March 28, 2024

China’s AI Expertise Threatens US, Europe

AI

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River Morning Coffee logoeconomic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

US and Europe must find parallel AI tracks to counterbalance Beijing’s technological ambitions, reports Politico. But allies do not agree on regulations impacting civil liberties. Europe will soon propose strict AI regulations while the US, home to the world’s leading AI developers, chose voluntary guidelines shaped in part by industry.

A congressionally mandated artificial intelligence report warns China “possesses the might, talent, and ambition” to topple the US as the global AI leader, reports C4ISRNET, and calls for billions of dollars of US investment. The 756-page final report from the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, required by the ’19 NDAA, makes hundreds of recommendations to get the DoD “AI-ready” by 2025 as the US tries to stay ahead of China in the development of artificial intelligence capabilities.

The US is now using artificial intelligence to detect the threats in the North American airspace that previously slipped its notice, reports C4ISRNET. The new capability, named Pathfinder, fuses data from military, commercial, and government sensors to create a common operating picture for North American Aerospace Defense Command and US Northern Command.

Singapore is testing AI-driven, unmanned surface vessels for round-the-clock maritime patrols in the congested and strategic  port at the southern end of the Straits of Malacca into the South China Sea where the bulk of the world’s maritime trade passes. The Republic of Singapore Navy intends to field four USVs in the surveillance role.

A $125 million military aid package is headed for Ukraine, the first of its kind under the Biden administration, reports Defense News. The funds are from the Foreign Military Financing program which requires procurement of American-made defense systems. This package includes two Mark VI patrol boats produced by SAFE Boats International, bringing Ukraine’s fleet to eight vessels.

FCW reports, the potentially lethal breach of a Florida water treatment plant last month was caused by a desktop sharing app and outdated operating system no longer receiving security updates. Lawmakers are now questioning what entities govern cybersecurity at water utilities and changes needed before a future attack succeeds in harming the public.

Reuters reports Volvo’s entire car lineup will be fully electric by 2030. The Chinese-owned company joins a growing number of carmakers planning to phase out fossil-fuel engines by the end of this decade.

A bill reintroduced in the Senate would dramatically expand disability benefits for veterans injured in combat, reports Military.com. The Major Richard Star Act would allow veterans who served less than 20 years before being medically retired due to combat-related injuries to receive both disability compensation and full retirement pay. Currently, only military retirees with at least 20 years of service and a disability rating of at least 50% can collect both benefits in their entirety.

 

 

Army scientists have teamed with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and others to build a monitor that would detect COVID-19 proteins in the air, reports Army Times.

The military’s support of coronavirus vaccination efforts across the United States has grown to 17 teams with medical personnel and support staff, reports Stars and Stripes.

Once the FDA grants full approval, the military may revisit making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory, reports Military.com.

The virus did not bring the financial rout that many states feared, reports The New York Times, and provides a map of the state-by-state impacts.

Iran used commercial satellite images to monitor its attack on the Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq, which launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles at US and coalition forces. C4ISRNET attributes that detail to a 60 Minute report on Iran’s Jan. 7, 2020 attack  in retaliation for the US assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of attacking an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman, but without offering any evidence of the claim, reports Fox News. A mysterious explosion on the ship increased security concerns in the region.

The Navy handed a $33 million contract to Raytheon for its small, Coyote UAV, configured as loitering munitions, also known as “suicide drones,” reports the Drive. The Coyotes would support development of unmanned surface and underwater platforms  to launch drone swarms. Typically loitering munitions allow an operator to “see”  what the drone sees, allowing fine adjustments in the terminal phase of flight.

Two European companies and a Middle Eastern defense firm hope to co-develop high-energy laser weapons systems able to destroy drones, reports Defense News. Electronic warfare and intelligence specialist SIGN4L, a subsidiary of Emirati defense industry conglomerate Edge, signed a memorandum of understanding with European missile-maker MBDA and French firm CILAS, a subsidiary of Ariane Group.

China appears to be moving faster toward a capability to launch its newer nuclear missiles from underground silos, possibly to improve its ability to respond promptly to a nuclear attack,reports Military Times.

Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subpanel, Jon Tester (D-MT), is open to targeted cuts, not across-the-boar cuts to the DoD budget and reiterated support for modernizing intercontinental ballistic missiles, reports Defense News.

