Latest news with #DepartmentoftheAirForce
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Base Operations selected by the US Air Force to provide AI-driven security intelligence for mission resilience and force protection
The Direct-to-Phase II contract was awarded to identify, assess, predict and counter emerging threats, including Small Unarmed Aerial Systems incursions, when operating in dynamic environments with limited intelligence and evolving adversary tactics. WASHINGTON, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Base Operations has been selected by AFWERX for a Direct-to-Phase II contract focused on decoding local threats and providing actionable insights to safeguard the global operations of the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now on May 27th 2025, Base Operations will take the next step in its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America. "In an era of evolving threats and rapid transformation in federal procurement, sourcing cutting-edge solutions from U.S. startups is essential to maintaining operational readiness and protecting the warfighter. Base Operations is proud to be selected by the Air Mobility Command of the Department of Air Force to deliver advanced, AI-powered threat intelligence. Our platform enhances force protection by anticipating and mitigating risks around critical installations, safeguarding personnel, and effectively countering adversarial foreign espionage. By equipping decision-makers with AI-driven insights, we help strengthen operational resilience and ensure mission success in complex and dynamic environments." Cory Siskind, Founder & CEO at Base Operations The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. About Base OperationsBase Operations decodes the world's threat landscape into actionable security insights that enable organizations to protect their people, assets, and operations. Identify and assess threats, manage risk across your footprint, and make data-driven decisions using granular, street-level intelligence at global scale. Learn more at About AFRLThe Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit About AFWERXAs the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian and contractor personnel at four hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has awarded over 10,400 contracts worth more than $7.24 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: For press enquiries contact ben@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Base Operations Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
U.S. rocket-testing plans at Pacific atoll stir controversy
Hawaii conservation groups are voicing their opposition to plans by the U.S. Space Force to conduct cargo rocket testing at Johnston Atoll, a national wildlife refuge in the Pacific. The atoll, known as Kalama to Hawaiians, lies within the. It was used in earlier decades as a nuclear testing site but is now a refuge to seabirds, including one of the largest known nesting populations of red-tailed tropicbirds, more than 300 species of fish and a shallow coral reef. They say Kalama, about 800 miles southwest of Honolulu, shares an ecological and spiritual connection to Hawaii and must be protected. The Pacific Islands Heritage oalition—a diverse network of scientists, cultural practitioners and community leaders—already has launched a strongly objecting to the plan announced in March by the Department of the Air Force. Rocket testing poses serious risks, the coalition said, including contamination, debris, noise pollution and the potential for failed landings within protected waters. This is not unprecedented, according to the coalition, which noted that Elon Musk's Space X Starship, which is being considered for the project, already has had several explosive failures—including on and. These explosions disrupted commercial flights and rained space debris down into the ocean. The coalition is calling for an immediate halt to any construction plans, and a full environmental impact statement with a thorough evaluation of its effects on the atoll's fragile ecosystem. 'In a time when our Earth is rapidly changing, we must commit to its restoration and healing, ' said Solomon Kaho 'ohalahala, coalition chair, in a statement. 'The proposal by the Air Force to construct landing pads and test massive rocket cargo operations at Kalama only continues decades of harm and abuse to a place that is culturally and biologically tied to us as Pacific people. We say enough is enough. Aole (No )!' Kaho 'ohalahala, a Native Hawaiian elder, said these testing plans, to him, 'have untold kinds of impacts that we have not even had to consider.' Rocket testing plans The U.S. Space Force under the Department of the Air Force in March issued a to build two landing pads at Johnston Atoll, to be designed for up to 10 reentry vehicle landings per year over four consecutive years. The purpose is to 'safely test and demonstrate the |expeditious delivery of tons of materiel (military equipment ) through space ' to support ongoing research for the department's rocket cargo program. Testing is expected to begin sometime this year to help determine whether commercial rockets can transport military equipment more speedily around the globe, in hours rather than days to weeks that current