KickStart …
Got Your Back
Monday, April 12,
2021
Above the Fold
•
Biden’s flat / bloated /dangerous / skinny
defense budget
•
First flight of Mars UAV delayed till at
least Wednesday
•
Next year, today will be Yuri’s Night
•
All Hands on Deck: Next Navy graduation is open to public
Local
State
of Alabama awarded $22 million grant
...Kay
Ivey has awarded more than $22 million dollars to help Alabamians who are
suffering from homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless because of the
pandemic.
Day
2: Amazon defeated the union in Alabama, but did it win on the larger stage?
...the
process put a harsh spotlight on labor practices in the tech giant’s
fulfillment centers,
Companies, Contracts & Characters
CACI
wins $700M DHS contract for national security investigations
...a
potential five-year, $700 million multiple-award Blanket Purchase Agreement
(BPA) from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide national
security investigations to the department.
...as
Orbis looks to establish a position in the national security market.
Nikon
snaps up Boeing-backed supplier of 3D-printed satellite parts
...acquired
a controlling stake in U.S. startup Morf3D, an aerospace supplier that has
produced 3D-printed metallic flight hardware for Boeing satellites and
helicopters.
Private
equity firm GI Partners plans to buy Orbcomm in $1.1 billion deal
...deal
comes shortly after Orbcomm wrapped up two years of financial optimization
efforts, following a series of its own acquisitions to expand in the industrial
internet-connected device and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications market.
Palantir Technologies Stock
Could Fall 17%
...after
IPO, it went up 140% …so there's that
Aviation
Acting
Navy secretary visits Sikorsky as Congressional delegation touts progress
...on
schedule to deliver the next generation presidential helicopter later this
year.
Defence
mulls Black Hawk disposal strategy
...Aircraft
are expected to come up for disposal between July 2021 and December 2022, when
the final Black Hawk is expected to be retired.
South
Korea unveils prototype of homegrown KF-X fighter jet
...the
twin-engine jet KF-21 Boramae was showcased during a rollout ceremony at the
headquarters of Korea Aerospace Industries.
--- UAV
NASA
awards contract for communicationless coordination of robotic swarms
...a
Massachusetts-based custom software development firm, and Arizona State
University (ASU) are pleased to announce they have been awarded a Small
Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract by the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA).
International
US
adds Chinese supercomputer centers to export blacklist
...restricted
trade with top Chinese supercomputing centers, saying that Beijing's growing
efforts in the field could have military uses that pose dangers.
US
Blacklists China's Phytium for Making Missiles Using Western Tech
...Phytium
used American EDA tools to design chips that were manufactured by Taiwan
Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) for use in a supercomputer which
simulated the performance of DF-17 hypersonic missiles that China rolled out at
its 2019 October 1 National Day parade
US carrier strike group, amphibious warships massed in South
China Sea as regional tensions simmer
...Theodore
Roosevelt CSG and the Makin Island ARG – with the 15th Marine Expeditionary
Unit embarked – are drilling in the South China Sea
7 allies sign onto polar research project
...adopted
a new agreement to understand the Earh's changing pola environments
Sweden
clings to its non-NATO status amid substantial defense budget boost
...the
government’s calculus to remain outside NATO and seek other avenues for defense
cooperation instead, the country’s defense minister said this week.
Turkey confirms US destroyers are headed for the Black Sea amid
Russia-Ukraine crisis
...Two
U.S. Navy destroyers will enter the Black Sea as a Russian military buildup
around eastern Ukraine continues to grow.
--- North Korea
Bolton:
North Korea Unlikely to Denuclearize Under Kim
...has
not made a strategic decision to give up nuclear weapons and the prospects for
efforts to achieve denuclearization through diplomacy remain dim
Defense
--- Defense Executives / Strategy
JAIC director: With flat budgets, turn to AI to save money
...Lt.
