Sept 01 2023

QUICK HITS

• Geopolitical tension with China would devastate tech sectors: Study shows even big tech companies wouldn't survive a geopolitical crisis.

• Top tech leaders to convene on Capitol Hill for AI forum: The closed-door event Sept 13 will include Musk, Zuckerberg, other tech CEOs.

• Vets discharged under DADT still fighting for justice — & benefits: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is gone, but most haven’t been granted upgrades.

• FBI updates photo of Wisconsin U bomber wanted for 53 years: Photos of suspect referred to as “Wisconsin’s state ghost" released.

TRIVIA

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

US to keep closer tabs on China with SILENTBARKER monitoring.

The DOD has a next-gen, top-secret monitoring constellation dubbed SILENTBARKER that will provide an “exponential” leap in the nation's current capability to keep tabs on potentially threatening Russian and Chinese satellites once it reaches full operational capability in 2026. Read more

DOD finance chief says delayed budgets present a challenge.

While the president and Congress have increased DOD funding by $100B over the past two years, the timing of each budget's delivery continues to pose problems. "Support for the top line is great," said DOD's finance chief. "One thing that is not so great is this pattern of recurring, lengthy, persistent, continuing resolutions. These negatively impact our mission."  Read more

“We’re scarred by the JRSS adventure.” DOD IT official wants to sunset controversial Pentagon IT program.

In 2021, the DOD decided to officially sunset the Joint Regional Security Stacks (JRSS), an ambitious effort to bolster the overall IT security posture of the department. The program was poised to shrink the attack surface by reducing thousands of stacks globally to roughly 25, but was marred with countless setbacks. Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• To attract more AI pros, DOD focuses on its talent pipeline.

• The key to good anti-drone defenses is writing software that works.

• OSIRIS Ph2: USMC is experimenting with Lockheed's new 5G testbed.

• U.S. to announce details this fall on AUKUS’ tech development piece.

• BAA: USAF releases pre-solicitation for AI and next-gen distributed command and control.

Defense Contract Awards

• QinetiQ (Avantus Federal) wins $224M SDA proliferated architecture support contract.

• Raytheon awarded $276.5M to supply GPS-guided artillery shells.

• HII wins $154.8M mod to modernize Navy guided missile destroyer.

• LMI snags $3.2M DLA clothing and textiles R&D contract.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• Austal USA VP of global services and support to serve as interim president.

• Former L3Harris senior director named defense space VP at SAIC.

• Former Lockheed VP of production operations named global supply chain mgmt VP.

• Former Secretary of the Navy joins Atom Computing to Board of Directors.

Defense Job Openings

• U.S. Army Military District of Washington needs a Deputy Director.

• The Office of Naval Research needs a Senior Scientist for Autonomous & Robotic Systems.

FEATURED INTERVIEW

INTEL COMMUNITY

First-of-its-kind agreement signed to protect remote sensing space assets.

The NGA, NRO, and USSPACECOM are planning for threats to commercial satellites, recently signing a first-of-its-kind agreement outlining a framework to enable the protection of commercial remote sensing space assets vital to the nation’s intelligence collection mission. Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• SilverEdge secures intelligence solution task order.

• NGA assisting with Hurricane Idalia search and rescue.

• Previous NSA executive director named NSA deputy director.

• Integral Federal adds VP of HR, VP of Technology.

• Advanced Space-led team chosen for SINTRA program.

CIVILIAN

DOE is using AI a lot more; AI use cases are 4x larger than FY22.

The Department of Energy’s list of publicly reported AI use cases is four times larger than what it reported last year, reflecting clearer White House guidance on what needs to be disclosed. Roughly 180 AI use cases began development or acquisition between 2017 and 2023. Read more

Watchdog report claims FDIC has ineffective threat-sharing policies.

Though the FDIC has taken steps to improve its cyberthreat information-sharing with financial institutions, a recent OIG report has found at least three agency resources have not yet deployed with industry partners. Read more

DC leaders pen OMB a letter demanding return-to-office plan.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has sent a letter to the head of the OMB, signed by the heads of 23 local governments, urging more in-person work at federal government agencies. In the letter, members suggested the success of their own experiences with getting more in-office face time from employees. Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• RFI: NASA Technology Advancement and Mission Services (TAMS).

• Commerce Department creates data working group focused on AI.

• NASA finishes its final asteroid sample return mission.

• Fed, state IT leaders share tips in data scientist recruiting race.

• US gov’t offering $12B in grants to automakers to retrofit plants to produce EVs and advanced vehicles.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• Govplace continues USCIS cloud support under $566M BPA.

• WOSB T and T Consulting Services scores $47M NOAA information management services award.

• NASA awards 4 contracts for Sounder for Microwave-Based Applications (SMBA) study.

• BWXT lands $116.5M NNSA contract for HALEU feedstock production.

• Leidos wins $918M DHS IT Support task order.

Follow Civilian Leaders

• 20-year BD veteran joins Edgewater Federal Solutions as CGO.

• SBA announces 14 appointees to investment capital advisory committee.

• SBA also names a new CTO.

Civilian Job Openings

• Energy Department seeks Deputy Director for Counterintelligence.

SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿

Does the Pentagon's new drone effort come with strings attached?

The Pentagon is bullish on a new approach to the challenge posed by China -- it's building lots of ships, lots of missiles, and staffing lots of people. From this zeal has come a massive new drone effort that, while laudable in its quest for simpler weapons, doesn't seem to come without strings attached. Read more

Are US-China relations thawing after the CCP cut mil-to-mil contact?

U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Adm. John Aquilino spoke with Chinese defense officials at a conference this month, a potential breakthrough in military-to-military communications more than a year after China suspended most such interactions. Read more

Can you guess which IT help desks are the government’s least liked?

If you guessed DOD, you'd be right -- it's at the bottom of the list of federal agencies for satisfaction with IT support and IT equipment according to a survey of more than 270,000 federal employees. Read more

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