April 22, 2020 | International, Naval, C4ISR

For the Navy’s hospital ships, networking is yet another challenge

Andrew Eversden

When the Navy hospital ship Comfort deployed to Haiti in 2010 following devastating earthquakes, media organizations broadcasting in the area ate up so much satellite bandwidth that the ship had to revert to paper processes and adjust its satellite communications for some ship-to-shore messaging.

While the outages weren't a widespread issue, said Sean Kelley, who served as the ship's top IT officer at the time, the problem highlighted a challenge these ships face: broadband.

Now, the hospital ships Mercy and Comfort are deployed to Los Angeles and New York, respectively, and are in the national spotlight as symbols of the coronavirus pandemic relief effort. But security and IT experts say the ships' mission presents the Navy with distinct networking problems, from cybersecurity to network connection for patients.

Onboard devices

When disaster strikes, the Navy's hospital ships deploy in a matter of days, mobilizing with a crew of about 100-1,200 personnel. But the influx of staff also leads to an incursion of devices, all of which must be secure and require bandwidth.

“You have a lot of different people going to a lot of different places that now have to be acclimated to this environment,” said Kelley, now executive vice president at Unissant, an IT and cybersecurity company. “So that's really one of the biggest challenges, is getting all those things turned on, all those things activated, making sure that they are all compliant with the latest patches and fixes, and making sure they're good.”

This process can be a “nightmare,” said retired Rear Adm. Danelle Barrett, former deputy chief information officer of the Navy and cybersecurity division director.

“The challenging part is always in the first couple days whenever this happens,” said Barrett, who oversaw communications and cyberspace for Operation Unified Response, the U.S. military's mission in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. “The team is coalescing about how they want to operate, and they're getting their feet wet, getting new accounts on networks ... [getting] their logins.”

Cybersecurity aboard the ships is also complex. Both ships have 1,000 beds, 12 operating rooms, blood banks, labs, medical devices and a multitude of other “internet of things” devices connected to hospital beds. According to a 2018 survey by health care IoT security company Zingbox, each bed can have as many as 10-15 IoT devices.

“They have to be cyber-ready, or the mission of the Mercy is considered [degraded],” said Dean Hullings, global defense solutions strategist at Forescout, which handles Comply to Connect — a Defense Department framework created to ensure the cybersecurity of new devices — for the USNS Mercy.

Ensuring connectivity

For the devices to function, they need connectivity. When the ships arrived in ports in late March, technology firm CenturyLink “donated” connectivity to the Mercy, while Verizon provided connectivity to the Comfort.

Former and current Navy officials told C4ISRNET that adequate broadband is the most challenging IT consideration faced by these ships.

“Obviously you're going to be transferring imagery of X-rays or things like that that are more dense and require a ... higher data rate, so that bandwidth in port is important,” Barrett said.

And with the introduction of patients, bandwidth needs become more complex.

“The greatest communications challenge we are going to face during this deployment is the increased need for patients to communicate off the ship during their stay,” Tom Van Leunen, a spokesman for Military Sealift Command, told C4ISRNET. “Our hospital ships are designed to support official communication for the ship's crew and embarked medical community to complete their job. Adding a capability for patients to reach loved ones increases the risk of saturating the bandwidth off the ship.”

Aboard both ships, the Navy doubled the bandwidth, he said, adding that Navy personnel also set up separate networks for patients' communications.

While this solves one networking problem, it can also create an increased cybersecurity risk.

Securing the ships

Cybersecurity on the hospital ships follows the same standard practices as the rest of the Navy fleet. Since those aboard are largely Navy medical staff and personnel, they know what activities are acceptable on the network, Barrett said.

“You can't just go and plug anything into that network because of potential vulnerabilities that that system may bring that could affect not just the ship, but remember, the ship is then connected to the rest of the [Department of Defense Information Network],” Barrett said. “So risk by one is shared by all.”

ForeScout's Hullings said a hospital environment “epitomizes” why the Comply to Connect program is necessary. The ship has desktops, servers, routers, printers and other networks equipment, as well as mobile devices, such as tablets, that health care providers use to track patient care.

“The truly unique stuff is the mission systems of the hospital, like X-ray machines, MRI machines, the beds themselves in the post-operative recovery rooms, that are all sensors. And they are all passing data. They have to be protected,” Hullings said.