Gen. Michael Groen, leader of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center,
promoted the efficiencies of AI, particularly for business systems, on the same
day the Biden administration announced a topline defense budget proposal
of $715 billion
Admiral:
Artificial Intelligence Will Be A Wingman, Not a Lead
...human
decision makers must always be part of the decision process in warfighting
--- Defense Budget
Biden's
$715B Defense Ask: Higher Than Expected, Lower than Trump's Plan
...“Skinny
budget” announcement hints at cuts to troop levels and existing weapons.
Biden
requests $715B for Pentagon, hinting at administration’s future priorities
...A
more detailed budget is expected in May or June, although that is not expected
to include reliable numbers for the Future Years Defense Program, or FYDP,
projections.
Biden’s
defense budget will meet ‘traffic jam’ in Congress
...Pentagon
spending, policy and nominations will be jostling for attention in a busy
Congress.
Joe
Biden's Defense Budget Is Great...for Russia and China
...Obama-era
defense cuts crippled America’s ability to keep up with our adversaries.
Further cuts will only further erode the U.S. military’s ability to deter
increasing threats from China and Russia.
Biden
Proposes Major Spending Boost for Civilian Agencies in Fiscal 2022
...requesting
a 16% increase in non-defense discretionary funding to harness the government's
power to solve multiple crises.
After COVID, are billions in biodefense funds needed to deter
US adversaries?
...The
report calls for doubling the agency’s funding “to at least $2 billion in the
next year,” followed by increasing it to a range of $6.5 billion to $7 billion
annually in the coming years.
--- Defense Infrastructure
USAF assesses damage from destructive winter storms
...caused
more than $4 million in damage to Air Force Global Strike Command bases, with
28 total Air Force installations impacted by the weather earlier this year.
--- Defense Intelligence
The
Intelligence Community’s Deadly Bias Toward Classified Sources
...willful
blindness to publicly available information is hurting national security.
--- Ground Pounder
Army's precision grenadier program is about to face its first
real test
...AFC,
will soon decide whether weapons officials will get another shot at equipping
infantry squads with a precision airburst weapon for killing enemy forces
hiding behind cover.
Military pay and readiness won’t be hurt by flat defense budget
plan, White House promises
...represents
a 1.6 percent increase in spending from fiscal 2021 but would amount to a
decrease of about 0.4 percent when inflation is factored in.
Video
shows police draw weapons, pepper spray unarmed Army officer in uniform
...“I'm
honestly afraid to get out," the soldier says. "Yeah, you should be,”
replied the officer.
8 surprising medical conditions that could bar you from service
...braces,
acne, too large…
--- Veterans
VA to see another big spending boost under Biden’s first budget
plan
...more
money for suicide prevention, homelessness assistance programs
and toxic exposure research.
3M military earplugs blamed for hearing loss in largest set of
U.S. suits
...First
trial is under way in Florida as company rebuts allegations from more than
200,000 service members and veterans that it sold defective products
...a
bill that would require the Government Accountability Office to investigate the
involuntary discharge of thousands of women from military service from the
1950s to the 1970s
POW/MIA flag moved back atop White House
...was
moved to a different location on the White House grounds during the Trump
administration
Ray Lambert, D-Day survivor, WWII torch bearer, dies at 100
... the
Army medic who survived multiple wounds on D-Day and was saluted by a president
on the World War II battle’s 75th anniversary, died on Friday.
--- Homeland Defense
Pence pleaded with acting defense secretary to ‘clear the
Capitol,’ timeline of riot shows
...Elsewhere
in the building, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi were making a similarly dire appeal to military leaders, asking the Army
to deploy the National Guard.
--- ISIS / Sandbox
Positive
atmosphere, little progress in Iran nuclear talks
...without
any immediate signs of progress on the thorny issues dividing Washington and
Tehran, but with delegates talking of a constructive atmosphere and resolving
to continue the discussions.
US
put forward 'very serious' ideas to Iran on reviving nuclear deal: official
...on
how to revive a nuclear deal during talks in Vienna but is waiting for Iran to
show the same "seriousness," a US official said Friday.
