• Mike Gruss, Editor-in-chief, C4ISRNET, Defense News, Military Times, Federal TImes

• Col. Shermoan Daiyaan, PM Tactical Radios, PEO C3T
• Matt Maier, PM I2S
• Colin Demarest, C4ISRNET (Moderator)

To face new threats, the U.S. military must adapt its approach to be able to fight in multiple areas simultaneously — not just infantry, armor and air, but also cyber and space. The new operational concept is multidomain operations. What does that mean, and why do we need it? How do changes in the strategic environment impact how forces must operate now and into the future? What are the challenges of fighting peer threats across more than just the traditional domains?

This discussion will focus on the main themes of multidomain operations and how they impact how forces fight now and over the next five years.

As U.S. military forces reckon with modernization initiatives to respond to threats from competitors in the Pacific and in Europe, they are focused on critical needs in a future network: high speed, high capacity, multi-path capability and ubiquity to the user. The U.S. Army’s network upgrade initiatives aim to bring the Pentagon’s vision of connecting sensors to shooters across the force into reality. But how will the next gen network move with the people who need it? And how does the U.S. ensure that a portable network is reliable, secure and dependable – while also balancing the Pacific with Europe in considering infrastructure needs and priorities? 

This panel discussion will discuss the next gen network that the U.S. military aims to achieve and answer questions about portability, reliability, security, dependability and effectiveness.

The U.S. Army recently announced a strategy focused on software, data and artificial intelligence practices, which officials view as a critical step toward transformation into a high-tech, digital-forward force. Program managers are seeking to better enable leaders in the battlefield to make strong, quick, data-driven decisions. Software and IT are critical building blocks to a strong national defense, so what are military CIOs doing from a broad fighting perspective? In today’s warfighting landscape, how has the cloud evolved into a weapon system?

This discussion will explore the role of software and IT in the battlefield today, as well as Air Force Cloud One and the roles played by both the private sector and government.

The U.S. is rethinking its national security space architecture, creating a Space Force in addition to bringing back the U.S. Space Command. Acquisition leaders are planning the next generation of capabilities, including new and emerging launch technology to strengthen capabilities and space mobility. Hypersonic weapons are also a critical concern — their ability to maneuver on the way to their targets poses new challenges, and protecting the U.S. from these threats has been identified as a critical priority by top defense leaders. 

What will the next generation of space and hypersonic capabilities look like? How is the Space Force responding to growing demand and stress not only on its ranges, but on launch capability and capacity as well? This discussion will examine these questions as well as the ways space architecture can enable warfighters to succeed.

• Mark Kitz, Program Executive Officer, PEO IEW&S
• Colin Demarest, C4ISRNET (Moderator)

Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a profound impact on how the U.S. military approaches warfare. Through machine learning (ML), AI has been leveraged to train machines, working to reduce the number of fatigue-susceptible physical bodies needed to maintain defenses. But what does the DoD need, in terms of hardware, software and people, to ensure effective implementation and execution of key AI/ML strategies — and how does it ensure it has these necessary resources as adversaries rush to develop their own AI/ML capabilities?

This session will explore these questions as well as how the DoD’s existing and future approach to AI/ML strategies is shaping its role on the battlefield. Topics will include the role of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), as well as Project Maven, the Pentagon’s signature AI program — where does it go next, and how does it become a warfighting tool?