SECURITY & DEFENCE : View Posts

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today issued a policy statement on the sharing of cybersecurity information that makes clear that properly designed cyber threat information sharing is not likely to raise antitrust concerns and can help secure the nation’s networks of information and resources. The policy statement provides the agencies’ analytical framework for information sharing among private entities and is designed to reduce uncertainty for those who want to share ways to prevent and combat cyberattacks.

“The Department of Justice is committed to doing all it can to protect the security of our nation’s networks. Through the FBI and the National Security and Criminal Divisions, the department plays a critical role in preventing and prosecuting cybercrime,” said Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole. “Private parties play a critical role in mitigating and responding to cyber threats, and this policy statement should encourage them to share cybersecurity information.”

“Cyber threats are increasing in number and sophistication, and sharing information about these threats, such as incident reports, indicators and threat signatures, is something companies can do to protect their information systems and help secure our nation’s infrastructure,” said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “With proper safeguards in place, cyber threat information sharing can occur without posing competitive concerns.”

“Because of the FTC’s long experience promoting data security, we understand the serious threat posed by cyberattacks,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “This statement should help private businesses by making it clear that antitrust laws do not stand in the way of legitimate sharing of cybersecurity threat information.”

In the policy statement, the federal antitrust agencies recognize that the sharing of cyber threat information has the potential to improve the security, availability, integrity and efficiency of the nation’s information systems. The policy statement also emphasizes that the legitimate sharing of cyber threat information is very different from the sharing of competitively sensitive information such as current or future prices and output or business plans, which may raise antitrust concerns. Cyber threat information is typically technical in nature and covers a limited type of information, and disseminating that information appears unlikely to raise competitive concerns.

The joint Department of Justice/Federal Trade Commission “Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors” provide an overview of the agencies’ analysis of information sharing as a general matter. The agencies consider whether the relevant agreement likely harms competition by increasing the ability or incentive to raise price above or reduce output, quality, service or innovation below what likely would prevail in the absence of the relevant agreement.

Previous antitrust analysis on cyber threat information sharing was issued in October 2000, when the Antitrust Division issued specific guidance in a business review letter to Electric Power Research Institute Inc. Under the Justice Department’s business review procedure, an organization may submit a proposed action to the Antitrust Division and receive a statement as to whether the division will challenge the action under the antitrust laws. In that letter, the Antitrust Division confirmed that it had no intention of taking enforcement action against the company’s proposal to exchange certain cybersecurity information, including exchanging actual real-time cyber threat and attack information. In that matter, the division concluded that as long as the information exchanged was limited to physical and cybersecurity issues, the proposed interdictions on price, purchasing and future product innovation discussions should be sufficient to avoid any threats to competition. The legal analysis in that matter remains current.

This news is courtesy of www.justice.gov

LAS VEGAS – Municipalities may enhance situational awareness and predictive policing efforts now with the Real-Time Crime Center Starter Kit from Motorola Solutions Inc. (NYSE:MSI). With 90% of police departments set to increase their use of predictive policing tactics in the next five years, Motorola’s system integration and professional consultation services will help public safety officials implement that strategy.

The Real-Time Crime Center solution takes inputs from multiple data sources such as video, sensors, alarms, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) and records and combines them with data analytics and mission-critical radio networks to deliver one, unified operational view. The starter kit will utilize Motorola’s Real-Time Intelligence Console (RIC) as the backbone for a system that will integrate video and other solutions with an agency’s existing system, including dispatch platforms, to help identify and distribute information to first responders. By sharing the right information at the right time, agencies can shorten response time, proactively deploy resources and increase situational awareness.

KEY FACTS
The Motorola Real-Time Crime Center Starter Kit package consists of the RIC platform including software licensing for a RIC console position and connections to support interfacing with a CAD platform and up to two video management platforms.
The starter kit will give customers the ability to connect up to 100 existing cameras back into the RIC, integrating feeds from multiple video management systems on to one screen and selecting the most relevant video for improved incident management.
The RIC provides an aggregated, user configurable console view that integrates multiple disparate public safety systems and third-party applications into a unified public safety workflow.
Motorola’s professional services help guide departments through Real-Time Crime Center visioning, training and needs assessments. Design and planning also will assist departments in preparation for the organizational transformation ahead and can demonstrate measurable improvements to their communities.

SUPPORTING QUOTES
David Thomas, solutions vice president, Motorola Global Solutions and Services
“For most police departments, the focus and field of expertise is crime-fighting and crime prevention, not implementing and managing technology. The Real-Time Crime Center Starter Kit from Motorola Solutions allows agencies to implement predictive policing tactics and leverage existing technology to provide relevant and timely intelligence to improve closure rates, help stop a crime in action and proactively identify potential incidents before they occur.”

This news is courtesy of www.motorolasoulutions.com

TUCSON, Ariz. — The U.S. Navy has achieved initial operational capability (IOC) on the MK-60 Patrol Coastal Griffin Missile System that includes the Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) Griffin missile. The milestone comes as the Navy continues to conduct littoral security operations in areas that require an immediate and precise response to confirmed threats.

The MK-60 Patrol Coastal Griffin Missile System includes a proven laser targeting system, a Navy-designed launcher and battle management system combined with Raytheon’s combat-proven Griffin missile.

“The Griffin missile and MK-60 system assure the accuracy and lethality our sailors need to combat growing regional threats,” said Captain Mike Ladner, Major Program Manager Surface Ship Weapons, U.S. Navy Integrated Warfare Systems 3.0 program office. “IOC signals the beginning of improved ship self-defense on the Patrol Coastal fleet and provides an immediate response to potential maritime threats, especially small craft on the move.”

