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Job Of The Week!

Cyber Defence Analyst

Salary: Position: Not Specified Location: Edinburgh

Job Type: Permanent

Job Description:

Cyber Defence Analyst

  • Edinburgh & Lothians, Scotland
  • Negotiable
  • Hydrogen Group
  • Permanent
  • Expires in 2 days
  • Check your FitScore

Cyber Defence Analyst – Permanent Our fantastic client based in Edinburgh is building a team of Cyber Security professionals and are on the search for three skilled Cyber Defence Analysts! This is a brilliant opportunity to grow your career with a large scale and well established global organisation and be a pivotal player in their next project. The ideal candidate will have the following experience: · Strong communication skills · Experience using EDR tools · Experience with SOAR platforms such as Demisto, Phantom or SIEMplify · Strong knowledge of Windows System Internals and related endpoint security mechanisms · Previous host-based investigative, forensic or analysis work is strongly beneficial · Ability to identify patterns and trends in events, and to extract useful indicators of compromise from that data · Relevant areas of certification may include SANS / GIAC, OSCP or similar · Experience of gleaning and analysing security information from a large variety of host and network based technologies · Ability to assess the output of malware analysis and sandboxing techniques · Python and PowerShell scripting highly advantageous

LOCATIONS

LAND

12 Nov 20. BAE Systems Invests in Expanding Capabilities at the Georgia Cyber Center. BAE Systems is expanding its footprint at the Georgia Cyber Center in Augusta, Ga., with a newly signed lease agreement. The lease secures an additional 17,000 square feet of commercial office space that will further advance the company’s innovative services, strengthen its local partnerships, and provide space for high-demand cyber and technology jobs. Located on the Nathan Deal Campus for Innovation in downtown Augusta, the center is a unique public/private partnership among academia, law enforcement, the government, U.S. Army, and the private sector.

“We’re committed to supporting our customer’s mission by bringing innovative solutions that further enable mission success,” said Peder Jungck, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Intelligence Solutions business. “Our expansion at Georgia Cyber Center helps us better serve those missions and advance research and development in cyber, information technology, and advanced analytics. Additionally, the expansion allows us to engage, recruit, and educate talent in the Augusta and Fort Gordon area.”

With nearly 500 employees in Fort Gordon and Augusta, BAE Systems is one of the largest defense contractors in the area. The company provides advanced analytics, artificial intelligence/machine learning, information technology, cybersecurity, and information assurance mission support. The new office will create space for up to 200 additional jobs, and the company is currently recruiting cleared individuals with skills in cybersecurity, networks, IT infrastructure operations, multilevel security, and cloud computing. BAE Systems is a leading provider of secure information technology support and services for the U.S. Army in the region, and a trusted partner on critical national security programs.  (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)

12 Nov 20. SA government invests in new Hunter Class support facility. The South Australian government has committed to investing $5m in the development of a new facility used to support ASC Shipbuilding’s Hunter Class frigate program. As part of its 2020 budget, the South Australian government has announced that it would invest $5m in the development of the Line Zero facility in the state’s Tonsley Innovation District.

This is in addition to Flinders University’s $5m co-investment, helping to fast-track the construction of the facility.

Line Zero, dubbed the “factory of the future”, will be used to test and manufacture technologies to support BAE Systems subsidiary ASC Shipbuilding’s Hunter Class frigate program.

“Flinders University welcomes the SA government’s funding announcement and is proud to co-invest $5m in the new facility at our Tonsley campus,” Flinders University president and vice-chancellor Professor Colin Stirling said.

“A crucial element in research that makes an impact is taking research out of the lab and applying it in the real world, and this facility will do exactly that.”

Professor Stirling continued: “This announcement reinforces Flinders University’s growing contribution towards placing Australia at the cutting edge of industry 4.0 and will support the application of new technologies in advanced manufacturing.

“The Line Zero ‘Factory of the Future’ enables our students and researchers to interact with business to transform manufacturing processes.”

Professor John Spoehr, pro-vice chancellor, research impact and director of the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute added that the investment would enable technologies and processes tested by Flinders University and ASC shipbuilding to be “honed and refined in a real-world manufacturing site”.

“It also affords an opportunity for supply chain companies to work with Flinders and ASC Shipbuilding to harness the benefits of advanced manufacturing, enabling improved performance and growing their contribution to the sector and to the state and national economy,” Professor Spoehr said.

ASC Shipbuilding’s managing director, Craig Lockhart, said the development of the Line Zero facility would build on the firm’s commitment to collaborating with local industry.

