Sponsored by Spectra Group
https://spectra-group.co.uk/
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12 Aug 21. US Army Futures Command outlines next five years of AI needs. US Army Futures Command has outlined 11 broad areas of artificial intelligence research it’s interested in over the next five years, with an emphasis on data analysis, autonomous systems, security and decision-making assistance.
The broad agency announcement from the Austin, Texas-based command comes as the service and the Defense Department work to connect sensors and shooters across the battlefield. Artificial intelligence will be key in that effort by analyzing data and assisting commanders in the decision-making process.
The announcement, released by the command’s Artificial Intelligence Integration Center, said the service is “particularly” interested in AI research of autonomous ground and air platforms, “which must operate in open, urban and cluttered environments.” The document specifically asks for research into technologies that allow for robots or autonomous systems to move in urban, contested environments, as well as technologies that reduce the electromagnetic profile of the systems. It also wants to know more about AI that can sense obscure targets and understand terrain obstacles.
The document identifies several needs pertaining to data analysis over the next five years. The Army is interested in human-machine interfacing research and needs additional research in ways it can predict an adversary’s intent and behavior on the battlefield. In the same category, the Army wants to be able to fuse data from disparate sources and have analytical capabilities to “exploit” classified and unclassified sources to make “enhanced” intelligence products.
The Army also wants to be able to combine human insight with machine analysis and develop improved ways of “efficiently” conveying analytics results to humans.
“The Army is interested in AI/ML research in areas which can reduce the cognitive burden on humans and improve overall performance through human-machine teaming,” the announcement read.
Similarly, the Army needs more research over the next five years into how to better display data to humans. Data must be presented clearly to users — through charts or graphs, for example — so they can understand what the information means.
“The Army is interested in research that enables improved situational awareness and the visualization and navigation of large data sets to enhance operational activities and training and readiness,” the announcement read. Along that same vein, the service is also seeking novel ways of visualizing sensor data and large data sets with multiple sources.
The service also wants more research into AI for sensing on the battlefield, including detecting people, equipment and weapons, even when obscured. It wants to sense these targets based on “physical, behavioral, cyber or other signatures.” Additionally, the Army wants AI-enabled sensors and processors that can detect chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats.
Network and communications security is another area in which the Army wants more research. The service is seeking more research into autonomous network defense and AI-based approaches to offensive cyber capabilities. It also wants novel cyber protection technologies and methods.
Additionally, to prepare for potential GPS-denied environments of the future, the Army is interested in research into algorithms and techniques to fuse sources of position, navigation and timing to provide “robust” capabilities.
The Internet of Things, or the massive network of devices connected to the internet, presents more artificial intelligence needs for the Army. According to the solicitation, the service is interested in AI research into “new approaches to enable secure, resilient, and automatically managed IoT networks in highly complex, mixed cooperative/adversarial, information-centric environments.”
“The Army needs to better integrate a wide range of capabilities and equipment and capitalize on commercial developments in industrial and human IoT,” the solicitation said. (Source: Defense News)
11 Aug 21. T‑Mobile and The Drone Racing League Launch First 5G‑Enabled Drone. As part of a broad-reaching partnership to advance 5G-powered drone technology, T-Mobile, America’s 5G leader, and The Drone Racing League (DRL), the global, professional drone racing property, launched their first 5G-enabled drone. This is one of the first racing drones in the world to have an embedded 5G module capable of live streaming video directly to the Internet. The drone will bring sports fans closer to the action than ever, streaming high-definition, immersive First Person View (FPV) race footage to broadcasters via T-Mobile’s 5G wireless network, America’s largest, fastest and most reliable.
This week the drone lifts off for its first public flight at the T-Mobile-sponsored MLB At Field of Dreams Presented by GEICO in Dyersville, Iowa, giving baseball fans unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the iconic ballpark and movie site with exclusive first-person views captured over the T-Mobile 5G network in high-definition video. The 5G drone will take fans on a flight across the cornfields to the movie set to see the house and original ballfield, then on to the MLB field where the long-awaited Field of Dreams Game will be played.
“Drones are one of the most compelling use cases for 5G and we’re working towards a future where all drones will eventually be 5G-connected – that’s why we’ve teamed up with DRL, to fuel this innovation,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “With the power of T-Mobile’s 5G network, we’re empowering innovators to completely reimagine virtually every industry and customer experience – from sports entertainment to disaster recovery, to parcel delivery and beyond.”
