People

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.

People

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?

Digital Government

Fight over defense dollars looms in House

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.

Modernization

Does DOD have the leadership it needs on electromagnetic spectrum strategy?

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.

Cybersecurity

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.

Modernization

Pentagon needs AI at every leadership level, panel recommends

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."

Cybersecurity

CMMC board's training lead resigns

Ben Tchoubineh, the CMMC accreditation body's chair for training and CMMC board member Nicole Dean, the chief information security officer for Accenture, have voluntarily resigned, FCW has learned.

Acquisition

New House task force focuses on supply chain vulnerabilities

Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), co-chair of the Defense Critical Supply Chain Task Force, said "sometimes the marketplace just doesn't get it right and we, without intending to, create real national security vulnerabilities for ourselves."

Acquisition

HASC chair flips 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."

Cybersecurity

Vague contract language hampers cybersecurity for weapons systems, GAO says

The Government Accountability Office found that missing or vague cybersecurity requirements in acquisitions contracts for weapons systems often led to DOD getting a system that didn't meet its security needs.

Acquisition

Senate votes to extend pandemic relief for contractors

A Senate amendment to the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act extends pandemic relief authorities to government contractors for paid leave through the end of the fiscal year.

Acquisition

House GOP urges increase in defense spending

House Republicans are urging the Biden administration to seek an increase in defense spending in the upcoming budget request to better compete with China and "fill ongoing readiness gaps."

People

Republicans slam Biden's defense policy pick for past tweets

Colin Kahl, the Biden administration's pick to be the undersecretary of defense for policy, talked cyber and defense while dodging critiques on past social media posts.

Digital Government

Air Force Academy IT in dire need of upgrades, superintendent says

Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, the Air Force Academy’s superintendent, told Congress the academy’s accreditation was threatened by legacy IT.

Modernization

Defense Innovation Unit marks 5 years of experimentation, growth

The Defense Innovation Unit issued 56 prototype other transaction agreements in 2020, according to a recent report, bringing the total number of OTAs issued to 208 since its inception in 2015.

Acquisition

Lawmakers, contractors look to extend COVID aid to industry

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) are pushing for legislation to extend reimbursements for federal contractors unable to work due to COVID-19 through Sept. 30.

People

Flat defense budget, cost-savings push seems likely for 2022

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the chairman for the Senate Armed Services Committee, said military services should look for cost-savings and where reinvestments can be made.

Modernization

Microsoft calls for acquisition reform amid JEDI battles

Defense industry experts call on lawmakers to push for procurement protest reforms to enhance national security.

Acquisition

GAO: DOD has to get a handle on future services spending

As the Defense Department looks to buy more services, it's going to need to come up with action plans to better account for spending in future years, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report.

Modernization

Pentagon plans for spectrum policy changes, modernizing IT tools

DOD Deputy CIO Frederick Moorefield says "static" policy remains spectrum's "biggest hurdle" -- something he hopes to change in 2021.