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September 4, 2018 | International, C4ISR

Five Eyes Intel Alliance Urges Big Tech to Help Break Encrypted Messages

By Joseph Marks

The U.S. and four major allies warn new legislation might be necessary to ensure law enforcement can access communications.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen joined leaders of the U.S.'s four major intelligence sharing partners Thursday in a statement urging tech companies to help law enforcement access otherwise-encrypted communications from criminals and terrorists.

The joint statement stopped short of urging new laws to mandate that cooperation but warned that “should governments continue to encounter impediments to lawful access to information necessary to aid the protection of the citizens of our countries, we may pursue technological, enforcement, legislative or other measures to achieve lawful access solutions.”

The statement from the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, collectively known as the Five Eyes, describes law enforcement's inability to access encrypted communications as “a pressing international concern that requires urgent, sustained attention.”

While “governments should recognize that the nature of encryption is such that there will be situations where access to information is not possible,” the statement notes, “such situations should be rare.”

Obama and Trump administration officials have warned since 2014 that end-to-end encryption systems, which shield the content of communications even from the communications provider, are allowing criminals and terrorists to plan operations outside law enforcement's reach.

Legislative proposals that would make it easier for police to access those communications have failed to gain traction, however, even after a 2015 showdown between the FBI and Apple over an encrypted iPhone used by San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook.

An inspector general's investigation in March found the FBI rushed to court in that case, seeking to compel Apple's assistance without exploring other options for cracking into the phone.

Thursday's statement notes that: “Providers of information and communications technology and services ... are subject to the law, which can include requirements to assist authorities to lawfully access data, including the content of communications.”

The statement does not go into detail, however, about what laws would justify those requirements and how they should be interpreted. The San Bernardino case was never decided in court because an unknown third party sold the FBI a method for breaking through the phone's passcode and accessing its encrypted contents.

U.S. tech companies, for the most part, have resisted calls to cooperate with law enforcement. They argue that any effort to weaken encryption would be found and exploited by criminal hackers or foreign spies.

Technologists, civil libertarians and many members of Congress have urged police to use other methods to break through encrypted communications without forcing companies to help or installing government backdoors into encryption systems.

Those methods include obtaining a warrant to hack into the communications and building a case using unencrypted metadata.

During the summit, Nielsen and other Five Eyes officials also agreed to strengthen cooperation between their nations' cyber centers and to cooperate on improving the cybersecurity of supply chains for critical infrastructure such as energy plants and airports.

https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2018/08/five-eyes-intel-alliance-urges-big-tech-help-break-encrypted-messages/150961/