IOC follows extensive maritime testing that began in March 2012. During that time, the Navy developed, integrated and tested a complete system using mature components combined with Raytheon’s Griffin missile.

“Griffin is a mature, lightweight precision weapon that delivers reliable operational effectiveness to the warfighter,” said Mike Jarrett, vice president of Air Warfare Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems. “The Navy’s declaration of IOC with the Griffin Missile System is a significant accomplishment that demonstrates Griffin’s flexibility and shows the missile is ideally suited to protect against the small boat threat on a variety of platforms.”

About Griffin
The Griffin missile is a multi-platform, multi-service weapon that has a proven track record for successful rapid integration on land, sea and air assets. The combat-proven Griffin AGM-176A is an aft-eject missile designed for employment from platforms such as the C-130 aircraft. The Griffin BGM-176B is a forward-firing missile that launches from rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, ground-launch applications and maritime platforms. The Griffin missile is 43 inches long, weighs 33 pounds, has a 13-pound warhead, and is in production today.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2013 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 92 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cyber security and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com

This news is courtesy of www.raytheon.com

NEW YORK- L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced effective today that it has acquired Data Tactics Corporation. The business, renamed L-3 Data Tactics, is a specialized provider of Big Data analytics and cloud computing solution services, primarily to the U.S. Department of Defense. Headquartered in McLean, Va., Data Tactics employs approximately 200 people, including more than 150 data scientists, engineers, architects and developers, most of whom possess U.S. government security clearances. Its highly tailored solutions are used by the U.S. military and government agencies, including public safety and law enforcement organizations. The business is expected to generate sales of approximately $50 million for the year ending December 31, 2014.

“Data Tactics adds key capabilities in Big Data analytics to L-3’s portfolio, a very attractive and specialized domain that immediately enhances L-3’s existing National Security Solutions business and supports its growth as a solutions integrator for the national security and international markets. It also creates adjacent opportunities for L-3’s ISR business,” said Michael T. Strianese, L-3’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “This acquisition supports our strategy of providing differentiated technologies and solutions that enable market share gains and distinguish L-3 from our competitors.”

Founded in 2005, Data Tactics provides solutions that address the future of national security needs, including sense-making from large volumes of data, cloud computing, ultra large-scale data management and analytics, cybersecurity, as well as advanced research, software development and integration capabilities. The business also offers several proprietary solutions, including its Big Data Engine platform that provides a high-speed analytics and cloud computing platform to a broader customer set, including select commercial markets. Additionally, Data Tactics is currently a prime contractor on several national security programs aimed at providing next-generation solutions in Big Data management and analysis.

“Data Tactics will immediately add synergies to our business and enable us to pursue new opportunities in data analytics, data engineering and secure cloud solutions,” said Les Rose, president of L-3’s National Security Solutions Group. “The addition of Data Tactics’ talented workforce and differentiated technologies to our existing portfolio will also enhance solutions and efficiencies for our customers.”

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately 48,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in C3ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems, platform and logistics solutions, and national security solutions. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of electronic systems used on military and commercial platforms. The company reported 2013 sales of $12.6 billion.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.L-3com.com.

MCLEAN, Va. – The U.S. Navy has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) to continue development and improvement of combat systems trainers with a task order valued up to $33 million, if all options are exercised.

The task order was awarded under the SeaPort-e indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity multiple award contract. Under the direction of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, Newport, R.I., Northrop Grumman will provide designs, prototypes and products for new and updated training systems that offer enhanced training realism while being more affordable and easier to operate. The company will also conduct system analysis and development, technology refresh, product assurance and performance evaluation. The training capabilities will be used to prepare sailors for important operations such as navigation, sensor control and weapons launching.

“Northrop Grumman is pleased to extend its decades-long partnership with the Navy in the creation and enhancement of command and control (C2) training systems solutions that are higher performing, less expensive, and easier to build and operate,” said Jack Dorsett, vice president of C2 systems, Northrop Grumman Information Systems. “We accomplish the objectives without losing fidelity – these systems provide realistic training that allows our sailors to train as they fight.”

For more than three decades, Northrop Grumman has helped NUWC Division Newport accomplish key objectives by applying innovative approaches in the design and implementation of training systems used for warfighter readiness on critical combat systems. Continuing the modular open systems approach, using commercial off-the-shelf components for actual tactical equipment and reusing trusted legacy software have significantly cut costs, added flexibility and ease of use, and delivered the needed training realism. In addition, these efforts have enabled the training systems to cost-effectively keep pace with combat system advancements.

Northrop Grumman continues its leadership in naval training systems with this task order. Recent awards include being selected in 2013 for the maintenance of trainers located at the seven Submarine Learning Centers around the globe. Under the Navy’s PC-based Open-architecture Reconfigurable Training System program, the company has developed 33 trainer applications, with the most recent for the AEGIS Ashore Assured, Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence training subsystem. Northrop Grumman has provided training systems and services to the Navy since 1984.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.northropgrumman.com

WASHINGTON,- Today, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden and Admiral William H. McRaven signed a Memo of Understanding between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to increase support services for military families. The MOU allows the USDA supported Cooperative Extension System and Land Grant Universities to work directly with USSOCOM to conduct research and develop programs for military families of Special Operations Units on issues such as personal financial management, health and nutrition, child care and youth empowerment.

“The USDA and the Department of Defense have a longstanding relationship in support of service members and their families” said Deputy Secretary Harden. “This agreement allows us to extend similar support to Special Operations Forces by developing programs and services that help improve the quality of life for military family members. From offering workshops and classes about financial management for families, to creating positive youth development environments for military kids, to promoting healthy lifestyles, the USDA stands at the ready to serve.”

