Signals & Space Monthly Briefing

July 2020

Prepared by the CyberWire (Wednesday, July 1, 2020) Cyberattacks against space and missile system contractors. The security company ESET describes a North Korean campaign of targeted attacks against European defense and aerospace companies. They call it "Operation In(ter)cerption," and it has two purposes: espionage and financially motivated business email compromise. Pyongyang's operators start with LinkedIn, proffering meretricious job offers to workers at selected companies. They seek to develop relationships into sources of information; they also in some cases work to compromise their email accounts in order to induce companies to fall for fraudulent fund transfer requests. This is consistent both with North Korea’s intelligence requirements and its chronic need for cash. Not all cyber threats to the aerospace sector are from nation-state intelligence services. Criminal gangs have also turned their attention to companies working in the field. The DoppelPaymer ransomware gang early in June hacked DMI, a major IT provider with considerable NASA work, ZDNet reports. The US Defense Space Strategy is out. The US Department of Defense has published its Defense Space Strategy Summary. The document argues that the present moment represents a significant inflection point in the US approach to space in the context of national security. Not only have space-dependent technologies become central enablers of both civilian economic activity and military operations, but space itself has become a region of international conflict. "Space is now a distinct warfighting domain, demanding enterprise-wide changes to policies, strategies, operations, investments, capabilities, and expertise for a new strategic environment," the document says. Rivalry with both China and Russia has become particularly sharp. The Strategy is a consideration of the purposes and uses of space power, which it defines as "The sum of a nation’s capabilities to leverage space for diplomatic, information, military, and economic activities in peace or war in order to attain national objectives." The strategy is structured to achieve a "desired condition," which the Strategy identifies as, "The space domain is secure, stable, and accessible. The use of space by the United States and our allies and partners is underpinned by sustained, comprehensive U.S. military strength. The United States is able to leverage our use of space to generate, project, and employ power across all domains throughout the spectrum of conflict." The US will pursue three objectives to achieve this desired condition: "Maintain space superiority, "Provide space support to national, joint, and combined operations," and "Ensure space stability." The "central problem" in achieving this desired condition is, "The U.S. defense space enterprise was not built for the current strategic environment. The intentions and advancements of potential adversaries in space are threatening the ability of the United States to deter aggression, to protect U.S. national interests, and to fight and win future conflicts." US dependence on space technology, which it relies on "more than any other nation," presents adversaries with an opportunity to hold the nation at risk. China and Russia are the two peer or near-peer rivals in this new strategic environment, but Iran and North Korea are also said to present significant challenges to US interests. The "central idea" advanced to address this new strategic environment is the recognition that space will no longer be treated as a "support function," but rather as a warfighting domain. "The Department [of Defense] will grow its spacepower capacity over the next 10 years to ensure space superiority and secure the Nation’s vital interests. The Department will take action rapidly to leverage opportunities and U.S. strengths in close cooperation with our allies, partners, and industry." Four "lines of effort" will be pursued in this strategy: "Build a comprehensive military advantage in space." "Integrate military spacepower into national, joint, and combined operations." "Shape the strategic environment." "Cooperate with allies, partners, industry, and other U.S. Government departments and agencies." Space Force is foreseen, of course, as playing a pivotal role in executing this strategy. The document recognizes the Service's creation as one of the principal "opportunities" to US has to address space challenges. Sponsored by Cosmic AES Work in signals and space? Come talk to us. Cosmic AES offers innovative and challenging work opportunities in the space, signals, and cyber domains. We’re looking for talented engineers, software developers, and system analysts. See what Cosmic AES has to offer.   