“The Drone Racing League is a perfect case study for showcasing the benefits of T-Mobile 5G wireless technology with our high-speed racing drones. Our fans love innovation and discovering how new technology is developed, and we know our 5G-enabled drone will get them excited about new ways they will be able to experience the immersive thrill of professional drone racing,” said DRL President Rachel Jacobson.
Throughout DRL’s 2021-22 Season, the 5G magenta drone will fly at DRL and T-Mobile events, capturing and sharing immersive content. Ahead of DRL events, the drone will soar around the course, filming exclusive previews of the complex, three-dimensional race tracks for fans tuning in on broadcast.
This new 5G-enabled drone is built to redefine sports entertainment, capturing exhilarating, crisp video footage. The drone has a dual FPV and HD streaming camera system, 5s lipo battery setup for extended flight time, and over 2,400g of thrust, enabling it to film incredible content through mile-long courses while flying over 60 MPH. In its next phase of development, the 5G module will connect the drone’s command and control functions to enable flight over T-Mobile 5G.
With 5G connectivity, this drone is designed to elevate the competition of professional drone racing in the future. DRL Pilots currently fly via analog radio transmissions for lower latency which sacrifices crisp quality footage in their goggles. As technical development of the drone advances, the speed, capacity, and low latency of T-Mobile’s 5G network will enable pilots to see instant high-quality and crisp FPV footage, enhancing their flying abilities. It will also enable fans to experience mesmerizing FPV clips on their mobile devices, giving them the sensation that they are flying inside the drone in real-time. (Source: UAS VISION)
11 Aug 21. US Army awards $774m encryption device contract. The U.S. Army chose Sierra Nevada Corp. and General Dynamics Mission Systems to build its next-generation encryption device that will secure the joint force’s future tactical network, the service announced Wednesday. The two companies will participate in the development, production and sustainment of the Next Generation Load Device-Medium, a cryptography tool to secure the service’s network from adversaries’ cyber and electronic warfare threats. The contract, worth up to $774.2m over 10 years, was awarded by Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications-Tactical.
The advanced cryptology device that will replace the Army’s legacy Simple Key Loader devices. The new capability will allow network managers to reconfigure cryptographic products, remotely download new software and improve operational environment awareness, according to a PEO C3T press release.
“The NGLD-M will enable delivery of the strongest NSA-generated cryptographic keys to tactical, strategic, and enterprise network systems operating from secret to the highest levels of security classification,” said Paul Mehney, communications director for PEO C3T. “Through over-the-air capability, modern cryptographic algorithms will be transferred by NGLD-M to counter the threats posed by increased proliferation of adversarial cyber and electronic warfare.”
The vendors will share an initial $74 m award for development and low-rate initial production, scheduled for fiscal 2024 along with an operational test.
Full-rate production of the encryption device will begin in fiscal 2025 with up to 265,000 products fielded. Once in production, the loaders will be available by units across the services, federal government and foreign military partners. The Army expects to stick with its multivendor approach through the production process and could add vendors in the future as industry capabilities mature, Mehney said.
“NGLD-M will be the biggest materiel change in cryptographic key delivery in twenty years,” Michael Badger, product lead communications security, said in a statement. “It will transform COMSEC both in the strength of keys NGLD-M can handle and in the security of its delivery mechanisms.”
The release of the NGLD-M request for proposals was delayed last summer after the Army decided to adjust its acquisition strategy. The RFP was released in November. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
11 Aug 21. NTT Launches First Globally Available Private 5G Network-as-a-Service Platform. NTT Private 5G platform provides a suite of services built to help Chief Information Officers and Chief Digital Officers drive business outcomes and unlock innovative business models that drive the future of enterprise across industries
- NTT Private 5G platform offers a single end-to-end management and service creation platform with global visibility, eliminating friction and increasing ROI.
- NTT Private 5G is purpose-built to solve enterprise business challenges with a platform that goes beyond connectivity, providing security, device and edge management, application development, big data analytics and deep back-office integration.
- Wireless industry leader Shahid Ahmed joins NTT as EVP of New Ventures and Innovation to pioneer the Private 5G service portfolio and accelerate ecosystem collaboration.
NTT, a global technology and business solutions provider, today announced the launch of NTT’s Private 5G platform (P5G), the first globally available private LTE/5G Network-as-a-Service platform. With a complete end-to-end stack of services that goes beyond the network, NTT P5G helps Chief Information Officers and Chief Digital Officers leverage the benefits of private 5G to solve business problems and innovate to keep pace with the future of enterprise.