“Line Zero provides us with the exceptional opportunity to work with Flinders University researchers and academics as well as industry partners, to test and trial advanced manufacturing technologies and techniques in a factory environment, before adapting them to the shipyard.” (Source: Defence Connect)

09 Nov 20. Thales Inaugurates its First 4.0 Factory for the Defense and Aeronautical Systems Activity in Spain. Big Data and Blockchain will be the new technologies that will make possible the digital transformation of the headquarters Production and Maintenance center, specialized in defense and aeronautics. The Production and Maintenance Center will have a platform interconnected with all the applications that are currently used, generating the connectivity of all the workbenches and test means to extract all the information, which can be used efficiently.

Thanks to an intuitive and cybersecured web application that will allow to optimize and improve processes, with the aim of being more efficient, the quality of products will increase and will also improve communication with the customer. The Big Data generated in the factory’s machines will be used to optimize processes and draw conclusions to guarantee continuous business improvement: repair times, improvements in repairs, etc. To comply with NATO standards and those of the Ministries of Defense with which the company collaborates, blockchain will be used to ensure the traceability of all parts and products handled in the Production and Maintenance Center. Radiocommunication, aeronautical and naval equipment are among the products that will have this advanced management system. (Source: ASD Network)

MARITIME

12 Nov 20. India launches fifth Scorpène-class submarine. India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) has launched the fifth of six Kalvari (Scorpène)-class diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs) being licence-built for the Indian Navy (IN). Named Vagir, the 67.6 m-long boat entered the water on 12 November at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai and is expected to undergo setting-to-work and sea trails before being delivered to the IN by about mid-2022.

The submarine, which is part of the IN’s INR235.62 billion (USD3.15 billion) Project 75 programme, follows INS Kalvari and INS Khanderi – which were commissioned in December 2017 and September 2019 – and Karanj and Vela, which were launched in January 2018 and May 2019. The latter two are currently undergoing sea trials and are scheduled for commissioning in 2021 and early 2022, IN sources told Janes.

The sixth and final submarine, Vagsheer, is in an advanced stage of construction, and is likely to be launched in 2021. All six Kalvari-class boats are expected to be in service by late 2022 or early 2023, IN sources said.

MDL has been licence-building the boats in collaboration with France’s Naval Group but the programme has been delayed by six years.

Each submarine of the class displaces 1,615 tonnes when surfaced and 1,775 tonnes when submerged and is expected to incorporate advanced acoustic quieting systems to ensure stealth.

The SSKs, which are equipped with Exocet SM39 sea-skimming anti-ship missiles and C303/S anti-torpedo countermeasure systems, are capable of carrying out anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, intelligence-gathering, mine-laying, and surveillance operations.(Source: Jane’s)

09 Nov 20. HMS Audacious sails from Barrow. The Royal Navy’s fourth Astute Class submarine has sailed from the BAES shipyard in Barrow in-Furness for her new home at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde. HMS Audacious, the Royal Navy’s fourth Astute Class submarine has sailed from the BAES shipyard in Barrow in-Furness for her new home at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, where she will prepare for sea trials before entering operational service with the Royal Navy.

Built by BAE Systems, which employs around 9,000 people in its submarine business in Barrow, including those that work on the Astute programme, the programme supports thousands more working in the UK supply chain.

Ian Booth, SDA Chief Executive of the Submarine Delivery Agency, said, “The departure of HMS Audacious from Barrow is a key milestone in the Astute Class programme. The delivery of our incredibly complex submarine programmes depends on the extremely skilled submarine workforce and close collaboration with our industrial partners across the supply chain to deliver a first-class product for the Royal Navy. I am extremely grateful to everyone involved in the significant efforts to meet this milestone and the key roles they have played in the shadow of these unprecedented circumstances to get HMS Audacious to sea.

The delivery of our incredibly complex submarine programmes depends on the extremely skilled submarine workforce and close collaboration with our industrial partners across the supply chain to deliver a first-class product for the Royal Navy.”

Among the most technologically advanced submarines operating in the world today, the departure of HMS Audacious marks a significant milestone in the Astute programme, which is providing 7 new attack submarines for the Royal Navy and the capability it needs to defend UK interests at home and overseas.