“We are very grateful for USDA’s support to our special operations warriors and their families,” said Admiral McRaven. “One of the fundamentals of special operations is that people are more important than hardware. This partnership exemplifies that truth. By facilitating access to a magnitude of valuable and credible family support programs and research through land grant universities, USDA will play a vital role in strengthening our force’s resiliency and mission readiness.”

This MOU builds on a current MOU between USDA and the Department of Defense to strengthen child, youth and family programs for military personnel and their families. That agreement was signed by Dr. Roger N. Beachy, former Director of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and Dr. Clifford L. Stanley, for Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) in 2010. Under that agreement, the USDA supported Cooperative Extension System and Land Grant Universities and DoD are engaged in a 10 year effort to leverage each other’s resources and expertise in support of military families. Successful efforts have included the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State University [ http://www.militaryfamilies.psu.edu/This is an external link or third-party site outside of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website.], an interactive, knowledge-based platform for helping professionals supporting military families to enhance their program implementation and assessment activities, the Military Extension Internship Program at Purdue University [ http://www.ydae.purdue.edu/military/This is an external link or third-party site outside of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website.] that recruits college students through internship training to help meet the workforce development needs in military child and youth programs, and a Virtual Lab School at Ohio State University [ https://www.virtuallabschool.org/This is an external link or third-party site outside of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website.] dedicated to online professional development for military child care providers.

The MOU was signed at the Agriculture Outlook Forum, the USDA’s annual conference of over 1,800 agricultural, Land Grant University and Cooperative Extension leaders. The signing ceremony followed a conference panel discussing USDA services for military veterans.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.usda.gov

PHOENIX- A new partnership will help more wounded veterans get access to and information about a potentially life changing assistance dog. PetSmart for Patriots is a joint endeavor between PetSmart and Canine Companions for Independence, in support of Canine Companions’ Wounded Veterans Initiative to help partner assistance dogs with the military veterans who need them. Since 1992, Canine Companions has placed 102 assistance dogs with military veterans, with the number of dogs placed tripling since 2008. Many of those dogs have been placed with men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and returned with spinal cord injuries, limb amputations and deafness.

“This program is very personal to me–as a combat veteran, I know how hard it is to come back and transition to civilian life. It is that much harder to transition when you’ve been injured,” said Bruce Thorn, PetSmart Senior Vice President of Store Operations and Services. “To be able to have a service dog who loves you unconditionally and is able to help you live a better life, is priceless.”

PetSmart is teaming up with Canine Companions not only financially, but also to raise awareness of assistance dogs among veterans. In the next 6-12 months, veterans with disabilities will be able to visit any PetSmart store and learn about Canine Companions and what they need to do to get their own assistance dog. In addition, a number of patriotic themed services in PetSmart stores will roll out in the summer of 2014 to honor the nation’s brave men and women in uniform. A portion of proceeds from special Grooming packages, PetsHotel® services and Training activities will benefit Canine Companions.

Through Canine Companions, veterans with a wide array of physical disabilities, including non-visible injuries, may qualify to receive highly trained assistance dogs completely free of charge. Thanks to PetSmart’s efforts, more veterans will learn about this life-changing program and may ultimately benefit from it. Many veterans who are not in a wheelchair or are not amputees think that they don’t qualify for an assistance dog. There are veterans who have been through a traumatic brain injury and/or have a non-visible injury (like a back injury) who can still greatly benefit from an assistance dog.

“Canine Companions is pleased to team up with PetSmart to help expand the reach of our Wounded Veterans Initiative and ensure that all dog lovers – whether they’re veterans or not – are aware of the important work that assistance dogs can provide,” said Corey Hudson, CEO, Canine Companions for Independence and a Navy veteran. “Over 50,000 servicemen and women in the U.S. military have been wounded since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hearing loss is the most prevalent service-related disability for military veterans and an assistance dog can significantly improve these veterans’ lives.”

The program officially launched at a Canine Companions graduation ceremony today in Oceanside, Calif. The ceremony included an official kick off of the program by Thorn, as well as an inspiring speech by Calvin Smith, a Marine veteran who graduated from Canine Companions’ program in 2009. Smith, who was wounded during his second tour of duty in Iraq, attended with Canine Companions Service Dog Chesney, a black Labrador with the ability to respond to over 40 commands. The ceremony capped off with 10 persons with a variety of disabilities, including a Navy veteran, receiving their new assistance dogs.

PetSmart for Patriots is one of several national programs PetSmart runs under its community relations program, PetSmart Gives Back. PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home and enrich people’s lives through the power of pets. Its other programs include:
PetSmart Promise – which supports homeless families in keeping their pets
PetSmart Paws for Hope – which promotes healing through therapy dogs at hospitals
P.U.P. (Pop Up Park) – which is a portable community dog park

About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information (http://www.petsmart.com). The company employs approximately 54,000 associates and operates more than 1,314 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, and over 196 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products; and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day CampSM day care services and pet adoption services. Through its in-store pet adoption partnership with PetSmart Charities®, PetSmart has helped save the lives of more than 5 million pets since 1994. PetSmart Charities, Inc. and PetSmart Charities of Canada, Inc. (“PetSmart Charities”) are independent, nonprofit organizations that save the lives of homeless pets and reduce shelter intake through spay/neuter efforts. In 2012, nearly 450,000 dogs and cats found homes through PetSmart Charities’ adoption centers in all PetSmart stores and by sponsoring community adoption events. PetSmart Charities is the leader in granting money to help pets in need, with more than $28 million given in 2012 throughout North America.