modes of transportation require. The Air Force said the testing must be done in a remote, securable, U.S. government-controlled location—and that of all potential sites identified, Johnston met all operational requirements. Other sites considered were Kwajalein Atoll, Midway Island and Wake Island. A draft environment assessment, which would analyze potential effects to the fish, migratory birds and other protected species in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and finding of no significant impact was originally due out in early April but has been delayed. The Air Force said in an email it was taking longer than expected and is anticipated to be available for public review in the summer. Once published, a 30-day public-comment period begins. A jewel in the sea Opposition to the proposal, however, is mounting. Among the more than 3, 500 people who have signed the petition are biologists, conservationists and others who say the atoll is one of the last wild, healthy ocean ecosystems remaining on Earth. Others call it a sacred Hawaiian atoll—a jewel in the sea—with deep cultural and spiritual significance. Kalama has made incredible progress in recovery 20 years after enduring military use, which included coral dredging, atmospheric nuclear testing and the stockpiling and burning of toxic chemical munitions—including more than 2 million gallons of Agent Orange. The island is now healing, they said, and it would be a shame for this progress to be undone with potentially irreparable harm. Marine biologist Alan Friedlander, former chief scientist for National Geographic's Pristine Seas program, says Johnston is one of the 'few rare places ' left in the world with a rich diversity of species. He has traveled from the Arctic to the Antarctic during his 15-year tenure at Pristine Seas, and said, 'There are not many places left like this.' In fact, all isles within the monument are 'like jewels in the crown, ' he said, not just for the U.S., but for the world. The atoll is significant as a 'steppingstone ' for species on their way to the Hawaiian Islands, whether it be invertebrates, corals, fishes or birds. Both Johnston and Hawaii share many of the same endemic species. It is now thriving, he said, with the ocean full of a beautiful and diverse array of of sharks, fish and corals. He described it as a 'kind of a living laboratory of sorts.' Brad Keitt of the American Bird Conservancy is just as concerned about the direct as well as indirect impacts of rocket testing, which include disturbing the balance of nature and bringing invasive species back to the atoll. The USFWS—after more than a decade of efforts—finally eradicated the invasive, yellow crazy ants brought by humans that were destroying nests. Seabird nesting refuge Johnston Atoll is also home to nearly 1.5 million seabirds of 15 species, according to Keitt. While seabird populations are declining around the world due to habitat loss and introduced predators, the island is one of the few 'bright spots, ' he said, where the population is increasing. The American Bird Conservancy is requesting the military look for an alternative site because the rocket landing pads cannot be built without significant harm to bird colonies there. The atoll is home to nearly half of the global population of red-tailed tropicbirds, or koaeula, as well as sooty terns and brown-and red-footed boobies. He is concerned about the impact of extremely loud sounds associated with rockets, he said, which possibly could cause irreparable, permanent damage to the birds. Seabirds play an important role in the ecology of islands, with emerging research showing their guano fertilizes the isles and nearshore environments, which helps fish and corals grow faster. The remoteness of Johnston also makes it difficult to get to, requiring several days over the ocean. The airstrip at Johnston has long been decommissioned, he said, and has since been overtaken by nesting terns. Friedlander said rocket launches are likely less expensive on the mainland or elsewhere. 'On a small atoll, everything is magnified because you have such limited space and all the animals are concentrated into a very narrow area, both on land and in the sea, ' he said, 'so the impacts are much more direct.' Several environmental groups, including the Conservation Council of Hawaii, have taken a stand with the council, while others are closely watching developments. The groups were dismayed at President Donald Trump's executive order in April a ban on commercial fishing at the monument. Earthjustice, a national environmental law firm, has vowed to fight the order, saying it threatens critical species' habitat within and around the monument. David Henkin, Earthjustice attorney, said in a statement that the group is closely monitoring the 'reckless proposal.' 'The rockets that the military has in mind have a lousy track record, with several blowing up shortly after launch, ' Henkin said. 'Even one such mishap would devastate wildlife at Johnston. That the military is trying to get away with preparing only an environmental assessment—a cursory review appropriate for only projects with absolutely no potential to cause significant environmental harm—is outrageous.' The military, the Pacific Islands Heritage Coalition said, must pursue alternatives that will not damage environmental and cultural treasures in its wake. For Kaho 'ohalahala, who launched the petition, the ocean is one, without division, despite the various jurisdictions that humans have established. 