Emerging Technology

Military vehicle electrification continues to roll forward, but may face bumps in the road

The U.S. military operates more than 174,000 non-tactical vehicles, the second highest number in the federal government.

  • By John Breeden II

AI and China are ‘defining challenges of our time,’ CISA director says

Artificial intelligence’s potential as an “extinction event” for humanity prompted CISA Director Jen Easterly to advise companies to “think about self-regulation” for product security and safety.

  • By Edward Graham

How ‘cultural artifacts’ impede DOD's ability to go big on AI

Pushing AI to the battlefield to help commanders make more informed decisions also means confronting the Defense Department’s worst enemy: the budget process.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

Pentagon closing in on 'ethical' AI implementation

The Defense Department released guidance for using AI responsibly last year.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

White House sounds alarm on threat from quantum computers

New directive orders the government to work with industry on security that can stand up to tomorrow’s quantum-powered decryption tools.

  • By Patrick Tucker

Rising Star: Saxfield T. Chatmon

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  • By FCW Staff

DIU director: Look beyond reform to keep the technological edge

Mike Brown, the director of the Defense Innovation Unit, said the acquisition reform is needed for the requirements, budgeting processes.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

Survey: Federal IT workers say agencies are lagging with digital transformations

In a survey, 88% of federal employees working full-time in technology or IT-focused roles say agencies have fallen behind on modernization plans, citing cultural resistance to change and the inability of contractors to quickly implement new initiatives.

  • By Chris Riotta

CDC, NASA seek apps to monitor employee vaccinations

CDC is looking for a vaccine passport-type service to authenticate COVID-19 vaccine data on its employees and to supply proof of recent tests for traveling agency employees, while NASA is looking for a smartphone app that would not only allow its 18,000 employees to display their vaccination status when entering a NASA facility, but also help the space agency efficiently survey, report and analyze data on the immunization status of its workforce.

  • By Susan Miller and Adam Mazmanian

IRS looks to experiment with augmented reality

Taxpayers might soon be able to file their financial documents with the help of AR capabilities thanks to an experimental procurement technique the IRS is using to test and deploy innovative technologies and solutions.

  • By Chris Riotta

HASC cyber subcommittee pushes mandatory legacy IT audit in defense bill

The military services could be required to audit its legacy IT systems and software as part of a proposal to be considered in the 2022 defense authorization bill.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

Can JADC2 fly without budget reform?

Tim Grayson, the director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Strategic Technology Office, said there's a risk that "monolithic platforms get replaced with monolithic architectures."

  • By Lauren C. Williams

Data trust and connectivity challenge Army network innovators

The Army is taking cues from blockchain to help make battlefield data more trustworthy for commanding officers.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

A procurement paradigm for digital government

By contracting with emerging technology companies that can create and deploy data-driven solutions, agencies can cut down on the number of government contracts and the associated red tape.

  • By Gary Velasquez
Featured eBooks

DOD's 3D printers are vulnerable to hackers, IG finds

The Defense Department didn't properly secure additive manufacturing systems from foreign intrusion and data tampering, according to an inspector general report released July 7.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

IVAS and the future of defense acquisition

The Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System has been in the works for years, but the potentially multibillion deal could mark a paradigm shift in how the Defense Department buys and leverages technology.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

How the government could become the next Airbnb

Emerging and established technologies hold great potential for addressing our nation's evolving challenges; the trick is in helping government agencies integrate them into their operations.

  • By Frank DiGiammarino

Defense Innovation Unit marks 5 years of experimentation, growth

The Defense Innovation Unit issued 56 prototype other transaction agreements in 2020, according to a recent report, bringing the total number of OTAs issued to 208 since its inception in 2015.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

Microsoft calls for acquisition reform amid JEDI battles

Defense industry experts call on lawmakers to push for procurement protest reforms to enhance national security.

  • By Lauren C. Williams

HASC adds cybersecurity subcommittee

Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) will chair a new subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee focused on cybersecurity, emerging tech and information systems.

  • By Justin Katz

JAIC focuses on warfighting capabilities

Now that it's up and running the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center wants to increase adoption throughout the department from warfighting and business operations.

  • By Lauren C. Williams