Countermeasures
The possibilities of an experimental tuberculosis (TB) vaccine reached a new stage this month, as researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine Center for Vaccine Development began phase 1 human clinical trials.
The new drug is currently called ID93 and has a unique,... Read More »
The joint U.S.-U.K. Swarm and Search AI Challenge: 2019 Fire Hack challenges research teams to discover ways unmanned aerial systems can be used in search and rescue missions.
The challenge is sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the United Kingdom Defence Science and... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives advanced a bill this week that would increase international pressure on Syrian President Assad and his backers.
Specifically, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act (H.R. 31) would impose new sanctions on human rights abusers and encourage negotiations to end... Read More »
The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) has awarded a pair of university consortia grants totaling $50 million as a means of bolstering nuclear security.
NNSA officials said the Georgia Institute of Technology-led Consortium for Enabling Technologies &... Read More »
Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) recently joined their colleagues in introducing a measure designed to emphasize Congressional support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The legislators said the NATO Support Act backs the world's longest-standing military... Read More »
The U.S military recently awarded the Bell Boeing Joint Program Office, a subsidiary of Textron, a $143.9 million contract for performance-based logistics and engineering support for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey platform.
The 11-month base contract has four one-year option periods. Bell Boeing... Read More »
The largest ever training course for the creation and management of dosimetry labs took place under the guidance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week, with the goal of promoting international standardization.
Dosimeters are the devices used to detect and measure radiation.... Read More »
A bill introduced in the House would create a new office within the White House to serve as a central coordinator to oversee national security threats posed by technology.
The office – called the Office of Critical Technologies & Security – would be tasked with interagency coordination... Read More »
Despite a requirement for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to justify technology purchases costing more than $30 million at least 30 days before awarding a contract, the TSA did not submit its first justifications until last August, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)... Read More »
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) made recommendations to the U.S. Department of Defense on how to best implement the National Guard’s counterdrug program.
Since 1989, the DOD has received billions of dollars to fund the National Guard's participation in a counterdrug program focused... Read More »
As an Ebola outbreak continues to affect the Democratic Republic of Congo, leaders from the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee are requesting a situation brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In a joint statement issued last week, committee chairman Frank... Read More »
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) maintains the recent unveiling of the 2019 Missile Defense Review (MDR) is indicative of progress Congress has made with the Trump Administration.
Sullivan, a member of the Armed Services Committee, attended the Department of Defense spearheaded program, which officials... Read More »
Information technology, engineering, and science solutions firm Leidos has landed a $36 million Naval Sea Systems Command contract to develop torpedo countermeasure technologies for submarine defense.
The work will be performed in Washington, Northern Virginia, Ohio, California, and Florida. It... Read More »
An array of global health entities have joined forces to aid the process of developing epidemic responsive vaccines while also, demonstrating safety, efficacy and deployment preparedness.
University of Queensland officials said the institution has partnered with
the World Health... Read More »
A type of mosquito known to transmit malaria has been detected in Ethiopia for the first time, crossing from the Middle East, India, and China, putting more people at risk for malaria in new regions.
A Baylor University study identified the mosquito, led by Tamar Carter, assistant professor of... Read More »
The U.S. Marine Corps recently awarded Harris Corp. a $75 million order to provide Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) narrowband satellite communication upgrades.
The order, part of a five-year Navy Portable Radio Program contract awarded in 2017, will upgrade the Falcon III AN/PRC-117G manpack... Read More »
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched a program to develop hardware and software architectures that can ensure that critical data and transactions are secure and protected as they move between systems.
Whether a piece of information is private, proprietary, or... Read More »
Smiths Detection has secured a contract with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office (CWMD) to provide radiation portal monitors (RPM).
Officials said the indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) agreement has a $291 million ceiling,... Read More »
The House of Representatives has unanimously advanced the Federal CIO Authorization Act of 2018, which seeks to ensure Americans’ online identities are safe from hackers.
Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Robin Kelly (D-IL) said the legislation ensures the Federal CIO oversees digital infrastructure... Read More »
With the recent completion of their program by Kansas State University (KSU) students, the Biosecurity Research Institute is actively seeking new applicants for its Transboundary Animal Disease (TAD) fellowship.
The next round of opportunities is now being offered for summer 2019 and an... Read More »
The U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force recently awarded Lockheed Martin a $172 million contract to continue the production of the air-launched variant of the Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM).
LRASM was designed to detect and destroy specific targets within groups of ships by employing... Read More »
A bill to increase criminal penalties for the online cyberstalking of children was introduced in Congress this week.
The bill, called the Combat Online Predators, would increase criminal penalties for stalkers by up to five years if the victim is a minor. It also calls for the Attorney General... Read More »
Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) are expressing concerns concerning the federal government shutdown’s impact on wildfire preparedness and prevention.
The legislators recently joined 10 of their colleagues in forwarding correspondence to President Donald Trump and... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is pushing forward on new Aerosol and Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (AVCAD) solutions to track chemicals on a smaller scale, and to this end, has selected Smiths Detection (SDI) as designer and engineer.
The company’s contract will put them in cooperation... Read More »
The U.S. Marine Corps recently selected Raytheon Co. to equip its F/A-18C/D classic Hornet fleet with radar technology.
Raytheon will provide its APG-79(v)4 AESA radar, a scaled version of the APG-79 AESA used by the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. The APG-79(v)4 shares more than 90... Read More »
Qatar’s Ministry of Defense gave its support to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) regarding DOD activities at Al Udeid Air Base (AUAB).
The agreement was signed this week during the U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue in Doha, Qatar. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) will help promote... Read More »
The House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced last week four bills designed to promote American interests domestically and abroad while also enhancing national security.
Officials said legislation to authorize counterterrorism operations in Africa known as the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism... Read More »
Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced last week a bill designed to bolster border security and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program protections.
The legislators said the bill would establish a $25 billion trust fund earmarked to enhance border security and... Read More »
A joint effort from U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) has introduced an effort to protect military and law enforcement personnel from potential pay lapses as the federal shutdown stretches on.
The Strengthening Homeland Security, Intelligence, and Essential Law... Read More »
Representatives of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) spoke at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and CES Government 2019 in Los Vegas about technology innovations related to first responders.
FirstNet members took part in panel discussions or were keynote speakers on... Read More »
Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Robin Kelly (D-IL) re-introduced legislation that would encourage a more victim-centered approach to combat human trafficking.
The Reducing the Demand for Human Trafficking Act (H.R.467) would provide greater protections for trafficking victims as well as seek out... Read More »
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) has reintroduced the Help Ensure Legal Detainers (HELD) Act, which seeks to prevent criminal illegal immigrants from being released back into communities.
The bill would require state and localities to adhere to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers, per... Read More »
The Madariaga virus (MADV), which was initially contained primarily to animals in South and Central America, was identified in eight children in Haiti in 2015 and 2016.
The report, published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, said the symptoms in those children most closely mirrored those of... Read More »
BAE Systems recently said it intends to sign a lease to open an office at the new Georgia Cyber Center.
The office will allow the company to be near key customers and to take advantage of the city’s highly skilled workforce.
The center is located on the Nathan Deal Campus for Innovation in... Read More »
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced last week a bill that would allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state with concealed carry laws.
The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would not allow concealed carry in... Read More »