Contracts:

22nd Century Technologies Inc., McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0003); Accenture Federal Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0004); Advanced Systems Development Inc., Falls Church, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0005); Agile Defense Inc., Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0006); AT&T Corp., Columbia, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0007); BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0008); Buchanan & Edwards, Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0009); BIA, Annapolis Junction, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0010); Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0011); CACI, Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0012), CGI Federal Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0013); Data Systems Analysts Inc., Trevose, Pennsylvania (HHM402-21-D-0014); Deloitte, Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0015); GDIT, Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0016); Illuminate Mission Solutions, Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0017); IndraSoft Inc., Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0018); Intrepid Solutions and Services LLC, Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0019); Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tennessee (HHM402-21-D-0020); Leidos, Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0021); M.C. Dean Inc., Tysons, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0022); ManTech, Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0023); MetroStar, Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0024); NGSC, Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0025); Novetta Inc., McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0026); Octo Consulting Group Inc., Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0027); Parsons Government Services Inc., Pasadena, California (HHM402-21-D-0028); Perspecta Enterprise Solutions LLC, Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0029); SAIC, Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0030); Smartronix LLC, Hollywood, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0031); Solutions By Design II LLC, Vienna, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0032); SOS International LLC, Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0033); Business Integra Technology Solutions Inc., Bethesda, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0034); TELESIS Corp., McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0035); The Buffalo Group LLC, Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0036); Trowbridge & Trowbridge LLC, McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0037); UGROUP, Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0038); WWTAS, Annapolis Junction, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0039); 1CyberForce LLC,* Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0040); Actionable Solutions Group,* Springfield, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0041); Aderas Inc.,* Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0042); AEEC,* Reston Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0043); Alpha Omega Integration LLC,* Vienna, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0044); AnaVation LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0045); AOC Connect LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0046); Armedia LLC,* Vienna, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0047); ASIRTek Federal Services LLC,* San Antonio, Texas (HHM402-21-D-0048); AttainX Inc.,* Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0049); Bowhead Total Enterprise Solutions LLC,* Springfield, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0050); Braxton-Grant Technologies Inc.,* Hanover, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0051); BridgePhase, LLC/Team BridgePhase,* Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0052); Castalia,* Tampa, Florida (HHM402-21-D-0053); Cedge Software Consultants,* St. Louis, Missouri (HHM402-21-D-0054); cFocus Software Inc.,* Largo, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0055); Choisys Technology Inc.,* Ashburn, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0056); CKA LLC,* Sterling, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0057); Clear Avenue LLC,* Columbia, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0058); Competitive Range Solutions LLC,* Chicago, Illinois (HHM402-21-D-0059); Creative IT Solutions LLC,* Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (HHM402-21-D-0060); Cyber and Engineering Excellence Solutions JV,* Pomfret, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0061); CyberPeak Innovations LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0062); DAN Solutions Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0063); Data Intelligence Technologies Inc.,* Washington D.C. (HHM402-21-D-0064); Datastrong LLC,* Fairfax, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0065); Derivative LLC,* Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0066); DigiFlight Inc.,* Columbia, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0067); Diverse Systems Group LLC,* Bethesda, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0068); DKW Communications Inc.,* Washington D.C. (HHM402-21-D-0069); Dynamo-VariQ JV,* Vienna, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0070); Dynanet Corp.,* Elkridge, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0071); Edgewater Federal Solutions Inc.,* Frederick, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0072); EnDepth Solutions LLC,* Columbia, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0073); Enhanced Veterans Solutions Inc.,* Fairfax, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0074); Epsilon Inc.,* Weaverville, North Carolina (HHM402-21-D-0075); E-volve Technology Systems Inc.,* National Harbor, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0076); Expression Networks LLC,* Washington D.C. (HHM402-21-D-0077); Federated IT Inc.,* Washington D.C. (HHM402-21-D-0078); Fortem Services Group LLC,* Vienna, Virginia. (HHM402-21-D-0079); Full Visibility LLC,* Vienna, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0080); Fusion Technology LLC,* Bridgeport, West Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0081); Futron Inc.,* Woodbridge, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0082); GCubed