On the same subject

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 29, 2019

    July 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 29, 2019

    NAVY DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $382,535,170 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract for the development, integration, and production of hardware solutions. This contract will provide design, procurement, production, sparing, test, installation, and support of displays, workstations, processors, and network systems; the production of subsequent systems, kits and enclosures; and engineering and technical services. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (92.7 percent); and the government of the United Kingdom under the Foreign Military Sales program (4.6 percent), and per a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth of Australia (2.7 percent). Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania (82 percent); Burnsville, Minnesota (15 percent); Germantown, Maryland (1 percent); Largo, Florida (1 percent); and Chesapeake, Virginia (1 percent), and is expected be complete in July 2025. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to an estimated $830,711,796, and be complete in December 2026. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $296,895 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport, Keyport, Washington, is the contracting activity (N00253-19-D-0004). Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems Inc., Northridge, California, is being awarded a $167,338,657 firm-fixed-price contract for 263 full-rate production Lot 8 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AARGM). This contract provides for conversion of U.S. government-provided AGM-88B High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles into 260 AGM-88E AARGM all-up-rounds and 3 Captive Air Training Missiles, including supplies and services required for manufacture, spares, and fleet deployment. Work will be performed in Northridge, California (80%); and Ridgecrest, California (20%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019 weapons procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $167,338,657 will be obligated at time of award, $1,319,319 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-5. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919C0049). Allied Pacific Builders Inc.,* Waipahu, Hawaii (N62478-16-D-4006); Environet Inc.,* Kamuela, Hawaii (N62478-16-D-4007); Hako Plumbing Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-16-D-4008); Heartwood Pacific LLC,* Keaau, Hawaii (N62478-16-D-4009); Raass Brothers Inc.,* Provo, Utah (N62478-16-D-4010); and TOMCO Corp.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-16-D-4011), are awarded a combined $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award, design-build/design-bid-build construction contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Hawaii area of operations (AO). The work to be performed provides for but is not limited to labor, supervision, tools, materials and equipment necessary to perform new construction, repair, alteration and related demolition of existing infrastructure based on design-build, or design-bid-build (full plans and specifications) for infrastructure within the state of Hawaii. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $340,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and miscellaneous federal and other facilities in the NAVFAC Hawaii AO, and is expected to be completed by March 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy); and Navy working capital funds. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. PAE Aviation and Technical Services LLC, Greenville, South Carolina, is awarded $50,396,007 for modification P00023 to a previously issued firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00421-15-D-0007 to exercises an option for organizational, selected intermediate, and limited depot maintenance and logistics support for F-5F and F-5N aircraft. Work will be performed in Fallon, Nevada; Yuma, Arizona; and Key West, Florida, and is expected to be completed in July 2020. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Katmai Health Services LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded ceiling value $19,562,319 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide role player services for Infantry Immersion Training. Work will be performed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (40%); Camp Pendleton, California (40%); and Marine Corps Base, Hawaii (20%), and work is expected to be completed July 2021, having an ordering period of two years. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $1,618,452 will be obligated on the first task order immediately following contract award and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-5 and 15 U.S. Code 637. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contract activity (M67854-19-D-7836). General Dynamics Missions Systems Inc., Marion, Virginia, is awarded a $16,313,717 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacturing of AN/SPG-62 antenna systems parabolic radio frequency reflectors. The AN/SPG-62 antenna systems are mounted and operated in the ship's open spaces and are subsystems of the Mk-99 fire control system, part of the AEGIS combat system suite. The AN/SPG-62 antenna system reflector enables the continuous-wave radio frequency signal from the Mk-99's radar transmitter to illuminate targets to be engaged, fired upon and destroyed by the ship's weapons. Work will be performed in Marion, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2024. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $941,313 will be obligated at time of award, and $387,014 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-19-D-WP49). AIR FORCE Kilgore Flares Co., Toone, Tennessee, has been awarded a $90,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for MJU-53/B countermeasure flares. This contract provides an infrared countermeasure flare which is a magnesium based flare utilized on USAF Air Mobility Command C-17 and C-5 aircraft. Work will be performed at Toone, Tennessee, and is expected to be completed by July 2023. This contract involves foreign military sales, however, the countries are unknown at this time. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with two offers received. Fiscal 2018 procurement funds in the amount of $3,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8213-19-D-0012). Armtec Countermeasures Co., Coachella, California, has been awarded a $90,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for MJU-53/B countermeasure flare. This contract provides an infrared countermeasure flare which is a magnesium based flare utilized on Air Force Air Mobility Command C-17 and C-5 aircraft. Work will be performed at Camden, Arkansas, and is expected to be completed by July 2023. This contract involves foreign military sales, however, the countries are unknown at this time. