The Insider

The annual RSA conference in San Francisco kicks off Monday with a focus this year on the national cyber strategy, operational collaboration, hardware and software security and more in keynote sessions and panels running through Thursday.

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency cyber leader Eric Goldstein and acting Principal Deputy National Cyber Director Rob Knake participate in a Wednesday session on the national cyber strategy. It also features State Department cyber official Liesyl Franz and the FBI’s Bryan Vorndran.

Hardware security and software supply chain security are among the hot topics Monday at the RSA Security Conference.

The Information Technology Industry Council’s Courtney Lang moderates a session on what’s next for hardware security following the CHIPS Act featuring NIST’s Jon Boyens, Amit Elazari of Intel and National Security Council official Steven Kelly, while Office of the National Cyber Director official Camille Stewart Gloster participates in a panel on how to secure the software supply chain.

CISA’s Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative is in the spotlight with a Monday panel moderated by CISA’s Maria Probst. It features Jason Barrett of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Stephanie Kiel of Google and Robert Sheldon of CrowdStrike.

Monday’s sessions also include a keynote from former CISA Director Chris Krebs and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco on the Justice Department’s approach to evolving cyber threats, and CISA’s Goldstein with Cyber National Mission Force Commander Major Gen. William Hartman discussing the partnership between CISA and U.S. Cyber Command.

The FBI’s Vorndran moderates a panel on hardening AI/ML and Dragos CEO Robert Lee provides an update in a separate session on the industrial cyber threat landscape.

On Tuesday, keynotes focus on responsible AI, cryptocurrencies, cybersecurity and the music industry, and an overview on next-generation tactics, techniques and procedures from CrowdStrike.

There’s also a panel on the U.S. national cyber label program for consumer connected devices featuring the Consumer Technology Association’s David Grossman and Michael Bergman, Intel’s Elazari, NIST’s Katerina Megas and Eric Tamarkin of Samsung.

Other Tuesday sessions include NSA cyber director Rob Joyce moderating a panel on building international coalitions to scale defense, a panel on aviation industry issues, Software Bill of Materials with Charis Blask of Cybeats and Kate Stewart of the Linux Foundation, a discussion on cyber insurance claims trends and an FBI-led panel on the U.S.-Ukraine cyber partnership.

Wednesday’s schedule features a panel on the Cyber Safety Review Board featuring DHS Under Secretary for Policy Rob Silvers and Google’s Heather Adkins. Keynotes include a panel on cyber diplomacy and Mandiant CEO Kevin Mandia providing a year-in-review on the state of cybersecurity.

The diplomacy panel features State Department cyber leader Nate Fick, Nathalie Jaarsma from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Mandia and Wendi Whitmore of Palo Alto Networks.

Another Wednesday panel focuses on systemically important critical infrastructure with former CISA officials Bob Kolasky and Daniel Kroese, Norma Krayem of Van Scoyoc Associates and Henry Willis of the RAND Corp. ONCD official Cheri Caddy and McCrary Institute’s Frank Cilluffo participate in a separate session on the Energy Department’s National Cyber-Informed Engineering Strategy.

Representatives from the healthcare industry respond on Wednesday to the latest cyber proposals from the Securities and Exchange Commission, while ONCD’s Stewart Gloster participates in a session on diversity and inclusion with Walmart’s Rob Duhart.

NSA’s Joyce speaks at a Wednesday track session called “State of the Hack 2023 -- NSA's Perspective.”

Thursday highlights include Cheri Pascoe and Amy Mahn discussing what’s next for the NIST cybersecurity framework; officials from the FBI and the Defense, Treasury and Energy departments on operational collaboration; and an exploration of the Federal Aviation Administration’s cyber efforts.

There’s also a keynote panel on ransomware featuring CSIS’ Suzanne Spaulding and Glen Gerstell, Tenable’s Robert Huber, Phyllis Schneck of Northrop Grumman and Preston Golson of the Brunswick Group. NIST Director Laurie Locascio participates in an afternoon keynote panel focused on setting standards, while ONCD’s Stewart Gloster moderates a session on developing the cyber workforce strategy.

Oshkosh Defense filed two supplemental protests this month in addition to its original protest of the Army's award of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle follow-on contract to AM General.

The Army announced Feb. 9 that it had awarded the contract to AM General to produce more than 20,000 JLTVs and more than 9,000 trailers. The contract could be worth as much as $8 billion over a decade.

Oshkosh filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office on March 6, alleging the Army did not conduct a thorough cost evaluation in examining AM General’s ability to produce the vehicles, and overlooked other flaws in the company’s production process, according to a redacted copy.