The Astute Class submarines feature the latest nuclear-powered technology and the Sonar 2076. The 7,400-tonne boat can circumnavigate the world submerged, limited only by their food storage capacity, manufacturing the crew’s oxygen from seawater as they go. They also have the ability to operate covertly and remain undetected in almost all circumstances despite being 50 per cent bigger than the Royal Navy’s current Trafalgar Class submarines which is being replaced by the Astute Class.

HMS Audacious will join HMS Astute, HMS Ambush and HMS Artful, which are already in service with the Royal Navy, contributing to operations and supporting the Continuous At Sea Deterrent posture. HMS Audacious will be joined by Astute Boats 5, 6, and 7, Anson, Agamemnon, and Agincourt, respectively by the end of 2026.

COVID-19 has changed the way we are working at Barrow and our absolute priority is the health and safety of the workforce and local community. Precautions have been taken to implement social distancing and protection measures on site to allow work on critical operations such as HMS Audacious.

HMS Audacious facts from infographic:

  • over 100km of cabling and pipe work is installed on board HMS Audacious
  • fitted with Sonar 2076 providing the Royal Navy with the ‘biggest ears’ of any sonar system in service today
  • HMS Audacious is 97 metres in length
  • Over 7,000 tonnes total displacement
  • The Astute class is the first class of Royal Navy submarine not to be fitted with optical periscopes, instead they employ high specification video technology
  • Able to manufacture its own oxygen and fresh water from the ocean
  • Can circumnavigate the world without surfacing, her endurance is only limited by the amount of food that can be stored
  • Armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

06 Nov 20. Naval Group delivered today the Suffren nuclear attack submarine (SSN) to the French Armament Procurement Agency (Direction Générale de l’Armement) at the Toulon naval base. Intended for the French Navy, the Suffren is the first in a series of six SSN that will gradually replace the submarines of the Rubis-class. The delivery of the Suffren took place today in the presence of a small number of high-ranking personalities, due to the health crisis. Florence Parly, French Minister of Defence, General François Lecointre, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, Joël Barre, Delegate General for Armament, Admiral Pierre Vandier, Chief of Staff of the French Navy, Victor Salvetti, Director of military applications at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO Naval Group, and Loïc Rocard, CEO TechnicAtome, all welcomed this major milestone of the Barracuda program, in the presence of several representatives of the political, industrial and military worlds, including crew members.

09 Nov 20. RAN deploys new type of small survey craft from LHD. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) announced on 8 November that its Maritime Geospatial Warfare Unit recently deployed for the first time a new type of small survey craft from its Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ship HMAS Adelaide . Called Polaris, the rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) was launched and recovered from the LHD during amphibious training off the coast of Queensland near Townsville as part of Exercise ‘Sea Wader 2020’. The RAN said the vessel is “part of a range of new capabilities, including a fly-away survey kit and the Remus 100S autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)”, which is aimed at modernising the collection and processing of geospatial data by the service’s hydrographers. The new survey vessel will provide the geospatial survey teams a new approach to rapid environmental assessment and allow them to provide products to support military operations, including humanitarian aid and disaster response (HADR), noted the RAN. The service added that Polaris is equipped with “a range of geospatial technologies including a multi-beam echo sounder, side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, and the ability to deploy its own AUV”.

Lieutenant Commander Paul Clark, Operations Officer Maritime Geospatial Warfare Unit, said Polaris is expected to give RAN teams improved capability in several areas. “The survey craft will eventually allow the deployable teams to complete tasks such as surveying shipping lanes, beaches, anchorage areas, and areas affected by natural disasters in which navigational accuracy is not guaranteed. (Source: Jane’s)

AIR

10 Nov 20. KAI completes deliveries of KUH-1M medevac helicopters to RoKA. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has completed deliveries of the eight KUH-1M Surion utility helicopters configured for medical evacuation (medevac) missions that were ordered by the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) in December 2018. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on 9 November that the twin-engined helicopters, which were acquired under a KRW220bn (USD197.6m) contract to improve the service’s capability to rescue troops and citizens in emergency situations, will be operated from RoKA bases at Yongin, Pocheon, and Yanggu. DAPA, which noted that development of the medevac variant of the Surion multirole helicopter took place between 2014 and 2016, pointed out that the first two KUH-1Ms were delivered to RoKA in January and officially commissioned two months later. (Source: Jane’s)

PLANT CLOSURES, JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES

09 Nov 20. Esper fired as defense secretary. U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has been fired by President Donald Trump. Trump announced the move in a Nov. 9 tweet, just days after the presidential election was called in favor of former Vice President Joe Biden.

Christopher Miller, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, has been appointed acting defense secretary, Trump said.

