A Lockheed Martin-made spacecraft is now on its way back to Earth after a mission to explore and gather samples on the Bennu asteroid. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft carries asteroid samples as it flies back to Earth's orbit over a 1.4-billion-mile, two-year trip, which is expected to include two rotations around the Sun, Lockheed said Monday.

Rheinmetall’s U.S. defense arm has launched operations at a new Michigan-based facility dedicated to a ground-modernization program with the U.S. Army. The new office of American Rheinmetall Vehicles in Sterling Heights, Michigan, will enable expanded operations in support of the Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle program.

Andy Beamon, vice president of strategic innovation for citizen services at Maximus' federal business arm, said intelligent virtual assistants have the potential to personalize, accelerate and streamline customer deliveries. Artificial intelligence-powered IVAs allow government agencies to accommodate inquiries and various requests of citizens 24/7 without the need for a complete staff, according to Beamon.

Amazon Web Services helped the U.S. Air Force demonstrate edge computing with the service branch's new system of situational awareness sensors. The company said Friday it participated in the On-Ramp 4 demonstration in Germany, where USAF's Advanced Battle Management System simulated performance at the edge of the battlefield.

Keysight Technologies has secured a five-year, $39.8 million contract to provide the U.S. Air Force with tools needed to support automatic testing. USAF will gain access to Keysight's test and measurement products for Versatile Diagnostic Automatic Test Station updates and production activities.

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has secured over $46 million in several awards to support various space domain awareness programs. Kratos' OpenSpace software is designed to facilitate adjustments of satellite ground systems to environmental or operational changes.

Perspecta has secured a two-year, $17.9 million task order from the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific to develop, test, integrate and maintain software for Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command. The company said Wednesday the cyber tool development award is meant to help MARFORCYBER augment the command's operational performance in cyberspace.

The U.S. Air Force has flight-tested a Kratos Defense & Security Solutions-made unmanned tactical aerial platform equipped with a new autonomy core system to assess its navigational command response and basic aviation functions. The UTAP-22 aircraft flew at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida on April 29 to exhibit safe flight performance of the Skyborg ACS while being monitored by both ground-based and airborne control stations, Air Force Research Laboratory said Wednesday.

The Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard has deployed a Northrop Grumman-built advanced targeting pod capable of providing F-16 aircraft pilots with full-color digital video for situational awareness and targeting accuracy. The company said Tuesday the Litening pod features a modular design that allows users to update the pod into the new full-color configuration.

Perspecta has secured a spot on a $700 million multiaward blanket purchase agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to help it conduct national security and background investigations. The company said Tuesday it offers a full range of services that agencies can use for detection, investigation and reduction of mission risks.

Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works subsidiary demonstrated communications between six fifth-generation fighter jet and one reconnaissance aircraft during a test with the U.S. Air Force and the Missile Defense Agency. The flight test titled Project Hydra had five F-35s, one U-2 and and one F-22 aircraft link with each other to share data and build real time situational awareness for ground-based operators, the company said Monday.

Quzara has partnered with Summit 7 Systems and CORTAC Group to help members of the defense industrial base comply with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, a Department of Defense program that sets new cybersecurity standards. The companies have formed the CMMC Consortium that will guide stakeholders and advise them on compliance efforts by providing regulatory and cybersecurity expertise, Quzara said Monday.

The Department of Veterans Affairs seeks market information on potential application of three types of emerging technology into the Veteran Health Administration's clinical workflow. Future contractors would help VA identify and assess clinically applicable advanced manufacturing, robotic process automation and immersive technologies, VA said Thursday in a SAM notice.

Barbara Fast, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer, has joined Clarifai to serve as senior adviser and member of the company's public sector advisory council. Fast is a retired Army major general who contributed 32 years of service to the military, having held intelligence-related roles with the Army Intelligence Center, Multi-National Forces-Iraq, National Security Agency and Central Security Service.

The U.S. Marines Corps has received a Raytheon Technologies-made prototype radar that the service branch plans to use for early flight testing with its F-18 Hornet aircraft. The company said Thursday it delivered a prototype of the APG-79(V)4 radar, a scaled variant of the APG-79 active electronically scanned array designed for detecting and tracking enemy aircraft more accurately than the older APG-73 technology.