Welcome to today's Defense Business Briefing, your weekly roundup of the latest defense industry news.

As Google Cloud works through JWCC bid, execs look to broaden military service deals

After securing a number of military service deals in recent years, Google's cloud wing is positioning itself to expand existing partnerships and win major contracts within the Defense Department, the latter of which, a company executive said, would help "level the playing field" between the company and its competitors.

Industry group calls for holistic approach to microelectronics 'ecosystem'

An industry group formed earlier this year is calling for a holistic approach to the microelectronics "ecosystem" that includes increasing federal investment in the printed circuit board industry to build a resilient supply chain and domestic manufacturing base.

DOD releases self-assessment guide for CMMC level one compliance

The Defense Department has published a revised guide for level one of its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, detailing practices companies must achieve to reach compliance through conducting a self-assessment of their security measures.

Pentagon publishes level two assessment guide for revamped CMMC program

The Defense Department has released the assessment guide for level two of its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, making changes to the initial model through the removal of processes as well as 20 controls that go beyond the initial standard developed by NIST.

Pentagon faces key decision points in coming year

The Pentagon is poised to make several significant decisions in 2022 that could impact its budget and acquisition programs for years to come, all while dealing with continued challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

DARPA exploring in-space biomanufacturing under new B-SURE program

A new program from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will consider the feasibility and economic viability for space-based biomanufacturing.

DARPA aims to finish first phase of LongShot drone program next summer

The head of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's LongShot drone program hopes to wrap up the preliminary design work tied to the effort's initial phase by the close of this coming summer, as officials continue to look toward fiscal year 2024 for the first potential flight test.

We wish our readers a safe and happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year. The next Defense Business Briefing will be posted on Jan. 11, 2022.