX Epoch 1 development effort was facing significant cost growth from the original agreement baseline, projecting slips to the launch schedule, and had unresolved design challenges,” they added. https://scoopmedia.co/3z8X9zb

18/06/2024

Maj. Gen. Paul Stanton has been nominated to be the next director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network, the Pentagon announced Friday.

If confirmed, Stanton will pin on his third star with the new role. https://scoopmedia.co/3XuYASG

18/06/2024

Defense panels in both chambers of Congress have passed measures directing independent assessments examining the prospect of an independent cyber force, as part of the annual defense policy legislation, setting up a showdown later this year when both bills are reconciled for final passage into law.

A measure included in the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act last year was ultimately nixed from the final proposal during the conference process with the House, which didn’t have a similar provision in its bill. https://scoopmedia.co/4b4shgh

18/06/2024

In this exclusive Op-Ed, Lt. Gen. Charlie “Tuna” Moore (Ret.), former deputy commander of Cyber Command, weighs in on options to address digital threats. https://scoopmedia.co/45t2Y6A

18/06/2024

The Army subsumed around 350 civilians as it became the combatant command support agent for U.S. Cyber Command effective June 2, according to a release.

That role was previously undertaken by the Air Force, but under the congressionally mandated change, those 350 or so Air Force civilians will now be Army civilians working on behalf of Cybercom. https://scoopmedia.co/4cimULO

18/06/2024

The Defense Innovation Unit is soliciting industry for less expensive “kinetic” weapons that the Navy could use to shoot down enemy drones.

The sea service has been busy over the past eight months taking out unmanned aerial systems and missiles launched by the Houthis at vessels in the Red Sea, a major global shipping route. While the Navy has been highly successful in its recent air defense missions, Pentagon officials are concerned about the so-called “cost exchange ratio” — where in some cases, multimillion-dollar missiles have been used to take out UAS that only cost a few thousand dollars to make. To help meet the increasing demand for counter-drone tools at a lower price point, the department is looking for new shipborne solutions. https://scoopmedia.co/3xxYdvP

18/06/2024

Lisa Costa retires from position as top Space Force technology officer, Mikayla Easley reports:

The Space Force’s first-ever chief technology and innovation officer, Lisa Costa, has retired from her position in the federal government.

18/06/2024

The Army unveiled a new name Saturday for its maneuver short-range air defense system as it plans for future increments designed to protect troops from drones and other overhead threats on the battlefield.

M-SHORAD increment one has been rechristened the SGT Stout in honor of Sgt. Mitchell Stout, an air defense artilleryman and Medal of Honor recipient who was killed in combat in Vietnam, the service announced Saturday during its 249th birthday festival near Fort Belvoir, Virginia. https://scoopmedia.co/3XsK2Ti

17/06/2024

When it comes to elevation and changes for the Air Force’s cyber component, the service’s top officer wants to make sure officials are meticulous in getting it right.

“AFCYBER is one of those … we want to make sure we measure twice and cut once because there’s different elements of that with respect to where the manpower belongs and … comes from different sources,” Gen. David Allvin, chief of Staff of the Air Force, told reporters at the Pentagon Friday. https://scoopmedia.co/3VuQvdS

17/06/2024

DIU helping Navy find cheaper drone interceptors

The Defense Innovation Unit is soliciting industry for less expensive kinetic weapons that the Navy could use to shoot down enemy drones.

17/06/2024

The Space Force’s acquisition branch has discontinued its contract with Raytheon (RTX) to build three missile warning and tracking satellites for Epoch 1 of the service’s Resilient Missile Warning and Missile Tracking – MEO (MEO MW/MT) program, DefenseScoop has learned.

Space Systems Command notified Raytheon of the discontinuation in May and held a design closure event earlier this month, an SSC spokesperson said in an email. The service decided to drop the company from the program “because the RTX Epoch 1 development effort was facing significant cost growth from the original agreement baseline, projecting slips to the launch schedule, and had unresolved design challenges,” they added. https://scoopmedia.co/4b9eeX0

17/06/2024

Maj. Gen. Paul Stanton has been nominated to be the next director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network, the Pentagon announced Friday.

If confirmed, Stanton will pin on his third star with the new role. https://scoopmedia.co/3VqLsuX

17/06/2024

Defense panels in both chambers of Congress have passed measures directing independent assessments examining the prospect of an independent cyber force, as part of the annual defense policy legislation, setting up a showdown later this year when both bills are reconciled for final passage into law.

A measure included in the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act last year was ultimately nixed from the final proposal during the conference process with the House, which didn’t have a similar provision in its bill. https://scoopmedia.co/4eo7jMr

17/06/2024

Check out this exclusive Op-Ed from Nick Woodruff and Chris Compton on "Achieving digital integration across allies: Lessons learned from Project Convergence" https://scoopmedia.co/3VIQkNx

17/06/2024

Abraham Denmark is exiting his role as the Pentagon’s senior adviser and coordinator for the AUKUS alliance, which is steering trilateral defense technology cooperation between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh announced his departure Wednesday during a press briefing. https://scoopmedia.co/3KM9lZ3

17/06/2024

Now is not the time for a new cyber service, Lt. Gen. Charlie “Tuna” Moore (Ret.) writes in this Op-Ed:

Now is not the time to establish a cyber service, Lt. Gen. Charlie “Tuna” Moore (Ret.) writes in an Op-Ed for DefenseScoop, adding that results can be achieved quicker utilizing the authorities U.S. Cyber Command already possesses.

17/06/2024

Army assumes support agent role for U.S. Cyber Command. Mark Pomerleau has the details about what the changes will mean:

Around 350 civilians will transfer from the Air Force to the Army supporting U.S. Cyber Command.