Latest news with #DOD
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
MIT joins group of universities suing the DOD over funding cuts
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has joined a lawsuit against the Department of Defense (DOD) over funding cuts related to indirect costs for military-based research. The institution joins a group of 11 other universities, including Brown University in Rhode Island, and three higher education organizations that filed the complaint against the DOD on Monday. Boston University supported the lawsuit as a member of the Association of American Universities. As of Tuesday, a federal judge had approved a temporary restraining order to halt the implementation of the cuts. 'We underscore that MIT drives US national security through its cutting-edge research, defense innovation and substantial contributions to military leadership,' said Kimberly Allen, a spokesperson for MIT, in an email. DOD declined to comment because it is ongoing litigation. Boston University didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. 'DOD's latest action would have an immediate and dire effect on our national security by disrupting research designed to help our military,' the group of those suing said in a statement released Monday. Read more: MIT sues federal science agency over cuts to 'crucial research' The lawsuit comes in response to the DOD's announcement that it would limit facilities and administrative reimbursements to a 15% cap for all DOD research grants. Facilities and administrative costs include maintenance and administrative staff, research facilities and safety expenses, among others, which the group cites as being essential costs in maintaining the country's status as a leader in military technology research. Initially proposed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a memo sent on May 14, the cuts are set to save the DOD $900 million per year, according to Hegseth. According to court filings, MIT received $107 million in funding from the DOD in the 2024 fiscal year. They estimate that a 15% cap on Facilities and administrative expenses by the DOD would result in an estimated loss of $21 million annually. MIT has expressed it intends to apply for new funding awards from the DOD in addition to pending funding proposals. MIT is also involved in lawsuits against other federal organizations over cuts to indirect costs in other departments, namely the National Institute of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Science Foundation. 'Far reaching consequences' — UMass Amherst sounds the alarm amid federal uncertainty As federal funding cuts hit Harvard, a private investment firm and other donors step up 20 NIH grants restored to UMass system after judge rules against Trump admin Trump admin asks court to rule against Harvard without a trial Federal judge orders Trump admin to reinstate hundreds of NIH grants Read the original article on MassLive.
CNN
a day ago
- Politics
- CNN
Three military possibilities for Iran that Trump is likely considering
Former DOD official Alex Plitsas joins Abby at the magic wall to talk through what he sees as three military options that President Trump is likely considering on Iran.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NCMS Selects Cybernet Systems Corporation for Top Award in 2025 CTMA Technology Competition
Winning technology awarded at NCMS headquarters following finalists' demonstration event CTMA Technology Competition Winner ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is pleased to announce that Cybernet Systems Corporation has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities (CTMA) Technology Competition, a highly selective annual contest that identifies the most innovative maintenance and sustainment technologies relevant to DOD operations. The winning technology, NDT Tracker for Mobile C-Scan Generation, is a mobile non-destructive testing (NDT) tool linked to advanced software that greatly simplifies ultrasonic thickness grid inspection for aircraft structural components. Three finalists gave dynamic presentations of their technology solutions earlier today in an event that was livestreamed from NCMS headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI. Each finalist was permitted 30 minutes to demonstrate their technologies in action and provide information about their solutions' relevance, benefits, and impact on maintenance and sustainment operations. A video recording of the event will be made available on the NCMS website later this week, as will a booklet featuring information about all of this year's entries. A total of 35 entries were submitted for consideration this year. As a new addition to the format of the competition this year, NCMS teamed up with the US Navy's Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRC-SE), which is Naval Air Systems Command's largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider in the southeast region. FRC-SE personnel selected five focus areas for which they sought innovative solutions: aircraft data integration, laser cutting on aluminum, robotics and automation, surface preparation and corrosion control, and expeditionary repair of aircraft structural components. 