Monday, December 9, 2024
Oshkosh Corp. today announced Matthew Field had been appointed as the company's next chief financial officer.
"Field will succeed Michael Pack, who transitioned to president of the Company’s Vocational segment earlier this year," an Oshkosh statement reads.
Field is currently serving as CFO of Joby Aviation. Prior to that, he spent more than two decades at Ford Motor Co., including as CFO of Ford North America.
This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Air Force's unit deployment readiness plans, the latest funding "anomalies" list submitted by the White House to Congress and more.
A new Government Accountability Office report finds "the Air Force plans to eventually deploy an entire wing from an airbase rather than individuals from multiple wings and airbases. But it hasn't assessed whether bases will have enough staff to operate when units deploy -- to fill jobs like guarding entrances or providing security. Also, it hasn't set timeframes for its efforts":
GAO: Air Force AFFORGEN process still a work in progress
The Air Force has not wrung out all the wrinkles in its new force generation model which seeks to change the way the service deploys to be better prepared to deter China in a potential conflict, according to the government's top watchdog.
Document: GAO report on Air Force unit deployment readiness
The White House Office of Management and Budget has submitted "anomalies" lists that includes spending exemptions related to Ukrainian military aid and the U.S. submarine industrial base:
Ukraine and submarines headline Pentagon's CR 'anomalies' request
The White House is seeking tens of billions of dollars in spending exemptions related to Ukrainian military aid and the U.S. submarine industrial base when Congress returns from its break to begin debating passage of a stopgap continuing resolution to avert a partial government shutdown slated for next month, according to a document obtained by Inside Defense.
Document: OMB's CR anomalies lists
Analysts and defense company executives who spoke with Inside Defense said there is palpable discomfort in the contracting community driven by the uncertainty of guessing what could happen to specific weapons programs targeted by Donald Trump, soon to again be the world's most powerful man, and Elon Musk, the world's richest man:
Defense contractors warned against 'headline risk' and 'sacrificial lambs' amid Musk tweets
Defense contractors, especially those with highly visible Pentagon programs that are behind schedule and over budget, are being advised to lay low and prepare to make offerings at the altar of President-elect Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency advisory commission led by tech billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Our colleagues at Inside AI Policy recently interviewed Paladin Capital Group leader Michael Steed:
Paladin investment group leader advocates for cyber in tech principles targeted at new administration
Paladin Capital Group leader Michael Steed says technologists and the tech investment community should have a much-needed seat at the cyber and artificial intelligence policymaking table in the incoming Trump administration.
The Air Force has yet to give the rocket its stamp of approval as United Launch Alliance is still investigating an anomaly with one of its solid-rocket boosters in its Cert-2 flight in early October:
ULA not ready to launch planned Space Force missions this year
United Launch Alliance won't complete the two scheduled Space Force launches on its Vulcan rocket until early next year, potentially months later than planned, a company spokeswoman confirmed.
Senior military officials speak at a number of virtual and in-person defense industry events thus week in the Washington area.
Tuesday
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti speaks at a Stimson Center event.
Senior Army generals speak at an AUSA Hot Topic Series event on "Land-Based Fires in Large Scale Combat Operations."
Thursday
Air Force Global Strike Command Commander Gen. Thomas Bussiere speaks during a virtual Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies "Aerospace Nation" event.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts an online event on "Examining PRC Activities in the Arctic."
Friday
Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command air component commander, speaks during a virtual Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies "Aerospace Nation" event.
This pre-Thanksgiving INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the latest funding "anomalies" list submitted by the White House to Congress, plus the palpable discomfort in the contracting community driven by the incoming Trump administration and more.
The White House Office of Management and Budget has submitted "anomalies" lists that includes spending exemptions related to Ukrainian military aid and the U.S. submarine industrial base:
Ukraine and submarines headline Pentagon's CR 'anomalies' request
The White House is seeking tens of billions of dollars in spending exemptions related to Ukrainian military aid and the U.S. submarine industrial base when Congress returns from its break to begin debating passage of a stopgap continuing resolution to avert a partial government shutdown slated for next month, according to a document obtained by Inside Defense.