'These waters are sacred ; they tell the stories of our ancestors and connect us to our cultural heritage and cousins across the Pacific, ' he said. What happens in one part of the ocean affects other parts of it, including the Hawaiian Islands, and he is most concerned about the consequences of the destruction for future generations. 'As an indigenous Hawaiian, those lines do not exist in our ocean, ' he said. 'Our whales, our sharks, our turtles, they move across those lines. For us to think that by drawing a line we're somehow about to act independently without any impact to the whole is a false kind of perspective.' Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge—Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Johnston Atoll is an unincorporated U.S. territory made up of four islands (Johnston, Sand, North and East islands ).—Located 716 nautical miles (824 miles ) southwest of Honolulu.—In 1926, Johnston was designated a refuge for native birds. This status as a refuge was retained after the U.S. took control in 1934.—From late 1950s to 1962, Johnston was the site of high-altitude nuclear testing. Chemical munitions were stockpiled there, and incinerated in a disposal system built in 1990, then disassembled in 2004.—By November 2003 the U.S. Air Force demolished the incinerator buildings. By May 2005 almost all of the infrastructure had been removed, and all personnel left the atoll.—On Jan. 6, 2009, the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument was established by President George W. Bush, with Johnston Atoll within its boundaries. In 2014, President Barack Obama expanded the boundaries of the monument.—In 2010, USFWS identifies an invasion of yellow crazy ants at Johnston that are blinding and maiming nesting red-tailed tropicbirds. Efforts to eradicate them begin.—In 2021, USFWS declares eradication of yellow crazy ants from Johnston. Source : U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Department of Air Force, Olive Ann Hotel, GrandSky among latest to cut ties with Bruce Gjovig
Apr. 30—GRAND FORKS — Entities ranging from local businesses to the Department of the Air Force have cut ties with Bruce Gjovig since a Friday report documenting the entrepreneur's email exchanges with convicted former state Sen. Ray Holmberg. A Department of the Air Force spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that Gjovig is no longer an Air and Space Force Civic Leader. Civic Leaders are community members selected by the Air Force Chief of Staff who serve as unpaid advisers and liaisons between the Air Force and communities with a significant military presence. Gjovig, who was appointed to the role in 2016 and most recently held emeritus status with the program, is no longer affiliated with the Civic Leader program as of Monday, the spokesperson said. Gjovig was honored with the department's Distinguished Public Service Award last year. Grand Forks' convention center, its principal health care provider, the nearby aviation park and the operators of the Olive Ann Hotel are also among the entities that have ended their association with Gjovig in the past few days. Gjovig told Mayor Brandon Bochenski he is stepping down from the city's Base Retention and Investment Committee, the mayor shared with the Herald on Wednesday. On Friday, a report from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead detailed email exchanges between Gjovig and Holmberg in 2009 and 2011 where Holmberg boasted of his sexual exploits and at one point stated "no one is ever (too) young," a phrase referenced by prosecutors during the senator's sentencing hearing. Holmberg, who represented Grand Forks as a Republican in the North Dakota Senate from 1977 until his resignation in 2022, was sentenced to 10 years in prison last month for traveling to Prague multiple times between 2011 and 2016 with plans to sexually abuse children. GrandSky Engagement Director Scott Meyer said Tuesday the aviation park is cutting ties with Gjovig in light of The Forum's report. Gjovig was closely associated with efforts to develop the city's unmanned aerial systems industry and served as an unpaid "strategic adviser" for the aviation park. "The abuse of children is appalling, which makes the recent release of Bruce Gjovig's correspondence so disheartening," Meyer said. "We believe it's best to end any relationship with him in light of these revelations." Gjovig has said through his attorney, Cash Aaland, that he was unaware of the "criminal nature" of Holmberg's sexual activity and was "appalled" to learn of the former state senator's conduct. "As a gay man and a Republican, Mr. Gjovig has been an easy mark for political and media attacks," read a Sunday statement from Aaland. "Holmberg created the biggest political scandal in recent North Dakota history. Mr. Gjovig condemns Holmberg's conduct. However, there are always those who, with rumor and innuendo, attempt to exploit scandals for sensational and political reasons." Since the publication of the Forum story, several Grand Forks businesses that displayed artwork from