Congress takes up Defense space strategy and policy. As versions of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act advance in committee, Congress has some questions about the direction the Department of Defense is taking in space. Air Force Magazine outlines the answers Congress has asked for: Cislunar Space Capabilities. Already flagged as a region of potential great power conflict, particularly with China, the Secretary of Defense has been asked to report by December 1st of this year to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees "on deep space mission requirements for national security.” Satellite Communications. The House Armed Services Committee wants the Secretary of Defense to finish a plan, by March 1st of next year, to find commercial satellite communications ground station providers, and to do so affordably. The model the Committee has in mind is taken from terrestrial cell towers. Space Situational Awareness. Congress expects a report on November 1st of this year on the roles assigned the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, US Space Command, and Space Force in maneuvering space assets away from potential risks and threats in peacetime, crisis, and conflict. Space Launch. General Raymond, Space Force Chief of Space Operations, is charged with reporting by December 1st how he intends to put military systems in orbit. That report is expected to address cost, risk, launch system reusability, launch providers' track records, and which activities should remain in-house (and which others should be contracted out). General Raymond also owes a report, by October 30th, on how the launch facilities at Vandenberg and Cape Canaveral will be upgraded and maintained (and how much that will cost). The Secretary of Defense has been asked to report by March 1st, 2021, about possible new space testing and training range requirements. Nontraditional Space Contractors. A large and unspecified number of Defense space officials (Air Force Magazine quantifies them as "a slew") are expected to explain to Congress the challenges companies face when they enter the space market, and how those challenges might be addressed. Congress also wants some insight into "the future of space innovation and acquisition." Space Development Agency. SDA Director Derek Tournear and General Raymond are expected to report by December 1st on the Defense Department's plans to buy commercial space services.Broadband communications are particularly called out. Broadband and Cellular Technology will also be featured in a second report, to be rendered to the House Armed Services Committee by January 31st of his coming year. The Committee wants to know how the Pentagon intends to play in the market for commercial communication satellites in low-earth orbit, and how it intends to use them in lieu of "complex ground infrastructure" in support of combat operations. Space-based Weather Systems. The House Armed Services Committee, noting that legacy systems are now beyond their design life, wants a report by October 30th on what's being done to buy new military weather satellites. The Committee sees an opportunity here not only for buying commercial weather data as a service, but for effective rapid prototyping as well. There's a manifest interest throughout Congress in learning how commercial companies will compete for the work the Pentagon needs to have performed. Space Force organization takes shape. US Space Force will have three echelons of command, Military.com reports: field commands, deltas, and squadrons. (That's two fewer than its Air Force sister Service uses, where the organizational levels run from numbered air force through wing, group, and squadron to flight). There will be three field commands at the top: Space Operations Command (SpOC), Space Systems Command (SSC), and Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM). The deltas will be commanded by Space Force O-6s, which, whatever the new Service winds up calling them, will be the equivalent of Air Force colonels. STARCOM, to be led by a two-star general officer and scheduled to become active by 2021, will be a training and education command. Space Systems Command will be responsible for acquisition, launch, system development and testing, maintenance of space systems, and science and technology. Space Operations Command will provide forces to Combatant Commands, the joint force, and coalition partners. Still to be decided are details of uniforms, insignia, base names, and other matters of Service culture. Missions, installations, and personnel are in the process of transitioning into Space Force. The new Service's relationship with the Air Force is clearest and most advanced. Defense News says that details of how reorganization will affect Navy, Army, and Defense organizations with space missions are in the process of being worked out. Fostering innovation: the USAF's space accelerator and other efforts. The Air Force Space Accelerator Program has opened its competition for eight slots for start-ups to take up temporary residence at the Colorado Springs Catalyst Space Accelerator campus. The winners, Air Force Magazine says, will be educated and "nurtured" in their efforts to bring products and solutions to market. The Air Force's goal is rapid transition of innovative technologies to the operating forces. This cohort's problem statement focuses on cybersecurity: "How might we apply cyber technologies to secure the next generation of space operations and increase resiliency?" According to Fifth Domain, the US Senate has included language in its version of the National Defense Authorization Act intended to move the Department of Defense in the direction of funding more pilot programs in cybersecurity. The bill the Senate put together alludes to the Cyberspace Solarium Commissions' recommendations. Space Force has invoked