
The Senate confirmed several national security nominations by voice vote late Feb. 15, including former NASA Administrator Michael Griffin to the new job of undersecretary of defense for research and engineering (R&E).Under a congressional mandate aimed at increasing attention to innovation, the Department of Defense recently split the position of undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics (AT&L) into two positions: one for acquisition and sustainment (A&S) and the other for R&E. Ellen Lord led AT&L until becoming A&S undersecretary Feb. 1. Defense…