--- Directed Energy
Raytheon
awarded $15.5 million to upgrade laser weapon
...Raytheon
has been rapidly prototyping its high-energy laser weapon system, or HELWS, for
the military since 2019, when the Air Force Research Laboratory awarded the
company a $23.8 million contract for two prototypes. Later that year the
company secured another $13.1 million for a third prototype.
--- Sea Power
The Navy has fired 4 commanding officers so far this year
...Dawley
was fired just one day after Rear Adm. Trent DeMoss was relieved of overseeing
Fleet Readiness Centers amid an investigation into an accusation that he
committed sexual harassment.
The Navy fought sleep with Benzedrine and strong coffee. Now
it’s trying a new approach
...a
“culture shift” that recognizes adequate sleep as “a key component of
readiness,” not an impediment. It recommended improvements in work schedules
and battle plans, as well as the use of specialists known as “sleep trainers,”
wearable sleep trackers, and behavioral counseling to ensure service members
get enough shut-eye.
China’s navy has more ships than the US. Does that matter?
... slated
to have 360 battle force ships by the end of 2020, dwarfing the U.S. fleet of
297 ships.
Hey,
UFOs that keep buzzing Navy ships: Are you from China?
...Don’t
get me wrong, it would be neat if the unidentified zoomies that swarmed the
destroyer USS Kidd and other ships in 2019 were controlled by beings from a
galaxy far, far away. However, I’m much more interested if they use Huawei
Technologies
--- Space Defense
U.S.
intelligence report predicts heightened space competition between U.S. and
China
...Global
Trends 2040 predicts governments will routinely conduct on-orbit servicing,
assembly and manufacturing activities
Coming
soon: China's space war against the US
...The
US must deter China or any other foe from enacting a 'Space Pearl Harbor'
Space
Systems Command geared to deliver swift, responsive space capabilities
...SSC
will rapidly identify, prototype, and field innovative, space-based solutions
to deliver swift and responsive space capabilities to meet the demands of the
National Defense Strategy.
Space
Force to establish a new command to oversee technology development and
acquisition
...pending
the nomination and Senate confirmation of a three-star commander.
Aerospace
---NASA
Biden
proposes 6.3% boost for NASA in budget proposal
...is
seeking $24.7 billion for NASA in his 2022 budget released Friday, boosting
funding for the agency's Artemis program as well as weather and climate
efforts.
---Space
Biz
Space
Tech Industry Day a convergence of research, business
...will
offer a glimpse into how space will be explored in the years to come during the
inaugural Space Tech Industry Day, a virtual symposium hosted by Cornell on
Friday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lockheed
Martin makes block buy of launches from ABL Space Systems
...a
contract with small launch vehicle developer ABL Space Systems for as many as
58 launches over the next decade, a deal potentially worth several hundred
million dollars.
Germany’s
space agency selects Lockheed Martin’s traffic management software
...The
German Space Agency at DLR — which operates the German space situational
awareness center along with the German Air Force — selected Lockheed Martin’s
iSpace, a system that is used by the U.S. military, U.S. intelligence agencies
and the government of Australia.
--- Space Junk
Exolaunch
entering orbital debris market with eco-friendly space tugs
...developing
a line of eco-friendly space tugs called Reliant, designed to clean up debris
after sending satellites to custom orbits.
---Space
Exploration
On
This Day in Space! April 12, 1961: Yuri Gagarin becomes 1st human in space
...Yuri's
night is upon us
A
new documentary highlights the visionary behind space settlement
...an
excellent film for those seeking to better understand the future humans could
have in outer space.
--- Moon Exploration
General
Atomics wins DARPA contract to develop nuclear reactor to power missions to the
moon
...a
$22 million contract to General Atomics to design a small nuclear reactor for
space propulsion
--- Mars Exploration
NASA
delays first flight of Mars helicopter
...was
set for Sunday but is now on hold until at least April 14.