Enterprises Inc.,* Stafford, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0083); George Consulting Ltd.,* Charleston, South Carolina (HHM402-21-D-0084); Graham Technologies LLC,* Largo, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0085); Halvik Corp.,* Vienna, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0086); Highlight Technologies LLC,* Fairfax, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0087); HPI Solutions LLC,* Omaha, Nebraska (HHM402-21-D-0088); Intelligent Innovations Group,* Lorton, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0089); Imperative Critical Infrastructure Protection LLC,* Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0090); IMPRES Technology Solutions Inc.,* Santa Fe Springs, California (HHM402-21-D-0091); Information Management Group Inc.,* Fairfax, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0092); Information Technology Strategy,* Dulles, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0093); iNovex Information Systems Inc.,* Columbia, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0094); Integrated Computer Solutions Inc.,* Montgomery, Alabama (HHM402-21-D-0095); InterImage Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0096); Invictus International Consulting LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0097); IPT Associates LLC,* Burlington, Massachusetts (HHM402-21-D-0098); iSenpai, LLC,* McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0099); ISPA Technology LLC,* Lithia, Florida (HHM402-21-D-0100); IT Concepts Inc.,* Vienna, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0101); Kingfisher Systems Inc.,* Falls Church, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0102); Lentech Inc.,* Albuquerque, New Mexico (HHM402-21-D-0103); Manta Group LLC,* Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0104); MicroTech,* Tysons, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0105); Navitas Business Consulting Inc.,* Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0106); Netorian,* Aberdeen, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0107); New River Systems Corp.,* Ashburn, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0108); Nisga’a Data Systems LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0109); NOVA-Dine LLC,* Scottsdale, Arizona (HHM402-21-D-0110); NucoreVision Inc.,* Lanham, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0111); Obsidian Solutions Group,* Fredericksburg, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0112); Occam Solutions Inc.,* Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0113); Paradyme Management Inc.,* Greenbelt, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0114); Patriot LLC,* Columbia, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0115); Plus3 IT Systems LLC,* Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0116); Probity Inc.,* Herndon, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0117); Pueo Prescient Edge,* McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0118); Quadrint Inc.,* Falls Church, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0119); Red Arch Solutions Inc.,* Columbia, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0120); RIVA Solutions Inc.,* McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0121); RTL Networks Inc.,* Placentia, California (HHM402-21-D-0122); Salience Technologies LLC,* McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0123); Secure Innovations LLC,* Columbia, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0124); Seneca Telecommunications LLC,* Salamanca, New York (HHM402-21-D-0125); SHINE Systems LLC,* Charlottesville, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0126); SHR Consulting Group LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0127); SNA International LLC/Team SNA,* Alexandria, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0128); SOFTEK FEDITC LLC,* Piscataway, New Jersey (HHM402-21-D-0129); Spathe Systems LLC,* Tampa, Florida (HHM402-21-D-0130); Spiral Solutions & Technologies Inc./Team Spiral,* Bellevue, Nebraska (HHM402-21-D-0131); Spry Methods Inc.,* McLean, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0132); Storage Strategies Inc.,* Manassas Park, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0133); SydanTech LLC,* Bethesda, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0134); Synertex LLC,* Purcellville, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0135); Systems Plus Inc.,* Rockville, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0136); TEAM IMTAS,* Arlington, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0137); Team LTG (LinTech Global Inc.),* Farmington Hills, Michigan (HHM402-21-D-0138); Technical and Management Resources Inc.,* Fairfax, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0139); TekSynap Corp.,* Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0140); TENICA and Associates LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0141); Veteran’s First LLC/Team Veteran’s First,* Fairfax, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0142); Vexterra Group,* Reston, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0143); Volant Associates LLC,* Chantilly, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0144); Webworld Technologies Inc.,* Fairfax, Virginia (HHM402-21-D-0145); and Yahya Technologies LLC,* Annapolis Junction, Maryland (HHM402-21-D-0146), were awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts under the Solutions for Information Technology Enterprise (SITE III) contract vehicle with a combined ceiling value of $12,600,000,000. This SITE III contract will address the evolving needs vital to the security of the U.S. and facilitates worldwide coverage for integrated information technology intelligence requirements and technical support services to the Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Work will be performed at contractor facilities and at government facilities in multiple locations in the continental U.S. and overseas with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2031. The SITE III contract has been awarded through competitive acquisition and 146 offers were received. 107 of the 144 awardees are small businesses. All 144 contractors will compete for task orders of the following contract types: firm fixed-price, cost-plus incentive-fee, cost-plus award-fee, and time and materials or labor hour. The Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Leave A Comment