Defense Systems

Army bringing Strykers into its tactical battlefield network

Service adds another unit to the satellite-based WIN-T, which reduces reliance on fixed for line-of-sight communications.

Defense Systems

ONR makes a serious game of missile defense, electronic warfare

Strike Group Defender: The Missile Matrix gives sailors realistic lessons in how to respond to incoming threats.

Defense Systems

The Navy's (autonomous) fish called WANDA

NRL is developing an underwater drone with pectoral fins that let it operates in crowded, near-shore environments.

Defense Systems

2016 Defense budget calls for a big, but unlikely, boost in spending

The $585 billion proposal ignores a congressional spending cap while promoting a modernized military.

Defense Systems

DOD engaging industry to help with cloud transition

The department wants to collaborate with commercial providers, establish common security standards and reassess which information needs to be treated as sensitive.

Defense Systems

Meet the robot that learns by watching videos

University researchers, working under a DARPA program, develop a way for robots to turn visual cues into action.

Defense Systems

The accidental hackers: Insiders pose the top threat to DOD networks

A survey by SolarWinds finds that careless or untrained users are the biggest source of threats, and they can do as much damage as any hacker.

Defense Systems

Software bugs causing turbulence for F-35 program

Flaws caused operational tests to be scrubbed and some fixes pushed down the road in order to try and keep the program on schedule.

Defense Systems

Board calls for $125B in DOD spending cuts over five years

The Defense Business Board's plan targets renegotiated contracts, early retirements and IT optimization as sources for the savings.

Defense Systems

Air Force adds funds for developing better GPS equipment

Rockwell Collins gets a $21.8 million modification to speed up development of more powerful, M-Code-capable receivers.

Defense Systems

Lockheed delivers first of Navy's automated aircraft test systems

The enhanced eCASS will allow aircraft carriers to operate more like airports at sea.

Defense Systems

US special forces a step closer to 'Iron Man suit'

Special Operations Command awards a Phase 2 contract for development of a flexible, bulletproof exoskeleton.

Defense Systems

DARPA's Robotics Challenge gets tougher, richer

The teams in the competition are showing a lot of progress, so the research agency has added more difficult tasks—and more prize money—to the upcoming finals.

Defense Systems

Users becoming hackers' favorite path into networks, survey finds

Cisco's annual report says cyber attackers are increasingly letting unwitting users install malware for them.

Defense Systems

Report: US hack of North Korea provided proof in Sony attack

An NSA program to implant "early warning" malware on the networks of foreign adversaries, active in North Korea since 2010, provides another example of offensive cyber operations.

Defense Systems

Air Force's new acquisition plan aims to boost innovation, cut costs

The Bending the Cost Curve program will increase early collaboration with industry while looking for acceptable trade-offs in performance.

Defense Systems

DARPA doubles down on anti-counterfeiting program

The research agency awards two more contracts under the SHIELD program, which aims to ID counterfeit electronics anywhere in the supply chain.

Defense Systems

DISA releases new security guide for cloud computing

The document sets out the requirements for commercial and non-DOD providers, with a goal of streamlining the acquisition process for DOD agencies.

Defense Systems

Navy's new 'beach ball' satellite takes a spin from the ISS

The SpinSat's unique design could pave the way for better control of small satellites.

Defense Systems

Next step for tactical nets: Sensors that know how to share

The Integrated Sensor Architecture lets sensors talk to each other and gives soldiers a common interface regardless of the computing platform.