the Defense Production Act in favor of six small launch providers whose operations were at risk because of the COVID-19 pandemic. C4ISRNet lists the companies who benefited as Aevum, Astra, X-BOW, Rocket Lab USA, Space Vector and VOX Space. The companies will receive sole-source contracts for two ride-share missions each that they'll fly within the next two years. The Industrial Base Council approved the selections under the Act, which is designed to shore up important but vulnerable sections of the Defense Industrial Base. Ligado decision remains on track, despite concerns about GPS spectrum availability. Despite Congressional pushback (members of the House calling for an Inspector General inquiry, the Senate introducing anit-Ligado language into its version oft the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act) and reservations the US Department of Defense has expressed, the Federal Communications Commission seems likely to stand by its April decision to release the L-Band spectrum to Ligado Networks for 5G deployment. C4ISRNet, citing sources within the FCC, rates the chances of the Commission revisiting its decision as negligible. The decision has been controversial because GPS satellites are principal users of the L-Band, and critics fear that a more crowded spectrum could result in loss of GPS function. Defense satellite operations. Space Force launched the third GPS III satellite from Cape Canaveral on June 30th. The launch had been delayed from its original April date by operational constraints the response to the COVID-19 pandemic imposed, C4ISRNet reports. Next-Gen OPIR is more than a year away from its next critical milestone review, but the Government Accountability Office has warned of some risks the program faces that need to be addressed before then, Via Satellite says. The challenges to the new missile defense satellite system involve its ability to meet schedule and sensor integration requirements. The Senate is considering adding $120 million for the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor to the coming fiscal year's appropriation. C4ISRNet writes. The sensor technology is expected to play an important role in OPIR. DARPA's Blackjack satellite project won't transition to a program of record, but it is expected to demonstrate technologies vital to future Defense mesh network communications. C4ISRNet has an interview with Blackjack Project Manager Paul “Rusty” Thomas on the progress of the demonstration. Commercial satellite operations. Northrop Grumman has delivered two satellites to launch facilities at Kourou in French Guiana. The Galaxy 30 (G-30) spacecraft for Intelsat and the Mission Extension Vehicle 2 (MEV-2) will fly later this month aboard an Ariane V launch vehicle. MEV-2 is scheduled to rendezvous with an Intelsat spacecraft in 2021 for in-orbit servicing. SpaceX says it's put some 32,000 Linux computers into orbit so far with its StarLink low-earth orbit Internet Constellation, ZDNet reports. Internationalization of launch services. On June 14th Edinburgh rocket start-up Skyora successfully flew a sub-orbital shot from a range on Shetland, TechCrunch reports. Shetland is one of the sites under consideration as a Scottish space port. The day before Skyora's Scottish mission, the still young but more established Rocket Lab put three US National Reconnaissance Office satellites into orbit from its Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand's North Island Hawke's Bay Region. In addition to the three NRO craft, the launch vehicle carried one payload from NASA and another from the University of New South Wales Canberra Space, C4ISRNet writes. [2098]   Today's edition of the CyberWire reports events affecting China, France, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Selected Reading Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities (6) Trends (1) Marketplace (24) Products, Services, and Solutions (9) Technologies, Techniques, and Standards (26) Design and Innovation (3) Research and Development (5) Legislation, Policy, and Regulation (32) Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement (2) Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities North Korea’s military threatens to reenter areas demilitarized under inter-Korean agreements (Military Times) North Korea’s military on Tuesday threatened to move back into zones that were demilitarized under inter-Korean peace agreements. Operation In(ter)ception: Aerospace and military companies in the crosshairs of cyberspies (WeLiveSecurity) ESET research uncovers attacks against several high-profile aerospace and military companies in Europe and the Middle East, with several hints suggesting a possible link to the Lazarus group. Ransomware gang says it breached one of NASA's IT contractors (ZDNet) DopplePaymer ransomware gang claims to have breached DMI, a major US IT and cybersecurity provider, and one of NASA IT contractors. Cyber incidents at NASA surged by 366% (Atlas VPN) According to data extracted and analyzed by Atlas VPN, cyber incidents at NASA increased by 366% in 2019. Being one of the nation’s most important federal agencies, this is an alarming finding. Hackers steal secrets from US nuclear missile contractor (Sky News) Cyber extortionists have stolen sensitive data from a company which