Defense Systems
Protected information exchange could aid in Mideast missions
An unclassified project would operate on its own virtual private network and be certified and accredited for official use only.
Defense Systems
Navy picks contractor to maintain high-profile systems
L-3 Communications will continue to provide systems engineering and technical support to the Navy under a five-year contract renewal that could be worth as much as $187.4 million.
Defense Systems
Army refines program to spur app development
After false start, Army CIO launches Apps for the Army contest to foster more rapid software development.
Defense Systems
Future warfare gets funding nod, but little prioritization
The Quadrennial Defense Review and the fiscal 2011 defense budget are in sync on the need for new strategies for programs such as unmanned aerial vehicles. But critics say they still focus too much on current conflicts and not enough on the future.
Defense Systems
Getting out in front of the burgeoning data deluge
We are now well into the exabyte-per-year era of data (1 billion gigabytes), with predictions that the size of the digital universe will double every 18 months. How do you store all of that data, let alone find ways to manage it so you can retrieve it and make use of it?
Defense Systems
Army turns to aerial sensors for battlefield precision
Col. Robert Carpenter, project manager for the Army’s Aerial Common Sensor Program, discusses the program's changing mission and near-term objectives.
Defense Systems
Insourcing's false economy
The Obama administration's efforts to cut contractor jobs — and bring the work back into the federal agencies — might make it harder for the military to accelerate technology improvement initiatives.
Defense Systems
Flash media vendors eye DOD market despite strict rules
The Defense Department has eased its blanket ban on removable devices such as USB drives, and vendors are responding with tamper-proof hardware, FIPS 140-2 validated encryption engines and on-board antivirus
Defense Systems
Military still gives thumbs down to thumb drives
Despite relaxing the all out ban on using portable storage devices on Defense Department computer systems, it appears thumb drives will not return to the military services anytime soon.
Defense Systems
Army upgrades infrastructure on many fronts
Gary Winkler, the Army program executive officer for enterprise information systems, discusses the Haiti relief effort, upcoming solicitation for the Area Processing Centers and lessons learned in recent implementations of enterprise resource planning systems.
Defense Systems
The human element complicates cybersecurity
Despite the congressional focus on cybersecurity, all the money, software and hardware in the world can’t entirely ward off cybersecurity threats. One nontechnology factor greatly impedes cybersecurity: the human factor.
Defense Systems
DOD certifies telecom products that could help cut costs
DOD picks products for network services with an eye toward cost, power requirements and space.
Defense Systems
DARPA wants razor sharp optics for satellite surveillance
DARPA is looking to fund a new program that would develop a diffractive optics membrane and related equipment and structures for use in a geosynchronous orbit telescope.
Defense Systems
Air Force picks contractor to enhance GPS ground control
Raytheon Co. has won an initial contract from the Air Force worth $886 million to develop a new element of the Global Positioning System that will improve the accuracy of information from GPS satellites.
Defense Systems
A heavier government hand may shape Internet policy
Ever since the advent of the Internet the government's philosophy has been to let innovation drive the growth of the information superhighway, but the complexities of the online universe are forcing it to contemplate a more activist role.
Defense Systems
The new P2P initiative
A common shared cyber intelligence repository that allows both sides to contribute must be constructed to facilitate a tightly coupled pairing of the private and public sectors.
Defense Systems
NETCENTS-2 stalls with new delays
A series of delays has kept the Air Force’s Network Centric Solutions-2 program in a holding pattern. Two of the four request for proposals expected at the end of January have still not emerged, and the remaining RFPs might be months away.
Defense Systems
Sorenson to announce Apps for Army challenge
Army looks to accelerate Web and mobile application development by rewarding Army personnel for creative ideas.
Defense Systems
DOD issues long-awaited social media policy
DOD issues a memo to address longstanding uncertainties about the use of social media and networks within defense agencies and military branches.
Defense Systems