About Canine Companions for Independence
Canine Companions for Independence provides highly-trained assistance dogs to children and adults with disabilities. Established in 1975, Canine Companions has five regional training centers across the country. Canine Companions is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and the quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. For more information, visit http://www.cci.org or call 1-800-572-BARK.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.petsmart.com

NEW YORK- L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced today that its Coleman Aerospace business has been awarded a new, competitively won contract from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to provide Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) target vehicles for use in tests of missile defense systems. The initial value of the award is approximately $73 million, with additional options valued at more than $400 million over the next five years.

In support of MDA, L-3 Coleman will develop and manufacture the MRBM targets and provide integrated logistics support, including inventory storage and maintenance, pre- and post-mission analysis, launch preparation, launch execution, and engineering services. These targets are an essential part of MDA’s test plan to verify the effectiveness of its missile defense systems.

“We are proud to be the winner of this critical competitive contract from MDA. L-3 Coleman has over 21 years of successful target system delivery performance, providing high-quality targets at an industry-leading value. Most recently, L-3 Coleman successfully demonstrated our Extended Long Range Air Launched Target (E-LRALT) in the FTI-01 integrated live-fire demonstration in October 2012. This was one of the largest, most complex mission flight tests ever attempted. We are extremely pleased to continue our work with MDA by applying the E-LRALT proven technology to the MRBM program,” said Steve Kantor, president of L-3’s Electronic Systems Group. “This contract for target vehicles will enable MDA to continue to assess the performance of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems.”

L-3 Coleman developed the first successful air-launched ballistic missile target in 1999 and has accomplished a long list of firsts in successful air launches. The business has air launched single-stage, two-stage and three-stage targets for MDA. In addition, L-3 Coleman has launched from C-17 and C-130 cargo aircraft at remote and diverse locations and azimuths over the Pacific Ocean.

L-3 Coleman Aerospace, based in Orlando, Fla., provides ballistic missile targets and launch services for the Missile Defense Agency, as well as engineering and analytical services for other government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and their industrial partners. To learn more about L-3 Coleman Aerospace, please visit the company’s website at www.coleman-aerospace.com.

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately 48,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in C3ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems, platform and logistics solutions, and national security solutions. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of electronic systems used on military and commercial platforms. The company reported 2013 sales of $12.6 billion.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.1-3com.com

DALLAS, – The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] have demonstrated the ability of fully autonomous convoys to operate in urban environments with multiple vehicles of different models.

The demonstration earlier this month at Fort Hood, Texas, was part of the Army and Marine Corps’ Autonomous Mobility Appliqué System (AMAS) program, and marked the completion of the program’s Capabilities Advancement Demonstration (CAD). The test involved driverless tactical vehicles navigating hazards and obstacles such as road intersections, oncoming traffic, stalled and passing vehicles, pedestrians and traffic circles in both urban and rural test areas.
“The AMAS CAD hardware and software performed exactly as designed, and dealt successfully with all of the real-world obstacles that a real-world convoy would encounter,” said David Simon, AMAS program manager for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

The AMAS hardware and software are designed to automate the driving task on current tactical vehicles. The Unmanned Mission Module part of AMAS, which includes a high performance LIDAR sensor, a second GPS receiver and additional algorithms, is installed as a kit and can be used on virtually any military vehicle. In the CAD demonstration, the kit was integrated onto the Army’s M915 trucks and the Palletized Loading System (PLS) vehicle.

“It was very important that we had representation from the technology, acquisition and user bases, along with our industry partners, here at the CAD,” said TARDEC technical manager Bernard Theisen. “We are very pleased with the results of the demonstration, because it adds substantial weight to the Army’s determination to get robotic systems into the hands of the warfighter.”

Senior Army leaders representing the Army Materiel Command (AMC), the Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC), the Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) and TARDEC were present to witness the demonstration. The AMAS CAD was jointly funded by ARCIC and Lockheed Martin. While the AMAS JCTD is aimed at augmenting the safety and security of human drivers in a convoy mission, the CAD was aimed at completely removing the Soldier from the cab.

For more than three decades, Lockheed Martin has applied its systems-integration expertise to a wide range of successful ground vehicles for U.S. and allied forces worldwide. The company’s products include the combat-proven Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) M270-series and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) mobile launchers, Havoc 8×8, Common Vehicle, Light Armored Vehicle-Command and Control, Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme, Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and pioneering unmanned platforms such as the Squad Mission Support System (SMSS).

This Presss Release is courtesy of www.lockheedmartin.com

MILWAUKEE, WI—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program and Goodwill Industries announced today a collaborative effort to offer comprehensive vocational services to veterans and military spouses who participate in Hiring Our Heroes job fairs and programs. As part of the partnership, Goodwill® will offer employment workshops and resume reviews to help attendees make the most out of their experience at dozens of Hiring Our Heroes job fairs across the country. It will also provide individual career assistance for referred jobseekers and in-kind event space for future job fairs and networking events.

“At Hiring Our Heroes, we understand that sometimes just having someone to sit down one on one with a job-seeking veteran or military spouse can make all the difference,” said Eric Eversole, executive director of Hiring Our Heroes. “Goodwill has always been committed to supporting America’s veterans and military families. We are delighted to partner with the organization in equipping today’s military men and women with the career counseling and resources they need to drive our country forward.”

“Goodwill has helped veterans find jobs and transition from military to civilian life since World War I, and our commitment to providing job training, career and support services to veterans and military families continues to this day,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Veterans are dedicated and hard-working employees, and we do everything we can to help them find jobs and support their success in the workplace.”

The U.S. Chamber Foundation and Goodwill made the announcement at today’s Hiring Our Heroes job fair in Milwaukee, where Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago was on hand to promote local resources and provide counseling to all veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses in attendance. Several veterans who reached out to Hiring Our Heroes from around the country have already been referred to local Goodwill career counselors for personalized job search assistance.