According to GAO’s website, Oshkosh filed additional protests on April 13 and 17 in the matter. Those refer to supplemental protest allegations that were filed, according to Edward Goldstein, GAO managing associate general counsel for procurement law.

Goldstein wrote in an email to Inside Defense Thursday that the supplemental allegations are expected to be resolved by the June 14 deadline in the case, which is 100 days after the original protest was filed in March.

Oshkosh, in a statement to Inside Defense Friday, said: “Supplemental protests noted on the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) site are part of the normal protest process filed under a GAO protective order and are not available at this time. We are unable to comment further.”

Oshkosh, which won the original JLTV contract in 2015, can continue to produce the vehicles through 2024.

This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on missile defense, the Navy's construction budget, Army modernization and more.

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee held a hearing this week on missile defense:

DOD, NATO exploring expanded mission for Aegis Ashore sites in Europe: countering Russia

Defense Department and NATO policymakers are considering expanding the mission of Aegis Ashore sites in Europe -- originally established to counter Iranian ballistic missile threats -- to also defend the continent from Russian air attacks in the wake of Moscow's blistering ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missile attacks against Ukraine over the last year.

In related coverage, the Missile Defense Agency is going to need a new director:

Search for new MDA director is on after Hill requests retirement

The Pentagon is seeking a new Missile Defense Agency director after Vice Adm. Jon Hill recently requested permission to retire this summer -- marking the second consecutive MDA director to vacate the post prior to completing a six-year term that Congress created to help foster management stability over the agency's complex projects portfolio.

The House Appropriations military construction, veterans' affairs and related agencies subcommittee heard testimony this week on proposals that range from funding shipyard optimization at the nation’s four public shipbuilding facilities to adjusting the H2-B visa program for hiring and retaining labor for military construction in Guam:

Defense leaders emphasize FY-24 construction dollars for naval infrastructure

The Navy's fiscal year 2024 construction budget includes $6 billion in projects to develop platforms and weapon systems, modernize utilities and reinvest in infrastructure, Defense Department leaders told a House Appropriations subcommittee Tuesday.

The Senate Armed Services airland subcommittee held a hearing this week focused on Army modernization:

Army acquisition chief says PrSM could be a 'very good candidate' for multiyear procurement

Doug Bush, the Army's top acquisition official, told the ranking member of a congressional defense subcommittee Tuesday that the Precision Strike Missile could be "a very good candidate" for multiyear procurement in the future.

Document: Senate hearing on Army modernization

Lockheed Martin released its quarterly earnings report yesterday:

Lockheed executives enthused by strong demand in Pentagon budget

Lockheed Martin executives claimed a "solid" first quarter consistent with the company's 2023 expectations, and applauded the Defense Department's fiscal year 2024 budget request that looks to invest in F-35 procurement and several of Lockheed's missile systems.

The Navy finally released its 30-year shipbuilding plan:

Navy's 30-year plan presents three options; only one sees fleet reach 355-ship requirement

The Navy's 30-year shipbuilding plan again presents three alternative paths, each envisioning modest growth for the total fleet, with only one option exceeding a 355-ship Navy before fiscal year 2053.

Document: Navy's FY-24 shipbuilding plan

U.S. Central Command has hired the former director of Google Cloud AI to serve as its first-ever adviser on artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing and data analytics.

Andrew Moore, who is also a former dean of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science, is one of the world’s leading experts on machine learning, according to a statement from CENTCOM chief Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla.

“Dr. Moore brings a level of expertise in AI, Cloud Computing, and Robotics that is unmatched,” Kurilla said. “He is the leading figure in all the areas in which we plan to expand CENTCOM. This hire is a tremendous win for the culture of innovation we’re building across CENTCOM. Dr. Moore will significantly accelerate our innovation initiatives.”

Moore said in a statement that he wants to see AI “applied where it really makes a positive difference and CENTCOM’s mission is seriously inspiring to me.”

With the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the ongoing Pentagon pivot to countering China in the Indo-Pacific region, CENTCOM is transitioning from its role as a wartime command center. Earlier this week, CENTCOM announced a successful helicopter raid in northern Syria that killed an Islamic State leader “after intelligence revealed an ISIS plot to kidnap officials abroad to use as leverage.”

Schuyler Moore, CENTCOM’s chief technology officer, said in a statement the command is specifically prioritizing digital transformation.

“We are focused on collecting, organizing, and leveraging our data in a more efficient and effective way to support our missions,” she said. “With Andrew's exquisite experience in AI, network architecture, and data science, he will be able to provide critical guidance and advice to the command on these issues and drive further momentum behind our efforts to embrace data-centric warfighting.”