Esper, a West Point graduate and former Army lieutenant colonel, was vice president of government relations for Raytheon — the fifth-largest defense contractor in the United States — for seven years before becoming Army secretary. His most notable work leading the Army included a shake-up of the service’s acquisitions portfolio, a trend he brought with him to the top job.

He was confirmed as defense secretary in August 2019 and now becomes the third man to exit the top job at the Pentagon under the Trump administration, following Jim Mattis and, in an acting capacity, Patrick Shanahan. (Then-Navy Secretary Richard Spencer briefly filled in as defense secretary between Shanahan and Esper.)

The announcement marks a meteoric rise for Miller, who served in the Army from 1987 through 2014, over the last year.

From 2018 to 2019, Miller served as a special assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism and transnational threats at the National Security Council. In January, he was sworn in as deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and combating terrorism, a job four levels down from defense secretary, and then was quickly boosted to fill in as performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for special operations. He was sworn into the National Counterterrorism Center role in August.

Notably, Miller would be legally barred from taking the job through the traditional confirmation process. Under 10 U.S. Code § 113, an individual “may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.” As he retired from the military in 2014, Miller would not meet that threshold.

However, it does not apply to acting officials, according to Joshua Geltzer, a former counterterrorism official with the Obama administration, who is now a professor of law at Georgetown University.

Legal experts quickly raised questions about whether the appointment of Miller over David Norquist, the confirmed deputy secretary of defense, was an illegal move. A spokesperson confirmed that Norquist is still in his role at the department.

Mieke Eyoang of the Third Way think tank said “By passing over the Senate-confirmed DepSecDef, Trump is again showing he doesn’t care about the rules, continuity, or the smooth management of the largest military on earth.”

National security leaders have urged Trump to keep Esper for the duration of the lame duck presidency.

“That’s the way it ought to work, that’s the way it’s always worked, and that’s why I’ve said very forcefully that we want to send a signal to our adversaries and allies alike that the chain of command is intact,” said National Defense Industrial Association Chairman Arnold Punaro, a former Marine Corps general and staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Because Esper is respected, removing him might “create undue turbulence,” Punaro warned last week. “If the president decides to fire him there’s nothing we can do about it — but it would be a bad decision for national security.” (Source: Defense News)

06 Nov 20. Head of US nuclear weapons agency unexpectedly resigns. Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, has resigned her position effectively immediately, Defense News has learned.

Gordon-Hagerty, who became the first woman to lead the NNSA in February 2018, sent her letter of resignation to the White House Friday, according to a pair of senior NNSA officials, speaking to Defense News on background.

Hours later, the agency confirmed the resignation, announcing that William Bookless, currently principal deputy administrator, would take over as acting head of the agency. And the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla, has blasted the Secretary of Energy for what Inhofe described as forcing Gordon-Hagerty out of office.

The NNSA is a semi-autonomous office located within the Department of Energy. While the Defense Department manages the delivery systems of the nuclear force — ships, planes and missiles — NNSA has oversight over the development, maintenance and disposal of nuclear warheads. While the agency falls under the purview of DoE, much of its budget is set by the Nuclear Weapons Council, which is largely controlled by Defense Department officials.

Per the sources, the resignation was driven by almost a year of clashes between Gordon-Hagerty’s office and Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. That fight first seeped into public earlier this year, when Brouillette requested less funding for NNSA than was sought by Gordon-Hagerty. Defense officials, backed by supporters from Congress, went to the White House and forced the issue in NNSA’s favor.

Tensions never truly receded and continued to play out in Congress during the fiscal 2021 budget season. Inhofe, the SASC chair, led pro-defense lawmakers in an effort to give the Pentagon more official control over NNSA; House lawmakers created several pieces of legislation that would give the Energy department more control.

The issue seemed to come to a head when the Department of Energy Organization and Management Improvement Act, passed by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Sept. 9, changed language that made the NNSA a quasi-independent entity, in essence folding the agency more fully under DOE’s control. The move was seen by NNSA officials as an attempt by Brouillette to outright destroy the agency.

In response, Inhofe held a Sept. 17 hearing in which he accused officials from the DoE of performing as “rogue actors” who aim to “undermine” America’s nuclear weapons modernization efforts.

“What bothers me is that people who should be doing all they can to support the critical work of the NNSA are instead trying to undermine it,” Inhofe said. “As chairman of this committee, I won’t stand idly by and allow this to happen. This work is too important.”