Document: OMB's CR anomalies lists
More submarine funding news:
White House asks for $7.3 billion in additional submarine funding
The White House Office of Management and Budget is asking Congress for an additional $7.3 billion to fund production of the Virginia- and Columbia-class submarine programs with two separate 'anomaly' requests delivered to lawmakers Monday, an administration official told Inside Defense.
Analysts and defense company executives who spoke with Inside Defense said there is palpable discomfort in the contracting community driven by the uncertainty of guessing what could happen to specific weapons programs targeted by Donald Trump, soon to again be the world’s most powerful man, and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man:
Defense contractors warned against 'headline risk' and 'sacrificial lambs' amid Musk tweets
Defense contractors, especially those with highly visible Pentagon programs that are behind schedule and over budget, are being advised to lay low and prepare to make offerings at the altar of President-elect Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency advisory commission led by tech billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Some space launch news:
ULA not ready to launch planned Space Force missions this year
United Launch Alliance won't complete the two scheduled Space Force launches on its Vulcan rocket until early next year, potentially months later than planned, a company spokeswoman confirmed.
Some Army high-altitude electronic warfare news:
Army seeking industry ideas for new high-flying electronic warfare payloads
The Army is asking industry for ideas on possible electronic warfare payloads that could be carried at very high altitudes by an uncrewed system, a step that aims to help refine a requirement for an emerging requirement for a new electronic attack system.
Last but by no means least, the latest from our colleagues at Inside AI Policy and Inside Cybersecurity:
Paladin investment group leader advocates for cyber in tech principles targeted at new administration
Paladin Capital Group leader Michael Steed says technologists and the tech investment community should have a much-needed seat at the cyber and artificial intelligence policymaking table in the incoming Trump administration.
CMMC accreditation body brings in internationally recognized group to assist with achieving ISO needs
The accreditation body behind the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program is working with the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) on efforts to meet international standards and authorizations, according to Cyber AB CEO Matthew Travis.
DOD issues proposed rule establishing disclosure requirements for contractors who share source code with other governments
The Pentagon has proposed new requirements for defense companies who are competing for information technology, operational technology and cybersecurity contracts to disclose information on source code and computer code that are being shared with foreign governments as part of the acquisition process.
The next INSIDER Daily Digest will be issued on Monday, Dec. 2.
The Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM), plans to award $22 million in prototype projects related to strengthening the defense industrial base in fiscal year 2025.
According to a government notice posted today, the projects will include:
Awards will be made through Cornerstone Initiative Requests, which were set up to “create a broad-based, flexible and enduring public-private consortium” focused around strengthening the American industrial base, according to the notice.
The notice does not constitute a CIR or an obligation, it states.
The Navy's Science and Technology Board will meet on Dec. 3 to discuss two completed studies of electronic warfare for terminal defense and ship maintenance, according to a Wednesday Federal Register notice.
During the meeting, which will be held virtually and open to the public, the board will vote to determine whether to deliver these two studies to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, the notice states.
Formed in September 2023, the S&T board is tasked with providing independent advice to the Navy on a range of topics including emerging technologies, acquisition practices, manufacturing, logistics, medicine and business management.
The board’s first focal area was investigating ways for the Navy and Marine Corps to rapidly integrate disruptive technologies. It provided classified recommendations on this subject to service leaders in April.
More recently, the board convened in September to review recommendations for innovation, ship maintenance, additive manufacturing and electronic warfare.
President-elect Trump today announced his intention to nominate businessman John Phelan to serve as Navy secretary.
Phelan is the founder of Rugger Management LLC.
“His Record of Success speaks for itself -- A true Champion of American Enterprise and Ingenuity!” Trump said in a statement.
“John’s intelligence and leadership are unmatched,” the president-elect said.
Trump noted Phelan has an MBA from Harvard Business School and “is truly a brilliant guy.”
Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) has introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution that would roll back a final rulemaking to establish the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program, as part of an effort by the GOP lawmaker to put Congress in a position to weigh in on major regulatory initiatives.
The resolution, introduced on Nov. 15, addresses a DOD final rule published Oct. 15 in the Federal Register. Under the CRA, DOD must provide 60 days for the rulemaking to go into effect to give lawmakers the opportunity to review it.
The Government Accountability Office sent an assessment on Oct. 30 to House and Senate Armed Services leaders which concluded that DOD had completed the necessary “procedural steps” to put the final rulemaking into place.
The CMMC final rule amends Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations to establish the program. A second rulemaking to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement recently went through a public comment period as a notice of proposed rulemaking and is in the adjudication stage at DOD.
Palmer’s resolution has raised concerns among stakeholders who have invested in growing the CMMC ecosystem including the Managed Service Provider Collective, which is advocating on Capitol Hill for continued investments in the CMMC program.
The MSP Collective argues that the use of an MSP can help companies reach compliance with CMMC quicker and more cost effectively than trying to meet all of the CMMC requirements on their own. The collective is also working to encourage lawmakers to create tax incentives that will help small businesses reach compliance.
Finalizing the first CMMC rule was a major accomplishment for DOD and signaled to industry three years after the program went through an internal review that CMMC will start showing up in DOD contracts next year.
Defense primes have indicated since the rulemaking was published that a CMMC certification will be included in the competitive selection process for subcontractors when primes are bidding on major contracts with CMMC requirements.
A spokesperson for Palmer told Inside Cybersecurity that Palmer is “not stating a policy stance” on the CMMC rulemaking and “just making sure Congress votes on it.” Palmer has introduced over 30 CRAs that address various rulemakings and plans to introduce more this year, according to the spokesperson.
Palmer is “looking at the large impact ones, rules that are impacting the American people,” the Palmer staffer said, “instead of agencies passing [major rules] without Congress voting.”
As the lone representative on the CMMC resolution, it is unlikely to get much support from other lawmakers before the end of the current legislative session.
At a 2023 hearing, Senate Armed Services cyber subcommittee Chairman Joe Manchin (I-WV) called the CMMC program and the National Security Agency’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center “crucial guidelines and resources for our private industry partners.”
MSP Collective director Stuart Itkin emphasized to Inside Cybersecurity that his group doesn’t want Palmer’s resolution to be seen as a reason for “companies in the defense industrial base to believe the program is in jeopardy and relax their requirements to satisfy other obligations” under CMMC.
The NIST 800-171 standard has been a requirement for DOD contractors who hold controlled unclassified information since 2017. CMMC adds in a third-party assessment and DOD has strongly encouraged companies to make investments now before the rulemaking process is complete to ensure that they can compete for contracts.
This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon's classified Replicator drone program, the Space Development Agency's Tranche 3 Transport Layer satellite effort, the Army's HADES spy plane and more.
We start off with speculation on how the incoming Trump administration will handle the classified Replicator drone program:
Analysts wrestle with Replicator tea leaves as Trump returns to Oval
The Defense Department has released new information in recent weeks about its classified Replicator drone program, leading Washington analysts to question what kind of future the initiative might have in the incoming Trump administration.
News on the Space Development Agency's Tranche 3 Transport Layer satellite program:
SDA preparing for three variants of Tranche 3 Transport Layer
The Space Development Agency is planning for three variants for the Tranche 3 Transport Layer to accommodate different communications types with its constellation of satellites, director Derek Tournear said last week while also providing updates on other efforts.
The Global 6500 is a fixed-wing platform that will help the Army strengthen its deep sensing capabilities, according to Bombardier:
Bombardier delivers first aircraft for Army's HADES spy plane program
Bombardier Defense has delivered the first prototype Global 6500 aircraft for the Army's High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES), the company announced.
