ExecutiveBiz ExecutiveBiz covers emerging companies in Washington's government contracting sector.

Executive Mosaic, the leading provider in connecting, promoting and branding government and government contracting (GovCon) executives of consequence, announced on Friday that John Goodman, chief executive of Accenture Federal Services, has received a 2021 Wash100 Award for his contributions in the GovCon sector in 2020 and his forthcoming achievements in the year to come. 

Raytheon Technologies has infused emerging technology into the company's modeling and simulation process as part of efforts to help defense customers visualize the performance of weapons systems before they make procurement decisions. The company said Wednesday an engineering team within its missile and defense business used artificial intelligence and machine learning to put a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA missile through digital testing ahead of a flight test demonstration conducted by the U.S. Navy and the Missile Defense Agency in November last year.

BAE Systems has acquired Pulse Power and Measurement (PPM), a developer and manufacturer of high-end electronics, in an effort to enable BAE to further advance its strategic objective to develop and grow its capabilities in secure systems and information exploitation. “Pulse Power and Measurement Limited and BAE Systems are an excellent fit," said Ian Muldowney, COO and engineering director, BAE Systems' Air Sector.

Executive Mosaic is pleased to introduce Derek Tournear, director of the Space Development Agency (SDA), as an inductee of the Wash100 Award for the first time. Tournear has become a 2021 Wash100 Award recipient for his leadership and commitment to satellite tech as well as maintaining the U.S.'s advantage over the space domain. 

A joint venture between Ultra Electronics and Sparton has landed a two-year, $71.3 million contract modification to manufacture and deliver up to 20,000 anti-submarine warfare acoustic sensors to the U.S. Navy.

Leidos has secured a $58 million contract modification from the Defense Information Systems Agency to continue its work to modernize systems that automate artillery operations. The company will use a revised code convergence strategy to update the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.

General Atomics' aeronautical systems business has received the Federal Aviation Administration's approval to test a second Avenger Extended Range unmanned aircraft system in U.S. national airspace. The company said Wednesday it will use the FAA-granted experimental certificate to expand Avenger ER's testing activities for internal research and development, as well as contracted efforts.

Illinois-based company Research Support Services has secured a $78.4 million contract to perform cognitive interviewing studies in support of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research effort, FedHealthIT reported Wednesday.

Microsoft has found that a state-sponsored threat actor operating from China, called Hafnium, is targeting U.S. defense contractors, law firms, policy think tanks, infectious disease researchers and other entitles to steal data by compromising on-premises Exchange Server software.

Huntington Ingalls Industries transported a Virginia-class submarine built for the U.S. Navy to a pier operated by the company's Newport News Shipbuilding division.

Venture capital firm Decisive Point has made an investment of an undisclosed sum in drone technology manufacturer Asylon to help accelerate the latter's development of autonomous system software and infrastructure for defense and security clients.

Zachary Lemnios and Terry Halvorsen of IBM said the U.S. should invest in the domestic microelectronics supply chain, including research and development, to ensure the security of these microchips, maintain the country's edge in innovation and reduce dependence on foreign-made semiconductors.

Chris Mattmann, Chuck Beames, Karen Diener, Keith Masback, Moriba Jah, Marissa Peretz and Susan Helms have joined Slingshot Aerospace's advisory board to provide insights, support and counsel in all aspects of the company's business.

Mark Lewis, director of the Emerging Technologies Institute at the National Defense Industrial Association, has said that the new organization seeks to accelerate the development of key defense technologies to maintain U.S. technological superiority.

TYSONS CORNER, VA, March 4, 2021 “” Roger Krone, chairman and CEO of Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), told analysts in a conference call that the company's move to acquire Gibbs & Cox aims to add a pipeline of marine engineering and naval architecture services to the existing maritime business, GovCon Wire reported Feb. 24