Author Archive
Frank Konkel
Editor-in-Chief
![Frank Konkel](https://cdn.defenseone.com/media/img/cd/2023/06/27/FRANK_HEADSHOT/original.jpg?1713976248)
Frank Konkel is the editor-in-chief of GovExec. Frank has been reporting on the federal government in 2013, focusing on the intersection of business, technology and government and occasionally covering the military’s use of emerging technologies. He grew up on a dairy farm and previously covered state and local issues in his home state of Michigan after graduating from Michigan State University.
Science & Tech
The US intelligence community is embracing generative AI
Intelligence agencies are using generative AI for a variety of purposes, including content triage and assisting analysts.
- Frank Konkel
Threats
It's getting harder to identify China's network attacks, Mandiant CEO says
In an interview, Kevin Mandia also said it's probably easier to sway an election through misinformation than hacking.
- Frank Konkel and David DiMolfetta
Science & Tech
Space Force hunts for mature technology in 'Hyperspace Challenge’ program
Expanding its reach from startups to established players, this year's event seeks satellites that are more autonomous, maneuverable, and safer from debris.
- Frank Konkel
Threats
Pentagon UFO Chief: ‘No Credible Evidence’ of Aliens, Yet
Sean Kirkpatrick, who heads the Defense Department’s All-Domain Anomaly Office, briefed the Senate Wednesday.
- Frank Konkel
Policy
Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Ban TikTok, Citing National Security
Bipartisan bill follows FBI warnings about Beijing's sway over the world's largest social-media platform.
- Frank Konkel
Business
Pentagon Splits $9B Cloud Effort Among Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle
All four had been shortlisted for JWCC, DOD's do-over of its giant JEDI cloud contract effort.
- Frank Konkel
Policy
Biden Invokes Defense Production Act to Boost Clean Energy Manufacturing
“Reducing America’s dependence on gas and oil is critical to U.S. national security,” DepSecDef Hicks said.
- Frank Konkel
Threats
Iran-Linked Hackers Probing US Networks, Intel Agencies Warn
Active “cyber operations against government and commercial networks” may seek to take advantage of defenders' focus on Russia.
- Frank Konkel
Threats
Biden ‘Prepared to Respond’ If Russia Cyberattacks US
The White House also announced sanctions to limit Russia’s access to cutting-edge technologies.
- Frank Konkel
Threats
US Spy Chief Warns Government Is Classifying Too Much Data
As the amount of data soars, so does the burden of reviewing classified data for its eventual declassification.
- Frank Konkel
Business
Amazon Offers 2nd Air-Gapped Cloud For Top-Secret Data
The new cloud's data centers are "more than 1,000 miles" away from the northern-Virginia complex that serves U.S. intelligence and defense agencies.
- Frank Konkel
Policy
NSA Awards Secret Up-to-$10B Contract to Amazon
A Microsoft protest of the decision has revealed some details about the U.S. intelligence community's second multi-billion dollar cloud award of the year.
- Frank Konkel
Business
Pentagon Cancels JEDI Cloud Contract
The Defense Department will opt for a new multibillion-dollar, multi-vendor contract.
- Mila Jasper and Frank Konkel
Policy
Court to Explore Whether Trump Officials Interfered in JEDI Contract
The Defense Department previously said lengthy litigation could threaten the contract’s future.
- Frank Konkel
Business
Pentagon Awards JEDI Cloud Contract to Microsoft, Again
The decision follows a months-long legal challenge filed by Amazon Web Services.
- Frank Konkel and Aaron Boyd
Threats
The Pandemic is Pushing the Pentagon Toward Classified Telework
The risk-averse agency has cracked small-scale remote handling of secret and top-secret information. The challenge is doing it at scale.
- Frank Konkel
Science & Tech
Pentagon Wants More Time to Review JEDI Cloud Contract Bids
The Defense Department says it wants to further discuss Microsoft’s and Amazon Web Services’ pricing.
- Frank Konkel
Threats
FBI Opens a China-Related Counterintelligence Investigation Every 10 Hours
FBI Director Chris Wray says China is increasing its illegal activity to subvert the U.S. during the pandemic.
- Frank Konkel
Science & Tech
Navy's $70 Billion Financial System Now in the Cloud
Just "one database contained more than 13 terabytes of data." Amazon moved the entire system in 10 months, eight ahead of schedule.
- Frank Konkel
Science & Tech
Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks to Boost Pentagon AI Talent
Step one: teach the Defense Department's HR staff to find and hire experts in artificial intelligence.
- Frank Konkel