NTT P5G leverages design thinking principles to integrate security, control and privacy by design, providing performance and cost benefits with a clear ROI. Running on a cloud-native architecture, the platform can be delivered via cloud, on-premises, or at the edge. The platform is pre-integrated with leading network and software partners, allowing enterprises to secure, scale and segment their network flexibly. With patent-pending MicroSlicing™ technology, NTT P5G allows mission-critical apps to leverage the advantages of private 5G.
Fueling enterprise digital transformation with cloud-based economics and automation is at the heart of NTT’s vision for private 5G. NTT is focused on driving the global acceleration of private 5G to meet the fast-evolving needs of enterprises across industries, including automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail to create unprecedented alignment of data, connectivity, security, and communications. NTT is the only provider that offers a best-in-class global network, deep vertical expertise, and a full suite of application development and management capabilities.
“As a key partner in our digital transformation journey, NTT has an impressive track record of building and supporting new technologies that help CXOs solve critical business challenges,” said Javier Polit, Chief Information & Global Digital Services Officer of Mondelēz International. “NTT’s unique approach to Private 5G offerings provides the kind of agility and insight that we will need to further accelerate our business.”
NTT appointed wireless industry leader Shahid Ahmed as EVP of New Ventures and Innovation to pioneer the Private 5G service portfolio, drive digital transformation outcomes for clients, and deepen ecosystem collaboration. Shahid brings over 25 years of technology experience focused on business transformation, including key leadership roles at Accenture, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Sprint. In addition, he is an appointed advisor to the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
“Global enterprises are looking for a single private 5G solution to deploy across multiple countries. They need one truly private network, one point of accountability, one management platform, and one solution partner that eliminates all the major friction points across the entire global footprint of the enterprise,” said Shahid Ahmed, NTT Ltd. EVP New Ventures and Innovation. “Our NTT P5G offering supports many of the CXO requirements today, and we will continue to invest in P5G as enterprise adoption evolves.”
“The private 5G technology has the potential to fundamentally change the way enterprises drive digital transformation,” said Ghassan Abdo, Research Vice President from IDC. “NTT has a strong track record of focusing on breadth of service, and NTT P5G capabilities extend far beyond basic connectivity to offer a comprehensive suite of services geared toward important business outcomes.”
“As data and mobility become more critical to business operations, 5G will enable enterprises to reinvent business operations. With faster speeds and more data, 5G will facilitate advances in artificial intelligence, automation, and IoT,” said Eric Clark, NTT Data Services North America Chief Digital and Strategy Officer. “How a company collects, stores, and uses that data in real-time will be critical to success, and NTT is well positioned to guide our clients on this journey.”
NTT group companies are jointly accelerating the adoption of open and virtualized 5G solutions globally in collaboration with ecosystem stakeholder. This comprehensive approach enables NTT to provide full suite of digital transformation services.
To find out more about NTT P5G, please visit: https://hello.global.ntt/private5g
10 Aug 21. SS8 Announces Collaboration with Allied Associates. SS8 Networks, a leader in Lawful Intercept, Lawful Intelligence and Monitoring Center platforms today announced a collaboration with Allied Associates International (A²I). Established in 2008, A²I is an advanced cyber forensics engineering firm that develops national security solutions.
The two companies will work together to provide Lawful Intercept and Lawful Intelligence (LI) mediation and collection functions to United States law enforcement agencies (LEAs), Department of Defense (DoD), and Intelligence Community (IC) partners. The strategic collaboration offers government intelligence agencies the advantages of having both highly skilled engineers with experience in national security missions and a powerful yet scalable and cost-effect platform.
“We are excited to be working with Allied Associates and providing our Xcipio platform to support them and the US government in their efforts,” said Dr. Keith Bhatia, CEO of SS8 Networks. “I am hopeful that this collaboration will further help safeguard societies.”
Xcipio is a high speed and real-time intercept platform that supports complex and high-volume networks. Able to function as a cost-effective centralized solution, Xcipio can receive intercepted communication data from multiple service providers, acting as an umbrella meditation solution. The scalable meditation platform securely delivers communication and location data, as well as metadata, to law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
“Having had the pleasure of working with SS8 over the past several years,” said Aaron Winters, CEO of A²I. “I am looking forward to this new collaboration that combines their LI platform with our world-leading expertise in national security missions.”
