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Family members wave as the fast-attack submarine USS Missouri departs from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, June 3, 2021, to participate in Exercise Agile Dagger 2021. A third of the Navy’s Pacific submarine force got underway for the exercise, which was designed to assess warfighting readiness and build capacity for the joint force.
June 4, 2021 | BY David Vergun , DOD News
The Joint All-Domain Command and Control's strategy goal is to link networks and sensors to warfighters with shared data in all domains — cyber, land, sea, air and space — across all of the military services and combatant commands in a secure manner and at great speed.
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Dennis A. Crall, the Joint Staff's director of command, control, communications and computers — commonly called the J-6 — and the chief information officer for the Joint Staff, spoke at a Pentagon press briefing today about the JADC2 strategy.
On May 13, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III signed a JADC2 strategy document that provides momentum to the continuation of the experimentation phase, Crall said.
The JADC2's strategy provides the governance and framework necessary to enable rapid integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, predictive analytics and other emerging technologies, he said.
Each of the services is involved in JADC2 experimentation, he said, and the best solutions will be implemented as long as there is no vendor lock or proprietary limitation. "We want this to be open source."
Crall said that JADC2 is dependent on an enterprise cloud-based computing solution, software development that is sharable, network enhancements, a zero trust environment, data sharing in nimble ways, and solutions that work on the tactical edge in a deployed environment.
What works in the National Capital Region most likely won't work in an austere environment, he said, adding that warfighters will be robustly testing the system in those environments.
Integrating allies and partners will also be an important aspect of JADC2, he said.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – 360 Patriot Enterprises, LLC (360 Patriot), located in Alexandria, Virginia, and its former minority shareholder, 360 Ventures LLC (360 Ventures), located in Wilmington, Delaware, agreed to pay a combined $1.12 million to settle civil fraud allegations that 360 Patriot was awarded two U.S. Army contracts set aside for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) at a time when 360 Patriot was not controlled by a service-disabled veteran (SDV), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh for the Eastern District of Virginia.
In order to qualify as a SDVOSB, companies must meet defined eligibility criteria, including that the company is at least 51% unconditionally and directly owned and controlled by one or more SDVs. The United States alleged that from March 2015 to December 2017, 360 Patriot was controlled by a non-SDV, and 360 Ventures facilitated the non-SDV’s control of the company under previous ownership and management. During that time, 360 Patriot was awarded two Army contracts that were set aside for qualified SDVOSBs.
360 Patriot’s current management submitted a written contractor disclosure to the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General in October 2020, describing the company’s likely prior control by a non-SDV.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, Major Procurement Fraud Unit; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr and William Hochul.
The civil claims settled by the settlement agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Paul Cramer, who's performing the duties of the assistant defense secretary for sustainment and chief housing officer, said the DOD has prioritized reforms under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, as well as reforms to rebuild tenant trust and help maintain the financial viability of MHPI housing projects. According to Cramer, the initial phase has focused on implementing the MHPI Tenant Bill of Rights as a visible commitment to military members and their families.
"The department has issued the policy guidance necessary to implement all 18 tenant rights at all MHPI housing projects," Cramer said. "Through negotiation and lots of work with our privatized housing partners, nearly all of the MHPI companies have agreed to implement all 18 tenant rights at their existing privatized housing projects," he added.
Congress recognized in the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act that the retroactive application of the 18 tenant rights at existing projects requires voluntary agreement by the respective MHPI companies. The DOD can't unilaterally change the terms of the complex, public-private partnerships that established the MHPI projects.
Cramer confirmed that, with few exceptions, the DOD expects all 18 tenant rights to be fully available at all installations with privatized housing by the end of FY 2021, noting that a number of MHPI housing projects have already incorporated those rights and many are providing all but the final right — standard documentation, focused on a universal lease framework.
"Military members and their families who are tenants of MHPI housing should check with the property manager or the government's installation housing office to confirm which of the tenant rights have been implemented at their installation," Cramer said.