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with two offers received. Fiscal 2018 procurement funds in the amount of $3,000 is being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8213-19-D-0013). Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada, has been awarded a $23,248,916 modification (P00001) to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract FA3002-19-D-A003 for A-29 pilot and maintenance training for the Afghanistan Air Force at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia; and in Afghanistan. The contract modification provides for the addition of outside the continental U.S. instructor pilots in Afghanistan. This modification involves building partner capacity/pseudo-foreign military sales to Afghanistan. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2023. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The 338th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity. Merrill Corp., doing business as Mission Support, Clearfield, Utah, has been awarded a $20,466,034 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for the acquisition of A‐10 flap assemblies. This contract provides for the acquisition of left and right outboard flap assemblies and left and right inboard flap assemblies. Work will be performed in Clearfield, Utah, and is expected to be complete by July 28, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Consolidated sustainment activity group working capital funds in the amount of $4,997,734 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8212‐19‐D‐0002). Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, has been awarded a $13,150,000 cost‐plus‐fixed‐fee modification (P00151) to contract FA8810‐13‐C‐0002 for space based infrared system contractor logistics support for studies and modification projects. Work will be performed at Peterson Air Force Base, Buckley AFB, Greeley Air National Guard Station, and Boulder, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2018 procurement funds in the amount of $13,150,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $10,395,313 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00005) to previously awarded delivery order contract FA8634-17-F-0002 for F-15 Advanced Display Core Processor (ADCP) II low-rate initial production Lot 1. This engineering change proposal provides for the production and integration of the ADCPII boxes and related equipment into the F-15 platform. Work will be performed at St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2021. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 procurement; and fiscal 2018 and 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $10,395,313 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Fighter/Bomber Directorate, F-15 Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $9,244,494 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00006) to previously awarded delivery order contract FA8634-17-F-0002, for F-15 Advanced Display Core Processor II low-rate initial production Lot 1. This modification provides for the performance of a study to mitigate risks posed to the F-15E to reduce its flight risk from serious to medium. Work will be performed at St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2021. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 research and development funds in the amount of $9,244,494 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Fighter/Bomber Directorate, F-15 Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. ARMY Dawson-Zapata JV,* Honolulu, Hawaii, was awarded a $40,000,000 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for range maintenance and support activities utilizing robotic technology. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 2, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-19-D-0002). WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, was awarded a $24,905,967 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to support the government with development of prototypes, test plans, rapid fielding, operational experiments and changes in existing acquisition programs, with a focus on identification and reduction of programmatic and technical risk provides for applied research. Work performance will take place in Laurel, Maryland. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,512,000; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $23,393,697 are being awarded. This contract was not competitively procured because the task order is executed against a single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity. The expected completion date is May 30, 2020. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-19-D-0006). (Awarded July 26, 2019) DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Sopakco Inc.,* Mullins, South Carolina (SPE3S1-19-D-Z123, $16,888,463); and The Wornick Co., Cincinnati, Ohio (SPE3S1-19-D-Z122, $16,618,875), have both been awarded firm-fixed-price contracts under solicitation SPE3S1-19-R-0005 for Tailored Operational Training Meals. These are five-year contracts with no option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. Locations of performance are South Carolina and Ohio, with a July 28, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are National Guard and Reserve Forces. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Skurka Aerospace Inc., Camarillo, California, has been awarded a maximum $9,428,066 firm-fixed-price contract for direct current motors. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-year base contract with one, one-year option period. Location of performance is California, with a July 28, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-C-0190). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Cummings Aerospace,* Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $9,982,641. Under this new contract, the contractor will integrate and enhance the Simulation Framework ToolKit and Coordinated Cyber/Electronic Warfare Integrated Fires Tool to conduct quick-turn, end-to-end, left through right of launch analysis with varying sensor and weapon technologies. A task order in the amount of $1,894,626 is being issued. The work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama. The ordering period is from July 29, 2019, through July 28, 2024. A special topic broad agency announcement (BAA) number HQ0147-17-S0002 was posted to the Federal Business Opportunities web site to solicit white papers related to advanced research technology and development in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.102(d)(2)(i) to meet full and open competition requirements. The government received 26 white papers in response to the BAA and selected seven white papers from which proposals were requested. This award results from one of seven proposals received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,894,626 for the first task order are being obligated on this award. The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-19-D-0009). *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1918513/source/GovDelivery/