Gjovig's personal collection have taken down the art or removed public references to their display. Landon Bahl, vice president of 322 Hospitality Group, said that Gjovig's artwork is no longer being displayed at the Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea in the Olive Ann Hotel as of Saturday. "Due to recent news, we decided to make that decision," Bahl said. Sweetwaters previously displayed four pieces of original artwork used in Cream of Wheat advertisements between 1913 and 1924. Wheat millers first manufactured the porridge mix in Grand Forks in the late 1800s. 322 Hospitality Group owns and operates the downtown hotel. Altru Health System spokesperson Ken Hanson wrote in a text message to the Herald that the health care provider had begun the process of returning Gjovig's art "in light of recent, very concerning developments." Art from Gjovig's collection had previously been displayed at the Altru Professional Center at 4440 S Washington St. "Altru is committed to fostering a space of healing and respect for all," Hanson wrote. The Alerus Center, the city-owned event and convention facility, has taken down its webpage promoting the Bruce Gjovig Collection, a gallery of Gjovig's private collection and a rotating gallery of works from local artists displayed at the Alerus Center's conference center. General Manager Anna Rosberg wrote in an email to the Herald that the Alerus Center had an agreement with the Public Arts Commission to display the art and did not have a formal relationship with Gjovig. She said the gallery had previously been scheduled for removal this week in advance of a remodel of the conference center and "the future of the public art gallery will be assessed post-renovation." The Public Arts Commission wrote in a Tuesday evening email to the Herald that Gjovig's art had been removed from the Alerus Center as of that day. It said Gjovig had not served on the commission's board for several years and had not provided financial support since then, "nor has any association with the Public Arts Commission." The commission released a public statement late Wednesday afternoon saying it is working to remove art from Gjovig's collection from its permanent galleries. University of North Dakota President Andy Armacost told UND community members in a Tuesday email that he was "sickened" by Holmberg's actions and "the inaction of those who had direct information about his misdeeds." "Information shared in these recent reports mentions several former UND employees connected to Holmberg," Armacost said. "While they have not been accused of criminal action, we will ensure that they have no connection to our university community." Gjovig founded UND's Center for Innovation in 1984 and served as its CEO until stepping down in 2017. Dakota Venture Group, UND's student-run venture capital fund affiliated with the Center for Innovation, has scrubbed references to Gjovig from its website. Gjovig co-founded the venture capital fund in 2006 with investor Bart Holaday and served until recently on the fund's advisory board. Jim Poolman, a Fargo businessman and former Republican lawmaker, resigned his position as board chair of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation on Tuesday after acknowledging federal agents interviewed him about Holmberg in September 2023. Poolman, who has not been charged with a crime, said he has heard nothing from investigators since that interview. He said he resigned because he doesn't want to be a distraction. On Saturday morning, Grand Forks Herald Publisher Korrie Wenzel ended the newspaper's relationship with Gjovig, who for years had served as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce's Herald Business Advisory Committee. The group meets quarterly to discuss business news and trends in the community and region. Gjovig resigned from the committee on Monday.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Good luck figuring out the Air Force's algorithm for shaving waivers
The Department of the Air Force's process for determining if airmen and Space Force guardians should receive medical waivers for shaving is about as indecipherable as the infamous flow chart about counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan from years ago. A document from a Louisiana Air National Guard unit that was posted on Reddit includes the Air Force's 'algorithm' — a 20-step flowchart — for determining if airmen should get shaving waivers for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, or PFB, a painful skin condition made worse by shaving. The flowchart provides a breakdown of which symptoms are common for PFB and which might indicate another shaving issue. It also includes several possible courses of action, including prescribing hydrocortisone to treat inflammation, allowing airmen and guardians to use electric clippers instead of razors to keep their facial hair slightly longer, and, in some cases, laser therapy. But it can be difficult for the layman to trace a path on the chart from diagnosis to treatment, and it is not clear what the requirements are for issuing a shaving waiver. An Air Force official confirmed to Task & Purpose on Wednesday that the flow chart is authentic, but it was meant for medical providers, not airmen. The flowchart is intended to help medical providers determine if airmen and guardians have PFB or another type of skin irritation that could be caused by local factors, such as a high mineral content in the water or the dryness of the air, the official said. Once the medical providers have diagnosed the issue, they can decide whether to issue a waiver or pursue an alternative medical treatment. Common in up to 60% of Black men, PFB is a condition in which facial hair grows back into the skin, causing inflammation, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Shaving 'sharpens the ends of the hairs like a spear,' exacerbating the condition, the college's website says. 