Defense Systems

Lack of Predator video encryption raises questions

Readers of Defense Systems were stunned that the military failed to encrypt Predator video feeds.

Defense Systems

Obama picks cybersecurity coordinator

Howard Schmidt is President Barack Obama’s choice for cybersecurity chief, the administration announced today.

Defense Systems

Cybersecurity czar named; let the turf wars begin

Now that Howard Schmidt is officially named the White House cybersecurity coordinator, don’t expect that to be the end of the matter.

Defense Systems

Encryption of Predator video feeds will take time

It could take as long as five years before video feeds from Predator and Reaper drones are fully encrypted and U.S. forces are able to keep enemy forces from intercepting the information, reports Ellen Nakashima in the Washington Post.

Defense Systems

Army PEO Soldier orders handheld target locators

The Army has awarded BAE Systems Inc. a five-year, $41.9 million contract to deliver handheld target locators.

Defense Systems

Laptop with personal data about thousands stolen from Army employee

A government laptop containing names and personally identifiable information of more than 42,000 patrons of childcare and recreational facilities at Fort Belvoir in Virginia since 2005 was stolen on Nov. 28.

Defense Systems

Army garrisons get tech support boost

NCI Inc. has won a seven-year, $309 million task order to provide the Army with a wide array of information technology services at several military installations around the country.

Defense Systems

DOD C4ISR programs to get boost

CACI International Inc. will provide a range of technological support services to the Defense Department under a two-year, $24 million task order.

Defense Systems

Hands on with Army Go Mobile gear

The real potential of the Go Mobile program is in providing military personnel access to their AKO/DKO accounts wirelessly. The days of luggable laptops might be over soon, replaced in this case with smart phones that pack almost as much computing power.

Defense Systems

Military Predator video intercepted by Iraqis

Iraqi insurgents have used inexpensive off-the-shelf software to intercept video feeds from Predator unmanned aerial vehicles during the past year, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Defense Systems

House passes defense bill that would reduce use of contractors

Defense spending bill includes measures to reduce spending on contractor outsourcing and new programs to reduce fraud and abuse.

Defense Systems

Army to take a closer look at network science

A Raytheon unit will help develop a consortium for the Army to examine communication, information, and social and cognitive networks under a new contract.

Defense Systems

Gorgon Stare to accompany Afghanistan surge

The Air Force plans to deploy the new Gorgon Stare sensor to Afghanistan in spring 2010 to enhance surveillance of insurgent activities and give U.S. forces a boost during anticipated spring offensives, reports Colin Clark at DOD Buzz.

Defense Systems

Public or private, the cloud makes its business case

The Defense Department and Arlington County, Va., chose different paths to cloud computing.

Defense Systems

Army's Go Mobile puts big computing power into soldiers' pockets

The Army is readying a mobile kit based on smart phones that will give soldiers access to the online resources of the Army Knowledge Online portal from anywhere in the world.

Defense Systems

Unmanned long-strike capabilities might get budget boost

Manned and unmanned global strike programs are among the Defense Department weapons programs that might benefit from a $100 billion infusion of new funds over a five-year period, reports Vago Muradian at Defense News.

Defense Systems

Marine Corps Logistics Command schedules IT support

AT&T Government Solutions Inc. will furnish information technology support services to the Marine Corps Logistics Command under a one-year, $6.4 million task order.

Defense Systems

Pulling an about-Facebook on privacy

By requiring that each of its 350 million users to set their own privacy settings -- and making the process easy to understand -- Facebook is trying to part of the solution.

Defense Systems

Droid does it better

The new Verizon Wireless Droid by Motorola is a phone that could really change the industry, and the way the federal government does its job.

Defense Systems

Airborne, maritime joint network passes key milestone

The component of the Joint Tactical Radio System intended for airborne and maritime platforms and installations has successfully completed a critical design review that capped more than six months of system and subsystem assessments.