Raytheon acquired Herndon, Virginia-based Foreground Security, a provider of security operations centers (SOCs), managed security service solutions and cybersecurity professional services. The acquired company, which will be called Raytheon Foreground Security (RFS), accelerates Raytheon’s expansion into managed security services across federal, international and commercial markets.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) selected Raytheon as the prime contractor and systems integrator for the agency’s Network Security Deployment (NSD) Division. NSD is responsible for the National Cybersecurity Protection System (NCPS), a system providing the vital infrastructure that assists more than 100 federal civilian government agencies with the protection of their networks against advanced cyber threats.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) awarded eight contracts totaling $14 million for research on technologies to defend against distributed denial of service defenses (DDoS) attacks.

TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) was awarded a competitive five-year contract extension (a base plus five option periods) valued at about $68 million to provide Department of Defense (DoD) personnel with critical curriculum development and training delivery services to support the government’s cybersecurity workforce development.

Leaders from the departments of Homeland Security, Defense, Justice, Transportation and Interior, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Park Police, U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department met Sept. 17 to discuss efforts to address aviation security safety issues created by the illicit use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the National Capital Region.

Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) Vice President of Industry Affairs and Cybersecurity Strategist Nadya Bartol testified Sept. 10 before a joint hearing of the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Energy regarding the serious concerns that cybersecurity presents with respect to grid vulnerability.

Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) selected Michael Meason, manager, technical services from Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC), as the new chairman of the Security, Risk and Compliance Committee.

Zetron partnered with CS-Solutions, a provider of in mission/business-continuity anti-terrorism software, to enhance the cybersecurity of Zetron systems.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced final allocations for eight fiscal-year 2015 DHS preparedness grant programs, including the Homeland Security Grant Program. These allocations total more than $1.6 billion to assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, nonprofit agencies and the private sector with preparedness efforts.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced a $2.9 million cybersecurity mobile app security (MAS) research and development (R&D) award that will help identify mobile app vulnerabilities. Kryptowire, based in northern Virginia, won the 30-month contract through S&T’s Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (LRBAA).