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Government Technology/News/Wash100
Gen. John Raymond Confirms U.S. is Developing Directed-Energy-Systems For Space Defense; Gen. James Dickinson Quoted
by William McCormick
Published on June 17, 2021
Gen. John Raymond Confirms U.S. is Developing Directed-Energy-Systems For Space Defense; Gen. James Dickinson Quoted

Gen. John Raymond, chief of Space Operations for the U.S. Space Force and 2021 Wash100 Award winner, recently acknowledged that the U.S. is currently developing directed-energy systems to maintain American space superiority. 

During the hearing, Rep. Jim Langevin, D-RI, asked Gen. Raymond if the U.S. was developing an adequate directed energy portfolio. Raymond responded, “Yes, sir, we are. We have to be able to protect these capabilities that we rely so heavily on.”

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has researched using space-based lasers to intercept ballistic missiles in the past and some nations have ground-based laser dazzling weapons that blind on-orbit sensors. However, Raymond’s comment at the hearing is the first time he has confirmed that the directed energy systems are under development.

A Space Force spokesperson said in a statement to C4ISRNET, “General Raymond has stated many times that China and Russia have directed energy capabilities that are designed to damage or destroy our satellites. His response to Congressman James Langevin’s question was confirming that our architecture developments in the face of these threats are appropriate.”

The federal government justified creating the Space Force and Space Command by citing Chinese and Russian anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons development. Establishment military leaders have continued to criticize adversarial ASAT development and testing. 

U.S. Space Command’s Gen. James Dickinson denounced Russian direct-ascent missile tests that demonstrated the capability to destroy satellites in low-Earth-orbit and cause hazardous space debris. Another high-level space weapon concern is a Russian satellite that can fire projectiles in space. Raymond refers to the spacecraft as an on-orbit weapon system.

“Russia has made space a war-fighting domain by testing space-based and ground-based weapons intended to target and destroy satellites. This fact is inconsistent with Moscow’s public claims that Russia seeks to prevent conflict in space,” commented Dickinson after a Russian ASAT test in December 2020. 

“Space is critical to all nations. It is a shared interest to create the conditions for a safe, stable and operationally sustainable space environment,” Dickenson added, 

Government Technology/News
Space Force Embraces Digital Mindset via Tech Pilot Programs, Training & Partnerships
by Angeline Leishman
Published on June 17, 2021
Space Force Embraces Digital Mindset via Tech Pilot Programs, Training & Partnerships

The U.S. Space Force has embarked on initiatives to test emerging technology, train personnel and build an innovation environment with industry partners as part of the military branch's digital service strategy, Federal News Network reported Wednesday.

Reb Butler III, a strategic adviser in USSF's chief technology and innovation office, said at a virtual event hosted by the AFCEA Washington, D.C. chapter that the branch uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing approaches to manage its recruitment process.

USSF Force Design Integration Office Director Michael Dickey told event audience the service plans to work with the private sector to launch a pilot program on a model-based environment for systems engineering.

The branch released its Vision for a Digital Service in May and Gen. John “Jay Raymond, chief of Space Operations and two-time Wash100 Award recipient, urged the service to embrace modern information technology platforms that could support its security, stability and accessibility goals.

Government Technology/News
Maria Roat: Federal Adoption of Updated Internet Protocol Key for Zero-Trust Security
by Carol Collins
Published on June 17, 2021
Maria Roat: Federal Adoption of Updated Internet Protocol Key for Zero-Trust Security

Deputy Federal Chief Information Officer and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient Maria Roat said that Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is an essential part of zero-trust security efforts in the federal government, FedScoop reported Wednesday.

Speaking at the General Services Administration-hosted IPv6 Summit, Roat cited zero trust architecture as a key pillar of President Biden’s cybersecurity executive order.

In his EO, Biden ordered federal agencies to develop ZTA implementation plans and accelerate cloud migration projects to keep pace with the evolving cyber threat landscape.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent a memorandum to heads of executive departments and agencies on Nov. 19, 2020, requiring them to release IPv6 policies on publicly available websites within a 180-day period.

OMB expects at least 80 percent of IP-enabled federal information systems to incorporate the latest version of the communications protocol by the end of fiscal year 2025.

Roat urged agency leaders to work with industry partners to meet the government’s IPv6 transition goals.