On Friday evening, Inhofe released a statement calling Gordon-Hagerty “an exemplary public servant and remarkable leader” of NNSA, while blasting Brouillette.

“That the Secretary of Energy effectively demanded her resignation during this time of uncertainty demonstrates he doesn’t know what he’s doing in national security matters and shows a complete lack of respect for the semi-autonomous nature of NNSA,” Inhofe said.

A DoE official, speaking on background, denied that there were major personality clashes between Gordon-Hagerty and Brouillette, aside from the natural tensions of budget discussions. The official also denied that Gordon-Hagerty was pushed out of office.

The DoE official also cast the resignation as part of the natural attrition that happens to an administration following its first term. However, both NNSA sources said the decision to resign was not impacted by this week’s presidential elections.

Gordon-Hagerty entered the administration with a mix of private sector and public experience. She served as the director for combating terrorism on the White House National Security Council for more than five years, stretching from the end of the Clinton administration into the Bush administration. She also previously worked at DoE, including as acting director of the Office of Nuclear Weapons Surety and a six-year stint as the director of DoE’s Office of Emergency Response.

Notably, the NNSA administrator has a history of being kept on into the next administration. It is not without precedent that Gordon-Hagerty would have been kept on under a Biden administration, should the former vice president become the commander-in-chief.

John Gordon, the first NNSA head, was appointed by Bill Clinton but served for two years under George W. Bush, while Tom D’Agostino was appointed by Bush but continued to serve for the first six years of the Obama administration. Frank Klotz, appointed by Obama, served for over a year under Trump, although not without drama early on. (Source: Defense News)

10 Nov 20. UK expels Belarusian diplomats in clear message to Lukashenko’s regime. Two Belarusian diplomats have been expelled from the UK today in response to the unjustified expulsion of two British diplomats from Belarus earlier this week. Belarus announced they were expelling the British representatives after their legitimate observation of protests in Minsk on Sunday. The Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary have spoken out against their unacceptable treatment, which runs counter to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Today’s announcement that two Belarusian diplomats will be expelled from the UK is therefore a proportionate and appropriate response.

Belarusian Ambassador Maxim Yermalovich was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office this afternoon to be informed of the UK Government’s decision. During the summons, the UK Government reiterated that the only way forward is for fresh elections to be held and for those responsible for violence against demonstrators to be held to account.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, “We have sent a clear message today to Lukashenko’s regime that their unjustified expulsion of British diplomats has consequences. The UK will continue to hold the Belarusian authorities to account for the rigged election in August and their ongoing use of violence to suppress the Belarusian people. The UK has already responded robustly to the torture and mistreatment of hundreds of peaceful protestors in custody by imposing landmark sanctions on Lukashenko and senior figures in the Belarusian Government under the UK’s new human rights sanctions regime.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT

PERSONNEL

12 Nov 20. Biden landing team for Pentagon announced. President-elect Joseph Biden has announced his landing team for the Department of Defense, and it contains a number of well-known names.

The team is led by Kathleen Hicks, who served as both principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, as well as deputy undersecretary of defense for strategy, plans, and forces in the Obama administration. She is currently the director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ International Security Program.

Also included on the list is Christine Wormuth, director of the RAND International Security and Defense Policy Center. Wormuth held a number of roles in the Obama administration, culminating as undersecretary of defense for policy from 2014-2016. Both Hicks and Wormuth were seen as contenders for top DoD jobs, perhaps deputy secretary of defense, before today’s announcement.

The full list:

  • Susanna Blume of the Center for a New American Security, who served as deputy chief of staff for programs and plans under Bob Work
  • Sharon Burke of the New America think tank, a former assistant secretary of defense for operational energy
  • Lisa Coe of OtherSide Consulting, a defense industry consultant
  • Melissa Dalton of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who has held a number of jobs in the Pentagon