About SS8 Networks
SS8, a network intelligence company, provides solutions to help customers quickly identify, track, and investigate devices and subjects of interest. SS8 is trusted by six of the largest intelligence agencies, eight of the fourteen largest communications providers and five of the largest systems integrators in the world. For more information, visit www.SS8.com or follow us on Twitter @SS8 or LinkedIn.
About Allied Associates International
Founded in 2008, Allied Associates International, Inc. (A²I) is committed to providing cutting-edge technical products and services to the Defense, Federal Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Communities. Specializing in the development of software tools and solutions, A²I is dedicated to delivering state-of the-art solutions to support national security missions. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
09 Aug 21. US cyber agency launches joint defence collaborative. CISA has unveiled a new cyber security strategy, aimed at bolstering cooperation between all levels of government and the private sector.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has announced the launch of the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) — a new initiative aimed at streamlining cyber defence operations strategies in co-ordination with federal interagency partners, private sector, and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT) government stakeholders.
The initiative is expected to reduce cyber risks ahead of a malicious attack, while also facilitating a unified response to an incident.
Specifically, the JCDC aims to:
- design and implement comprehensive, whole-of-nation cyber defence plans to address risks and facilitate co-ordinated action;
- share insight to shape joint understanding of challenges and opportunities for cyber defence;
- implement co-ordinated defensive cyber operations to prevent and reduce impacts of cyber intrusions; and
- support joint exercises to improve cyber defence operations.
“The JCDC presents an exciting and important opportunity for this agency and our partners – the creation of a unique planning capability to be proactive vice reactive in our collective approach to dealing with the most serious cyber threats to our nation,” CISA director Jen Easterly said.
“The industry partners that have agreed to work side-by-side with CISA and our interagency teammates share the same commitment to defending our country’s national critical functions from cyber intrusions, and the imagination to spark new solutions.
“With these extraordinarily capable partners, our initial focus will be on efforts to combat ransomware and developing a planning framework to coordinate incidents affecting cloud service providers.”
The JCDC will initially comprise of Amazon Web Services, AT&T, CrowdStrike, FireEye Mandiant, Google Cloud, Lumen, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and Verizon.
Government partners currently include the Department of Defense, US Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, with Sector Risk Management Agencies also expected to join.
This latest push follows a spike in major cyber incidents, including attacks on the US’ critical infrastructure.
Last month, the US Senate Armed Services Committee approved an increase to cyber security funding under the National Defense Authorisation Act for the 2022 financial year.
The bill, approved by 23 committee members (three opposed), authorises an increase of US$268.4m in funding for cyber security efforts across the US Department of Defence.
This is in addition to the $9.8bn requested by US President Joe Biden in the budget earlier this year.
The funding aims to secure federal civilian networks and protect infrastructure, while also supporting efforts to share information, standards, and best practices with critical infrastructure partners and American businesses. (Source: https://www.cybersecurityconnect.com.au/)
05 Aug 21. CERBAIR and DroneSec announce partnership to enhance threat intelligence. Counter-UAS system (C-UAS) manufacturer CERBAIR and C-UAS market intelligence company DroneSec have signed a partnership through which CERBAIR will provide its customers with weekly information in French, English, and Arabic on developing threats identified by DroneSec.
The DroneSec team comprises analysts including former hackers, military drone pilots and fighter pilots; the company audits, trains and informs its clients on the risks posed by drones to sensitive infrastructure.
The partnership will also benefit from ad hoc data sources from “Notify”, the UAV Threat Intelligence database of more than 3,000 incidents classified by severity. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
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Spectra Group Plc
Spectra Group (UK) Ltd, internationally renowned award-winning information security and communications specialist with a proven record of accomplishment.
Spectra is a dynamic, agile and security-accredited organisation that offers secure Hosted and Managed Solutions and Cyber Advisory Services with a track record of delivering on time, to spec and on budget.
With over 15 years of experience in delivering solutions for governments around the globe, elite militaries and private enterprises of all sizes, Spectra’s platinum and gold-level partnerships with third-party vendors ensure the supply of best value leading-edge technology.
Spectra was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise (Innovation) in 2019 for SlingShot.
In November 2017, Spectra Group (UK) Ltd announced its listing as a Top 100 Government SME Supplier by the UK Crown Commercial Services.
Spectra’s CEO, Simon Davies, was awarded 2017 Businessman of the Year by Battlespace magazine.
Founded in 2002, the Company is based in Hereford, UK and holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013 and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.
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