supports the US Minuteman III nuclear deterrent. China develops weapons to fry US electric grid, eyes high-tech ‘Pearl Harbor’ attack (Washington Examiner) With the help of stolen U.S. technology, China has developed at least three types of high-tech weapons to attack the electric grid and key technologies in a “surprise Pearl Harbor” assault that could send America into a deadly blackout, according to a new analysis. Trends Can we keep our 'grey zone' edge over our enemies? (TheHill) China is simultaneously testing American and Taiwanese resolve, garroting Hong Kong and flaunting its military capabilities to smaller rivals. Marketplace Air Force Space Accelerator Will Nurture Tech Startups Focused on Cybersecurity (Air Force Magazine) The Air Force Space Accelerator Program has opened the competition for its latest cohort of tech start-ups looking at cybersecurity in the space sector. Army delays final RFP of encryption device (C4ISRNET) The Army might modify the request for proposals to increase competition. Army starts bidding for $1B cyber training opportunity (Washington Technology) The Army releases a long-awaited final solicitation for its almost $1 billion Cyber Trident training platform contract. U.S. Treasury weighs safeguarding $17 billion in aid for Boeing, GE (Crain's Chicago Business) Officials are considering holding off on giving more companies access to an untapped relief fund for national security businesses in case Boeing and General Electric eventually need it. Spanish Indra to Lead Key European Defense Projects (Defense World) Spanish Indra to Lead Key European Defense Projects Engility wins $106M DIA contract (Intelligence Community News) San Diego, CA-based Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. announced on June 16 that it will acquire CPI ASC Signal Division, Inc. (ASC) from Communications CACI Wins $1.5B NGA Cyber Contract (WashingtonExec) CACI International has been awarded a $1.5 billion single-award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to provide transport and cybersecurity Northrop Grumman to continue supporting legacy missile warning satellites (C4ISRNET) Under a $222.5 million contract, Northrop Grumman will continue to support Defense Support Program satellites over the next decade. Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract from SES for Two C-band Satellites (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by SES to build two C-band satellites that will operate in the upper portion of the spectrum. This award supports the Federal Communication Commission’s order to... Northrop Grumman’s Second Mission Extension Vehicle and Galaxy 30 Satellite Begin Launch Preparations in French Guiana (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced today the arrival of the company-built Galaxy 30 (G-30) spacecraft for Intelsat and the Mission Extension Vehicle 2 (MEV-2) at the launch site in Kourou, French Guiana. The... Amazon Launches Space Push to Drive Cloud-Computing Growth (Wall Street Journal) Amazon is boosting efforts to lure military and commercial space organizations as major users of its cloud-computing services, hoping to benefit from rising government spending and burgeoning private investment. NASA Entrusts CenturyLink With More Network Connectivity Business (PR Newswire) CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) recently won a second task order from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to manage all of NASA's... Raytheon wins NOAA study contract for geostationary imager (SpaceNews) Raytheon won a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration contract for a design study of Real Time Imager, an instrument to obtain high-resolution Earth observation imagery from geostationary orbit. BeyondTrust signs up StarLink as distributor for ME and Levant (TahawulTech.com) Global PAM provider BeyondTrust has signed a distribution partnership Dubai-based VAD StarLink for Middle East and Levant. Astroscale leaps into the satellite servicing fray (C4ISRNET) The company, which until now has focused on space debris removal, has acquired an Israeli company to jump-start its move into offering satellite life-extension services. SAIC Wins $2.9 Billion U.S. Army Contract for Broad Array of Software Development and Maintenance Services (BusinessWire) Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) won a $2.9 billion contract to continue mission engineering, integration, software development, Navy asks ViaSat to modernize cryptography in MIDS-LVT secure communications networking for military systems (Military & Aerospace Electronics) MIDS-LVT provides provide high-capacity, jam-resistant digital data and voice secure communications for aircraft, ships, and ground applications. CACI Awarded $1.5 Billion Contract to Provide Transport and Cybersecurity Services to National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (BusinessWire) CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced today that it has been awarded its largest contract in company history, a single-award Indefinite Delive NASA orders Lunar Gateway’s crew cabin from Northrop Grumman (News Brig) NASA already awarded space technology company Maxar a $375 million contract to develop the PPE last year. The agency says launching both components at the same