'A 100% effective treatment is to let the beard grow. Once the hairs get to be a certain length they will not grow back into the skin,' the website says. But U.S. military leaders have long maintained that service members need to be clean-shaven to wear oxygen and gas masks, even though Great Britain and other countries permit their troops to have beards. Last year, Congress required the Air Force secretary to brief lawmakers about a potential pilot program that would allow airmen and guardians to grow beards. Then, in January, the Air Force announced that all airmen and guardians with medical profiles for shaving would need to be evaluated by a healthcare professional within 90 days of their next annual Periodic Health Assessment to receive another shaving waiver. The change, which does not apply to religious accommodation shaving waivers, reversed a 2020 policy that allowed airmen and guardians diagnosed with PFB to be issued waivers for five years without annual renewals. Shortly before the policy update was announced, Air Force Chief of Staff David Allvin announced the service would conduct more formations and uniform inspections and review policies and standards that look at 'waivers and the exceptions.' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also announced a review in March that will look at how all the military services' physical fitness, body composition, and grooming standards have changed over the past decade. That review 'includes but is not limited to beards,' he wrote. 'High standards are what made the United States military the greatest fighting force on the planet,' Hegseth wrote in the March 12 memo. 'The strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose. We are made stronger and more disciplined with high, uncompromising, and clear standards.' Top enlisted leader of Air Force Special Operations Command fired amid investigation The Marine in one of the most famous recruiting commercials is now in Congress 75th Ranger Regiment wins 2025 Best Ranger Competition Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer reenlists in Marine Reserve Air Force pilots get a new way to pee at 30,000 feet
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Air Force revokes four-day weekends for troops
The Air Force on Monday revoked a policy providing troops extra time off around holidays, saying the widespread leave known as 'Family Days' hurt the department's ability to carry out its missions. The Air Force has in the past granted airmen and guardians those extra days off, usually in conjunction with a holiday that falls on a Thursday, Friday or Monday. This gives troops a regular series of four-day weekends — roughly one a month — to spend as they wish. In a Feb. 11 memo cracking down on civilian employees' use of Family Days and announcing a broader review of the policy, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Gwendolyn DeFilippi said these days 'recognize our teams' contributions to the mission and our families' enduring support of our efforts.' Meetings and scheduled activities are often minimized during such days, DeFilippi said then. But in an April 7 memo that leaked online, Acting Air Force Secretary Gary Ashworth said the more generous leave policy for troops won't work with the military's new focus on sharpening its effectiveness. 'The Department of the Air Force is focused on restoring lethality and readiness to our force,' Ashworth said in the memo, first posted Tuesday by the unofficial Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page. 'Providing a blanket designation of pass days, often called family days, to align with all eleven federal holidays throughout the year does not support our ability to execute the mission with excellence while maintaining our competitive advantage.' An Air Force official confirmed the memo is genuine. Ashworth advised commanders across the services to review their leave policies to ensure they align with readiness. Leaders are allowed to grant passes to service members at their discretion, Ashworth said, when that time off doesn't harm operational missions and warfighting requirements. Reaction to the memo on the amn/nco/snco Facebook page was mixed. Some commenters said certain key airmen, such as security forces, rarely received extra days off and that the mission needs to come first. Others doubted canceling this time off would measurably improve lethality and readiness and said it would harm morale and retention. 'This is disappointing,' one commenter said. 'Big Air Force will mandate that you show up and do busywork for 8-12 hours a day after Christmas and then wonder why you don't want to reenlist.'
