Defense Systems

Former Obama defense policy chief nominated for Army secretary

The White House announced plans to nominate Christine Wormuth, the Pentagon’s former top policy official, to be the first woman as Army secretary.

Defense Systems

DOD eyes automation to improve data quality, business processes

The Defense Department expects that better use of data analytics will help it improve its business operations and decision-making, optimize the workforce and support digital transformation as it moves on from legacy systems.

Defense Systems

SecDef plans new screening, training to weed out extremism

The Defense Department has ordered several personnel policy changes to address extremism in the military, ranging from updating intake questionnaires for recruits to training to prepare service members for potential targeting by extremist groups.

Defense Systems

Could 2022 see the end of OCO?

As the Biden administration prepares to deliver its first budget, the question arises of whether there's enough political clout to end the controversial overseas contingency operations account.

Defense Systems

Space Force satcoms contract gets CMMC nod

A request for information for the Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network and Global Xpress contract was amended March 31 to include requirements for the CMMC pilot program.

Defense Systems

IG pushes DOD to update pandemic plans to support telework

Defense Department component agencies should ensure their IT and communications infrastructure can support maximum telework, according to a new report from the DOD inspector general.

Defense Systems

Biden taps DIU head for top Pentagon acquisition post

President Joe Biden nominates three for senior defense posts, including Michael Brown, the head of Defense Innovation Unit.

Defense Systems

Mandatory review of DOD's compliance on CMMC is delayed

The Defense Department was supposed to submit a review to Congress by March 1 assessing whether components complied with the guidelines of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program. That deadline has been pushed to June.

Defense Systems

First set of CMMC certification orgs emerge

The Defense Department's unified cybersecurity program is making gains with its first tranche of certifying bodies, but assessments for defense contractors are a ways off.

Defense Systems

Air Force seeks 'ubiquitous connectivity' from telework to bases

Lauren Knausenberger, the Air Force's CIO, said since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the service had increased focus on telework and improving base connectivity.

Defense Systems

JADC2 needs to be Pentagon's 'big bet,' Flournoy says

Michèle Flournoy, former undersecretary of defense for policy, said Joint All Domain Command and Control "needs to be one of the big bets that the Pentagon places" if it wants to be prepared for the future of warfare.

Defense Systems

CMMC body hires ex-CISA deputy as first CEO

The governing body in charge of implementing the Defense Department's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program has hired Matthew Travis, former CISA deputy director, as new CEO.

Defense Systems

What's at stake with Biden's Pentagon vacancies?

The Biden administration has several Defense Department vacancies to fill in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and military departments. But what does that mean for personnel and the 2022 budget?

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.

Defense Systems

House fight over defense dollars looms

The House Armed Services Committee's top Republican, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), is pushing for a 3% to 5% increase in the topline 2022 defense budget and wants education and training for cybersecurity and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence to top the panel's agenda.

Defense Systems

How JADC2, competition with China could spur DOD budget reform

The Defense Department’s goal of having unified communications across the military along with an escalating tech competition with China could be the impetus needed for acquisition reforms.

Defense Systems

CMMC board preps for staff changes

The body in charge of standing up and running the Defense Department’s unified cybersecurity standard is shifting its staffing arrangement.

Defense Systems

House task force digs into DOD supply chain vulnerabilities

The House Armed Services Committee has launched a task force to investigate defense supply chain vulnerabilities, foreign manufacturing concerns and other issues raised by the pandemic.

Defense Systems

Pentagon needs AI on each leadership level, panel says

Robert Work, vice chairman of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence called for DOD to implement a "top-down leadership" approach "to push integration of AI throughout the force."

Defense Systems

HASC chair pivots spending debate to acquisition reform

House Armed Services Committee chair, Adam Smith's response to Republicans' call for at least a 3% topline defense budget increase is: "How you spend the money is what matters."