Hiring Our Heroes launched in March 2011 as a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. Working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s vast network of state and local chambers and other strategic partners from the public, private and nonprofit sectors, the goal is to create a movement across America in hundreds of communities where veterans and military families return every day. To date, Hiring Our Heroes has inspired more than 1,400 businesses of all sizes to hire 236,000 veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses. And as a direct result of more than 660 job fairs in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, 21,600 men and women have found employment.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness by addressing developments that affect our nation, our economy and the global business environment.

Veterans face unique challenges in building their careers once they return home, and Goodwill helps them navigate many aspects of their transition, including connecting them with hiring employers, helping them translate their military skills on a resume and getting them the support services they need, such as financial education, housing, meal service, mental health services, transportation and vocational rehabilitation. In April 2011, Goodwill Industries International created Goodwill for Americas Heroes and Their Families as part of the White House’s Joining Forces initiative. Goodwill has committed to help 3,000 women veterans over the next two years. In addition, Goodwill also helps veterans through grants, including those funded by the Walmart Foundation and Bank of America Charitable Foundation. As of the end of November 2013, Goodwill helped more than 113,000 veterans and their family members and employed more than 2,000 either at Goodwill or in the community.

This Press Release is courtesy of US Chamber of Commerce website

Several companies, working closely with NASA, ended 2013 with an impressive string of achievements to build on in 2014 as the American aerospace industry continues to develop and demonstrate commercial human spaceflight capabilities with the potential to support both commercial and government customers.

The year will be pivotal for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) as the agency looks to announce one or more awards by August for Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts that would lead to operational crewed flights to the International Space Station. NASA intends to use new commercial systems to fly U.S. astronauts to and from the station within the next three years.

NASA’s industry partners are pursuing ambitious milestones this year as CCP moves forward. The partners are Blue Origin of Kent, Wash.; The Boeing Company of Houston; Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) of Sparks, Nev.; and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, Calif.

Milestones planned by the companies include sophisticated software demonstrations, a free flight to evaluate a vehicle in a simulated space environment and launches to test the first of a new generation of launch abort systems. The goal of CCP is to develop a new generation of U.S. human transportation systems capable of delivering humans to low-Earth orbit from American soil.

“Our partners have steadily moved pieces from the drawing boards and computer screens to factory floors and test stands across the country,” said Kathy Lueders, acting manager of CCP. “The new year offers exciting opportunities for these companies to demonstrate the reach and potential of their hard-earned innovations.”

Blue Origin test-fired its BE-3 engine in 2013. It plans this year to review its assembly of a sub-scale propellant tank and conduct a review of the space vehicle’s subsystems design.

With the completion of a detailed design review in 2013, Boeing continued to develop its spacecraft, the CST-100, confirming in this review the service module propulsion system was ready to move into the next phases: production and integration with the CST-100 spacecraft.

Boeing’s certification plan for the CST-100 detailed several aspects of its development and operation, including plans for testing components and systems along with the spacecraft as a whole — a plan that takes the spacecraft through development to the launch pad and on to mission operations.

“Boeing’s goal is to develop a safe and reliable commercial space transportation system and these reviews are vital to meet that goal,” said Gennaro Caliendo, NASA’s Integration Team lead for Boeing. “They help ensure that the spacecraft and its myriad systems will work together to accomplish challenging missions, which require the utmost attention to detail.”
NASA worked with a team of engineers and designers from SNC in 2013 to review detailed certification and systems safety plans for its Dream Chaser Space System.

“The roadmap to understanding how safe and reliable a crew transportation system is takes a lot of details and dedication from all parties involved,” said Cheryl McPhillips, NASA’s Partner Integration Team lead for SNC. “When building a system that is to be trusted enough to carry humans into space, the most important part is building in safety from the start. SNC has made significant progress with its Dream Chaser to date.”

SNC plans to build on that progress in 2014 with wind tunnel tests and further advancement of its innovative main propulsion and reaction control systems, and a second free flight test of the Dream Chaser.

SpaceX’s first commercial satellite launch on an upgraded Falcon 9 rocket gave NASA engineers an opportunity to review the vehicle’s performance in flight following the Sept. 28 liftoff and ascent of the Falcon 9 v1.1 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The company anticipates using the upgraded rocket to launch humans to destinations in low-Earth orbit.

“With the upgrade from version 1.0 to a 1.1, SpaceX introduced a number of new systems including new engines, new software and new avionics,” said Derek Hassmann, NASA Partner Integration Manager working with SpaceX. “The overall conclusion is that SpaceX is on the right track. The goal really isn’t to judge their design, but to see how they cope with anomalies, see how they track their processes and control their hazards and how they’re able to deal with the unexpected.”

The 2014 calendar for SpaceX includes increasingly detailed reviews of the company’s integrated systems and progress on its ground systems. SpaceX will conduct two flights to test the Dragon’s launch abort systems, powered by two SuperDraco thrusters that will push the Dragon into the sky instead of pulling the spacecraft up as previous launch abort systems have done.

Milestones achieved by CCP’s partners are continuing to push commercial spacecraft and transportation system designs closer to reality. The successes of NASA and American aerospace companies are ushering in a new generation of space transportation capabilities, which will enable new opportunities for humans to live and work in space.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.nasa.gov

PALMACHIM AIR BASE, Israel, Jan. 7, 2014 – The next-generation Arrow 3 interceptor, co-developed by Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) MLM Division, has completed its second successful flight test, further demonstrating its ability to enhance Israel’s multi-tier anti-ballistic missile defense strategy.

