Defense Systems

Does DOD have the leadership it needs on spectrum?

Joseph Kirschbaum, the director of defense capabilities and management, for the Government Accountability Office, told Congress that having leadership buy-in is the difference between a successful strategy and a failed one.

Ideas

What Trump Got Wrong About Protecting GPS

The 2020 policy change largely ignores first responders; local, state, and federal agencies; the Post Office; drone operators; and medium and small businesses — and cements GPS as a prime target for our enemies.

Science & Tech

DARPA Aims to Boost US Manufacturing of Certain Chips

Better processes for converting general-purpose chips to specialized ones would pay big dividends, agency says.

Science & Tech

DARPA Seeks Chips that Can Crunch Data Without Decrypting It

Current methods of doing "fully homomorphic encryption" require too much computing power to be used widely.

Science & Tech

Pentagon Looks to Tap 5G in Space

“Any aspect of 5G applied to any aspect of space systems is of potential interest,” says a new request for information.

Threats

New Supercomputers Turbocharge Military Weather Forecasting

Housed at Oak Ridge National Lab, the new forecasting tool is more than six times faster than its predecessor.

Threats

Riot Exposed Capitol's IT Vulnerabilities

Devices were stolen from members' offices. Were networks penetrated as well?

Science & Tech

Two-Thirds of DOD’s Major IT Projects Are Behind Schedule, GAO Found

Defense officials say lack of talent is slowing the adoption of cybersecurity best practices.

Ideas

If You Don’t Hire Robots to Attack Your Networks, You’re Not Doing Security Right

Complying with DoD’s new cybersecurity regulations requires hard data, the kind that pretty much requires automation to compile.

Science & Tech

The Pentagon Is Ill-Organized to Improve Its Use of Electromagnetic Spectrum, GAO Says

Old ways and means are quickly becoming obsolete — but spectrum issues remain everyone’s second job.

Ideas

We Need a Backup for GPS. Actually, We Need Several of Them

The key is incentivizing adoption of position-navigation-timing alternatives.

Science & Tech

How Two US Military Bases Are Exploring 5G’s Potential

Defense Department-led pursuits of next-generation connectivity will hone in on survivability, security, and innovation.

Science & Tech

More Computers Would Bring Military AI Along Faster, New JAIC Chief Says

Groundbreaking tools are around the corner, 3-star general says. The limiting factor is lack of computing power to grind through giant Pentagon datasets.

Policy

CBP Proposes to Expand Biometric Data Collection at Border

A proposed rule would allow the program to expand beyond pilot sites and collect more data from more people.

Ideas

Block the Pentagon’s 5G Power Play

Defense leaders’ attempt to become the gatekeeper for prime frequencies is understandable, but it’s the wrong choice for America.

Policy

Pentagon Expands 5G Efforts as Lawmakers Raise Eyebrows

The Pentagon's acquisition chief said DOD will also release guidance on securing the microelectronics supply chain.

Science & Tech

The Army Is Working on Augmented Reality Goggles for Military Dogs

A prototype aims to help handlers see things from the dog's point of view, and give commands while staying out of sight.

Threats

Air Force Wants 'Data Science Ecosystems' to Shorten OODA Loops

The AF Research Lab is looking for ways to deal with the rising ocean of surveillance video and other sensor data.