The federal government could save $20 billion annually with smarter IT infrastructure, according to a new study.  In addition, the U.S. Army is building a better battlefield, while FEMA is still embracing ham radios and paper maps. Be sure to read about this and much more in this week’s Federal News Round Up.

Feds Could Save $20 Billion with Better IT Infrastructure Initiatives, Study Finds
Data center consolidation, virtualization, cloud computing, remote access and infrastructure diversification can provide $20 billion in annual savings for government, according to a new study.

How the Army is Building a Better Battlefield Network
The Army is extending the network all the way to the front lines, and despite a constrained environment, modernization of its tactical network remains a high priority, according to service officials.

Planned Contract Will Create ‘Radio Marketplace’
The Army is creating a “radio marketplace” by launching a competition for the Rifleman Radio, which is part of the Handheld Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) program.

DARPA’s Cyber Warfare Program Critical to Future of Kinetic Warfare
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s cyber warfare program, called Plan X, is one of the agency’s highest priorities, said DARPA Director Arati Prabhakar.

FEMA CIO Makes the Case For Ham Radios, Paper Maps
Tools like ham radios that seem outdated still need to be part of disaster response plans, said Adrian Gardner, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s chief information officer.

Self-Driving Cars are Hitting California Roads (for Testing) This September
The California Department of Motor Vehicles signed off on rules allowing the testing of self-driving cars.