Defense Systems

Raven tactical UAV to get sensor boost

Aerovironment's Raven RQ-11B unmanned aerial vehicle will get a new miniature, gimbaled sensor payload that will give warfighters better situational awareness via higher visual fidelity and continuous observation of an item of interest.

Defense Systems

Marine Shadow UAS to get classified weapon, payload improvement

The Marine Corps has chosen a classified weapon to arm its RQ-7B Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft system and plans to equip two of the aircraft armed with the weapon in Afghanistan before it decides to arm the rest of its 13 remaining systems.

Defense Systems

New details emerge on Army cloud initiative

The scope of work that nine companies will provide under the Army's Area Processing Centers Army Private Cloud program include furnishing the Army with "mobile data center" services and even cybersecurity assistance as part of a grand strategy to help the military service scale back its data-center footprint.

Defense Systems

DOD mobile strategy behind the eight-ball compared to industry

DISA is gearing up to launch a DOD-wide mobility plan that will include setting up an enterprise app store and establishing standards for software developers in an effort to keep up with the commercial marketplace.

Defense Systems

Adm. Eric Olson on wisdom from Jimmy Buffett

How does the laconic folk rocker relate to respect for America's military?

Defense Systems

A senator's inauspicious rise

Former Sen. George Mitchell recalls his first day in Congress.

Defense Systems

DOD IT strategy roadmap happening in real time

The Defense Department's move to the next generation of defense IT has turned a corner, says Deputy DOD CIO Rob Carey.

Defense Systems

Accurately stating the cyber threat situation

High-level Obama administration officials along with leading experts from the cybersecurity industry have become increasingly vocal and tried to sound a cyber alarm.

Defense Systems

Army finishes fifth and final regional communications hub

The Army has just completed the last of five planned Regional Hub Nodes, allowing soldiers to connect back to the service's global information network from any position around the globe.

Defense Systems

Cloud migration requires well-mapped acquisition strategy, panel says

A successful cloud migration requires careful planning and risk assessment to succeed, according to a FOSE panel.

Defense Systems

Younger generation has skills to win cyber battles, official says

The rise of cyberattacks around the globe can be blamed in part on an older generation of policymakers who are out of touch with rapid technology change, a senior U.S. official said April 2.

Defense Systems

Blue Devil Block 2 airship has friends in high places

A pair of influential U.S. senators are upset about Air Force plans to cut the 370-foot-long Blue Devil Block 2 airship program and have informed the Defense Department that they believe it would be "a significant failure to stop work and not deploy" the platform to Afghanistan.

Defense Systems

Line of sight: A buzzword defined

A FOSE speaker revisits a story from the Kennedy era to explain a management concept.

Defense Systems

US' intellectual capital is easy prey

One former NSA official says both government and industry organizations need to improve the security of their infrastructure and networks before it loses its world-leader status.

Defense Systems

Is continuous security monitoring worth the payoff?

Moving to a risk-management model of cybersecurity with continuous monitoring of systems can be difficult on a tight budget, but if done right, the savings can make it all worth the work.

Defense Systems

Insider threats defense plan in the works, but will it work?

The FBI and ODNI are leading the initiative to develop a national policy on insider threats expected by year's end. However, it will take more than fancy technology to do the job.

Defense Systems

Tactical radios and mobile devices: Powered by imagination

Designers think creatively to meet the evolving communications needs of dispersed and mobile forces.

Defense Systems

Poseidon P-8A delivered to Navy, ready for BAMS integration

Naval Air Station Jacksonville celebrated the arrival of the first new, network-enabled P-8A Poseidon multi-mission aircraft in late March.

Defense Systems

Are miniature drones with flapping wings really practical?

The main challenge in making miniature drones with flapping wings work on the battlefield is finding enough battery power.

Defense Systems

Army over-estimated enterprise e-mail savings, report says

Army estimates of the expected cost savings from deployment of its enterprise e-mail initiative were exaggerated, reveals a report from the Army CIO to Congress that was released to the public April 2.