By Word to the Wise. In a “National Security Leadership for the 21st Century” speech at the U.S. Naval Academy Friday, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter tells midshipmen that they would enter the
 |
| Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter |
Navy in a time of “strategic transition” being greatly shaped by the nation’s budget problems. “The cumulative effect of sequestration and our lack of an operating budget mean that the Department’s leaders must plan for the future under a dark cloud of uncertainty,” he says. “Just as it would be irresponsible to pilot a ship without appropriate maps and weather data, it’s irresponsible to pilot the Department of Defense without knowing the basics of our budget. Uncertainty makes it extraordinary difficult to effectively plan and implement a national defense strategy. It limits flexibility, and it forces us to make decisions that are neither strategically nor managerially sound.” Carter tells the midshipmen that the department was doing its best to find its own strategic cost savings, including trimming overhead costs, reining in the costs of healthcare, and looking to reform compensation for the force.
Shelton on Helms. Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) chief Gen. William Shelton issues a statement on the upcoming retirement of Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, who President Obama had nominated to become vice commander of AFSPC. “Helms has demonstrated that hard work, coupled with a keen intellect, opens the doors for success. I am proud to know her, proud to serve alongside her and proud of her steadfast commitment to integrity, even in the face of extremely challenging circumstances.” Obama withdrew her nomination Nov. 7 after Helms’ nomination stalled in the Senate. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) was holding up Helms’ nomination due to her role in overturning a sexual assault conviction.
ViaSat STT KOR-24. BAE Systems plc selects ViaSat to provide the Small Tactical Terminal (STT) KOR-24 for installation on the Cobham Falcon 20 for support of Link 16 network pre-deployment training, according to a company statement. Having passed the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) safety case certification last December, the STT, co-developed by ViaSat and Harris, is the first certified VHF/UHF and Link 16 two-channel radio authorized for transmission in U.K. airspace on any platform that has the same clearance approval. The STT/KOR-24 is the first and only fully-certified, two-channel, Link 16 and VHF/UHF radio terminal, providing simultaneous communication of voice and data.
Raytheon HSG. Raytheon Trusted Computer Solutions’ (RTCS) High Speed Guard (HSG) big data transfer solution receives Cross Domain System Authorization and Authority to Operate for Secret and Below Interoperability, according to a company statement. The authorization allows government customers to connect to networks classified at secret and below and enables them to start the SABI site test and evaluation toward full system accreditation. HSG is a commercial off the shelf (COTS) product that enables the rapid transfer of all types of data across multiple networks at different classification levels. RTCS is a subsidiary of Raytheon.
Another CBP Award Delay. Customs and Border Protection says that due to the lapse in FY ’14 appropriations and the resulting government shutdown, it has delayed award of the Mobile Video Surveillance System (MVSS) contract until the third quarter of FY ’14. The potential $50 million contract, which is a small business set aside, was originally slated to be awarded in the first quarter of FY ’14. Each MVSS system will provide a day/night surveillance capability that can be deployed on Border Patrol 4 x 4 vehicles where fixed surveillance systems have line-of-sight coverage gaps. Earlier this month, CBP said it has delayed award of the Integrated Fixed Tower surveillance program by several months to the second quarter of FY ’14 due to the government shutdown in October.
Alion’s Expectations. Employee-owned Alion Science and Technology says in a filing with the Securities Exchange Commission this month that for its fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30 it expects its sales to be between $845 million and $850 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to be between $69 million and $71 million.
Saab Restructures. Swedish defense and security company Saab say it has reduced its headcount by 50 employees in its Support and Services business area due to weak market conditions. The job reductions, all of which are in sites in Sweden, are part of the company’s efficiency initiatives to help meet its long-term financial targets. The company says that Support and Services has had lower sales throughout 2013 due to lower activity in the defense market and a decline in global defense spending.
Biometrics: Not Worth the Cost. The Transportation Security Administration isn’t using biometric-enabled credentials to verify the identity of individuals as they enter its PreCheck trusted traveler lanes at airport security checkpoints because “We think there are more effective ways, ultimately, to get to that point, and at less cost to the government,” Ken Fletcher, the agency’s deputy assistant administrator for Risk Based Security, says earlier this month. He tells attendees at a security conference hosted by the American Association of Airport Executives that doing without biometric-enabled verification at the checkpoint is the reason that application to PreCheck will cost $85 over five years, versus the $100 for Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry trusted traveler program. On airport official tells Defense Daily at the conference that the additional $15 wouldn’t be a deterrent to travelers signing up for PreCheck.