A spokesperson for the Navy told C4ISRNET that the ships are prepared for the cybersecurity challenges associated with their missions, but declined to address what additional cybersecurity challenges are introduced with the addition of private citizens.

“These ships have routinely deployed in humanitarian assistance missions such as Pacific Partnership (USNS Mercy) and Continuing Promise (USNS Comfort) that required them to operate in partner nation ports, with foreign national patients being brought to and from the ship,” said Cmdr. Dave Benham, a spokesman for the Navy's 10th Fleet. “In all operating locations, we take appropriate precautions to keep our networks secure, and we do not discuss specific measures in order to protect operational security.”

Cybersecurity on the hospital ships follow the same protocols as any other Military Sealift Command ship, said Benham.

“Protecting our networks is a continuous challenge, and the overarching concern is to ensure that the right information gets to the right place at the right time with the right level of protection,” he explained.

Cybersecurity aboard the hospital ships follow similar efforts to those recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Wash your hands.

“It's ‘wash your hands' with your computer, too,” Barrett said. “Do good hygiene with your computer.”

https://www.c4isrnet.com/it-networks/2020/04/21/for-the-navys-hospital-ships-networking-is-yet-another-challenge/

On the same subject

October 10, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Embraer Predicts E175-E2 First Flight By Year-End
Helen Massy-Beresford Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer expects the E175-E2 to make its first flight later this year, with an entry into service for the latest member of its new-generation E-Jets family expected at the end of 2021. Meanwhile, the E195-E2, Embraer's largest commercial aircraft, which offers up to 146 seats and boasts lower operating costs per seat, better fuel consumption and lower emissions, is partway through a global demonstration tour. The tour has just left Europe and is now in North America before heading to Africa next month. “The first prototype of the E175-E2 is being built, and the engine is being hung. We're looking forward to going into service at the end of 2021 and to the first flight at the end of this year,” Martyn Holmes, Embraer Commercial Aviation's VP for Europe, Russia, Central Asia and Leasing, told a press conference at the European Regions Airline Association general assembly Oct. 9. “I think there are great opportunities for the E175-E2 in western continental Europe, I think it will be a great hub feeder. We're stepping up our activity with airlines–watch this space.” As for the E195-E2, following certification by Brazilian, European and U.S. authorities in April, Embraer delivered its first aircraft Sept. 12 to Brazilian low-cost operator Azul, the type's global launch operator, and to lessor AerCap. The E195-E2 is due to enter service with Binter Canarias and Helvetic Airways in the next few weeks. Embraer Commercial Aviation CEO John Slattery also said the manufacturer is considering the turboprop market. “There's absolutely a place in the world for turboprops but the current technology for turboprops is over three decades old,” he said. “I do believe there is an opportunity to significantly improve the operations and the emissions against what's available in the market today in turboprops. “This is something we have been looking at now in earnest for quite some time. We're continuing to spend meaningful dollars in continuing our review. We're always running the ruler over what's next. We're also running the ruler over what should come after the turboprop: What should we be doing on electric hybrid or autonomous travel, for example. There's a role for turboprops, and I'd like to own a piece of that, but we haven't quite closed the business case yet.” Embraer has spoken to operators and lessors in the turboprop segment around the world who “uniformly” see a market for a new-technology turboprop that would yield reduced operating costs and emissions, Slattery added. https://aviationweek.com/crossover-narrowbody-jets/embraer-predicts-e175-e2-first-flight-year-end
November 1, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Air Force Hires Startup To Build Up MDO’s Unified Data Library
By THERESA HITCHENS WASHINGTON: The Air Force is expanding a key data tool, the cloud-based Unified Data Library (UDL), that may underpin the service's ambitious Multi-Domain Operations push. Air Force leaders (including acquisition chief Will Roper) believe the UDL will be able to mesh data from all types of sensors to provide space situational awareness (SSA) and command and control (C2) for most Air Force missions. The small $37 million contract, awarded Tuesday to Bluestaq LLC, will “expand the Advanced Command and Control Enterprise Systems and Software (ACCESS) project for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Data Program Management Office and the Directorate of Special Programs, Space Situational Awareness Division.” ACCESS will feed the UDL, integrating data “from a wide range of sources spanning commercial, foreign, Department of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence Community (IC),” according to a company press release. The contract, awarded under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, appears to fulfill exactly what Roper and other Air Force acquisition officials are pressing for: drawing in small and innovative companies that can move fast to help the service get inside the speed of Moore's Law instead of taking years or decades to develop new software systems. “We can't specify all specific data sets over the next three years because prioritization is dynamic, but the goal is to eventually integrate all of AFSPC data there along with other sources such as commercial space (already there but more