People

Air Force awards JAGUAR contracts

DARPA hired five companies to do R&D for the Joint Air/Ground Operations: Unified, Adaptive Replanning program.

Modernization

Military releases RFID policy

The Defense Department said it has released a policy to regulate the use of Radio Frequency Identification and mandate its widespread use in a little over a year.

People

Interim pay system doesn't comply, GAO says

The Defense Finance and Accounting Service didn't follow legal and administrative policy, according to Congressional auditors.

Modernization

Generals point ways to better Blue Force

The military's Blue Force Tracking worked well in Iraq, but it could be better, commanders said.

People

Study says DFAS competition works

The Center for Naval Analyses says the Defense Finance and Accounting Service continue using a commercial contractor for retired and annuitant pay services, despite criticisms from an inspector general.

People

DISA reshuffles the deck

Reorganization seeks to boost DOD's net-centric operations

People

SpecOps doles out optical tag contracts

U.S. Special Operations Command awarded four R&D contracts worth $57.8 million to develop small, thin, long-range optical retroreflecting tags.

People

DOD to launch mini-satellites

The Defense Department will launch a small, relatively inexpensive experimental tactical satellite capable of supporting specific missions early next year.

People

Group: Security hurt by Microsoft monopoly

Microsoft's dominance of the operating system market presents the government with serious security risks, a group warned

People

Bandwidth in Iraq a subject of debate

Some commanders had plenty to spare, others not nearly enough during recent operations

People

Defense CIO decries bandwidth expense

Technical constraints, largely in the area of bandwidth, are preventing network centricity from becoming a reality, the military's chief information officer said last week.

People

New radios face legacy, commercial hurdles

The military's goal of software-programmable radios is closer than ever to becoming a reality

People

Intercepts

Nomination delays; Old dogs, new tricks; Lesson still being learned; Serious about IPv6; AGS slap-in-the-face

Digital Government

Improper payments plague feds

The General Accounting Office says that federal benefits programs must do a better job of eliminating improper payments.

People

Defense plans smaller, cheaper satellites

Military officials expect TacSat-1 will launch in about nine months for a total cost of only $15 million.

Modernization

Network still an FCS headache

The network for the Future Combat System remains the largest question mark in the Army's transformation efforts, according to an Army commander.

Modernization

New radios face legacy, commercial hurdles

Defense planners need to see how software-driven radios fit with older communication systems and reconcile commercial and military standards.

Modernization

Defense CIO decries bandwidth expense

The cost of bandwidth continues to hamper the Defense Department's net-centric transformation, John Stenbit says.

People

Defense launches 12 pilots

The military hopes to speed up its net-centric transformation.

People

Intercepts

Smaller Navy, PR-savvy Army, Paint-by-number Ids; 2004: a network odyssey; Gilligan's sincere island