--- Space Craft
Rocket
Lab to recover Electron Booster on next mission
...will
attempt to bring a rocket back from space, slowing the Electron launch vehicle
down from speeds of >Mach 8 as it re-enter's Earth's atmosphere before
splashing the rocket down in the ocean.
--- International Space Station
NASA
Astronaut, Two Russian Cosmonauts Arrives Safely at ISS
...(ISS)
welcomed NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and two Russian cosmonauts on Friday,
taking the total number of occupants to ten for the coming week.
Cyber
'Suspicious'
blackout strikes Iran nuke site...
...they
call it 'nuclear terrorism'
Education
Naval Academy to hold graduation ceremony in person this year
...scheduled
for May 28, Annapolis Maryland
Technology / Trends
Microsoft's
new cooling system dunks data servers in boiling liquid
...The
electronics are actually immersed in a vat of liquid, which wicks away the heat
they produce while running. This liquid has a low boiling point of just 50 °C
(122 °F), so it doesn’t take long for it to bubble away.
MIT
system allows robo-starfish to be created in hours, not weeks
...a
machine-learning-based simulation system which is intended to greatly accelerate
the development process. Based on the scientists' requirements, that system
produced a computer model illustrating how such a robot could be constructed,
and how it would swim.
--- Science!
Scientists
achieve single-photon imaging over 200km
...China's
"almost "heroic" attempt at single photon lidar imaging at very
long distances."
BioTech
3D-printed
bioreactor allows scientists to watch tiny brains grow
...could
help medical researchers develop new disease therapies and test experimental
drugs
Society
Is Not Ready to Make Human Brains
...the
future ethical implications of this research with regards to brain organoids, a
laboratory-made structure that is designed to grow and behave like the brain.
...intricately
associated with the neuropathology of familial Alzheimer's disease
Microbe
discovered in evolutionary stasis for millions of years
...The
discovery could have significant implications for biotechnology applications
and scientific understanding of microbial evolution.
Protein
bath helps "recellularize" organs for safer transplants
...An
emerging technique reduces that risk by stripping the donor cells out of the
donor organ and replacing them with the recipient’s own, and now a new study
has added an extra step to make that process more effective.
Big
beats: Gorilla chest thumps 'signal' body size
..."In
other words, chest beats are an honest signal of body size in mountain
gorillas,"
Rise
of the 'robo-plants', as scientists fuse nature with tech
...The
scientists used the technology to trigger a Venus flytrap to snap its jaws shut
at the push of a button on a smartphone app.
--- COVID
Military
programs aiming to end pandemics forever
...Dr.
Matt Hepburn: If we wanna say we can never let this happen again, we're gonna
have to go even faster next time.
Nearly 40% of Marines have declined Covid-19 vaccine
...orresponding
acceptance rate for vaccinations among Marines -- 61.1% -- is not far off the
military estimate of two-thirds, or about 66%
The
warning signs of a longer pandemic
...as
variants of the virus cause new outbreaks and infect more children, the U.S. is
also getting a preview of what the future could hold if our vaccination push
loses steam — as experts fear it soon might.
Networking
4/13 1200:
Federal Procurement: Success
Stories and Panel Discussion
[Virtual]
4/13 Shrove Tuesday / Carnival
4/14 0900:
Comprehensive Review of CMMC Level 3.
[Virtual]
4/14 Assured PNT Summit -
Alexandria, VA
4/15 AIAA Design/Build/Fly [Virtual]
4/15 Multi Agency DC Virtual Tech Industry
Day [Virtual]
4/16 0815:
IGNITE - Small Business Fundamentals
[Virtual]
4/16 1730:
PMI Project Management Excellence Awards Dinner (In Person) -
Jackson Center
So, if you’ve got the time and inclination, drop me a line and let me know what you are thinking about.
If you’ve got time to sit down for a cup of coffee, I’m usually out and making rounds the afternoons of Tues, Thurs, and Friday
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Hugh Stanley
(c) 256 612 7814
KickStart Group
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HSVKickStart