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DHS Cyber Strategy. The Department of Homeland Security’s leadership is reviewing a Cyber Strategy that has already been vetted by the department’s components and headquarters, according to the DHS Office of Inspector General. The draft strategy mandates development of a cyber strategy implementation plan—within three months of its approval—that specifies objectives, related tasks, and performance metrics, the IG says. The draft strategy was delivered to senior leadership in July. 
More Market Research. Elaine Duke, a former under secretary for Management at the Department of Homeland Security and now a consultant, tells a House panel that the department can do more for efficiency in acquisition programs by doing more market research up front. “When industry knows what requirements may be coming in the future, and knows what the DHS mission priorities are, industry can best allocate its investment dollars to build capabilities to meet DHS needs,” she says in her prepared remarks Friday to the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Management Efficiency.
…And Acquisition Schedules. Duke also says that DHS needs to “routinely publish” schedules for acquisitions and contracts to include dates, with regular updates. Often published schedules and dates aren’t updated when there are delays and slips, forcing industry to make decisions whether to hold teams together or dismiss them. “That increases overhead, which in turn increases the labor rate government pays for its services.”
Rockwell Collins Guidance. Rockwell Collins on Friday issued financial guidance for its fiscal year 2016 with sales pegged in the range of $5.3 billion to $5.4 billion and earnings per share between $5.20 and $5.40. In the current fiscal year, 2015, the company expects sales of about $5.3 billion and per share earnings between $5.15 and $5.25. The guidance includes estimated costs of a pending restructuring charge and softness in the business jet market, and “we don’t expect to see these conditions improve significantly in the next year so we are re-setting our near-term expectations for that business,” says Kelly Ortberg, president and CEO of Rockwell Collins.
Jet Lasers. Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle says the “Big” Air Force is going to follow the lead of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and install podded lasers on fighter jets by 2020. AFSOC already has plans to install a high-energy laser on a C-130J by then. Carlisle, speaking at the Air Force Association’s annual Air and Space conference this week says the technology that would support the power needs of a laser and control of the beam are currently out of reach but closing fast. “I believe we will have a directed energy capability in a pod that can be mounted on a fighter aircraft very soon,” Carlisle says. “When you think about that, that will change the game. Imagine your ability to defeat an enemy surface-to-air capability with a directed energy weapon so you can penetrate an anti-access, area denial environment. Directed energy weapons is an area we are going toward and we’re going there at a fairly good pace,” he says. “I actually think it’s a lot closer than a lot of people think it is.”
DoJ Euro Cyber. The Justice Department temporarily assigns a prosecutor from the department’s Criminal Division to sit in Eurojust, the European Union’s judicial cooperation unit, and work with the European Cybercrime Center (EC3). “This assignment is a sign of the importance we attach to Eurojust, Europol and EC3 – and we look forward to assessing together whether this should be a permanent arrangement in the future,” Attorney General Loretta Lynch says in a speech at the EC3.
DHS Talks UAS Safety. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson hosts interagency talks to address aviation security safety issues associated with the illicit use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the National Capital Region. The talks on Thursday include federal officials and local police authorities. Johnson leads a DHS-led intergovernmental working group that is coordinating a whole-of-community response in detecting, classifying, and mitigating threats from UAS. Johnson will host another interagency leadership meeting in January 2016 to provide updates on the working group’s progress.
Russia in Syria. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Friday calls his Russian counterpart, Minister of Defense Sergei Shoygu, and discusses the situation in Syria, where Russia is believed to have begun sending aid to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s war-weary military.”The secretary and the minister talked about areas where the United States and Russia’s perspectives overlap and areas of divergence. They agreed to further discuss mechanisms for deconfliction in Syria and the counter-Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) campaign,” Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook says in a statement. “The secretary emphasized the importance of pursuing such consultations in parallel with diplomatic talks that would ensure a political transition in Syria.
