Defense Systems
Accounting for software in weapons systems
The Defense Department is still trying to figure out the best way to buy software and track that spending. But could the answer be in separating out those costs from the hardware required in major acquisitions?
Defense Systems
House passes a compromise on the 2022 NDAA bill
The bill, which supports $778 billion for national security spending, was filed in lieu of a traditional conference report and combines the text passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee in July and the House bill passed in September.
Defense Systems
A quick look at cyber in the 2022 defense bill
As has been the case for the past few years, cyber governance provisions were featured in this year's must-pass defense policy bill moving through Congress, but a bipartisan breach notification measure was dropped from the bill -- to the chagrin of its supporters.
Defense Systems
Analysis: The side effects of the 'valley of death'
The "valley of death" problem is real when it comes to government acquisition and technology deployment, so the dialogue on that problem is endless. But when nine out of 10 startups with potentially promising technology fail to cross their own valley, more attention is needed there too.
Defense Systems
Coast Guard picks AT&T as primary telecom provider
The Coast Guard chooses AT&T to consolidate several data communications networks into a single environment under a $161 million task order.
Defense Systems
Final 2022 defense bill calls for new data and software job series
The House-passed compromise NDAA also has other workforce provisions, including a change to the probationary period for civilian feds at DOD and paid parental bereavement leave for federal employees.
Defense Systems
What’s next for CMMC
After the Defense Department revamped cybersecurity standards for contractors, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program’s accreditation body is making adjustments.
Defense Systems
Could faster buying undermine electronic warfare prep?
Some measures that protect weapons systems against electronic vulnerabilities can be “pushed aside” during rapid acquisitions, according to David Tremper, the electronic warfare director for the Defense Department.
Defense Systems
The Pentagon and UMD to launch intel-focused research center
The Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security will focus on basic and applied research for the security and intelligence communities.
Defense Systems
Biden taps former Air Force weapons buyer to lead DOD acquisition
The White House has nominated former Air Force acquisition chief William LaPlante to be the Pentagon’s top buyer.
Defense Systems
CISA draws plans for more secure federal civilian email
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency wants to beef up federal civilian email security with CISA-provisioned threat hunting and incident response efforts, according to a request for information published last week.
Defense Systems
Stopgap funding delays military SATCOM transfer to Space Force
The U.S. Space Force’s plans to absorb all of the military’s satellite communications, including nearly 700 uniformed personnel from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, is delayed along with the rest of the military’s appropriation as Congress preps for a second continuing resolution in fiscal year 2022.
Defense Systems
White House asks agencies to delay consequences for vaccine mandate violations
Agencies have the power to decide how to discipline unvaccinated feds, but the White House is encouraging them to go beyond education, counseling and letters of reprimand until after the holidays.
Defense Systems
Checking in with the Army and Navy principal cyber advisors
Congress established service level principal cyber advisors in the 2020 defense policy bill. FCW sat down with the Army and Navy PCAs to get a sense of what their priorities have been in the past year.
Defense Systems
DARPA seeks ‘top chef’ for 3D printed food
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants ideas for turning cellular biomass into safe, visually appealing, edible and palatable food that can support the military and civilians when traditional food is unavailable.
Defense Systems
CISA issues enterprise mobile security checklist
The Enterprise Mobility Management system checklist outlines steps for device management, authentication, app and network security as well as defending enterprise systems from mobile devices.
Defense Systems
Top cyber lawmaker previews 2022 legislation goals
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) is looking to create a statutory framework for threat information sharing and mitigation between a small number of critical infrastructure firms and the federal government.
Defense Systems
DOD names cloud contenders for JEDI replacement
The Defense Department has invited Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google and Oracle to compete for its massive warfighter cloud program.
Defense Systems
Federal government is still in the dark on ransomware
Information on the majority of ransomware attacks targeting American companies and civilian agencies remains unreported to the Department of Homeland Security, a top cyber official told lawmakers.
Defense Systems