Cyber-Physical Systems At Risk. The valves, levers and motors that power the nation’s critical infrastructure and utilities are at risk due to poor cybersecurity, according to a new study from the Cyber Security Research Alliance (CSRA). These physical controls are often connected to the Internet, but the aging systems lack standardized safety protocols. In partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), CSRA determined that cyber-physical systems across the country could be better protected with a common taxonomy, standardized metrics for assessment and agreement on overall best practices. Lack of personnel training and the attempt to integrate existing systems have worsened the problem. While experts have said a nationwide power outage or similar zero-day attack is unlikely, a localized urban or regional attack is still possible given such vulnerabilities in cyber-physical systems.
DoD Plays Cyber Wargame. For the third year in a row, Cyber Command has brought IT professionals throughout DoD together to work through a simulated cyber crisis. While CYBERCOM does not release specifics on the 11-day training exercise, official comments show the department exploring the politically sensitive issue of offensive cyber operations. “These professionals successfully integrated our offensive and defensive [tactics, techniques, and procedures] against the simulated adversary forces, and were able to adjust quickly to changes in the adversaries’ game plans to accomplish our mission,” says CYBERCOM’s Deputy Commander Marine Lt. Gen. Jon Davis. CYBERCOM says this is the first year that all component parts of what it calls its “cyber mission force” worked in cohesion. Developed over the past three years, the cyber mission force has three priorities: national teams to locate and thwart cyber attacks countrywide, combatant command support teams and teams focusing on protecting DoD’s networks.
V-22s Meet Washington. Two Marine MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft have landed on the USS George Washington (CVN-73) aircraft carrier for the first time. The two Ospreys based in Japan landed on the carrier Nov. 17 as it provided humanitarian relief following the devastating typhoon the struck the Philippines earlier this month. The powerful Ospreys can take off and like helicopters and tilt their engines forward to fly like a plane. They are designed to deliver soldiers or large amounts of cargo. The V-22s are built by a partnership of Boeing and Bell Helicopter and typically operate off Marine amphibious warships.
Common Mission Compartment. The Navy has awarded General Dynamics a $28.9 million contract for continued development of the Common Missile Compartment planned for the Ohio-class replacement ballistic missile submarine program as well as the United Kingdom’s future submarines for the same mission. The contract calls for producing hardware and material for the compartment’s missile-tube assembly and welds.
Jet Boots. Patriot3, a company based in Fredricksburg, Va., says it has been approved by the Department of Defense to market a diver propulsion system to the military. Called Jetbooks, Patriot3 says it is a hands-free unit is designed for military and commercial use that uses brushless motors and lithium polymer batteries at a very low total system weight, which enables previously impossible mission profiles.
Use The Treaty. Leaders from Australia and the United States urge the use of the recently implemented Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty (DCTC) at the high level meetings between top leaders in Washington last week. In a statement, leaders recognized that Australia is one of only two countries that have entered into a DCTC with the United States, which advances the alliance by facilitating interoperability, industry collaboration, and innovation. Officials encourage the use of the recently implemented treaty as a mechanism to enable Australian and U.S. forces to obtain more quickly the technology needed to meet shared security challenges.
White Paper Call. The 28th International Symposium on Ballistics is calling for papers and abstract submission by Dec. 6 for the Sept. 22-26, 2014 event. Papers will be accepted in categories such as: Interior Ballistics, Exterior Ballistics, Launch Dynamics, Vulnerability, Terminal Ballistics & Impact Physics, and Explosion Mechanics. Other topics will be considered. The event will be held in conjunction with NDIA in Atlanta, Ga. For more info: www.ballistics.org.
Latest Yearbook. The latest digital edition of the Army Materiel Command yearbook is available. The interactive yearbook has an in-depth interview and video of AMC Commander Gen. Dennis Via after his first year at the helm on the state of the command and looking forward. It also has fact sheets, more videos and information on the different commands within AMC. Find it at: http://www.nxtbook.com/faircount/ArmyMaterielCommand/AMC13/index.php#/0.
20th Anniversary. The Army Peacekeeping Institute celebrates 20 years, and retired Army Gen. Gordon Sullivan, who created the institute in 1993 when he was Army Chief of Staff, leads an interagency and international gathering today. The event spotlights The Future of Peace and Stability Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute’s (PKSOI) Role, and is hosted by the Association of the United States Army, which Sullivan now leads, at the association’s building. PKSOI will publish the results of the event athttp://pksoi.army.mil. Sullivan established PKI to fill an under-represented field of study and doctrine. PKI was re-created in the last decade as the PKSOI with a more robust mission and joint, interagency and international staff. On the eve of its 20th anniversary, PKSOI is named as the Army’s executive agent for Army and Joint Peace and Stability Operations.
