U.S. Cyber Command's leading figure is leaving their position.
The U.S. government is set to bolster its cybersecurity measures and autonomous technology investments, as outlined in the Defense Department's fiscal 2026 budget proposal.
The budget request includes a significant $13.4 billion investment in autonomous systems, marking a notable increase from the previous fiscal year. Of this investment, $9.4 billion is allocated for unmanned and remotely operated aerial vehicles, $734 million for underwater autonomous capabilities, and $1.7 billion for on-water autonomous systems. An additional $2.2 billion will be allocated to the Department of the Navy, bringing its total investment in autonomous systems to $5.3 billion.
In the realm of cybersecurity, the government is showing increased scrutiny and enforcement, particularly among U.S. Government contractors. Recent developments, such as a $8.4 million settlement with Raytheon, underscore the federal government's commitment to enforcing cybersecurity requirements within the contracting community. Contractors are urged to adopt best practices like appointing dedicated cybersecurity teams, conducting thorough compliance assessments, and ensuring robust incident response plans.
To address concerns about the inflexibility of current procurement policies and their impact on timely and effective delivery of mission-critical support, the House Appropriations Committee has proposed a "Contractor Cyber Readiness Pilot." This pilot aims to foster innovation, increase competition, and improve accountability by focusing on measurable results. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been directed to utilise pilot projects, including the Contractor Cyber Readiness Pilot, to identify contractors capable of meeting DHS’s evolving cybersecurity needs and to improve contractor accountability.
Persistent and elevated threats to the Defense Industrial Base, particularly from foreign cyber actors linked to geopolitical conflicts, underscore the critical importance of cybersecurity readiness for government contractors. Recent warnings from cybersecurity agencies such as CISA, FBI, NSA, and DoD Cyber Crime Center highlight the ongoing concern.
Meanwhile, within the Defense Department, the Pentagon is relying on the reconciliation bill to fill funds that have been diverted from military programs to fund the border mission. The Defense Department's fiscal 2026 budget proposal also includes $5 billion for southern border operations. However, the Pentagon has yet to name Haugh's replacement, following President Donald Trump's reported firing of CYBERCOM chief and NSA Director General Timothy Haugh two months prior to Morgan Adamski's resignation as the executive director of U.S. Cyber Command.
In other developments, the Homeland Security Department is canceling two major solicitations: the FirstSource III program and the PACTS III solicitation. The Department of Navy has listed AI and autonomy, quantum technologies, transport and connectivity, C5ISR and space, and cyber defense, including zero trust implementation, as its biggest technology priority areas.
A virtual event, Workforce Reimagined, focusing on building a federal workforce that's skilled, resilient, and ready to meet evolving mission demands, is scheduled for Aug. 26. The event aims to provide insights and strategies for federal managers to better manage their workforce, particularly in the light of a new final rule that gives agencies more leeway to fire probationary employees. However, the Partnership for Public Service believes that the Office of Personnel Management's final rule did not account for federal managers.
In summary, the U.S. government is taking steps to enhance its cybersecurity posture and autonomous technology investments, while also addressing concerns about the inflexibility of current procurement policies and their impact on timely and effective delivery of mission-critical support. The government's increased focus on cybersecurity is particularly evident in its enforcement actions and the proposed Contractor Cyber Readiness Pilot. The ongoing threats to the Defense Industrial Base underscore the critical importance of cybersecurity readiness for government contractors.
[1] Current status of cybersecurity among U.S. Government contractors [2] House Appropriations Committee's Contractor Cyber Readiness Pilot proposal [3] Threat landscape for U.S. Government contractors
The House Appropriations Committee's proposal for the Contractor Cyber Readiness Pilot aims to address the increasing importance of cybersecurity among U.S. Government contractors, particularly in light of ongoing threats to the Defense Industrial Base. This pilot is designed to foster innovation, increase competition, and improve accountability by focusing on measurable results, thereby enhancing the federal workforce's cybersecurity readiness.
In the federal workforce, there is an ongoing effort to reimagine and reshape the workforce to meet evolving mission demands, as exemplified by the upcoming Workforce Reimagined virtual event. This event aims to provide strategies for federal managers to better manage their workforce, especially in the context of a new final rule giving agencies more leeway to fire probationary employees, which some believe did not adequately account for federal managers.