The universal lease framework will standardize the general content of
the MHPI tenant lease to the maximum extent possible given the need for
tenant leases to comply with state and local requirements. MHPI housing
projects at most installations will start using the new universal lease
framework for prospective tenants entering a lease for new MHPI
housing, typically when tenants have their next, permanent
change-of-station move.
In addition to issuing the policies to implement all 18 tenant rights,
the DOD has issued housing policies to strengthen the department’s
oversight of MHPI housing projects. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin
III has also established a deputy assistant defense secretary for
housing to support the chief housing officer in oversight of the MHPI
program.
"The department's priority going forward is to implement additional MHPI reforms that improve [the] safety, quality and maintenance of the privatized housing, and to ensure accountability at all levels within DOD and MHPI companies to perform housing oversight as originally intended at the outset of the MHPI program," Cramer said.
June 4, 2021
The Navy will christen its newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Canberra (LCS 30), during a 12 p.m. CDT ceremony Saturday, June 5 in Mobile, Ala.
The Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator the Honourable Marise Payne, serves as the ship’s sponsor. As she is unable to attend, His Excellency the Honourable Arthur Sinodinos, Australian Ambassador to the United States will deliver the christening ceremony's principal address. Mr. Todd Schafer, acting assistant secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations, and Environment) and Vice Adm. Ricky Williamson, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics (N4) will also provide remarks. In a time-honored Navy tradition, the Australian Ambassador’s wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Sinodinos, will break a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow on behalf of Foreign Minister Payne.
“Tomorrow we christen the second USS Canberra named for the great
capital city of Australia, our stalwart ally and superb naval partner,”
said acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Harker. “In so doing we move
one step closer to welcoming a new ship to Naval service and
transitioning the platform from a mere hull number to a ship with a name
and spirit. There is no doubt future Sailors aboard this ship will
carry on the same values of honor, courage and commitment upheld by
crews from an earlier vessel that bore this name.”
LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in
near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats.
The platform is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime
security, sea control, and deterrence.
The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom-variant and the Independence-variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin in Marinette, Wisconsin (for the odd-numbered hulls). The Independence-variant team is led by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., (for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls).
LCS 30 is the 15th Independence-variant LCS and 30th in class. It is the second ship named in honor of the city of Canberra. The first USS Canberra (CA 70) was laid down as USS Pittsburgh on Sept. 3, 1941 and renamed Canberra on Oct. 15, 1942. She was named in honor of the Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra, which sank after receiving heavy damage during the Battle of Savo Island. CA 70 was the first U.S. Navy cruiser named for a foreign capital. USS Canberra (CA 70) received seven battle stars for her service in World War II. In May 1958, Canberra served as the ceremonial flagship for the selection of the Unknown Serviceman of World War II and Korea. Canberra was decommissioned in a ceremony on Feb. 2, 1970, at the San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard. One of her propellers is preserved at the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, while the ship's bell was donated to the Australian National Maritime Museum in 2001.
Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on the Littoral Combat Ship Program can be found at: https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2171607/littoral-combat-ship-class-lcs/
A Marine heats a door using a thermobaric torch during visit, board, search and seizure training at Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 13, 2021.
A new Marine embraces loved ones after a graduation ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, June 3, 2021.
Navy Seaman Ryan Pynn secures chains to a Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion during deck landing qualifications aboard the USS Arlington in the Atlantic Ocean, June 3, 2021.
The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth and the guided missile destroyer USS The Sullivans join ships assigned to NATO standing maritime groups 1 and 2 for a display of maritime power in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, May 28, 2021. The event was part of Steadfast Defender 21, a large-scale defensive exercise involving more than 20 NATO allies and partners.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Larry R. Broadwell gets sprayed with water after completing his fini flight at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, June 2, 2021. The fini flight is an Air Force tradition marking pilots' departure from a unit, or the last time they fly an aircraft.
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