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

SpaceLink -- the newly formed subsidiary of Electro Optic Systems -- will target its government market strategy in the U.S. on military, intelligence and civil aerospace applications of a medium-Earth orbit data relay service, SpaceLink CEO David Bettinger told Via Satellite in an interview posted Wednesday.

GrammaTech has received a contract of an undisclosed value from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for studying and prototyping an artificial intelligence-powered tool under DARPA's AI Exploration program. The company said Thursday it is building the AI-based ReMath program to automate the analysis of mathematical models from binary applications within embedded software and cyber physical systems.

The General Services Administration is looking for potential sources of subject matter expertise to help the Department of Defense migrate its web portal for small businesses to a cloud environment.

Amentum has secured a two-year, $68.3M contract modification from the U.S. Army for simulator flight training services and academics for undergraduate entry-level rotary-wing and selected graduate courses.

A Raytheon Technologies-made sensor payload has passed a critical design review under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s program to demonstrate high-speed network technologies in a low-Earth orbit satellite constellation. The company said Thursday its intelligence and space business tested focal plane, cryocooler, telescope and electronic parts that made up the sensor payload intended for DARPA's Blackjack initiative.

Errol Farr, former senior director of strategy and business development at AeroVironment, has joined Auterion to serve as the drone software company's vice president for government business development. Farr will oversee business development activities related to Auterion's offerings to security and defense customers, the company said Wednesday.

General Atomics' aeronautical systems business demonstrated a beyond line-of-sight high-frequency command and control capability aboard an MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aircraft system Dec. 16.

Steven Septoff, vice president for U.S. federal at Dell Technologies, said agencies looking to meet the goals of the Federal Data Strategy should prioritize security as they modernize their information technology platforms to better protect government data, FedScoop reported Thursday. "Security has got to be [built] within the technology … as you’re modernizing your IT infrastructure,” he said.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division has cut the first 100 tons of steel of the future USS Jeremiah Denton to mark the start of the fabrication phase for the U.S. Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.

Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and a four-time Wash100 Award winner, issued a memo in mid-December formalizing the creation of a program that would provide participating defense contractors more access to special access programs or classified initiatives, the Air Force Magazine reported Monday.

Akima Logistics Services, an Akima subsidiary, has secured a position on the ten-year, $14 billion Aircraft Maintenance Enterprise Solution (ACES) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. “We are proud to continue our support of vital Air Force missions and eager to provide effective, efficient, and innovative solutions,” said Scott Rauer, president of Akima’s Facilities Solutions Group.

David Mutryn, senior vice president of finance at Maximus, will succeed Richard Nadeau as chief financial officer of the Reston, Virginia-based government services provider on Dec. 1. “[Nadeau's] valued leadership and partnership in driving the long-term strategic direction of Maximus have been critical as we continue our journey of digital transformation, clinical evolution, and market expansion," said Bruce Caswell, president and CEO of Maximus and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient. 

Sal D’Itri, chairman of the National Spectrum Consortium, told Federal News Network in an interview posted Wednesday that NSC expects the Department of Defense to provide requests for proposals this month and in February for 5G technology development projects under a potential five-year, $2.5B other transaction agreement.

HackerOne and the Defense Digital Service have launched the third iteration of a competition designed to identify the U.S. Army's cybersecurity gaps. Hack the Army 3.0 challenges civilian and military parties to discover vulnerabilities within the Army's digital systems and inform the service branch about needed security changes, HackerOne said Wednesday.

Snowflake's cloud product has gained a spot on Carahsoft Technology's distribution contract with the National Association of State Procurement Officials. Carahsoft said Wednesday it can now distribute Snowflake's Data Cloud platform to state and local governments and academic institutions through NASPO's ValuePoint Cloud Solutions contract.