A new Defense Department directive "establishes the responsibilities and functions, relationships and authorities of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer (CDAO) pursuant to the authority vested in the Secretary of Defense by Section 113 of Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.)":
CDAO releases charter on AI policy and strategy
The Defense Department’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office released a long-awaited chartering directive Monday -- which, combined with an upcoming instruction, will form an implementation plan for the AI Adoption Strategy and DOD’s AI policy.
Document: DOD directive on CDAO
Initial operational test and evaluation of the amphibious air-cushioned landing craft is now expected to conclude in September 2025 with IOC to follow in December 2025:
Ship-to-Shore connector faces fresh technical delays, putting IOC five years behind schedule
The Navy’s next-generation Ship-to-Shore connector capability, which will be critical for landing Marines and other military personal in the event of an Indo-Pacific conflict, is facing fresh delays driven by technical problems that continue to postpone initial operational capability despite the delivery of multiple craft.
This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Pentagon's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, the Navy’s next-generation Ship-to-Shore connector capability and more.
A new Defense Department directive "establishes the responsibilities and functions, relationships and authorities of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer (CDAO) pursuant to the authority vested in the Secretary of Defense by Section 113 of Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.)":
CDAO releases charter on AI policy and strategy
The Defense Department’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office released a long-awaited chartering directive Monday -- which, combined with an upcoming instruction, will form an implementation plan for the AI Adoption Strategy and DOD’s AI policy.
Document: DOD directive on CDAO
Initial operational test and evaluation of the amphibious air-cushioned landing craft is now expected to conclude in September 2025 with IOC to follow in December 2025:
Ship-to-Shore connector faces fresh technical delays, putting IOC five years behind schedule
The Navy’s next-generation Ship-to-Shore connector capability, which will be critical for landing Marines and other military personal in the event of an Indo-Pacific conflict, is facing fresh delays driven by technical problems that continue to postpone initial operational capability despite the delivery of multiple craft.
No longer PNTAX, the All-Domain Persistent Experiment, or APEX, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, according to the Army. The change in name and scope reflects the Army's shift from a PNT focus to one homing in on integrated sensing technologies:
Army’s annual PNT experiment rebrands with new name and broader focus
Army Futures Command is widening the scope of its annual Positioning, Navigation and Timing Assessment Experiment, or PNTAX, to include its newest cross-functional team’s priority: domain sensing.
Commercial businesses will be given an opportunity by the Space Force next year:
Space Force to award commercial contracts next year
The Space Force plans to begin awarding Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve contracts early next year for space domain awareness services, according to a service official.
The former top House Republican weighed in on president-elect Trump's Pentagon pick:
McCarthy talks Trump appointees’ potential impacts on defense
Former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was noncommittal when asked how he felt about Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s pick to head the Pentagon, Wednesday.
American undersea dominance could be undermined by an increase in sharing of technology between Russia and China, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Saturday.
Russia will likely provide submarine technology to China, with Russia sharing missile technology and submarine technology to North Korea as well, Adm. Samuel Paparo told the audience gathered at the Halifax International Security Forum.
With recent reports of North Korean soldiers engaging in combat alongside Russians in Ukraine, the exchange of technology is not the sole concern amid these expanding partnerships.
“Where one is resource poor, the others fulfill those resources,” Paparo said.
Despite these recent and potential future escalations, there are opportunities to offset conflict through relationship-building with U.S. allies, he added.
“One of the 21st century ways that we're doing this between us, Japan, [South] Korea, is that we are sharing real time intelligence in our command-and-control networks for ballistic missile defense right now as I utter these words, and so there are opportunities to impose costs on the other,” Paparo said.
Sen.-elect Andy Kim (D-NJ) shared his concerns alongside Paparo, as a House Armed Services Committee member and former State Department employee.
“I have real concerns about this moment, globally, right now, in terms of understanding what's happening,” Kim said at the forum. “And as someone who's worked in national security my whole life, the thing I hate the most in life is unpredictability, and there is a tremendous amount of that right now and that worries me.”