Arrow 3 is the latest interceptor for the Arrow Weapon System jointly developed by Israel and the United States. It can be launched earlier after threat detection and engage threats at higher altitudes outside the Earth’s atmosphere than previous interceptors.

“This successful flight test, 10 months after the first, is an important milestone in the decade-long partnership between IAI and Boeing in the Arrow program, and a demonstration of the effective solutions that come from global cooperation in the face of evolving threats,” said Bill Dickerhoff, Arrow program director for Boeing.

The flight was conducted by the Israel Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency during a test of Israel’s national missile defense system. It began on Jan. 3 at 7:58 a.m. local time when the Arrow 3 interceptor launched from an Israeli test range and flew in accordance with its mission profile before terminating as planned over the Mediterranean Sea.

The Arrow system is the world’s first operational, national missile defense system. Prime contractor IAI-MLM is responsible for interceptor development and production and system integration. Boeing co-develops and co-produces the Arrow 3 interceptor and provides interceptor components for the in-service Arrow 2.

This Press Release is courtesy BOEING.com

WASHINGTON – U.S. Special Operations Command is using unprecedented outreach and collaboration to develop what its commander hopes will be revolutionary capabilities: a suit that’s been likened to the one worn by the “Iron Man” movies superhero that offers operators better protection, enhanced performance and improved situational awareness.

The Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, is the vision of Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, Socom’s commander. He challenged industry and defense representatives at a Socom conference in May to come up with the concepts and technologies to make the suit a reality.

Exactly what capabilities the TALOs will deliver is not yet clear, explained Michael Fieldson, Socom’s TALOS project manager. The goal is to provide operators lighter, more efficient full-body ballistics protection and super-human strength. Antennas and computers embedded into the suit will increase the wearer’s situational awareness by providing user-friendly and real-time battlefield information.

Integrated heaters and coolers will regulate the temperature inside the suit. Embedded sensors will monitor the operator’s core body temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, body position and hydration levels. In the event that the operator is wounded, the suit could feasibly start administering the first life-saving oxygen or hemorrhage controls.
Fieldson admitted that the analogy to the suit that the Tony Stark character wore in the “Iron Man” movies may be a bit of a stretch. The TALOS, for example, isn’t expected to fly.But beyond that, there’s little that Fieldson — or anyone else at Socom — is ready to rule out. In a departure from past practices of introducing new products piecemeal, adding bulk and weight to operators’ kit, the TALOS will be a fully integrated “system of systems,” Fieldson said. To offset the weight of computers, sensors and armor that make up the suit, operators will have an exoskeleton — a mechanism that carries the brunt of the load. “The intent is to have this fully integrated system so you can provide the most capability at the lowest impact to the soldier,” Fieldson said. “We think there is some efficiency to be gained if all the equipment is fully integrated as opposed to different components that are simply assembled on the human.”

Keeping the systems and the exoskeleton powered will require more than today’s batteries can deliver. So along with the TALOS technologies, Socom is calling on the scientific and technical community to come up with reliable and portable power sources. “We are really looking at stretching the bounds of science and technology,” Fieldson said.
That’s led Socom to reach out to partners within DOD as well as industry and academia for help in pushing today’s technological limits. The command is working with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, as well as U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center and the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, among other DOD organizations, to tap into projects already underway.

DARPA, for example, is making headway on its Warrior Web project, designed to boost troops’ stamina and carrying capacity without sacrificing speed or agility. The concept includes a lightweight undersuit that would augment the efforts of the wearer’s own muscles. “Many of the individual technologies currently under development show real promise to reduce injury and fatigue and improve endurance,” said Army Lt. Col. Joseph Hitt, DARPA’s Warrior Web program manager. “Now we’re aiming to combine them — and hopefully some new ones, too — into a single system that nearly every soldier could wear and would provide decisive benefits under real-world conditions.” The Natick lab is busy identifying high-technology armor and mobility technologies with plans to integrate them into a first-generation TALOS system ready for demonstration by the end of June, reported Greg Kanagaki, project engineer for Natick’s Unmanned Equipment and Human Augmentation Systems Team.

Natick personnel also are serving as subject-matter experts for the TALOS project, particularly in the areas of mobility, human performance and thermal management, Kanagaki said. Meanwhile, officials at the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command say their programs have a direct application to TALOS as well. “[The] requirement is a comprehensive family of systems in a combat armor suit where we bring together an exoskeleton with innovative armor, displays for power monitoring, health monitoring, and integrating a weapon into that — a whole bunch of stuff that RDECOM is playing heavily in,” said Army Lt. Col. Karl Borjes, the command’s science adviser. “RDECOM cuts across every aspect making up this combat armor suit,” he said. “It’s advanced armor. It’s communications, antennas. It’s cognitive performance. It’s sensors, miniature-type circuits. That’s all going to fit in here, too.”

Socom has called on the private sector, too, inviting not just its traditional industry partners, but also those who have never before worked with the command, to participate in the TALOS program. “There is no one industry that can build it,” Socom’s Senior Enlisted Advisor Army Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Faris said during a panel discussion at the command’s MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., headquarters, as reported by the Defense Media Network.

The outreach has generated a lot of interest. Socom’s TALOS planning session this past summer attracted representatives of 80 colleges, 10 universities and four national laboratories. At a demonstration in July, 80 companies demonstrated technologies ranging from advanced body armor, some using liquids that turn solid on impact, to power supplies to exoskeleton mechanisms.

