2 companies to build digital models of new Space Force missile warning sensors

On the same subject

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  July 15, 2019 | International, Other Defence

  Digital Modernization to Benefit Warfighters, DOD CIO Says

  BY DAVID VERGUN Information technology is the backbone of today's modern battlefield and even more important in a constantly evolving security climate. That's why digital modernization is more important than ever. To usher in digital modernization, the DOD chief information officer has launched its first Digital Modernization Strategy, underpinned by four modernization pillars: cloud; artificial intelligence; command, control and communications, known as C3; and cybersecurity. First, DOD Chief Information Officer Dana Deasy said, an enterprise cloud will be created that will enable information sharing across the entire military and most importantly, to the warfighters on the tactical edge. Also, the enterprise cloud will deliver the next generation of applications that the warfighters will need to succeed. Second, for the enterprise cloud to effectively and efficiently enable information sharing on a vast scale, it will be powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. To develop and deliver AI to the enterprise cloud, DOD needed to create the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, known as the JAIC, Deasy said. The JAIC "will be used by all the services, which will be the way in which we start to create new AI solutions at scale – that can be used across the department," he added. Third, is the ability to communicate to the warfighter with C3, Deasy said, which is "how do we ensure that we can get the end results from our cloud, from our AI solutions out to the tactical edge, out to the warfighter." Fourth, to prevent the department's technology from being compromised, it must be protected by defensive and offensive cyber capability, he said, noting that the Defense Department must be resilient when dealing with inevitable attacks from adversaries. "The Digital Modernization Strategy is all about the warfighter," Deasy said. "In everything we're building we're always challenging ourselves and asking: Are we doing this in the most thoughtful way that's going to enable the warfighter to be successful?" https://www.defense.gov/explore/story/Article/1903843/digital-modernization-to-benefit-warfighters-dod-cio-says/

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  June 22, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Pentagon maps out defense space strategy

  By Ed Adamczyk June 19 (UPI) -- The Pentagon's strategy for defense in space treats the environment as a warfighting domain, a Defense Department report says. The Defense Space Strategy calls for maintenance of space superiority, support to national, joint and combined operations on earth,and assurance of space stability, the Pentagon said this week. The report identified what officials call four priority lines of effort: building a comprehensive military advantage in space; integration of power in space into the military; shaping the strategic environment; and cooperation with allies, partners, and other U.S. government departments and agencies. The 18-page unclassified section of the report was released on Wednesday. "China and Russia have weaponized space and turned it into a war-fighting domain," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy Stephen Kitay told reporters on Wednesday. "Their actions pose the greatest strategic threat with ongoing development, testing and deployment of counter-space systems and the associated military doctrine designed to hold allied and U.S.space systems at risk." "The U.S. space enterprise was not built for the current strategic environment," Kitay added, noting that space has historically been regarded as a supporting domain for satellites to support other efforts, but not as a battleground. The U.S. Space Force, established as the sixth branch of the Armed Forces in 2019, is specifically designated as the country's space warfare service branch. It has previously noted Russia's direct ascent weapons and potential weapons to destroy satellites, as well as threats including electronic warfare, cyberattacks and ground-based lasers capable of blinding satellites. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2020/06/19/Pentagon-maps-out-defense-space-strategy/3191592594867/

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  May 11, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  US Defense Firms Hiring Thousands Amid Record Unemployment

  Pentagon spending on missiles, satellites, and nuclear weapons fuels a production boom, as firms fight off commercial aerospace downturn. As U.S. unemployment reached its highest level since the Great Depression amid the coronavirus pandemic, some of America's largest defense firms are hiring thousands of workers to build fast-flying missiles, satellites and nuclear weapons. Even amid nationwide social distancing practices, companies are interviewing job candidates through video conferencing and other technology as they look to fill positions on national security projects that Pentagon leaders want to keep on schedule. “[W]e recognize that providing jobs during this period of economic downturn is also critically important,” Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson said last month on the company's quarterly earnings call. “We are committed to continued hiring during this crisis.” Lockheed, the world's largest defense company, already has hired more than 2,365 new employees since March when many U.S. companies began furloughing or layoff workers amid coronavirus stay-at-home orders. In addition, Lockheed is “actively recruiting for over 4,600 roles,” in 39 states and Washington, D.C., the company said in a statement Friday. Northrop Grumman says it could hire as many 10,000 this year. Raytheon Technologies another 2,000. Boeing, which is preparing to cut 10 percent of its 160,000-employee workforce as the airlines predict at least a three-year drop in sales, is advertising more than 600 open positions in the United States, largely in its defense, space, cybersecurity and intelligence units. Pentagon spending on missiles, satellites, and nuclear weapons fuels a production boom, as firms fight off commercial aerospace downturn. As U.S. unemployment reached its highest level since the Great Depression amid the coronavirus pandemic, some of America's largest defense firms are hiring thousands of workers to build fast-flying missiles, satellites and nuclear weapons. Even amid nationwide social distancing practices, companies are interviewing job candidates through video conferencing and other technology as they look to fill positions on national security projects that Pentagon leaders want to keep on schedule. “[W]e recognize that providing jobs during this period of economic downturn is also critically important,” Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson said last month on the company's quarterly earnings call. “We are committed to continued hiring during this crisis.” Lockheed, the world's largest defense company, already has hired more than 2,365 new employees since March when many U.S. companies began furloughing or layoff workers amid coronavirus stay-at-home orders. In addition, Lockheed is “actively recruiting for over 4,600 roles,” in 39 states and Washington, D.C., the company said in a statement Friday. Northrop Grumman says it could hire as many 10,000 this year. Raytheon Technologies another 2,000. Boeing, which is preparing to cut 10 percent of its 160,000-employee workforce as the airlines predict at least a three-year drop in sales, is advertising more than 600 open positions in the United States, largely in its defense, space, cybersecurity and intelligence units. Northrop Grumman, the fourth-largest U.S. defense company, expects “significant headcount growth this year because of the program volume increases... sales growth, as well as the anticipated awards in the latter half of this year,” CEO Kathy Warden said on the company's quarterly earnings call last week. The company also has been increasingly winning classified contracts as the U.S. military has shifted spending to develop new weapons to counter China. Northrop is building a new stealth bomber and a new intercontinental ballistic missile for the Air Force. “We are actively recruiting for 10,000 open positions and we hired more than 3,500 people in the first quarter, which included more than 1,300 new hires in March,” Warden said. That said, those 10,000 might not all materialize as attrition rates drop as the broad job market contracts. A portion of those positions that would only make it on the books should Northrop win new government contracts. “[W]e only do that hiring if we indeed get those awards as we look forward,” Warden said. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2020/05/us-defense-firms-hiring-thousands-amid-record-unemployment/165270/