Scott Howell

Matt and Pete nail the analysis of Congress-DoD budgeting activity again. But they might have under-examined one key trend... This budget markup shows serious concern about #ContestedLogistics. Although the Navy took serious cuts to many programs, budget lines for logistics platforms tell a different story. Logistics platforms that received plus ups: - CH-53 (Heavy Lift Helo) - KC-130J (Tanker) - V-22 Osprey (Troop Transport) - Fleet Oiler - Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship - Ship to Shore Connector Non-Logistics platforms that received plus ups: - F-35 Missiles and surface combat capabilities received severe cuts. To me, the essence of how we do logistics is very important. Our proficiency, culture, and experience will serve us well. But there is no substitute for sheer mass. The House Appropriations Committee clearly recognizes that we need more ships. #Logistics #Congress #DoD #Budget #Defense #DefenseTech #DefenseTechnology #Acquisitions #Shipbuilding #Ships

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It was an honor to sit down with Francis Rose during the Emerging Tech and Innovation Conference last week with ACT-IAC. We had a great chat about innovation in government. Fed Gov Today is gives a forum for open conversations on important topics facing government. Feel free to drop your thoughts and inputs in the comments to continue the conversation. As I explained in the interview, innovation is commonly used as a noun (a thing) which, in my opinion, detracts from the acceptance of innovation frameworks to unleash the potential of a team. What if we embraced innovation as a verb (an action) or an adjective to describe HOW an organization approaches disruptive initiatives? Thanks for the interview, Francis!

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The House Armed Services Committee draft of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act adds $1 billion for a second Virginia-class submarine and cuts 10 F-35's from the Pentagon's request for 68 jets. The latter cut to F-35's is meant "to free up funds that would allow Lockheed Martin to make needed investments to get the program on more stable footing." DoD is currently not accepting F-35 deliveries until Lockheed can resolve all deficiencies identified in the 2024 F-35 Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation report. See the link for a summary of other markups in the HASC draft. #defenseindustry https://lnkd.in/eEbpCdYB 

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Stepping into the future with #DISANext - a comprehensive 5-year blueprint from the Defense Information Systems Agency. Spearheading industry change through its 4 fundamentals: Secure Capabilities, Strategic C3, Modernization, and Data. Hear from the visionary himself, Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner about the strategic imperatives of this plan: https://bit.ly/3WcCrb2. Paving the way for advanced #Cybersecurity and #strategy!

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DISA Expands Thunderdome Zero Trust Program Deployment; Brian Hermann, Quoted. ExecutiveGov discusses the Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) expansion of the Thunderdome zero trust program. In 2023, the program was deployed to 15 sites and plans are underway to extend it to 60 more sites in 2024. The program involves four key components: 🔐 Customer security stacks 🔗 Software-defined wide area networking 📴 Secure access service edge capability, and 💯 Application security stacks. Brian Hermann, DISA's director of the cybersecurity and analytics directorate, emphasized the program's role in advancing zero trust architecture, which is crucial for organizational security. DISA has also finalized the contracting process to support the U.S. Coast Guard’s network security improvement efforts through Thunderdome. Versa Networks is at the forefront of enhancing cybersecurity with their pivotal role in DISA's Thunderdome project. Their cutting-edge solutions are setting new standards in securing our nation's digital infrastructure. For more details, you can read the full article here:-https://lnkd.in/dhj2iTT9 #DISA #Thunderdome #ZeroTrust #Cybersecurity #versanetworks #channelpartners

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If you're involved in a #startup or work within #industry looking to collaborate with the DoD, particularly the #USAF, understanding their future direction is crucial for strategic alignment. The USAF is evolving its commands, mirroring the Army, offering valuable insights for seamless industry transition. The four key commands are: - Air Combat Command: transitioning to manage readiness for the entire service - Airman Development Command: focusing on education and training throughout a service member’s career - Air Force Materiel Command: overseeing acquisition programs across the force - Integrated Capabilities Command: responsible for long-term planning Stay informed on the USAF's strategic shifts and how they could impact your business. Read more: [Air Force Times - Can Four Big Commands Prepare the Air Force to Win Wars](https://lnkd.in/ePAQudb7)

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Challenges facing security cooperation efforts include differing national interests, resource constraints, political instability, and technological disparities. Effective collaboration and mutual understanding are essential for overcoming these obstacles.

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ICYMI, yesterday we wrapped up the 2024 US Army Intelligence and Security Enterprise Industry Day with the help from our friends at AFCEA International. Among the highlights of the event: The >400 Industry teammates in attendance heard from the 48th G-2 of the Army, Lieutenant General Tony Hale, as he provided a threat update highlighting the challenges of operating in this volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. We also heard a big vision outlining his call to action - giving us a North Star to guide us toward clarity in the chaos. #Together we will tackle the challenges of horizontally integrating intelligence capabilities to ensure we stand ready to perform our 24/7 intel mission around the globe. And we will never forget that our profession exists for only one reason: to assist Commanders in making more decisions, faster ones, and better ones.

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TRADOC G-2 leads the OE story. Describing the OE and defining the Threat is a big job.