Socom’s goal, Fieldson said, is to have a TALOS prototype within the next year and to have the suit ready for full field testing within five years. That timetable is revolutionary for the military research, development and acquisition world, even for rapid-equipping programs. As the only combatant command with acquisition authority, Socom is able to accelerate the TALOS project, Fieldson explained. The command’s acquisition executive and research and development staff share a building at MacDill Air Force Base, which he said promotes close collaboration and speedy decision-making. “We have access that is nontraditional and that absolutely helps us,” Fieldson said. “We can bounce ideas back and forth against the leadership and ensure that what we are doing makes sense … I think that is critical to trying to develop this system within the timeline we are working toward.” Also, in a departure from traditional development projects, Socom’s Acquisition Center staff established an innovation cell to lead the effort, advised by operators and focused on transforming business processes to solve the extreme integration challenges associated with TALOS. “Because of the technical challenges and the compressed timeline, we are going to take more ownership on the government side than we typically take,” Fieldson said. “We are going to go in and make some decisions that we sometimes rely on industry partners to make for us,” he said. “That allows us to reach out to a broader audience. That way, if there is a great idea in some nontraditional organization, we can integrate it” without relying on a commercial company to do so. “We are really changing the process,” Fieldson said. “And the reason we are doing that is to try to streamline the overall effort and drive down both the cost and the schedule. That way, we get the best possible equipment to our force as quickly as possible.”

Although the TALOS is initially intended for special operators involved in high-risk missions, it has implications for the conventional force as well, Fieldson said. “We have a long history at Socom of developing things first and then the technology moving out to the broader force,” he said. “We fully expect that to happen with this one as well. I think there will be a lot of spinoff technologies that the broader force will be able to use.”

Meanwhile, McRaven remains the suit’s No. 1 proponent.“I’m very committed to this,” he told industry representatives at a July planning forum. “I’d like that last operator that we lost to be the last operator we lose in this fight or the fight of the future. And I think we can get there.”

This Press Release is written by Donna Miles of American Forces Press Service USDOD courtesy www.defense.gov

After a rigorous 10-month selection process involving 25 proposals from 24 states, the Federal Aviation Administration has chosen six unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research and test site operators across the country.

In selecting the six test site operators, the FAA considered geography, climate, location of ground infrastructure, research needs, airspace use, safety, aviation experience and risk. In totality, these six test applications achieve cross-country geographic and climatic diversity and help the FAA meet its UAS research needs.

A brief description of the six test site operators and the research they will conduct into future UAS use are below:
University of Alaska. The University of Alaska proposal contained a diverse set of test site range locations in seven climatic zones as well as geographic diversity with test site range locations in Hawaii and Oregon. The research plan includes the development of a set of standards for unmanned aircraft categories, state monitoring and navigation. Alaska also plans to work on safety standards for UAS operations.

State of Nevada. Nevada’s project objectives concentrate on UAS standards and operations as well as operator standards and certification requirements. The applicant’s research will also include a concentrated look at how air traffic control procedures will evolve with the introduction of UAS into the civil environment and how these aircraft will be integrated with NextGen. Nevada’s selection contributes to geographic and climatic diversity.

New York’s Griffiss International Airport. Griffiss International plans to work on developing test and evaluation as well as verification and validation processes under FAA safety oversight. The applicant also plans to focus its research on sense and avoid capabilities for UAS and its sites will aid in researching the complexities of integrating UAS into the congested, northeast airspace.

North Dakota Department of Commerce. North Dakota plans to develop UAS airworthiness essential data and validate high reliability link technology. This applicant will also conduct human factors research. North Dakota’s application was the only one to offer a test range in the Temperate (continental) climate zone and included a variety of different airspace which will benefit multiple users.

Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. Texas A&M plans to develop system safety requirements for UAS vehicles and operations with a goal of protocols and procedures for airworthiness testing. The selection of Texas A&M contributes to geographic and climactic diversity.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Virginia Tech plans to conduct UAS failure mode testing and identify and evaluate operational and technical risks areas. This proposal includes test site range locations in both Virginia and New Jersey.

Across the six applicants, the FAA is confident that the agency’s research goals of System Safety & Data Gathering, Aircraft Certification, Command & Control Link Issues, Control Station Layout & Certification, Ground & Airborne Sense & Avoid, and Environmental Impacts will be met.

Each test site operator will manage the test site in a way that will give access to parties interested in using the site. The FAA’s role is to ensure each operator sets up a safe testing environment and to provide oversight that guarantees each site operates under strict safety standards.

From the start, the FAA recognized it was important to have requirements ensuring that privacy and civil liberties are protected at the test sites. Among other requirements, test site operators must comply with federal, state, and other laws protecting an individual’s right to privacy, have publicly available privacy policies and a written plan for data use and retention, and conduct an annual review of privacy practices that allows for public comment.
Under the current law, test site operations will continue until at least February 13, 2017.

This Press Release is courtesy of FAA.gov

The U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced new measures to help get small business loans into the hands of veterans by setting the borrower upfront fee to zero for all veteran loans authorized under the SBA Express program up to $350,000. This initiative will start on January 1 and continue through the end of the fiscal year.

“Our nation’s veterans are highly-skilled and highly-trained leaders in their communities,” said Acting SBA Administrator Jeanne Hulit. “This initiative will set fees to zero for SBA Express loans to veterans up to $350,000, and is part of SBA’s broader efforts to make sure that veterans have the tools they need to start and grow a business. As we honor our veterans and thank them for their service and sacrifice, let’s continue to identify ways to support them when they come home.”

Of all SBA loans that go to veterans, 73 percent are $350,000 and below. The SBA Express Loan Program, which supports loans under $350,000, is SBA’s most popular loan delivery method, with nearly 60 percent of all 7(a) loans over the past decade being authorized through the program. Since the program’s inception, it has also been one of the most popular delivery methods for getting capital into the hands of veteran borrowers.

