Defense Systems

Cyber solarium pivots to align with pandemic concerns

Members of the Solarium Commission are retooling their pitch to focus on recommendations that draw parallels to the current coronavirus crisis.

Defense Systems

Cyber and other transaction agreements

Other transaction agreements will be subject to the Defense Department’s unified cybersecurity standard, according to Katie Arrington, DOD’s chief information security officer for acquisition.

Defense Systems

HASC chairman: DOD doesn't need more stimulus money

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the House Armed Services Committee chairman, said the Defense Department doesn't need any more money from a future coronavirus stimulus bill.

Defense Systems

Opening up DOD's AI black box

As algorithms and other AI tools become more prominent to military operations, researchers are studying better ways to visualize and communicate their decision-making.

Defense Systems

Cyber Commission pushes defense bill as vehicle for implementation

Even with the coronavirus outbreak dominating policymakers' attention, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) said he was "pretty optimistic" that as much as 30% of the recommendations can be included in the upcoming defense authorization bill.

Defense Systems

Pentagon plans to test all troops for COVID-19

Gen. John Hyten, vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said testing the entire force, including National Guard and Reserves, would take until summertime.

Defense Systems

Navy's future networks need rapid acquisitions, CIO says

Navy CIO Aaron Weis wants to rebuild the service's network architecture to look and function more like industry, but acquisition culture and structure slow progress.

Defense Systems

Marines to divest legacy weapons for tech-oriented future

The Marine Corps is willing to swap out tanks and cannons for a better, more agile, cloud based network available in the most remote environments.

Defense Systems

Essye Miller to retire as DOD top deputy CIO

The intelligence community’s CIO, John Sherman, will step in to the post of Defense Department’s principal deputy CIO in June.

Defense Systems

DOD's plan for 'virtual critical care wards' for COVID-19 patients

The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium wants health professionals to be able to deliver high-quality critical care to bedsides of COVID-19 patients in field hospitals, small rural health care facilities and even gymnasiums.

Defense Systems

AFGE denounces budget targets in GOP defense bill

The American Federation of Government Employees issued a letter April 16 to Congress opposing parts of the proposed Expanding Acquisition Reform Act, which seeks to formalize DOD's zero-based budgeting process.

Defense Systems

JEDI gets partial re-evaluation, court says

A federal judge is giving the Defense Department until Aug. 17 to accept proposal revisions addressing storage pricing, effectively extending a nearly three-year-long drama over the potential $10 billion enterprise cloud contract.

Defense Systems

COVID-19 outbreak may delay audits for DOD's cyber certification

The first audits for the Defense Department's unified cybersecurity standard for vendors may be delayed up to a month.

Defense Systems

Navy speeds acquisition amid COVID-19 outbreak

Navy Acquisition Chief James Geurts said acquisition activities have sped up in response to the coronavirus crisis and helped the service pinpoint weak spots in the supply chain.

Defense Systems

DOD watchdog finds no political interference in $10B JEDI award

An oversight report found several missteps and cases of ethical misconduct, but could not substantiate allegations of White House interference in the award of the $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract to Microsoft.

Defense Systems

Some of DOD's telework changes could be permanent

A new emphasis on telework at the Defense Department in response to the COVID-19 pandemic could change work culture at the Pentagon, officials said.

Defense Systems

DOD gets to work on Defense Production Act needs

DOD to issue $133 million in production contracts for N95 masks under the Defense Production Act.

Defense Systems

Pentagon fast-tracks prototyping contracts

Ellen Lord, DOD's acquisition head, issued new guidance for prototype contracts issued through other transaction authorities.

Defense Systems

Navy CIO is unbothered by leadership shakeups

The Navy CIO updated the workforce on telework practices, COVID-19 disclosures and what the change in service leadership means for the tech mission.

Defense Systems

White House pulls oversight officials in DOD, intel agencies

The White House removed an official designated to provide oversight to the $2 trillion rescue and relief fund and nominated a raft of new appointees to handle oversight chores at multiple agencies.