Government Technology/News
TransUnion Study Shows Prevalence of Account Takeover Fraud in Public Sector; Jonathan McDonald Quoted
by Jane Edwards
Published on June 17, 2021
TransUnion Study Shows Prevalence of Account Takeover Fraud in Public Sector; Jonathan McDonald Quoted

A study conducted by TransUnion and the Ponemon Institute has found that 53 percent of federal, state and local government agency leaders said they have seen an increase in threats related to account takeover fraud in the past two years.

TransUnion said Tuesday they polled nearly 600 agency leaders for the Public Sector Fraud Study and found that only 41 percent of respondents said senior officials prioritize ATO prevention efforts.

According to the report, 60 percent of government employees said attacks associated with ATO threats have become more severe and 62 percent of agency leaders said mobile phones are the most vulnerable to those threats.

“Combatting fraud in each vector, from mobile to online portals, is an imperative and essential task that government agencies must address in 2021,” said Jonathan McDonald, executive vice president and head of TransUnion’s public sector business.

TransUnion found that more than 60 percent of survey respondents said they believe artificial intelligence and enhancements to identity authentication will help agencies improve user experiences and make citizens' online access to their accounts more secure.

“Focusing on emerging tools, such as AI, device risk assessment and identity verification, in addition to policies and best practices for a seamless user experience, will go a long way towards protecting and gaining the confidence of consumers,” added McDonald.

Government Technology/News
House Lawmakers Propose Secure Equipment Act of 2021; Jessica Rosenworcel Quoted
by Jane Edwards
Published on June 17, 2021
House Lawmakers Propose Secure Equipment Act of 2021; Jessica Rosenworcel Quoted

Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., have proposed a bill to protect U.S. telecommunications networks from national security threats posed by equipment produced by Chinese state-backed companies. 

The proposed Secure Equipment Act of 2021 would bar the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from assessing or issuing authorization to companies included in FCC’s list of covered communications equipment or services, Eshoo’s office said Wednesday.

In March, FCC released the covered list that includes telecom and video surveillance equipment from five Chinese companies as part of its compliance with the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., unveiled a similar measure in the Senate in May.

"This legislation will help protect our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorized for use within our borders,” said Jessica Rosenworcel, acting chairwoman of FCC.

“And we're not wasting time–last month, I shared a plan with my colleagues to update the Federal Communications Commission's equipment authorization procedures consistent with this effort,” Rosenworcel added.

Government Technology/News
Rob Joyce: NSA-Industry Collaboration Could Help Intell Community Gain More Visibility Into Foreign Hackers
by Jane Edwards
Published on June 17, 2021
Rob Joyce: NSA-Industry Collaboration Could Help Intell Community Gain More Visibility Into Foreign Hackers

Rob Joyce, cybersecurity director at the National Security Agency (NSA) and a previous Wash100 Award winner, said any proposal that seeks to help the intelligence community address visibility gaps into foreign hacking operations must combine the signals intelligence data that NSA collects with the information gathered by the private sector, CyberScoop reported Wednesday.

“That takes intelligence, that takes some collaboration, and it’s also really … vital that it can’t be just a government solution, and it can’t just be an industry solution, because we both have parts and pieces that we’re not going to see ourselves,” Joyce said.

He noted that he expects the U.S. government to function as a unit that prevents cyber breaches instead of operating as a crisis response entity for major cyber incidents.

“I don’t want the federal government to be known for outstanding incident responses — that’s important after there’s an intrusion we’ve got to be good at figuring out what went wrong and working backward,” Joyce said. “We need to be left of theft, we need to be in the job of preventing intrusions."

Joyce added that the NSA cybersecurity directorate needs to “work smarter” with available resources amid budget constraints.

Government Technology/News
Deltek And AIA Announce New Deltek Specpoint Design Automation Tool
by William McCormick
Published on June 16, 2021
Deltek And AIA Announce New Deltek Specpoint Design Automation Tool

Deltek and AIA announced on Wednesday that the companies are working together to deliver a new solution to the AEC industry this September, called Deltek Specpoint. The new solution is an all-in-one specification and design automation tool that will house AIA MasterSpec.

Deltek Specpoint will assist architects and engineers reduce risks and improve project outcomes with the combination of its novel approach to authoring specifications and the industry-proven content supplied via MasterSpec.

“The strong partnership between AIA and Deltek has elevated the importance of specifications as a strategic asset in the architect’s design process. We’re now seeing the partnership take on a more revolutionary approach with the launch of Specpoint. This application offers architects a better pathway to bring their designs into reality,” commented Robert Ivy, AIA executive vice president and CEO of FAIA.

