Top Trending Technologies in DOD for 2020

By Toné Mason, DOD Senior Analyst

FY20 has truly been the year of technology acceleration within the Department of Defense. Our world has never been more capable technology-wise than it is today. The arrival of 5G and the new challenges brought on by a rapidly expanding remote workforce have catapulted the adoption of new and innovative technologies.

The DOD is at a point where they are looking to gain a better understanding of currently available technologies and applying them where it makes the most sense. Below are some of the key areas the DOD is focused on right now.

Data Integrity

Data integrity is one of the essential areas. As the need for transparency increases and desire to expand more into AI and machine learning, there has been more of a realization that DOD’s data is not consistent, not all data is being recorded and data is incomplete.

Data integrity can be compromised anywhere in the data supply chain. Data manipulation at any stage within the data collection process, especially in the beginning stages, can go unnoticed. Security is a crucial aspect during every stage of the process to ensure data integrity. It is vitally important that the DOD can trust their data, so that they have confidence in the output from AI and machine learning applications.

With the government’s desire for data centricity, security becomes a significant concern for DOD. The DOD needs to be able to balance the desire of having 100% data visibility with the reality that data can become classified as it is joined together. The DOD needs real time intelligence/data interpretation so they can predict potential outcomes when multiple points of data are combined. AI, machine learning and 5G will be important for enabling data centricity and mitigating security risks.

Robotic Process Automation

The government is currently working with MIT to find ways to automate existing processes using robotic process automation. RPA is not meant to replace jobs, but to reduce the menial tasks that humans have to perform so that human talents can be utilized where they are needed most. Data integrity will be crucial for robotic process automation to be successful in DOD.

Multi-Vendor/ Multi-Cloud

There are roughly 130 IT cloud migration projects underway, the largest project being the Army’s Installation IT Infrastructure Modernization Program. Since the initial push of Cloud First, there remain a number of various functional systems that are still not connected and are duplicated throughout different departments. The DOD is currently evaluating multi-vendor multi-cloud options that can facilitate the connection and communication of their essential systems so that they can more efficiently accomplish their mission.

Security Certification

Through the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), DOD is standardizing security standards and requiring contractors to get on board if they want to do business with DOD. By 2026 all DOD contractors will be required to have CMMC 1.0 certification. Security will be woven into all facets of DOD work.

Workforce Mobility

Workforce mobility has always been a goal for the DOD, but recent events have thrust it into the spotlight. DOD is closely aligning with the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) guidance released by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to ensure that across DOD they are prepared to navigate the sudden uptick in telework safely.

As DOD continues evaluating technology to fill the gaps they have identified, vendors should stay engaged with current customers and demonstrate their long-term value. Understand their pain points and where they are trying to go. Show them how to get the most out of the tools they already have by demonstrating and training them on capabilities they may not know about. When the time comes to present them with new solutions, make sure you show how it can fit into their current environment.

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