… Counterproductive Strategy. In a Thursday press conference, Cook says propping up Assad’s beleaguered forces “is counterproductive to the ultimate solution in Syria, which we think is a political and diplomatic solution, not a military solution. It only prolongs the problem and the strife that right now we are seeing play out in Syria every day.” The U.S. is not coordinating its air campaign with Assad’s air force, which is also conducting air strikes on Islamic State and rebel targets in Syria. Assad’s forces have been warned not to interfere with U.S.-led coalition air strikes in Iraq and Syria, Cook says.
GOP Debate… During Wednesday’s debate, candidates vying for the Republican nomination slammed President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, as well as the his handling of foreign policy issues with nations like Russia, China and North Korea.
…More Debate. Carly Fiorina is the only candidate to get specific on how she would deal with Russian aggression, such as increasing the power of the Navy’s Sixth Fleet, which operates around Europe and the Mediterranean, and building up U.S. missile defense capabilities in Poland. She would deploy “a few thousand” more ground troops to Germany and conduct additional aggressive military exercises in the Baltic States, she says. She also wants to grow the military to 350 Navy ships, 36 Marine battalions and 50 Army brigades.
Ship Namings. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus names three ships. He announces that the 16th Littoral Combat Ship, an Independence-variant, will be designated the USS Tulsa. Freedom-class LCS-13 will be called the USS Wichita , and the ninth Joint High Speed Vessel will be named USNS City of Bismarck.
Submarine Work. General Dynamics Electric Boat picks up a $321.7 million contract option for nuclear submarine design, material, engineering and technical support, as well as the research and development of submarines and submersibles. The company will provide to the Navy scheduling and technical information on submarine maintenance and modernization, facility support, and cost reduction. The contract will be worth about $1.5 billion over five years if all options are exercised, the company says.
Mine Countermeasures. The Office of Naval Research awards an $8.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to BAE Systems for its Passive Electro-Optics/Infrared and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) Environment for In-stride Classification and Neutralization program. Under the contract, BAE will develop and demonstrate a multi-sensor suite and onboard processor that can be installed on an aircraft to detect and classify moored and drifting sea mines. The company will build two pods, each with sensor suite containing a visible-to-near-infrared (VNIR) multi-spectral imaging (MSI) sensor, a broadband long-wave infrared sensor, and a 2D light detection and ranging LIDAR sensor. Those pods will be integrated on an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter or Fire Scout drone for a demonstration at a Navy test range, the contract announcement stated. If options are fully exercised, BAE could be awarded a total of $12.3 million for the program.
C-12 Support. L-3 Vertex Aerospace LLC receives a $29.4 million modification to a previous contract for aircraft maintenance and lifecycle support for 53 C-12 aircraft. Work is expected to be completed in March 2016 and will be performed in Canada, Texas and other locations.
Hornet Life Extension. The Navy awards Boeing $11.1 million against a previously issued basic ordering agreement for the F/A-18A-D Hornet service life extension program. The company will provide four flight critical engineering change proposals that address fracture- and maintenance-critical areas, the contract announcement says. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and El Segundo, Calif., and is slated to be complete by December 2016.
RTN JSTARS. Northrop Grumman awards Raytheon a subcontract for further work on Northrop Grumman’s Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) recapitalization effort, Raytheon Vice President for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Jerry Powlen tells Defense Daily Sept. 15. Northrop Grumman is deciding whether to use a Raytheon wide area surveillance sensor offering or one of its own for its JSTARS bid. Powlen declines to provide further details while Northrop Grumman spokesman Tim Paynter refuses to confirm or deny the report. Raytheon is non-exclusive for JSTARS recapitalization and is supporting Lockheed Martin’s bid as well. Boeing also plans to bid for the JSTARS recapitalization.
Blue Origin Cape. Blue Origin announces Sept. 15 it will fly its orbital space vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The company says its new home on Florida’s Space Coast will be anchored by the launch site at Complex 36, home to historic U.S. space missions. Blue Origin also plans to build rockets at Exploration Park, where it will have a 21st century production facility focusing on manufacturing its reusable fleet of orbital launchers. Blue Origin will launch from Complex 36 later this decade and will acceptance test BE-4 here as well.
