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DOD Culture Still Impedes Rapid Development

December 3, 2020
By George I. Seffers
Danielle Metz, acting deputy CIO for information enterprise, outlines obstacles the Defense Department faces in implementing rapid technology development and fielding processes.

“When DOD teams try to adopt modern software development practices into their normal business processes, they run into other institutional and cultural roadblocks.”

DISA Embraces DevSecOps for Future Contracts

December 3, 2020
By George I. Seffers
Defense Information Systems Agency officials are moving toward a secure and agile software development process known as DevSecOps for new contracts. Credit: Andrey Suslov/Shutterstock

“When we develop capabilities, we will use the DevSecOps methodology."

U.S. Space Force Forecasts Commercial SATCOM Contracts

December 3, 2020
By George I. Seffers
A U.S. Space Force office has revealed a hundreds of millions of dollars in commercial satellite contracts to be awarded in the coming months. Credit; Panuwatccn/Shutterstock

Mike Nichols, chief of the COMSATCOM Solutions program, U.S. Space Force, highlighted several of the opportunities.

High-Priority Satellite is Ready for Launch

December 2, 2020
Posted by Kimberly Underwood
Lockheed Martin's SBIRS GEO-5 satellite is tested in a vacuum chamber at the company's Sunnyvale, California, production facility in April. The U.S. Space Force has ruled that the satellite is now ready for launching in 2021. Credit: Lockheed Martin, The U.S. Space Force certified as ready the fifth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit satellite (SBIRS GEO-5). The satellite will be launched in 2021. Credit: Lockheed Martin

The U.S. Space Force’s so-called SBIRS GEO-5 infrared surveillance satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, was finished in record time.

Human and Artificial Intelligence Merge

November 25, 2020
By George I. Seffers
While human cyborgs may still be the stuff of science fiction, the science may be a little closer to reality following breakthroughs in materials used for neural links and other implants that offer a wide array of benefits, including potential medical advances. Credit: Ociacia/Shutterstock

A breakthrough in materials could allow humans to control unmanned vehicles and other technologies directly with their brains.

Air Force Sets Ablaze Redundancy with Operation Flamethrower

November 23, 2020
By Kimberly Underwood
The Air Force's new initiative, Operation Flamethrower, is meant to aggressively get rid of legacy policies, processes and equipment that are not effective. Credit: Shutterstock/Mack Pansuwan

The service’s new initiative looks to make network-related policies and equipment more effective.

A Confluence of Technologies Defines Information Systems

November 10, 2020
By Robert K. Ackerman
Credit: Shutterstock/Krunja

Technologies such as 5G, AI and the Internet of Things will coalesce to offer capabilities far beyond their originally anticipated results.

Army Tactical Assault Kit Always Adapting for New Era

October 28, 2020
By George I. Seffers
The Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) is a map-based software application that enables coordination among thousands of users with features such as a position data, chat, mission planning and shared overlays. Army researchers say it is being integrated with unmanned vehicles, virtual reality, wearable computers and heads up displays. Credit: U.S. Army CCDC C5ISR Center

Unmanned systems, virtual reality and wearables all need data.

AI Agents Defend the Network During NetModX

October 23, 2020
By George I. Seffers
C5ISR Center electronics engineer Michelle Moore studies vehicle positions while evaluating the Blue Force Tracking Resiliency effort during Network Modernization Experiment 20 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, September 29. The experiment also included autonomous agents monitoring the network. Credit: U.S. Army C5ISR Center photo/Jenna Mozeyko

Artificial intelligence agents defend the Army's network—including other AI technologies—during the Network Modernization Experiment.

NGA Announces Winners of MagQuest Competition

October 14, 2020
Posted by Julianne Simpson
Photo Courtesy of NOAA NCEI

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency announced the final results of MagQuest, a $2.1 million competition to advance how we measure Earth’s magnetic field.

Computers Getting Brain Power

October 5, 2020
By Maryann Lawlor
Sandia National Laboratories researcher J. Darby Smith examines computer boards containing artificial neurons Intel Corp designed. (Photo by Regina Valenzuela), Computer boards containing artificial neurons will serve as the foundation of a multiyear collaboration on neuromorphic computing between Sandia National Laboratories and Intel Corporation. (Photo courtesy of Intel Corporation)

An industry leader delivered artificial neurons to Sandia National Laboratories to explore how to use neural-inspired computing.

