Defense Systems

Army tactical apps held up by security issues

The Army has developed about 80 digital applications for soldiers to use at the tactical level, but solders won't get those apps until the service forms a network security policy to accommodate them.

Defense Systems

DARPA builds space-based telescope for missile tracking

DARPA is developing technology that would provide persistent, tactical, full-motion video surveillance of Scud-class missiles from satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

Defense Systems

Navy delves deeper into undersea robotics

The U.S. Navy is developing new software programs to make its ocean-going robots more independent.

Defense Systems

White House threatens to veto defense bill

The Defense Authorization bill is almost ready for the White House, but detainee provisions could trigger a veto.

Defense Systems

Defense financial office gets new exec

Recent Defense Department senior executive service appointments include a post in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller).

Defense Systems

Company formerly known as Xe, formerly known as Blackwater, changes names again

The training and services contractor is rebranding -- again -- to leave old scandals behind.

Defense Systems

Army IT Day to focus on building the warfighter enterprise

The topics for the Dec. 14 event will include the Army's Network of 2020, how the NIE is accelerating capabilities delivered to the warfighter, defending the network and the transition to DISA-provided e-mail.

Defense Systems

US to Iran: Return the downed RQ-170 UAV

President Barack Obama has asked Iranian officials to return the sophisticated RQ-170 Sentinel that crashed in that country on Dec. 4.

Defense Systems

Predator C Avenger bound for testing in Afghanistan

The Air Force has ordered a single Predator C Avenger for deployment to Afghanistan as part of a procurement effort to meet an urgent request from Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to field reconnaissance and strike assets in theater.

Defense Systems

Fluornoy to leave top DOD post

The Defense Department's highest-ranking woman is stepping down as undersecretary of defense for policy, effective sometime in early 2012.

Defense Systems

Army renews common ground station deal

The $47 million contract includes spare parts, assemblies, engineering support and other logistics needed to keep the Common Ground Stations technically current and fully operational.

Defense Systems

New officer appointments to Cyber Command, acquisition

Recent personnel moves include new assignments to the Army's main acquisition office and Cyber Command.

Defense Systems

US military needs versatile weapons systems: JCS chairman

The U.S. military needs flexible, versatile weapons capable of handling multiple missions in the years ahead in light of soon-to-occur major defense spending reductions, said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey.

Defense Systems

Army to hit civilian workforce with nearly 9,000 cuts

Cuts will come from 70 installations, 37 states, and eight commands and agencies.

Defense Systems

Managing the spectrum for electronic warfare

Col. Rod Mentzer, project manager for Electronic Warfare at the Army PEO IEW&S, discusses efforts to manage the spectrum for all electronic warfare technologies and capabilities.

Defense Systems

Navy delays final solicitation for NGEN program

The Navy says it will not release its final NGEN RFP on Dec. 21 but will release a new draft.

Defense Systems

Debate boils about what's under the RQ-170's hood

As uncertainty continues to surround RQ-170 drone, experts estimate its ISR capabilities and payload.

Defense Systems

Captured RQ-170, real or fake? You decide.

With high-resolution images and video readily available on the Web of the recovered RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aerial vehicle that went down in Iran last week, experts familiar with UAV design and journalists who cover the aviation beat are at odds over whether the photographic and video evidence displayed with bravado by Iranian officials is indeed the actual so-called “Beast of Kandahar.”

Defense Systems

Army Cyber Command tackles network security challenge

Lt. Gen. Rhett Hernandez on defending-the-network exercises at NIE and developing an offensive Red Team cyber infiltration unit.

Defense Systems

Apache Block III upgrades include UAV link

The Army installed 25 technology upgrades to its Apache attack helicopter in November, one of which enables a pilot in flight to control a drone, access its streaming video and use its sensors for target engagement.