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

  • John Estrada, a Marine Corps veteran who was appointed as ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago towards the end of the Obama administration
  • Victor Garcia of Rebellion Defense, a former director of engineering for the U.S. Digital Service
  • Karen Gibson, a retired Army lieutenant general who retired in March as deputy director of National Intelligence for National Security Partnerships
  • Michelle Howard, a retired four-star admiral who became the first woman to serve as vice chief of staff for any military branch
  • Andrew Hunter of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a well-known acquisition expert
  • Mike McCord of the Stennis Center for Public Service, a former DoD comptroller during the Obama administration
  • Farooq Mitha, who served as special assistant to the director of the Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs under Obama and as a senior advisor on Muslim American engagement for the Biden campaign
  • Frank Mora for Florida International University, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Western Hemisphere under Obama
  • Michael Negron, a Navy vet with ties to former Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel who is currently assistant director at the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to the state of Illinois
  • Stacie Pettyjohn of the RAND Corporation, an expert in wargaming who works on strategy and doctrine issues
  • Ely Ratner of the Center for a New American Security, Biden’s deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration
  • Deborah Rosenblum of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , a nuclear expert who has been part of negotiations with North Korea
  • Lisa Sawyer of JPMorgan Chase, who worked a number of jobs at both the Pentagon and National Security Council
  • Shawn Skelly of CACI International, a Navy vet, former commissioner on the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service and vice-president of the Out in National Security group
  • Terri Tanielian of the RAND Corporation, who focuses on military and veteran health issues
  • Veronica Valdez, a former special assistant to both Navy and Air Force leadership, currently with the Port of Seattle
  • Debra Wada, a former assistant secretary of the Army (Manpower & Reserve Affairs) and longtime House Armed Services Committee staffer

Overall, 15 of the 23 members of the Pentagon landing team are women. The D.C. think tank scene is well represented: Blume, Burke and Ratner all have ties to the Center for a New America think tank, founded by Michèle Flournoy, widely expected to be Biden’s pick for secretary of defense. Hicks, Dalton and Sawyer have ties to CSIS, while Pettyjohn, Tanielian and Wormuth are all tied to RAND.

Other names of note from the other landing teams include Madylen Creedon, a former deputy administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration who is likely to be on any shortlist to lead the nuclear warhead agency, as part of the Department of Energy team and Derek Chollet, a former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs who is on the State Department team. Vince Stewart, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general who led the Defense Intelligence Agency and was the deputy director of U.S. Cyber Command, is the co-lead for the intelligence team.

While the Biden landing team is assembled, it currently has no where to go. Until General Services Administration gives its approval, the office space, funding and briefings that are given to transition teams of the next administration are frozen. Administrator Emily Murphy has not yet done so despite the Biden team’s apparent electoral victory, in a move Democrats allege is politically motivated. (Source: Defense News)

10 Nov 20. DOD Statement on Personnel Changes at the Pentagon. As announced yesterday, November 9, President Trump has designated the National Counter Terrorism Center Director, Chris Miller, as the Acting Secretary of Defense.  Mr. Miller took over those functions and responsibilities mid-day yesterday.  Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist remains in his position and continues to execute his responsibilities.

Today, Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. James Anderson, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security Mr. Joseph Kernan and Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense, Jen Stewart submitted letters of resignation.

Dr. Anderson submitted his letter of resignation to the President this morning, effective today.  The Acting Secretary of Defense has delegated the responsibilities of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy to Mr. Anthony Tata.  As such, Mr. Tata is the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.  He previously was the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.  Dr. Thomas Williams will now perform the duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

As planned for several months, Under Secretary Kernan submitted his letter of resignation, effective today.  Current Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operation and Low-Intensity Conflict Ezra Cohen-Watnick will be the new Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.  Mr. Ralph Cacci will continue to perform the duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.

Also today, Ms. Stewart submitted her resignation from the position of Chief of Staff, effective today.  Mr. Kash Patel, currently on the National Security Council staff, has been named by Acting Secretary Miller as his Chief of Staff.

Acting Secretary of Defense Miller issued the following statement on these personnel changes: “I want to thank Dr. Anderson, Admiral Kernan and Jen Stewart for their service to the nation and the Department.  Over their careers each has contributed greatly to the national defense and the future of the Department of Defense. We wish them the best in their next endeavors. (Source: US DoD)

EUROPE APPOINTMENTS

12 Nov 20. Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to South Sudan: Jonny Baxter.

Mr Jonny Baxter has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan in succession to Mr Christopher Trott who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Baxter will take up his appointment during January 2021.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Jonny Baxter

Year

Role

2018 to present

FCDO, Deputy Director, Finance and Performance Department

2017 to 2018

DFID, Deputy Director, Human Development Department

2017

Defence Academy, Student, Higher Command and Staff Course

2014 to 2016

DFID, Principal Private Secretary to Secretary of State

2013 to 2014

DFID, Deputy Director, Higher Education Taskforce Secretariat

2010 to 2013

DFID, Head, Afghanistan London Team then Private Secretary to Minister of State

2008 to 2010

Khartoum, Deputy Head of Office

2007 to 2008

Baghdad, Head of Office

2004 to 2007

Georgetown, Head of Office

1999 to 2004

Dar es Salaam, Education Advisor then head of Human Development Team

1998 to 1999

DFID, Assistant Education Advisor, Education Department

1998

Joined DFID

(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

12 Nov 20. New British Ambassador to Germany. Jill Gallard CMG takes office in Berlin after presenting her credentials, becoming the first female British Ambassador to Germany. The new British Ambassador Jill Gallard CMG takes office on 11 November 2020. She is the first female British Ambassador to Germany.