This Friday INSIDER Daily Digest begins with news on the Space Force issuing some commercial contracts soon, the former Speaker of the House comments on Trump’s national security picks, the top uniformed Army officer is once again talking about flexible funding, and some details on the Space Force’s ‘watch list.’
Commercial businesses will be given an opportunity by the Space Force:
Space Force to award commercial contracts next year
The Space Force plans to begin awarding Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve contracts early next year for space domain awareness services, a service official said today.
The former top House Republican weighed in on president-elect Trump’s Pentagon pick:
McCarthy talks Trump appointees’ potential impacts on defense
Former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was noncommittal when asked how he felt about Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s pick to head the Pentagon, Wednesday. The California congressman said he knows he “couldn’t do the job.”
The Army chief of staff wants more leeway in spending appropriated money:
Army chief says funding flexibility could help when it comes to stockpiling resources
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George suggested yesterday that the service can’t currently stockpile weapons and parts due to a lack of funding flexibility in the budget.
A senior Space Force official talked about the ‘watch list’:
One company on Space Force ‘watch list’ in effort to hold industry accountable to contracts
The Space Force has one company on its “contractor watch list,” a senior official said today, showing that the service is holding industry accountable for missing performance, cost or schedule promises.
The Army has inked a $670.5 million contract with Leidos subsidiary Dynetics Inc. to supply the service with a common hypersonic glide body and thermal protection system in just under five years.
The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract was awarded Nov. 21 and lists Oct. 31 2029 as an estimated completion date for the company, which specializes in hypersonics. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL, is the contracting authority.
Work will begin in Huntsville, AL, where Dynetics is based. The Army has already pledged $65.8 million from fiscal year 2024 research, development, test and evaluation funds for the project.
There was only one bid for the contract, according to the announcement.
Today’s INSIDER Daily Digest looks at the AI needs of a major warfighting command, news from the Pentagon’s Replicator program, the Army is looking for help with cybersecurity, and some words from the exiting DOD comptroller.
U.S. Strategic Command sorely needs some artificial intelligence programs:
STRATCOM needs AI, commander says
U.S. Strategic Command needs to incorporate AI into its nuclear command, control and communications efforts to maintain dominance, Commander Gen. Anthony Cotton said.
The Pentagon’s Replicator program has signed up some software developers:
DIU reveals new Replicator software contracts
The Defense Innovation Unit today announced contract awards to software developers supporting the Replicator initiative, highlighting their roles in advancing autonomy solutions for all-domain, attritable drones.
The Army is looking for help in protecting its cybersecurity networks:
Army seeks industry help in managing and securing its networks
The Army is surveying industry for help running large cybersecurity networks, according to a request for information released Wednesday.
And in case you missed it:
Outgoing DOD comptroller predicts budget boost, sees risk in Ukraine weapons work when Trump team arrives
Pentagon Comptroller Mike McCord, who will be leaving the Defense Department when President-elect Trump is sworn-in in January, said today he believes Congress will increase the fiscal year 2025 defense budget and noted that the Biden administration, had it remained in power, was preparing to seek topline growth in FY-26.
The Army is surveying industry for help running large cybersecurity networks, according to a request for information released Wednesday.
The command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance center, or C5ISR, put out the request to hear vendors out on how to manage and organize its network operations center and security operations center, “and or a convergence of both,” it says.
“This approach aims to enhance our ability to identify, evaluate, and mitigate cybersecurity threats as they arise at the speed of cyber,” the RFI says.
The NOC, which oversees network performance, and the SOC, which monitors for potential threats, are overlapping more and more in many organizations that manage large networks, the RFI says.
The Army is asking how respondents organize their SOC and NOC and their take on how those two should be managed, as well as for their familiarity with the Army’s management and how the service should go about it. It asks how companies handle signs of breaches in their systems, their plans for scalability and their estimated technology readiness level, according to the RFI.
Parties that can oversee complicated networks are encouraged to reply with white papers under 15 pages long and should address at least one of the bulleted inquiries the RFI laid out.
C5ISR belongs to the combat capabilities development command, or DEVCOM.