QUICK HITS
Congress just scrapped major acquisition reform wins from the NDAA: Industry is furious!
GSA plans refresh of major GWACS by end of January: MAS refresh, GWACS, Alliant 2, OASIS+, and other updates coming.
OMB lays out requirements for agencies to prevent “woke AI:” Gov’t wants AI models that are unbiased.
Cybersecurity strategy: Zero trust is needed for defense collaboration.
POLL
What’s keeping you up at night as your organization looks toward 2026?
DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
Space Force warns of delays amid small business funding dispute.
USSF officials caution that congressional disputes over reauthorizing SBIR funding are already slowing program timelines. With SBIR resources in limbo, leaders warn that critical acquisition efforts risk disruption—an example of how legislative uncertainty can ripple into national security priorities.
USAF poised to retake “Looking Glass” mission from Navy.
The USAF is preparing to take back responsibility for the “Looking Glass” airborne nuclear command-and-control mission, which ensures senior leaders can direct nuclear forces during a crisis, after the Navy assumed the role years ago. The shift would realign the mission with the Air Force’s broader nuclear enterprise as it modernizes command-and-control systems and replaces aging aircraft.
USSF accepts Meadownlands SATCOM jammers.
The USSF has accepted delivery of the Meadowlands satellite communications jammers, marking a key step toward operational electronic-warfare capabilities in space. The systems are designed to disrupt adversary SATCOM links, strengthening the USSF’s ability to protect U.S. and allied operations in contested environments.
ICYMI:
Next Air Force One will arrive a bit earlier than projected: Mid-2028.
HavocAI completes live GPS-free air-sea autonomy demonstration.
HII’s USV prototype hits 30% completion, on track for 2026 sea trials.
GAO urges DOD to modernize weapon testing practices.
Defense Contract Awards
Follow the Defense Leaders
Firefly Aerospace has a new COO.
US Admiral leading troops in Latin America retires 2 years early.
Defense Job Openings
NAVSEA is hiring a Supervisory Program Manager.
DLA is seeking an IT Project Manager.
END OF YEAR RECAP
2026 GovCon Industry Predictions
GovCon 2026: The Rules Are Shifting—Here’s How
Federal contracting isn’t standing still, and 2026 will reward the teams that adapt early. We outline the key policy, technology, and acquisition shifts coming next year—so you can plan smarter, bid better, and avoid getting caught flat-footed.
Read our full predictions here.
INTEL COMMUNITY
SOCOM seeks candidates for agentic AI experimentation.
USSOCOM is exploring agentic AI—systems that can plan, decide, and act with minimal human input—to support missions like intelligence analysis, logistics, and operational planning for special operations forces. Leaders stress the technology will be tightly governed and human-supervised, with the goal of speeding decisions and reducing cognitive load without surrendering human control.
ICYMI:
SpaceX claims Chinese satellite posed collision risk to Starlink.
US will be “starting” land strikes on Latin America.
Investors commit quarter-billion dollars to startup designing “Giga” satellites.
If you love spy novels, here are The Cipher Brief’s recommended reads for the holidays.
FUNNY
CIVILIAN
E.O. establishes unified federal framework for AI regulation.
POTUS has signed an E.O. preempting state-level AI laws in favor of a single federal framework. The directive tasks the DOJ with challenging conflicting state measures and ties broadband funding compliance to adherence—signaling a push for regulatory consistency in emerging AI governance.
House looks to shake up VA’s software management.
A new House proposal aims to overhaul how the VA manages its software, citing persistent failures, cost overruns, and poor accountability across major IT programs. The proposal would centralize oversight, tighten performance metrics, and force the VA to modernize how it buys, tracks, and maintains mission-critical software.
EPA streamlines Clean Air Rules for AI data centers.
The EPA has launched a new webpage to guide developers through Clean Air Act requirements, offering tools to speed AI data center construction—and even tips on how to “legally avoid” certain rules. Officials say it’s about cutting red tape, though critics note the environmental tradeoffs may be harder to dodge.
ICYMI:
New bill seeks to “phase out” LiDAR tech tied to foreign adversaries.
FedRAMP 20X names 3 cloud services for Phase 2 pilot.
New coins will commemorate 250th anniversary of American independence.
Civilian Contracts Awards
6 companies booked positions on the $502M GLINDA 2.0 IT Support contract.
Chickasaw Aerospace inked an FDA Adverse Event Monitoring System Capabilities and IT Modernization deal.
Guidehouse got a $6.2M Bridge HUD Ginnie Mae FCR Support contract.
NASA selects Boeing to provide Artemis astronaut transport vans following Canoo’s bankruptcy.
Follow Civilian Leaders
VA names a new Acting CIO.
Socure has a new President, CCO.
Aqua IT named its COO, Managing Partner.
Civilian Job Openings
DOS wants a Program Manager.
FAA needs an Air Traffic Control Operations Manager.
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M&A CORNER
Aretum expands federal reach with Veterans Engineering acquisition.
Aretum is beefing up its federal IT toolkit by acquiring Veterans Engineering, a contractor serving VA and other agencies. The deal boosts Aretum’s cyber, cloud, and digital transformation chops—because in government contracting, bigger toolboxes win bigger missions.
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
POTUS warns of potential World War III. He said that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war could escalate into a broader global conflict. SOURCE↗︎
Maven Spacecraft falls silent during 3I/Atlas close encounter. The orbiter’s status remains uncertain after NASA’s ground stations lost contact on December 6. SOURCE↗︎
Did you know that “It’s a Wonderful Life” once came under FBI scrutiny? During the Red Scare, a 1947 FBI report alleged the beloved holiday film contained subtly subversive anti-American propaganda. SOURCE↗︎
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