time reduces costs and technical risks, since it will eliminate the need to dock two separate elements in the orbit where the Gateway will operate. The $187 million contract […] HawkEye 360 Adds More Defense Industry Expertise to their Board of Directors (INSIDENOVA.COM) HawkEye 360 Inc., the first commercial company to use formation flying satellites to create a new class of radio frequency (RF) data and Taiclet Takes Helm of Lockheed Martin (Via Satellite) Lockheed Martin on Monday completed its planned leadership transition with James Taiclet entering as its new president and CEO, succeeding Marillyn Hewson who remains with the company as executive chairman. Taiclet, 60, will continue to serve on the company’s board, which he joined in 2018. Before leading Lockheed Five Reasons James Taiclet Is An Ideal Successor To Lockheed Martin’s Marillyn Hewson (Forbes) The world's biggest defense company gets a new CEO. Israel's NSO showcases drone tech, pushes to counter rights abuse allegations (Reuters) Israel's NSO Group showcased a new anti-drone defence on Monday, giving the public a rare look at its technology as it seeks to counter allegations that another of its products has aided privacy breaches and political surveillance. US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation Adds 11 New Board Members (WashingtonExec) The U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation on June 23 named 11 new members to its board of directors, including Carey Smith, Patrick Acheson, Nate Products, Services, and Solutions Rocket Lab launches three more U.S. spy satellites from New Zealand (C4ISRNET) This is the company's second National Reconnaissance Office launch, and Rocket Lab is slated to launch an Air Force Research Laboratory payload in its first U.S. launch later this year. Rocket startup Skyrora achieves a successful sub-orbital launch from Scottish island (TechCrunch) This past weekend was a busy one for rocket launches, including for new launch companies hoping to join the ranks of SpaceX and Rocket Lab as private, operational space launch providers. Edinburgh-based Skyrora achieved a significant milestone for its program, successfully launching its Skylark Nan… SpaceX: We've launched 32,000 Linux computers into space for Starlink internet (ZDNet) SpaceX engineers also reveal machine learning is not used on the Dragon and Falcon spacecraft. New Memory Device Delivers Data-Intensive Processing to Advanced Mission Computing and Sensor Processing Applications (GlobeNewsWire) Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, today announced volume production of its newest, high-density (HD) secure memory device, with the most capacity in the smallest form factor available. Mercury Takes High-Performance Graphics Processing to the Edge (AiThority) Mercury Systems a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, unveiled the new GSC6204 OpenVPX 6U NVIDIA Mercury Systems Receives $25M Integrated Subsystems Order for Electronic Support Application (Yahoo) The order was booked in the Company’s fiscal 2020 fourth quarter and is expected to be shipped over the next several quarters. “Receiving this follow-on order demonstrates our focus on developing the most advanced RF conversion and digital signal processing technologies and making them profoundly more Mercury Systems Receives $3.9M Contract Award Based on New System-in-Package Capability (GlobeNewswire) Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, announced it received a $3.9 million multi-phase contract award from a leading defense prime contractor for the development of a high-density system-in-package solution for radar systems utilizing its novel 2.5D chip-scale integration technology. NSO Group Launches Drone Defense System, Eclipse (sUAS News - The Business of Drones) NSO Group, a leading technology developer that licenses software solutions to governments and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prevent terror acts, fight crime and increase public safety, has launched Eclipse, an innovative drone defense system. Eclipse is the premier cyber counter-drone platform designed to automatically detect, take over and safely […] Capella Space will share synthetic aperture radar imagery with NGA (C4ISRNET) Under a new Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, Capella Space will provide its synthetic aperture radar imagery to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Technologies, Techniques, and Standards Space Force Preps for Third GPS III Launch (Air Force Magazine) The Space Force’s third GPS III satellite will head to space June 30, after its launch was rescheduled from late April due to the coronavirus pandemic. First Modernized LM 2100™ SBIRS Missile Warning Satellite Completes Thermal Vacuum Testing (Media - Lockheed Martin) The world’s most advanced missile defense satellite recently and successfully came out of almost two months of harsh simulated space environmental testing.... Northrop Grumman Completes Preliminary Design Review for Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Subsystem (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Ball Aerospace have successfully completed the preliminary design review (PDR) for the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next Gen OPIR) Geosynchronous (GEO) Block 0... Zombie Satellites Return From the Graveyard (IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News) Mission Extension Vehicles give dead spacecraft a new lease on life These payloads will pave the way for Pit Boss (C4ISRNET) Demonstration payloads launched this fall will reduce the risk for DARPA's Project Blackjack, slated to begin launching in 2021. FSSCat/Ф-sat-1 ready for launch (Phys.org) The first artificial intelligence to be carried onboard a European Earth observation mission will be launched this week from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The pioneering artificial intelligence technology named ɸ-sat-1, pronounced PhiSat-1, will be the first experiment to improve the efficiency of sending vast quantities of data back to Earth. Thailand News: Napa-1 satellite finally readies for launch (The Phuket News Com) Napa-1, Thailand’s first military satellite, is reportedly set to be launched on Friday (June 19) following months of delay due to technical problems and COVID-19. Marine Corps says updated satellite communications system works better than expected (C4ISRNET) The U.S. Maine Corps began field testing updated Mobile User Objective System equipment back in March 2019, and now say the system has surpassed expectations. Special Operations Command is diving into space (C4ISRNET) SOCOM is looking into putting its own cubesats on orbit, but its also looking into hosted payloads with other constellations, from DARPA's project Blackjack to commercial satellites like Starlink or OneWeb. Special Ops: ‘Further Behind Than We Know’ On New Tech (Breaking Defense) “We had owned the air space and the EW spectrum,” said SOCOM acquisition chief James Smith. “I would argue that has already turned. We are in a contested environment, where we have to fight for airspace and EW spectrum. It’s contested.” Special Operations Command wants to upgrade its data analytics platform (C4ISRNET) Special Operations Command wants to increase artificial intelligence and add new software development techniques as part of upgrades worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Four areas SOCOM’s chief information officer wants to modernize (C4ISRNET) SOCOM's CIO leadership discussed several initiatives underway to improve data and software. Cyber Command creates new malware sharing portal with National Guard (Fifth Domain) The new portal, called Cyber 9-Line, allows states through their National Guard to report malware samples to Cyber Command, which can then turn its vast resources to the problem. What the Army’s TITAN program means to multidomain operations (C4ISRNET) As he takes a new assignment, Brig. Gen. Rob Collins reflects on how the Army has modernized its capabilities and what he's learned as the Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (IEW&S). Soldiers in Europe could soon have a new system to disrupt signals (C4ISRNET) Army units in the Pacific and in Europe could soon have an electronic attack capability to deny, degrade and disrupt enemy signals, an industry official told C4ISRNET. The Army may have the electronic warfare tool the Pentagon needs (C4ISRNET) Defense Department leaders are considering the Army’s Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool as a primary option for the joint force to coordinate actions in the electromagnetic spectrum, an Army official said June 10. Integration is the next step for Air Force information warfare leaders (Defense News) Following the mergers of intelligence and cyber across the service, the Air Force is now looking at how to integrate those capabilities together. New collaboration tools and controls have made DoD telework safer (C4ISRNET) Cyber Command, in partnership with the Pentagon and the military services, have leveraged new tools to ensure greater continuity of operations during the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time, Cyber Command’s major exercise will use new training platform (Fifth Domain) U.S. Cyber Command’s annual training exercise will rely entirely on a new platform this year, a move that will allow most participants to compete remotely. Senate takes aim at Navy’s new jammer (C4ISRNET) The Senate's version of the NDAA wants a report on how the Navy's Next Generation Jammer contributes to a spectrum superiority strategy. Senate bill would add $120M for hypersonic tracking satellites (C4ISRNET) The funding is specifically directed to the Missile Defense Agency, continuing an ongoing battle between Congress and the Department of Defense over who should be in charge of the effort and where funding should be allocated to. House Wants to Keep JSTARS Flying for Foreseeable Future (Air Force Magazine) HASC wants to ban the Air Force from retiring the E-8C fleet until the service finds a suitable replacement, while seeking more information on ABMS. The Army will soon allow users to access classified info from home (C4ISRNET) The commercial environment will be rolled out in the next 30 days. Army selects eight counter-drone systems for the joint force (C4ISRNET) An Army assessment has narrowed down the number of counter-drone systems that will continue receiving investment from the joint force as the Pentagon looks to reduce redundancy. The Army is adopting a 'guaranteed hit' smart fire control system to knock