coming), multi-domain data from such as air, land, sea, data from other agencies, and even academia,” an Air Force Space Command spokesperson told Breaking D yesterday. The spokesperson noted that the expansion will support Space Command's National Space Defense Center, designed to run future combat operations in space and to integrate Intelligence Community data with that of the military. It also will support the Combine Space Operations Center (CSPOC), that shares space domain awareness information with allies, the spokesperson said, as well as administrative functions. UDL is the brain child of Maj. Gen. Kim Crider, Air Force Space Command's (AFSPC) data integration guru. Crider is charged with developing AFSPC's classified Enterprise Data Strategy and Roadmap to underpin multi-domain command and control (MDC2) operations. “The Unified Data Library consumes, processes, and distributes millions of unique data products daily originating from dozens of commercial, academic, and government organizations across the world to a diverse user base spanning 25 countries,” according to Bluestaq. “The Unified Data Library storefront provides a robust interactive online API to assist users or developers with education and discovery of available dashboards, data streams, services, structures, and formats. The Air Force plans to expand the Unified Data Library to allow different security classification user access levels and fuse data from all types of sensors to provide command and control for most Air Force missions.” Indeed, AFSPC said in its email, “UDL data is available to any partner organization today, depending on clearance, authorization of the data provider, and classification of the data in question.” The UDL also is being tested by the Commerce Department as it readies itself to take over the mission of providing space situational awareness (SSA) information to commercial and foreign satellite operators. To get some idea of how different the culture is at this company note this comment by Andy Hofle, Bluestaq chief engineer and co-founder: “It has been exciting to see the growing community interest in the data management platform over the last 18 months, and our team has had a tremendous amount of fun playing a role in the development of the project.” https://breakingdefense.com/2019/10/air-force-hires-startup-to-build-up-mdos-unified-data-library
July 8, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 07, 2020
ARMY Advanced Technology International, Summerville, South Carolina, was awarded a $450,392,000 modification (P00074) to contract W15QKN-16-9-1002 for large-scale manufacturing of antibodies directed to novel coronavirus. Work will be performed in Summerville, South Carolina; and Tarrytown, New York, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test, and evaluation, Army, funds in the amount of $450,392,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. (Awarded July 6, 2020) Modern Technology Solutions Inc.,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $23,182,248 modification (P00012) to contract W31P4Q-16-D-0017 to increase the contract ceiling amount to enhance and maintain the current suite of distributed digital simulation and system of systems unique development facilities. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 2, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. NAVY Elite Pacific Construction Inc.,* Kaneohe, Hawaii (N62478-18-D-4022); Su-Mo Builders Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-18-D-4023); RORE Inc.,* San Diego, California (N62478-18-D-4024); Environet Inc.,* Kamuela, Hawaii (N62478-18-D-4025); Insight Pacific LLC,* Brea, California (N62478-18-D-4026); GM/Bulltrack JV LLC,* Clackamas, Oregon (N62478-18-D-4027); and Alan Shintani Inc.,* Waipahu, Hawaii (N62478-18-D-4028), are awarded a $90,000,000 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. This contract provides for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii area of operations (AO). Work will be performed at various Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and miscellaneous federal and other facilities in the NAVFAC Hawaii AO. The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, labor, supervision, tools, materials and equipment that are 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. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work is expected to be completed by April 2023. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $335,000,000. 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 NAVFAC Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. Wiley Wilson Burns & McDonnell JV, Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded a $75,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineering contract for multi-discipline architect-engineer services for general and administrative facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington area of operations. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other facilities within the NAVFAC Washington area of operations including, but not limited to, Maryland (40%); Virginia (40%); and Washington, D.C. (20%). The work to be performed on this contract is design and engineering services of facilities, including but not limited to, child development care, general administrative spaces, dining facilities, commissary and exchange, educational, sports and fitness facilities, museums and memorials, training and instructional facilities, wet labs and electronic laboratories. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be completed by July 2025. No task orders are being issued at this time and no funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, and eight proposals were received. The NAVFAC Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-20-D-0018). Jacobs EwingCole JV, Pasadena, California, is awarded a $52,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for multi-discipline architect-engineering services for large projects under the military construction program within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility (AOR). After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $230,000,000. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Southwest AOR including, but not limited to, California (87%); Arizona (5%); Nevada (5%); Colorado (1%); New Mexico (1%); and Utah (1%). The work to be performed provides for the preparation of design-bid-build construction contract packages; site investigations; cost estimates; post construction award services; preparation of request for proposals for design-build projects; studies and report related to the design of new facilities; technical reviews of government-prepared designs and design-build packages; preparation of planning and programming support documents; coordination of various technical disciplines; and identification and abatement methods for existing hazardous materials. Work is expected to be completed by November 2022. No contract funding is obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy). The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-18-D-5801). Lyme Computer Systems Inc.,* Lebanon, New Hampshire, is awarded a $31,819,843 not to exceed, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract with firm-fixed-price task order provisions for commercial off-the-shelf industrial-grade networking hardware and components manufactured. Work will be performed at the contractor's facility in Lebanon, New Hampshire. This requirement is to provide commercial off-the-shelf industrial-grade networking hardware and components manufactured by Siemens/RuggedCom. The networking equipment is used for installation on operational hulls across multiple ship classes, to include the USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51); USS Ticonderoga (CG-47); USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41); USS Whidbey Island (LSD-49); USS Avenger (MCM-1); USS Wasp (LHD-1); USS Makin Island (LHD-8); USS San Antonio (LPD-17); USS Nimitz (CVN-68); and the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), as part of their hull, mechanical, electrical and navigation network infrastructures. Work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,016,509 ($500 minimum guarantee) will be obligated at time of award via individual delivery orders and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured as a small-business set-aside via the beta.SAM.gov website and two offers were received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-20-D-4023). Olympus America Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts, is awarded a $10,570,631 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract is for the production, test and delivery of up to 330 Eddy Current Testing Systems, replacing the currently fielded system, to perform nondestructive inspection of aircraft components and support equipment for fatigue cracks and other surface defects on conductive materials. Work will be performed in Waltham, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by June 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-20-D-0036). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is awarded a $9,061,423 modification (P00005) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N68936-17-D-0017. This modification increases the ceiling of the contract to provide for the production and delivery of two additional Advanced Tactical Datalink test units and five additional detailed technical demonstrations. This modification also provides for studies and analysis of the system relative to emerging mission threats not previously anticipated. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows and is expected to be completed by August 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC, doing business as Metal Shark Boats, Jeanerette, Louisiana, is awarded a $7,027,703 firm-fixed-price delivery order to previously awarded contract N00024-17-D-2209 for the construction, shipping and item unique identification and documentation of four 40-foot patrol boats (PB): PB-2001; PB-2002; PB-2003; and PB-2004. Prices were previously established via the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract. Contract modification (A00002) exercised options for the applicable contract line item numbers (i.e., 4000 series) on June 17, 2020. Work will be performed in Jeanerette, Louisiana. The contractor will provide expert design, planning and material support services. Work is expected to be completed by April 2023. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,027,703 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Gulf Coast, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Altitude Technologies, doing business as Chinook Medical Gear Inc., Durango, Colorado, has been awarded a maximum $46,445,291 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for numerous medical surgical products. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year base contract with nine one-year option periods. Location of performance is Colorado, with a July 6, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense Warstopper funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D0-20-D-0007). BAE Systems Information & Electronic Systems Integration, Greenlawn, New York, has been awarded a $26,305,633 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-20-F-C20G) against five-year basic ordering agreement SPRPA1-17-G-C201 for E-2D aircraft electronic phase shifters. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1. This is a seven-year, five-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a Nov. 30, 2027, performance completion date. Using customers are Navy and Japanese military. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2028 Navy working capital funds and Foreign Military Sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2266743/source/GovDelivery/

All news