  • Airbus unveils jet trainer with eyes on Spain

    November 10, 2021 | International, Aerospace

    Airbus unveils jet trainer with eyes on Spain

    The Spanish Air Force is interested in replacing its Northrop F-5M and CASA C-101 Aviojet aircraft.

  • Défense : un budget en hausse de 4,5% tourné vers les nouveaux équipements

    September 26, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land

    Défense : un budget en hausse de 4,5% tourné vers les nouveaux équipements

    Le budget du ministère des Armées va de nouveau croître en 2020, à 37,5 milliards d'euros. C'est un budget qui ne connaît pas la crise, malgré le contexte économique. Le budget du ministère des Armées va de nouveau croître en 2020 à 37,5 milliards d'euros, soit +4,5%, conformément à la loi de programmation militaire 2019-2025 (LPM), permettant d'investir dans de nouveaux équipements militaires. Il s'agit du ministère qui bénéficie de la plus forte hausse des crédits dans le projet de loi de finances (PLF) pour 2020. "L'effort en faveur de la défense, très nécessaire après une dizaine d'années de restrictions très fortes, est assez exceptionnel dans le contexte budgétaire et financier actuel", commentait-on mercredi dans l'entourage de Florence Parly. Les crédits de la mission "Défense" (nouveaux programmes d'armements, défense spatiale, cybersécurité, nouvelle politique de rémunération des militaires) seront augmentés de 1,7 milliard d'euros l'an prochain après deux années consécutives de hausse. Objectif: 2% du PIB d'ici 2025 Hors de ce périmètre, les crédits de la mission "Anciens combattants" baissent quant à eux d'environ 150 millions d'euros. La LPM prévoit que le budget défense bénéficie d'une hausse de 1,7 milliard d'euros par an jusqu'en 2022, avant des "marches" de 3 milliards par an à partir de 2023. En 2020, les dépenses consacrées à la défense atteindront ainsi 1,86 % du PIB français. L'exécutif s'est engagé à y consacrer 2% du PIB d'ici à 2025. "Les engagements sont tenus", se félicitait mardi soir la ministre Florence Parly au micro d'Europe 1. L'an prochain, "deux tiers de cette hausse, soit 1,1 milliard d'euros, seront consacrés à l'accroissement de nos capacités" militaires, souligne-t-on au ministère des Armées. En 2020, dans le cadre du programme Scorpion de renouvellement des capacités de combat terrestre, le ministère prévoit de commander 271 blindés lourds Griffon (destinés à remplacer la flotte vieillissante de véhicules de l'avant blindé - VAB), 364 blindés légers Serval et 42 engins de reconnaissance et de combat Jaguar, comme prévu dans la LPM. Dans la Marine, les sept premiers avions de reconnaissance maritime (AVSIMAR) seront commandés, ainsi que trois avions de guet aérien Hawkeye E2D. L'Armée de l'Air bénéficiera de la rénovation de quatre avions de transport C-130H. Côté livraisons, les armées recevront en 2020 128 blindés Griffon et quatre blindés Jaguar, le premier sous-marin d'attaque (SNA) de type Barracuda, deux hélicoptères NH90, deux avions ATL-2 rénovés, deux Mirage 2000D rénovés, un avion ravitailleur A330 Phénix ainsi que deux avions de transport militaire A400M. Quelque 12 000 nouveaux fusils d'assaut Les militaires français recevront 12 000 nouveaux fusils d'assaut HK-416 (remplaçant du Famas), dont le nombre dans les forces s'élèvera à 41 300 d'ici fin 2020. Côté ressources humaines, quelque 300 postes supplémentaires seront créés dans les armées en 2020 (contre 450 en 2019), dont 150 dédiés au renseignement et une centaine dans la cyber-défense. Dans un souci de fidélisation, le ministère consacrera par ailleurs 40 millions d'euros à des "mesures catégorielles", notamment sous la forme de primes. "L'enjeu est de retenir les militaires, alors que l'on recrute 26 000 personnels par an", explique le cabinet de Florence Parly. Le montant des provisions destinées à financer les opérations extérieures (Sahel, Levant...) sera augmenté l'an prochain à 1,1 milliard d'euros, contre 850 millions en 2019. https://lexpansion.lexpress.fr/actualite-economique/defense-un-budget-en-hausse-de-4-5-tourne-vers-les-nouveaux-equipements_2099727.html

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