Ms Gallard is pleased that her new role coincides with the arrival in Germany of TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, whom she will accompany in Berlin. The Royal couple will be attending this year’s Remembrance Day service in the German Parliament at the invitation of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Jill Gallard’s diplomatic career has been focused on Europe. This will be her fifth posting in a European country. From 2018 to 2020 she worked as Deputy Political Director and Director Western Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean in London. Prior to that, she was the Director of Human Resources. From 2011 to 2014 she was the British Ambassador to Portugal.

Commenting on her new role, Ms Gallard explains:

It is a great honour to be the British Ambassador to Germany. When it comes to the most critical problems facing the world today – from dealing with COVID-19 to climate change – the UK and Germany often share the same positions. I look forward to maintaining and cultivating the many friendly ties that exist between our two countries.

Ms Gallard is married and has two children. She grew up in Northern Ireland and speaks German, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

She is succeeding Sir Sebastian Wood, who retired from the Diplomatic Service in September. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

U.S. APPOINTMENTS

10 Nov 20. BG Stephen G. Purdy will be assigned as commander, 45th Space Wing; and director, Eastern Range, U.S. Space Force, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.  Purdy is currently serving as director, plans, programs, and financial management, Headquarters U.S. Space Force, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

10 Nov 20. BG Douglas A. Schiess will be assigned as director, space and cyber operations, Space Operations Command, U.S. Space Force, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.  Schiess is currently serving as commander, 45th Space Wing; and director, Eastern Range, U.S. Space Force, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.

INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY TEAMINGS

12 Nov 20. Turkish Aerospace announced today  a partnership with Boeing as part of its continued effort to develop high-tech products locally. Turkish Aerospace, a research and development leader in Turkey, and Boeing’s partnership aims to develop thermoplastic manufacturing capability in Turkey. As part of this collaboration, Boeing will provide technical support for Turkish Aerospace to establish a facility for the production of thermoplastic materials for the aerospace industry. These light weight, energy efficient thermoplastic parts, will be produced in a fully automated production facility.

About the collaboration Turkish Aerospace CEO Prof. Temel Kotil stated “We are very excited to sign a new cooperation with our strategic partner BOEING. We look forward to continue to increase the direction of new production technologies and aviation sector with such important collaborations. As the company that guides and leads the most important projects of Turkey, we will make high quality production and make thermoplastic investments, and we will reduce the cost significantly.”

Thermoplastics are polymers that can be melted and recast almost indefinitely. They are molten when heated and harden upon cooling. These characteristics, are reversible, so the material can be reheated, reshaped, and frozen repeatedly. As a result, thermoplastics are mechanically recyclable.

“This agreement adds a new dimension to the longstanding partnership between Turkish Aerospace and Boeing. It also expands the existing technology collaboration between Boeing and Turkey under the National Aerospace Initiative (NAI), which is Boeing’s investment plan for Turkey announced in 2017. This is a reflection of our continued commitment to the country and to our partners” stated Aysem Sargin, managing director Boeing Turkey.

Turkish Aerospace and Boeing’s research is focused on designing high quality thermoplastic parts in a high-capacity rapid production system for aerospace use. Initial results show that High Efficiency Affordable Rapid Thermoplastic (HEART), can reduce the production cycle and process costs by 30% compared to conventional composites. This partnership will include the training of technical personnel to develop local expertise in this field and enable Turkey to produce thermoplastics that meets the highest global standards.