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The U.S. Army is revolutionizing its acquisition processes through the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF), introduced in 2020, which offers six distinct pathways to enhance flexibility and efficiency in procuring and managing technology. Margaret Boatner, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Strategy and Acquisition Reform, highlighted the significant reduction in bureaucracy the software pathway brings, enabling the Army to adopt modern practices like agile and DevSecOps and accelerate the release cycle of new features from every few years to as often as every six months. This framework not only shifts towards tailored acquisition approaches but also empowers program managers by decentralizing decision-making and reducing documentation. The AAF is a part of a broader effort to overhaul institutional processes, aiming to align more closely with industry best practices and improve the Army's overall agility and responsiveness in software development. #army #adaptiveacquisitionframework #technology #acquisitionreform #softwaredevelopment #agile #devsecops #modernization #militaryinnovation #defenseindustry Source- https://lnkd.in/g3SGehjE

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Industry stakeholders wanting to capitalize on the Army's AI initiatives must focus on key differentiators that align with the evolving needs of defense acquisition and logistics. CRG advises companies to prioritize capabilities such as secure AI development, integration of AI algorithms into mission-critical systems, and adherence to stringent cybersecurity protocols. Given the Army's emphasis on leveraging AI to enhance operational efficiency and mitigate risks, defense contractors specializing in AI technologies, secure cloud solutions, and data analytics are well-positioned to support these initiatives. CRG invites industry to leverage our expertise in navigating complex defense procurement landscapes and facilitating strategic partnerships with government agencies. Visit crgroupinc.com or reach out to us at contact@crgroupinc.com to learn more about how CRG can empower your organization. #IL - #VA - #DC - #Dubai, #UAE.

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VC investors are more interested than ever in the defense industry and defense technology. It could mark a proper sea change moment for investing in global security. Jason Rathje from Office of Strategic Capital leads the DoD's focus "on strategic capital needs where public support is required to attract private investment..." and "we hope to license our first funds ... where we provide loans to investors to increase early-stage investment in these very difficult technology areas." Katherine Boyle general partner at Andreessen Horowitz has said, "I don't think I've ever seen such excitement, enthusiasm for investing in defense tech across a wide variety of investment firms. I think it's something that pretty much every serious … traditional Silicon Valley investment firm has at least one partner who's focused on aerospace or defense." Not that there aren't challenges. Nick Beim , partner at Venrock: "You'll have to deal with an existing set of economic players who kind of don't want a lot of competition and may be more interested in doing something themselves and partnering with a company that's got a ready solution. So, there are a lot of risks." #defensindustry #defensetech Tholus Capital Ajax Defense https://lnkd.in/eqN68VKV 

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Diamond anniversaries are few and far between. Perhaps massive street closures aren’t the traditional gift, but it is one of the ancillary benefits of NATO celebrating its 75th anniversary just a mile from me. The headlines will talk about enduring stability and the commitment of various systems, specifically air defense. In contrast, those lining the beltway carefully ponder the ongoing and underlying question of maintaining these systems. Two weeks back, LANCE LANDRUM reminded the crowd of executives at Precision Talent Solutions' private event that even within NATO, subtle nuances within the various systems (at the time he was referring to 155mm artillery) make interoperability a challenge. For nearly 12 months, Precision has been supporting the efforts in Ukraine by supplying maintenance technicians for an effort repairing UK MOD provided equipment in Western Ukraine. We’ve been able to create strong pipelines of non-Americans with the technical skillsets needed to keep the UK’s military aid to Ukraine on the battlefield. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reminded NATO leaders today, “There are no cost-free options with an aggressive Russia as a neighbor; there are no risk free options in a war.” When the pipeline opens for US contractors, many vendors on the outside will be wondering where to find the talent. We know. Call us. #Ukraine #NATO #defensecontracting

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Keeping AI-feeding data genuine and pure is the key. You have to know where the data comes from or who created the data before you feed it into your AI model. Data provenance and lineage are what I am talking about. Guaranteeing data lineage with a computing architecture secure system (CASS) is what we need most. Please refer to US10972256 and US8509424.

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Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) and Foreign Policy Research Institute have an open call for #Whitepapers discussing lessons learned in Irregular Warfare since 9/11. Topics include: - #Information Operations - #Human Terrain - #Logistics #Supply #Maintenance - #Medical #Dental #Veterinary Operations - #Intelligence and #CounterIntelligence Activities - Engaging with #Partner Forces - Utilzing Local #Police and #Militia forces in a #Counterinsurgency Papers must be submitted by July 1, 2024. #Defense #innovation #Irregularwarfare

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The distance between the Pentagon to the Silicon Valley is getting smaller and smaller 💥 💫 The Big Picture: #Defensetech is on the rise as the world 🌍 becomes more turbulent and tensions are high. 💫 Why it matters: To step up and gain advantage in a crowded field, #VCs are looking for unique strategies, one of them is to hire veterans and ex-DOD officials. 💫 What’s in it for the VCs: Former defense professionals help understanding and analyzing the battlefield problems faster and evaluating the solutions better. 💫 What’s in it for #startups: The time to investment will become shorter and the competition on the good startup will be greater. Anyhow it will help the startups crossing the valley of death and get faster with products. 💫 Challenge to focus: Squeezing the timeline to get a contract from the government. In Israel 🇮🇱 the DDR&D (MAFAT) - Directorate of Defense Research & Development in the Israeli Ministry of Defense is taking measures to improve the process by opening “Green Lane” (David Shaul Attias) for startups and community- Mafat for startups (Dekel Yakobovich🇮🇱) In the US 🇺🇸 the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is in charge for accelerating the process and adopt startups. NATO launched NATO DIANA and the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) Defence and Security Accelerator in the UK 🇬🇧 And so on… 💫 By the numbers: $35bln 💰 were invested in DefenseTech startups in 2023, and over $9bln this year so far. 💫 Dive deeper: TechCrunch, Margaux MacColl, https://lnkd.in/dd-5sxa4 #technology #innovation #dualuse #deeptech

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Here is my latest GSR essay, co-authored w. distinguished nuclear deterrence & non-proliferation authority Peter Huessy. NIDS's GSR is highly recommended for informative, up to date fast reads by experts on key current issues. #globalsecurityreview #nids #peterhuessy #joebuff #nuclear #deterrence #nonproliferation #armscontrol

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