'The judges selected this winner from a pool of extraordinary innovative technologies,' said Lisa Strama, NCMS President and CEO. 'We are thrilled to be able to provide FRC-SE with a technology solution that can be applied to current challenges they face in their maintenance and sustainment operations.' NDT Tracker for Mobile C-Scan Generation enables accurate semi-auto NDT for aircraft structural components. The NDT Tracker is a mobile, camera-based tool that reduces ultrasonic thickness grid inspection labor from two inspectors to one, cutting labor in half. The Tracker eliminates hand-drawn grids and manual recording, using patent-pending AutoClick Combo-Filtering to auto-select accurate thickness readings, reducing average inspection time from 20 to 2 seconds per cell—a 10x efficiency gain. Color-mapped C-Scan reports over inspection area imagery eliminate re-inspections due to miscommunication. The shortened inspection phase accelerates turnaround time and boosts maintenance throughput. The Tracker now operates from 0.5-5ft range with a 4ft x 4ft inspection area extendable via leapfrogging. This technology is in active use at Tinker Air Force Base, Robins Air Force Base, and by commercial aircraft service companies like Delta TechOps, ST Engineering, and Aeroman. Aircraft manufacturers (Boeing, Airbus, Gulfstream) are pursuing adoption. The Tracker won the 2024 SAE/A4A International Innovation Award and the 2024 ASNT Cool New Ideas Award by popular vote. Cybernet Systems has been awarded $100,000 in project support funding. The funds will be applied to a selected DOD demonstration initiative within the CTMA Program, to the extent permitted under the existing CTMA cooperative agreement. Selecting the award winner was a panel of judges including a representative from FRC-SE and principals for the Joint Technology Exchange Group (JTEG), a collaborative group formed by the DOD to improve coordination in the introduction of new or improved technology, new processes, or new equipment into DOD depot maintenance activities. The same group gathered earlier this spring to review all 35 entries and select the competition's three finalists, who earned their recognition for excellence in maintenance relevance or impact, originality and contribution to state-of-the-art solutions, technical maturity, cross-service applicability, and feasibility/practicality. For more details about the CTMA Technology Competition, please see: About NCMS NCMS is a cross-industry technology development consortium dedicated to improving the competitiveness and strength of the US industrial base. NCMS leverages a network of industry, government, and university partners to develop, demonstrate, and transition innovative technologies efficiently, with less risk and lower cost. NCMS enables world-class companies to work effectively with other members on new opportunities—matching highly capable companies with the providers and end users who need their innovations and technology solutions. The NCMS network benefits from an accelerated progression of idea creation through execution. Learn more at at NCMS's LinkedIn, and at @ncmsmfg. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at CONTACT: Media Contact: Pam Hurt, NCMS Chief Communications Officer, VP Communications & Partnership in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US judge blocks Defense Department from slashing federal research funding
By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) -A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's administration from carrying out steep cuts to federal research funding provided to universities by the U.S. Department of Defense. U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston issued a temporary restraining order at the behest of 12 schools including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University, as well as the Association of American Universities and two other academic trade groups. Those schools sued on Monday to challenge a policy the Defense Department recently adopted to cap reimbursement for indirect research costs at 15%, an action that mirrored funding cuts announced by the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Energy that judges in Boston have also blocked. The funding cuts are part of the Trump administration's wide-ranging efforts to slash government spending. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a May 14 memo said the new policy would save his department up to $900 million annually. Indirect costs are often used to fund facilities, equipment and research staff that provide value across multiple research projects, rather than being tied to a single project. The universities in their lawsuit argue that the 15% cap on reimbursement rates for those indirect costs flouted the regulatory regime governing them and Congress' express directives. Murphy, an appointee of Democratic President Joe Biden, scheduled a July 2 hearing to consider issuing a longer-term preliminary injunction. The administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NCMS Selects Cybernet Systems Corporation for Top Award in 2025 CTMA Technology Competition
