Science & Tech

The hardest part of FAR reform is culture, not the rules

Kevin Rhodes, head of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, wants the federal acquisition workforce to take risks and engage more openly with industry.

Science & Tech

NASA and Microsoft finalize tool to track Earth’s water changes

The space agency will host the Microsoft and OpenAI-powered Earth Copilot to make analyzing hydraulic data easier.

Science & Tech

Space Force Special Operations Command? Congress has questions, too

The service defended its need for a SOCOM component. Defense experts said it’s redundant.

Science & Tech

Leidos wins $455M Air Force cloud architecture job

This piece of the service branch's Cloud One Next initiative concentrates on access to cloud computing services via automated, on-demand and self-service means.

Science & Tech

KBR wins $350M USGS satellite support recompete

The U.S. Geological Survey uses this contract to acquire resources for its centralized imagery sharing hub.

Science & Tech

Congress supports bare minimum on Navy’s F/A-XX, while fully backing Air Force’s F-47

Appropriators and other lawmakers have pushed for the Navy’s next-gen fighter, but the latest NDAA offers only enough to keep the nascent program warm.

Science & Tech

DOD’s move to ‘wartime footing’ demands new contracting models

The Pentagon's leader for industrial policy says the acquisition regulation overhaul will create openings for artificial intelligence-enabled service models and drive a move away from traditional contracts.

Science & Tech

The awful arithmetic of our wars

If we don't figure out a way to fight far more cheaply, we won’t be able to afford to win a single battle.

Science & Tech

Counter-drone warfare at scale? Army demo shows it’s getting closer

In just a few days, Project Flytrap stood up a defensive network in northern Germany.

Science & Tech

The military's acquisition reform push means 85% ready is good enough to start

Speaking Tuesday at an event hosted by our Defense One colleagues, a panel of industry executives highlight tradeoffs the Pentagon and companies have to think through under that new construct.

Science & Tech

Voyager acquires rocket motor, energetics supplier

Estes Energetics is the U.S.’ only producer of military-grade black powder, a key ingredient for the onshore integration and assembly of defense systems that the Pentagon wants more of.

Science & Tech

Army scraps PEOs in bid to streamline procurement, requirements processes

Big defense contractors have “conned” services into believing they need bespoke systems, the Army secretary said.

Science & Tech

York Space Systems files for public offering

Founded in 2012 by CEO Dirk Wallinger, this small satellite maker is looking to capture a similar type of investor interest that Firefly Aerospace and Voyager Technologies received in their IPOs.

Science & Tech

Shutdown’s end just the beginning as contractors face months-long recovery

The Professional Services Council estimates full recovery will not arrive until mid-March as agencies grapple with invoice backlogs, stalled payments and restarting contracts.

Science & Tech

MetTel modernizes GSA networks under $230M EIS order

Work included zero-trust architecture to improve security and low-earth orbit satellites to increase connectivity in and from remote locations.

Science & Tech

Intuitive Machines looks beyond the Moon with $800M acquisition

Intuitive Machines is buying Lanteris Space Systems, the former Maxar Space Systems, to bring in more satellite manufacturing heft that can complement the data and services offerings.

Science & Tech

Anduril's drone wingman makes first flight, following software delays

The neoprime contractor lagged behind General Atomics for the inaugural CCA flight test.