Artificial Intelligence Helps Define Army’s Future

September 24, 2020
By George I. Seffers
An Area-I Air-Launched, Tube-Integrated, Unmanned System, or ALTIUS, is launched from a UH-60 Black Hawk at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, March 4 where the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center led a demonstration that highlighted the forward air launch of the ALTIUS. Courtesy photo provided by Yuma Proving Ground

Artificial intelligence systems worked well during the Army Project Convergence exercise. The network and small quadcopters, on the other hand, need some work.

Intelligence CIOs Target Advanced Technologies

September 17, 2020
By Kimberly Underwood
Intelligence community chief information officers are selecting advanced capabilities to support key mission efforts. Credit: Shutterstock/Gorodenkoff

Innovative plans have only accelerated during the pandemic, experts say.

Mobile Devices Offer Promise in Identity Solutions

September 10, 2020
By Kimberly Underwood
Mobile devices could service as an identity platform for the U.S. government, providing a contactless access experience with more privacy, some experts say. Credit: Shutterstock/Drazen Zigic

While the use of smartphones is quite common, the world of identity management has yet to fully harness mobile technologies.

Pandemic Accents Federal Need for Identification Tech

September 8, 2020
By George I. Seffers
Money laundering and other crimes have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for more widespread use of identity verification and management technologies, government officials say. Credit: stevepb/Pixabay

“The whole CARES Act presented this amazing magnet for fraudsters, honestly."--Gay Gilbert, administrator, Office of Unemployment Insurance, Department of Labor

National Security Depends on Tech-Savvy Talent

August 31, 2020
By Maryann Lawlor
Dr. Irma Becerra, president, Marymount University (c), wears a face mask alongside orientation leaders and community assistants as Marymount students move back to campus for the fall 2020 semester. Photo by Marymount University, Dr. Irma Becerra, president, Marymount University (r), chats with students in front of the Lincoln Memorial during a fall orientation event in August 2018. Photo by Marymount University

Technology pool must grow to meet national security needs.

Orb Takes Flight

August 24, 2020
By Kimberly Underwood
LIFT Aircraft CEO Matthew Chasen shows Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett the controls of the company's Hexa electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at Camp Mabry, Texas, on August 20. The demonstration, hosted by the Texas Air National Guard, was the first in a series that the service's Agility Prime will hold this fall as it strives to field eVTOL aircraft by 2023. Credit: Air National Guard photo by Staff. Sgt. Sean Kornegay, Air Force Chief of Staff Charles Q. Brown Jr., takes a turn in a LIFT Aircraft Hexa aircraft during a demonstration by Agility Prime, at Camp Mabry, Texas, on August 20. Credit: Air National Guard photo by Staff. Sgt. Sean Kornegay

The Air Force’s Agility Prime program conducts first demonstration of electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft.

Army Eyes Artificial Intelligence for PACE Planning

August 12, 2020
By George I. Seffers
The U.S. Army wants to automate planning for primary, alternate, contingency and emergency (PACE) communications. A so-called intelligent engine will suffice in the short term, but over time, service officials expect artificial intelligence to conduct PACE planning. (U.S. Army photo courtesy of the Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical)

Artificial intelligence could eventually take over planning for primary, alternate, contingency and emergency communications for the U.S. Army.

Manned-Unmanned Teaming Passes Experimental Muster

August 7, 2020
By George I. Seffers
The Ripsaw M5 robotic combat vehicle developed by a team made up ofTextron, Howe & Howe, and FLIR Systems, is one of two robotic systems being developed for the Army's manned-unmanned teaming concept. The other is the a light robotic vehicle being developed by QinetiQ and Pratt and Miller. The service is conducting a series of experiments to test the concept using surrogate vehicles while the robotic systems are in development. Photo courtesy of Textron

Army sources largely like what they see during manned-unmanned teaming operational experiments at Ft. Carson, Colorado.

Pandemic, Defense Priorities Shape DARPA Activities

July 30, 2020
By Robert K. Ackerman
A DARPA cubesat placed into orbit from the International Space Station contains an experiment in which microelectronic mechanical systems (MEMS) change the mirror shape of an optical system to generate high-quality imagery. Space is just one area in which the agency is boosting its research to meet new challenges. Credit: NASA photo

AI, space and biotechnology are just some of the areas that will be the focus of increased research by DARPA.

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