drones out of the sky (Task & Purpose) The Army has selected Smart Shooter to furnish the service with its unique 'guaranteed hit' fire control system as an interim counter-unmanned aerial systems solution, the service announced Pentagon Plans ‘Plug & Play’ Drone-Killing Tech (Breaking Defense) The military will consolidate from dozens of different, often-incompatible counter-drone defenses to just seven — with a single common standard for command & control. Design and Innovation NASA’s New Moon-Bound Space Suits Will Get a Boost From AI (Wired) Engineers are turning to generative design algorithms to build components for NASA’s next-generation space suit—the first major update in decades. The Army AI task force takes on two ‘key’ projects (C4ISRNET) The task force wants unmanned systems to talk to each other and is continuing work on threat recognition. Navy Seeks Silicon Valley Seamlessness In Familiar Package (Breaking Defense) The Navy is looking for a sea change in the way it manages code. The department awarded Leidos a $7.7 billion contract Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) program in February. Now they’re able to get going since the Government Accountability Office denied a bid protest from Perspecta on June 17, which had previously held up the contract. Research and Development How Project Blackjack is turning the corner (C4ISRNET) DARPA's Project Blackjack will demonstrate how an on orbit mesh network can help the military. In an interview with C4ISRNET, Project Manager Paul “Rusty” Thomas explains the path forward for the experimental constellation. Quantum entanglement demonstrated aboard orbiting CubeSat: Advance poised to enable cost-effective space-based global quantum network for secure communications and more (ScienceDaily) In a critical step toward creating a global quantum communications network, researchers have generated and detected quantum entanglement onboard a CubeSat nanosatellite weighing less than 2.6 kilograms and orbiting the Earth. A weapon system ‘raises its hand’ if available under DARPA program (C4ISRNET) A DARPA program is working to set up a BAE Systems Selected to Provide Autonomy Capabilities for DARPA’s Squad X Program (Olean Times Herald) Squad X prime contractor Lockheed Martin has awarded BAE Systems a contract to provide key autonomy and artificial intelligence capabilities that aim to advance the effectiveness of tactical robotic air and ground vehicles and create true partnerships between ground warfighters – Soldiers and Marines – and machines at the small-unit level. The Rocket Motor of the Future Breathes Air Like a Jet Engine (Wired) This theoretical engine could drastically reduce the cost of getting to space. Now two companies are trying to make it real. Legislation, Policy, and Regulation A New Superpower Competition Between Beijing and Washington: China’s Nuclear Buildup (New York Times) The Trump administration is portraying the small but increasingly potent Chinese arsenal — still only one-fifth the size of the United States’ or Russia’s — as the big new threat. The US Navy's top admiral in Europe says China is copying Russia's interference playbook there (Business Insider) Russia threatens and interferes with its neighbors in Europe, and China may be looking to do the same, Adm. James Foggo said Thursday. Op-ed | UK-U.S. space cooperation soars to new heights (SpaceNews.com) On June 16, after two years of negotiations, the United Kingdom and United States have signed their new “U.K.-U.S. Technology Safeguards Agreement,” which is sure to enable even more inspirational space endeavor on both sides of the Atlantic. Here's What House Lawmakers Want to Know About Military Space (Air Force Magazine) Here’s what House lawmakers want to know about the rapidly evolving issue of military space. Pentagon releases its Defense Space Strategy to counter Russia and China (C4ISRNET) The Pentagon document released June 17 lays out four lines of effort to combat growing adversarial counter-space threats . DoD postures itself to make space more of a warfighting domain, establish dominance (Federal News Network) The Defense Department released a strategy outlining how it will keep its edge in space. New Space Strategy Is Heavy on ‘Winning,’ Light on Details (Defense One) The first major update in nine years set out more forceful goals, but leaves gaps. FCC unlikely to change course on Ligado decision (C4ISRNET) Comments from commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel gave hope to Ligado's opposition, but that hope appears fleeting. Norquist, Deasy meet with FCC chairman on Ligado (C4ISRNET) The meeting is the first high level get together between the FCC and DoD since the Ligado fight began. House members call for IG investigation tied to Ligado (C4ISRNET) However, the man at the center of the concerns denies any wrongdoing. Senate legislation would slow Ligado launch (C4ISRNET) The Senate's version of the National Defense Authorization Act would require a new study comparing Ligado and the Pentagon's claims on interference. Senate committee wants more cyber pilot programs (Fifth Domain) The Senate Armed Services Committee also wants to add new responsibilities to the Pentagon’s Principal Cyber Advisor as part of a broader effort to ensure cyber forces can meet new challenges. Political fight continues over Air Force launch services procurement (SpaceNews) A May 29 letter signed by 28 lawmakers asks the Air Force to not cave to pressure to add a third provider in the Phase 2 launch services procurement. UK Armed Forces Cyber Regiment launched to protect frontline operations (SC Magazine) A new Cyber Regiment - The 13th Signal Regiment - has been launched to protect frontline operations from digital attack Defence Secretary Ben Wallace today announced today. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross Initiates Section 232 Investigation into Imports of Vanadium (U.S. Department of Commerce) U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross has initiated an investigation into whether the present quantities or circumstances of vanadium imports into the United States threaten to impair the national security. This decision follows review of the petition filed by domestic producers, AMG Vanadium LLC (Cambridge, OH), and U.S. Here’s how the Space Force will be organized (Defense News) The Space Force will be comprised of three major commands devoted to training, procurement and operations. Major Space Force Units to Be Called Deltas, Officials Announce (Military.com) The U.S. Space Force has determined how it will be organized, right down to the squadron level. Alaska officials push Anchorage for permanent Space Command headquarters (Air Force Times) Alaska’s governor and the mayor of Anchorage asked the U.S. Air Force to consider the city as the location for the permanent headquarters of the new U.S. Space Command. Senators Continue Building Space Force with Caution (Air Force Magazine) New legislation further establishes the Space Force as the sixth branch of the military, but wants a closer look at who will do that work and where. Space Force Envisions Cislunar Monitoring; No Crewed Missions (Breaking Defense) "The United States Space Force is not going to be sending humans into space for national security purposes anytime soon," Maj. Gen. John Shaw said today. Make planetary defense a Space Force mission (TheHill) The need is urgent. Few threats are as catastrophic as an asteroid or comet collision. Beam them up: More than 8,500 airmen ask to go to Space Force (Air Force Times) Of the volunteers, more than 6,000 are expected to be selected to transfer. Space Force Nat’l Guard Likely To Cost $100M/Year: CBO (Breaking Defense) “The Guard and Reserves have existing space capabilities and talents that fit within the mission of the Space Force," says Rep. Ken Calvert, ranking member on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee. This Marine was just selected to become the next senior enlisted leader for US Space Command (Marine Corps Times) “As a Marine, building and strengthening relationships is an area of strength for many of us. Four reports a Senate panel wants to see on Space Force (C4ISRNET) The Senate's annual defense bill calls for more information on which missions should be incorporated into the Space Force, where U.S. Space Command should be headquartered and whether there should be a Space National Guard, among other things. The Senate has questions about DISA’s network security system (C4ISRNET) Language in the Senate NDAA would bar funds from being spent to deploy a DISA network security platform on DoD's SIPRNet. GAO Chides DoD For Absence Of Cybersecurity Requirements (Breaking Defense) Overall, costs of major DoD acquisition programs have grown by 54 percent over their lifetimes and schedule delays average two years, GAO's annual report finds. DOD Officials, Cybersecurity Accreditation Partners Struggle with the China Question (Nextgov) Officials are also still hammering out conflict-of-interest issues, as watchdogs flag failures in Defense acquisition practices. Departing U.S. Transportation Command director advanced solutions to cyberspace challenges (Team McChord) Since joining U.S. Transportation Command two years ago, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Lyman, director, Command, Control, Communications, and Cyber Systems Directorate, TCJ6, has emphasized 23 IS achieves full operational capability for combat cyber mission forces (Dobbins Air Reserve Base) The 23rd Intelligence Squadron achieved full operational capability (FOC) after almost three years of hard work and three months ahead of when originally projected. ‘Lightning in her veins’: How Katie Arrington is convincing defense contractors to love cybersecurity (C4ISRNET) Katie Arrington is leading the Pentagon's overhaul of cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors. Now she has to convince 300,000 companies to follow them. DoD’s two top research officials announce departure (Federal News Network) Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin and Lisa Porter, who is the deputy, will step down July 10. Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement Is China already inside America’s hypersonic industrial base? (Defense News) Third tier suppliers may be relying on Chinese-owned suppliers, a new report by Govini found. Netflix is beating the US military (so far) in getting ‘Space Force’ trademarked (Military Times) Applications submitted by Netflix reportedly date back as far as January 2019.

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