This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Defense Department doing away with emergency contracting actions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. military posture in the Indo-Pacific region and more.

We start off on the Pentagon terminating emergency contracting actions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic:

DOD rolling back emergency contracting actions related to COVID

The Pentagon, in accordance with President Biden's termination of the national emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, is ending several contracting and acquisition policies aimed at mitigating damage to the U.S. defense industrial base, including payment rates for large contractors that were made more generous at the onset of the pandemic, according to a new memo.

The House Armed Services Committee held a hearing this morning on U.S. military posture in the Indo-Pacific region:

Aquilino: Indo-Pacific conflict 'is not inevitable'

China's expansion and modernization of its nuclear arsenal poses a growing risk to security in the Indo-Pacific region, U.S. military leaders told the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday.

Here's our preliminary coverage of the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs:

Dickinson: SPACECOM on track for FOC this year

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- U.S. Space Command is on track to reach full operational capability later this year, SPACECOM Commander Gen. James Dickinson said Tuesday morning at the Space Symposium.

On March 23, Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill approved a new acquisition plan proposed by MDA's Targets and Countermeasures Subscale Program Office to proceed with a sole-source award for a new ICBM target:

Push to accelerate NGI schedule trips up MDA plans for ICBM target competition

The Defense Department is scrapping plans for a notional three-way competition to develop a new intercontinental ballistic missile target -- needed to test the $17 billion Next Generation Interceptor program -- and is selecting incumbent Northrop Grumman for the project after determining the new target is needed sooner than originally planned.

The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing this morning on the Navy's fiscal year 2023 budget request and its 30-year shipbuilding plan:

Lawmakers dissatisfied with flat shipbuilding plans

Lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee are dissatisfied with the Navy's near- and long-term shipbuilding plans, saying they fail to adequately increase the service's fleet size to meet its 355-ship requirement.

Document: Navy's FY-24 shipbuilding plan

The Government Accountability Office published reports this week on directed-energy weapons and Future Vertical Lift:

GAO: Navy, Air Force need more 'transition planning' for directed-energy weapon development

The Navy and Air Force risk deploying directed-energy weapons that do not meet operational needs without better processes for transitioning prototypes to fielded products, a new GAO report warns.

Document: GAO report on directed-energy weapons

GAO: Army did not always include proper cost, schedule evaluation for future vertical lift

The Army, in some cases, did not provide the proper cost and schedule evaluations of its Future Vertical Lift programs based on the Government Accountability Office's "leading practices," a new report released Monday found.

Document: GAO report on future vertical lift aircraft

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a new information security review following the leak of hundreds of classified documents on the Discord online platform and the arrest of an airman charged in connection with the matter, according to a new Pentagon memo.

On April 14, Austin ordered the under secretary of defense for intelligence and security, in coordination with the Pentagon’s chief information officer and the director of administration and management, to lead a comprehensive 45-day review of Defense Department security programs, policies and procedures.

“Leaders must reinforce their expectation that their workforce will immediately report all security incidents to the chain of command and their security manager or the Office of the Inspector General and must ensure individuals in their workforce are empowered to make these reports,” Austin wrote in the memo.

Austin also advises the department to make use of counterintelligence and security teams to provide workforce training.

“This training should address the risks and consequences of unauthorized disclosures, which may include, administrative penalties, such as termination of employment, or criminal prosecution, as appropriate,” Austin wrote. “Adverse security incidents are a stark reminder that adherence to required security procedures underpin all aspects of the Department of Defense (DOD) mission, and we must continually reinforce these requirements to keep pace with evolving threats. It is therefore essential to carefully examine the sufficiency of, and compliance with, all security policies and procedures.”

Last week, 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira was arrested and charged with the online leaking of classified documents that included sensitive information on the war in Ukraine and the covert surveillance of U.S. allies.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters yesterday that DOD is reviewing email distribution lists for classified information and has purged a number of unnamed individuals from them.

“We need to make sure that it is on a need-to-know basis,” she said. “A very simple example would be a distribution list that has 10 people on it and one of those people have left the organization but they moved within the department and still have that email. So, it's culling through some of those lists, making sure that people that are sent information actually need to have that information to do their jobs.”

Saab announced today it has hired retired Navy Capt. Michael Brasseur as the company's new vice president and chief strategy officer.

Brasseur was the first commodore of the Navy's Task Force 59, a Middle East-based organization designed to integrate unmanned systems and artificial intelligence.

In the newly created chief strategy officer role, Brasseur will help Saab leverage emerging disruptive technologies, according to a company statement.

Brasseur is recently retired after 26 years of service in the Navy.