Building on SBA’s recent announcement that for the current fiscal year, fees on loans for $150,000 and under are set to zero, this policy announcement means that veteran borrowers will no longer have to pay an upfront fee for any loan up to $350,000 under the SBA Express program. This new initiative will go into effect January 1 and extend for the duration of the fiscal year. This will make the loans cheaper for the borrower, another way SBA is looking to serve small business owners as they look for ways to access capital.

Today’s announcement comes during SBA’s National Veterans Small Business Week, an initiative on the part of the U.S. Small Business Administration to reach out to veteran entrepreneurs and business owners. During Veterans Small Business Week, SBA staff all across the country have been working with partner organizations on educational efforts, mentoring, and trainings to make sure veterans have the tools they need to start or grow their business.

SBA provides veterans access to business counseling and training, capital and business development opportunities through government contracts. In FY 2013, SBA supported $1.86 billion in loans for 3,094 veteran-owned small businesses. And since 2009, the dollar amount of SBA lending support to veteran-owned firms has nearly doubled.

This Press Release is courtesy SBA.gov

Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., prepared this past week for a competition unlike any it has ever seen: the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) Trials. Instead of dozens of state-of-the-art cars racing and maneuvering at blazing speeds and covering hundreds of miles, the DRC Trials puts slow prototype robots through a series of simple tasks such as opening doors or walking a short distance. The two-day event, which started today, aims to speed development of robots that could perform a number of critical real-world emergency-response tasks after future natural and man-made disasters.

“While a professional racetrack may appear at first to be an unusual site for an international robotics competition, it actually suits DARPA’s needs quite well,” said Gill Pratt, DARPA program manager. “The garages provide ready-made private spaces for each team to work, and open directly to the pit lane and infield where we have set up the tasks. Homestead in particular has the benefit of comfortable weather this time of year with little chance of precipitation—which is essential for the robots at this early stage in their development.”

The preparations to transform the racetrack from hosting NASCAR to next-generation disaster-response robots started 18 months ago, with the work kicking into highest gear the week before the competition. Nearly 250 DARPA staff members worked day and night, unloading trailers full of wood panels, valves, doors, stairs and even rubble to create the task apparatuses from scratch. The crews laid miles of fiber optic cable tying every garage to every task, which enabled each team’s operators to work remotely and test their robot’s ability to act autonomously.

Joining the DARPA staff were 16 of the 17 DRC teams—more than 400 people in all—complete with team trailers packed with equipment. The onsite DRC Exposition showcased 37 organizations’ technology related to disaster response, robotics and autonomy.

“The DRC Trials are one of the biggest robotics evaluations on Earth and dwarf many military robot tests, both in scale of ambition and the actual effort involved,” said Adam Jacoff, a robotics research engineer with the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) who led the design and development of the tasks. He noted that in addition to NIST, DARPA is collaborating with the Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic, and the Southwest Research Institute.

DARPA designed the tasks to simulate what a future robot might have to do to safely enter and effectively work inside a disaster zone. They will test the robots’ autonomous perception, autonomous decision-making, mounted and dismounted mobility, dexterity and strength. Each team will receive a score based on its performance, with all eight tasks carrying equal weight. Up to eight teams with the highest scores may continue to receive DARPA funding to prepare for the DRC Finals scheduled for late 2014.

“We’re here to help developers, show them what’s working in their systems and what’s not, and send them home with checklists of what they can work on for the Finals,” Jacoff said.

All tasks have three parts and progressively increase in complexity, Jacoff said. The tasks are meticulously designed to leverage standardized scientific test methods that NIST and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have developed for response robots. Following these methods aligns everyone’s expectations and efforts, he said, and enables teams to clearly determine whether their innovative ideas work.

This Press Release is courtesy of http://www.darpa.mil/

WASHINGTON— The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced a new alliance between the DHS Blue Campaign— the unified voice for DHS’ efforts to combat human trafficking— and Western Union.

Through this alliance, Western Union will provide the Blue Campaign’s multilingual training and awareness materials to select agent locations across the country. Participating agents will also receive additional training from Western Union on how to identify and recognize indicators of human trafficking, as well as how to report suspected cases of human trafficking.

“Today, we are pledging to do more to combat human trafficking by broadening our network of partners which will enable us to better identify and rescue victims of this inexcusable crime, and bring the perpetrators to justice,” said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Rand Beers. “We’re grateful to have the participation of Western Union in this important effort, which will help save lives, protect innocent victims, and prevent this form of modern day slavery.”

The Blue Campaign works in collaboration with law enforcement, government, non-governmental and private organizations, to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human lives to justice.

Working with DHS, Western Union will use training and awareness materials developed by the DHS Blue Campaign to educate its agents who regularly interact with the public on potential indicators of human trafficking and how to identify potential victims.

In June 2013, the DHS Blue Campaign unveiled new public awareness materials including a Public Service Announcement, posters and handouts to educate on victim identification and crime reporting, the case investigation process, and available resources for victim support. Western Union will display these multilingual materials at Western Union Agent locations throughout the country.

“Ending human trafficking is possible only if everyone steps in and plays a role,” said Barry Koch, chief compliance officer for Western Union. “We are committed to using the trust, reach and power of our brand along with our Agent network to engage the public and arm them with awareness and the resources to spot the signs and report suspect activity.”

In Oct. 2012, DHS announced a partnership with the Department of Transportation and Amtrak to train over 8,000 Amtrak frontline employees and Amtrak police officers to identify and recognize indicators of human trafficking, as well as how to report suspected cases of human trafficking.
Courtesy of Department Of Homeland Security

A technology company based in California in the US has announced the debut of their latest surveillance equipment that will be cloud-based. This eliminates the potential for criminals to tamper with cameras that are usually installed on premises to record activities in the outside perimeter.