Winning technology awarded at NCMS headquarters following finalists' demonstration event CTMA Technology Competition Winner ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is pleased to announce that Cybernet Systems Corporation has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities (CTMA) Technology Competition, a highly selective annual contest that identifies the most innovative maintenance and sustainment technologies relevant to DOD operations. The winning technology, NDT Tracker for Mobile C-Scan Generation, is a mobile non-destructive testing (NDT) tool linked to advanced software that greatly simplifies ultrasonic thickness grid inspection for aircraft structural components. Three finalists gave dynamic presentations of their technology solutions earlier today in an event that was livestreamed from NCMS headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI. Each finalist was permitted 30 minutes to demonstrate their technologies in action and provide information about their solutions' relevance, benefits, and impact on maintenance and sustainment operations. A video recording of the event will be made available on the NCMS website later this week, as will a booklet featuring information about all of this year's entries. A total of 35 entries were submitted for consideration this year. As a new addition to the format of the competition this year, NCMS teamed up with the US Navy's Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRC-SE), which is Naval Air Systems Command's largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider in the southeast region. FRC-SE personnel selected five focus areas for which they sought innovative solutions: aircraft data integration, laser cutting on aluminum, robotics and automation, surface preparation and corrosion control, and expeditionary repair of aircraft structural components. 'The judges selected this winner from a pool of extraordinary innovative technologies,' said Lisa Strama, NCMS President and CEO. 'We are thrilled to be able to provide FRC-SE with a technology solution that can be applied to current challenges they face in their maintenance and sustainment operations.' NDT Tracker for Mobile C-Scan Generation enables accurate semi-auto NDT for aircraft structural components. The NDT Tracker is a mobile, camera-based tool that reduces ultrasonic thickness grid inspection labor from two inspectors to one, cutting labor in half. The Tracker eliminates hand-drawn grids and manual recording, using patent-pending AutoClick Combo-Filtering to auto-select accurate thickness readings, reducing average inspection time from 20 to 2 seconds per cell—a 10x efficiency gain. Color-mapped C-Scan reports over inspection area imagery eliminate re-inspections due to miscommunication. The shortened inspection phase accelerates turnaround time and boosts maintenance throughput. The Tracker now operates from 0.5-5ft range with a 4ft x 4ft inspection area extendable via leapfrogging. This technology is in active use at Tinker Air Force Base, Robins Air Force Base, and by commercial aircraft service companies like Delta TechOps, ST Engineering, and Aeroman. Aircraft manufacturers (Boeing, Airbus, Gulfstream) are pursuing adoption. The Tracker won the 2024 SAE/A4A International Innovation Award and the 2024 ASNT Cool New Ideas Award by popular vote. Cybernet Systems has been awarded $100,000 in project support funding. The funds will be applied to a selected DOD demonstration initiative within the CTMA Program, to the extent permitted under the existing CTMA cooperative agreement. Selecting the award winner was a panel of judges including a representative from FRC-SE and principals for the Joint Technology Exchange Group (JTEG), a collaborative group formed by the DOD to improve coordination in the introduction of new or improved technology, new processes, or new equipment into DOD depot maintenance activities. The same group gathered earlier this spring to review all 35 entries and select the competition's three finalists, who earned their recognition for excellence in maintenance relevance or impact, originality and contribution to state-of-the-art solutions, technical maturity, cross-service applicability, and feasibility/practicality. For more details about the CTMA Technology Competition, please see: About NCMS NCMS is a cross-industry technology development consortium dedicated to improving the competitiveness and strength of the US industrial base. NCMS leverages a network of industry, government, and university partners to develop, demonstrate, and transition innovative technologies efficiently, with less risk and lower cost. NCMS enables world-class companies to work effectively with other members on new opportunities—matching highly capable companies with the providers and end users who need their innovations and technology solutions. The NCMS network benefits from an accelerated progression of idea creation through execution. Learn more at at NCMS's LinkedIn, and at @ncmsmfg. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at CONTACT: Media Contact: Pam Hurt, NCMS Chief Communications Officer, VP Communications & Partnership in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