Deltek And AIA Announce New Deltek Specpoint Design Automation Tool

The companies have a long history of partnering and providing leadership in the architecture and building design industry with MasterSpec, created by The AIA for its members. Deltek and AIA have worked together to deliver MasterSpec and software solutions that position architects with valuable tools for specifying building products and materials.

Deltek Specpoint, home of AIA MasterSpec, will be a cloud-based software solution that will change how product manufacturers and architects and engineers collaborate. Users will be enabled to consciously research and select products, effectively write specs and create project manuals to deliver successful projects.

“For decades, Deltek has been working closely with architecture, engineering and construction firms to deliver the most comprehensive software solutions. Together with AIA, we are looking to the future and empowering those companies on their digital transformation journey,” stated Mike Corkery, Deltek president and CEO.

“We are very excited to continue our partnership with AIA and bring the power of Specpoint to market,” concluded Corkery.

Contract Awards/News
Alion Lands $72M U.S. Air Force Contract For UAS Program Support; Terri Walker-Spoonhour Quoted
by William McCormick
Published on June 16, 2021
Alion Lands $72M U.S. Air Force Contract For UAS Program Support; Terri Walker-Spoonhour Quoted

Alion Science and Technology announced on Wednesday that the company has secured a five-year $72 million task order awarded by the U.S. Air Force’s 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron from the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center (DOD IAC) multiple-award contract (MAC) vehicle.

The task order requires Alion to perform research, analysis, trade studies, and testing to provide recommendations and plans for the development, integration, management, and technical support for UAS programs.

“Support includes air survivability, reverse engineering, prototype development, cybersecurity and training as well as whole system modification and integration to successfully deliver products to benefit the UASPO,” commented Terri Walker-Spoonhour, Alion’s senior vice president of Operations and acting general manager of the Cyber and Electronic Warfare Group.

“Our systematic approach achieves speed in planning and execution, allowing us to deliver results quickly and efficiently against urgent operational requirements. We look forward to supporting the Army PEO Aviation’s UASPO,” added Walker-Spoonhour.

The company will help to Endurance UAS, Tactical UAS, Soldier UAS and Command Control and Effects for Army Program Executive Office Aviation (PEO AVN) Unmanned Aircraft Systems Project Office.

The PEO AVN support includes working on projects, systems, subsystems, components, and support equipment to enable the PEO AVN program managers to develop capability, increase availability, improve reliability, and reduce the support costs of UAS programs.

UAS development will focus on airworthiness, data interoperability, Information Assurance (IA), hardware interchangeability, testing and evaluation, maintenance management, data analysis, obsolescence management and systems engineering practices.

The company will perform reliability, maintainability, quality, supportability and interoperability analysis and developing strategies. As well as analyzing and recommending solutions for logistics, testing, independent verification and validation, life-cycle and cost issues to refine and improve sustainability initiatives.

Alion works with the Defense and Intelligence communities by designing and delivering advanced engineering solutions that meet current and future demands. The company specializes in big data, analytics, and cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, electronic warfare and C5ISR.

Government Technology/News
DOE Invests in Direct Air Capture Projects to Reduce Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
by Nichols Martin
Published on June 16, 2021
DOE Invests in Direct Air Capture Projects to Reduce Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

Department of Energy will invest $12 million in six research and development projects on technology designed to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Awardees will use these funds to develop direct air capture technology, as the Biden administration seeks to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, DOE said Tuesday.

Cormetech, one of the awardees, will develop a process that captures CO2 while reducing the energy required for DAC. The Research Triangle Institute, another awardee, will test how DAC technology can operate through low-cost wind energy.

DOE selected organizations from Arizona, North Carolina, Illinois and Kansas for the overall project.

“These DOE investments, and the ones we will make with President Biden’s American Jobs Plan, are crucial to advancing technology that will help us avoid the worst effects of climate change and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050," said Jennifer Granholm, secretary of Energy.

Executive Moves/News
Lina Khan Sworn in as Federal Trade Commission Chair
by Nichols Martin
Published on June 16, 2021
Lina Khan Sworn in as Federal Trade Commission Chair

Lina Khan, President Biden's nominee to chair the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has taken her oath to fill the role through September 25, 2024. 

She formerly served as an associate professor at Columbia Law School and as a legal adviser to FTC commissioner Rohit Chopra, the commission said Tuesday.

Khan has published policy studies in the Yale Law Journal, Harvard Law Review, Columbia Law Review, and University of Chicago Law Review. The Senate granted her confirmation for the role of FTC chair on Tuesday.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues to protect the public from corporate abuse," Khan said.

The commission protects U.S. consumers from fraudulent activities and promotes competition across the country's free-market economy.

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