The 2012 Olympics may be over in London, but the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has laid down a competitive challenge of a different sort, this time for the world's robotics experts.

This is part 2 of a short series on tools you can use to increase your efficiency in hunting down targets and understanding your IC and Defense markets. It would be a challenge to use all of these but without much trouble, you’ll find the right mix for you and your business. Side Note: understanding your core market is critical to solving problems in it, especially with technology and innovation. Put yourself in the shoes of a defense or intelligence program manager: would you listen to someone trying to sell you something if she/he did not understand the larger context of your challenges? Maybe yes, may no. Good business developers are constantly trying to remove barriers to building relationships with clients and prospects. Ignorance of your client’s world is an easy barrier to remove.

The U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) is building a prototype network capable of morphing over time to confuse cyber intruders and thwart attacks on military networks. The Morphing Network Assets to Restrict Adversarial Reconnaissance (MORPHINATOR) prototype is scheduled to be available in the 2014 fiscal year and will be capable of pulling a cyber bait-and-switch on unsuspecting network intruders.

Civilian and military leaders had cited urgency in need for bill passage.

One of the nation’s most critical multibillion-dollar next-generation satellite communications programs is being restructured. After shifting to a fixed-price contract, the U.S. Defense Department is inviting new industry competition for the Air Force’s advanced beyond-line-of-sight terminal program.

A multipurpose no-wire solution provides Marines with real-time asset location tracking.

The Defense Information Systems Agency's Host-Based Security System is evolving to handle today's wide range and high number of cyberthreats as well as to accommodate the prevalence of emerging mobile platforms. With a new contract in place, the experts who employ the system to keep networks safe will train more often in realistic scenarios, preparing them for attacks that would disrupt operations.

Sharing medical information among public and private entities during emergency situations is entering a new age. A consortium of partners has laid the foundation for a national center that will develop protocols and methodology necessary to enhance current capabilities for handling crisis situations.

As I write this, we are experiencing some nearly unprecedented oppressive weather in the Washington area. About one week ago, we had a series of violent thunderstorms that caused extensive damage and knocked out power to more than 1.5 million electrical customers—comprising millions of people—in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Many communications systems also failed, either because of damaged infrastructure or loss of power. This includes telephone, cable and cellular systems along with their accompanying processing and switching facilities. Credit and debit cards, along with ATM cards, were useless in many places just when people needed them to buy vital goods for surviving the blackout. More seriously, the 911 emergency call system ceased to function in areas where it was needed the most. And, in some locations, potable water was a problem because power was lacking for pumps and water treatment.

No one can accuse Dennis Muilenburg of shying away from a big challenge. Muilenburg is the president and chief executive officer of Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security division. The unit counts $32 billion in sales and a global work force of 62,000. He must navigate the division through uncertain waters amid potentially large government budget cuts and increased competition.