As the US Air Force looks to the future of special operations, vertical lift takes center stage

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  February 21, 2020 | International, C4ISR, Security

  How many users were affected by the DISA breach?

  Andrew Eversden A breach of a system hosted by the Defense Information Systems Agency, the Department of Defense's primary IT support agency, affected “approximately 200,000” users after a malicious actor may have gained access to names and Social Security numbers, according to a Pentagon spokesman. Chuck Prichard, a DoD spokesman, said there is “no evidence to suggest that any of the potentially compromised [personally identifiable information] was misused.” DISA is sending letters notifying potentially affected users, in line with agency policy. He added that affected individuals “will subsequently receive additional correspondence with information about actions that can be taken to mitigate possible negative impacts.” The news of the breach was first reported by Reuters. Prichard said the breach was discovered during summer 2019. According to Reuters, which viewed a copy of the letter sent out to DISA officials, the breach occurred between May and July 2019. Affected users will also receive free credit monitoring, Prichard said. Prichard declined to specify what network was breached, only that it was hosted by DISA. He also declined to comment on how long the actor was in the network. “DoD and DISA take the security of our people, information (or data) and operations very seriously and actively monitor potential threats," Prichard said. “For operational security reasons, the department does not comment on the actions taken to mitigate risks or vulnerabilities.” He did add that “DISA ... conducted a thorough investigation of this incident and taken appropriate measures to secure the network.” According to its website, DISA employs over 8,000 military and civilian employees. The agency's mission includes protecting the Department of Defense Information Network, a global DoD network used for sharing and storing information. DISA runs a variety of other systems, including combat support, DoD enterprise email and other communication networks. https://www.fifthdomain.com/dod/2020/02/20/how-many-users-were-affected-by-the-disa-breach/

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  December 11, 2020 | International, Naval

  Marine Corps’ amphibious combat vehicle reaches full-rate production

  By: Jen Judson   WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps has awarded BAE Systems with a $184 million contract to deliver Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV) at full-rate production, according to a Dec. 10 company announcement. The first lot of FRP ACVs amounts to 36 vehicles but is expected to grow to 72 vehicles in early 2021, with the option for 80 vehicles annually over five years. The Marine Corps declared the ACV had met Initial Operational Capability (IOC) requirements on Nov. 13. The FRP decision was delayed due to issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. “As the ACV enters into service it will be providing highly advanced solutions for conducting maritime-based warfare operations and will play a vital role in the Marine Corps' complex and challenging missions,” John Swift, director of amphibious programs at BAE Systems, said in the statement. “For BAE Systems, full-rate production validates years of dedication and teamwork in partnership with the Marines to introduce this capability to the warfighter and leave our adversaries on the battlefield at a marked disadvantage.” BAE, with teammate IVECO Defence Vehicles, of Italy, beat out SAIC for the contract to build ACV following a competitive evaluation period in June 2018. That contract allowed the company to enter low-rate initial production with 30 vehicles expected by the fall of 2019 and valued at $198 million. The ACV offers “force protection capability three times greater” than its predecessor the Assault Amphibious Vehicle, the BAE statement notes. “It provides substantially increased horsepower, with its six-cylinder, 690 horsepower engine, making it capable of land speeds exceeding 55 mph while running extremely quietly. It's also designed to provide Marines the flexibility to address additional mission roles and future technologies through its modular design,” the statement adds. The BAE ACV provides space for 13 embarked Marines and a crew of three, which keeps the rifle squad together. The vehicle has a V-shaped hull to protect against underbody blasts, and the seat structure is completely suspended. BAE is currently under a $67 million contract modification awarded in June 2019, according to the company, to develop new variants for the ACV including adding a command vehicle and a version with a 30mm medium caliber cannon. The company notes that the design and development for both have begun. The Marines plan to field 204 of the vehicles. The total value of the contract with all options exercised is expected to amount to about $1.2 billion. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/12/10/marine-corps-amphibious-combat-vehicle-reaches-full-rate-production/

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  January 20, 2022 | International, C4ISR, Security

  Biden signs memorandum to secure sensitive national security systems

  The memorandum builds upon a May 2021 executive order aimed at improving cybersecurity across the entirety of federal government systems.