PERSONNEL

U.S. APPOINTMENTS

10 Nov 20. BlueHalo, a purpose-built provider of industry leading capabilities in the domains of Space Superiority and Directed Energy, Missile Defense and C4ISR, and Cyber and Intelligence, welcomes financial veteran, Robert Richards, as Chief Financial Officer. Richards joins BlueHalo as a three-time CFO, bringing a wealth of industry experience and best practices in his domain. In Mr. Richards’ role, he will have responsibility for the overall financial performance of the company and oversight of Financial Planning and Analysis, Program Control, Accounting, Contracts, Information Technology, Facilities, Legal, and Treasury, as well as serve as a key member of the senior executive leadership team. (Source: PR Newswire)

06 Nov 20. The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) today named Jinnah Hosein as the company’s vice president of Software Engineering, effective immediately. In this newly created role, Hosein will report to Greg Hyslop, Boeing chief engineer and senior vice president of Engineering, Test & Technology, and will focus on further strengthening Boeing’s focus on software engineering across the enterprise. Hosein will lead a new, centralized organization of engineers who currently support the development and delivery of software embedded in Boeing’s products and services. The team will also integrate other functional teams to ensure engineering excellence throughout the product life cycle.  Hosein brings extensive experience as a software engineering leader across several innovative, high-tech companies. He joins Boeing after serving as vice president of Software Engineering for Aurora, a self-driving vehicle company, in Palo Alto, California. He led the company’s software organization for the development of those vehicles and developed Aurora’s high-integrity software life cycle to deploy autonomous architecture to on-road vehicles.  Previously, Hosein held leadership roles at SpaceX, where he led software development for Falcon, Falcon Heavy, Dragon, Crew Dragon and other flight vehicles, and at Tesla, where he helped develop autopilot software. In addition, he served as Google’s director of software engineering for cloud networking and was one of the original members of Google’s Site Reliability Engineering team.

10 Nov 20. McKean Defense Group, LLC announced today that it is expanding its business development team with the hire of Mr. Theodore (Ted) Zobel as Vice President and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Account Manager. Mr. Zobel had a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy, most recently as the Program Manager for the Littoral Combat Ship Mission Module program out of NAVSEA PMS 420. In this assignment, he led the Surface Warfare Mission Package through development and completed testing months ahead of schedule. Prior assignments include the Program Manager for Surface Ship Modernization and Lifecycle (PMS 407) and for Surface Combatant Modernization and Lifecycle (PMS 400F) programs. Following his 31 year career, Mr. Zobel retired in 2019 from the U.S. Navy as a Captain. He then held director-level business development roles in private industry. (Source: PR Newswire)

09 Nov 20. Virgin Galactic today announced the appointment of Alistair Burns as Chief Information Officer, effective immediately. In this newly created role, Alistair will be responsible for delivering the technology strategy for Virgin Galactic as it seeks to develop and operate the world’s first commercial spaceline.  With over 25 years’ experience in IT, Alistair joins Virgin Galactic from OSI Systems where he spent almost 5 years as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Prior to this, Alistair held a number of senior leadership positions at FTSE 100-listed manufacturing giant Meggitt Plc, specializing in components and subsystems for aerospace, defense and energy markets.

REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS

12 Nov 20. BMT, a leading international multi-disciplinary engineering, science, and technology consultancy, today announced the appointment of Shivaprakash Rao as the new Head of Engineering and Consulting for BMT Asia. He joined the international consultancy’s growing Asia office last month. Before this, he was with a leading international consultancy heading the upstream, midstream and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) division executing feasibility studies, investment due diligence and economic appraisals while supporting clients in their investment plans and energy transition. BMT expanded its presence in Asia as a route to growth and in response to increasing demand for consultancy services in both niche areas and mainstream sectors. The consolidation of regional offices across the region supports this expansion due to faster macroeconomic growth, stronger balance sheets and scalable operations. Shiva brings nearly 26-years of project development and investment support. As well as technical, investment and strategic management consulting experience across an array of sectors, covering market demand, logistics, feasibility, front end engineering, construction and commissioning aspects of complex projects across the offshore, onshore, ports and energy domains.

10 Nov 20. MDA welcomed Dr. Minda Suchan to the leadership team as Vice President, Geointelligence, effective immediately. As the leader for this business area, Dr. Suchan will be responsible for all of the Geointelligence business area activity as this team focuses on growth.

Dr. Suchan has an established track record in the US defence and intelligence community with experience in technology portfolio investments, engineering management, program execution, strategy and business development, and acquisition integration, while leveraging innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence. Between 2001-2011, Dr. Suchan held a number of roles within the Space and Airborne Systems group at Raytheon Company, beginning as a senior physics engineer specializing in novel electro-optical sensors, serving as National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Technology Fellow at various government sites, and holding progressively senior positions in business development and strategy in the area of radar, EO/IR and emerging intelligence solutions. (Source: PR Newswire)

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