Maintaining legacy communications systems is expensive and can leave military services like the Navy and Marine Corps behind.

During AFCEA West in San Diego, Verizon Navy and Marine Corps Public Sector Director David Reaves explained how he’s seeing the Navy’s challenges in modernizing voice and data communications, focusing on the Defense Department’s mandate to transition from outdated systems to IP-based infrastructure.

Reaves said that the high cost and difficulty of maintaining legacy systems means that the Navy should modernize to an enterprise-wide deployment strategy to ensure consistency and cost-effectiveness across bases.

Reaves also discussed the importance of converging voice and data networks for operational efficiency and explained how the Navy can leverage existing contracts to streamline the acquisition of modern technologies like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

The Naval Postgraduate School's recent partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit formalizes NPS' focus on fostering innovation in the school's student body.

NPS President Ann Rondeau said Thursday that the the school not only supports innovation, but lays the foundation for creative thinking, collaboration and finding real-world solutions to support the Defense Department.

During AFCEA West in San Diego, California, California, Rondeau described NPS as a hub for "warrior scholars" – experienced military, international, civilian government and industry professionals – who work together to address real challenges facing DOD. She added that the school's curriculum is also continuously updated based on feedback, ensuring relevance and responsiveness to evolving needs like AI, quantum and other emerging technology.

The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command supports technical authority and acquisition command for information warfare, which presents modernization challenges as the speed of technology evolution increases.

At AFCEA West in San Diego, NAVWAR CIO Ben Motten said his office is empowering the workforce by providing the necessary tools and capabilities, allowing warfighters to focus on the mission rather than the technology itself. Legacy infrastructure and software present hurdles, he said, but they also provide an opportunity to modernize by "leapfrogging" to newer technologies like low-code/no-code platforms and future spectrum connectivity technologies.

In 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) signed a memo of understanding to codify their joint effort to develop future leaders to manage innovative solutions.

During AFCEA West in San Diego, Kaitie Penry, director of emerging technology and innovation at the Naval Postgraduate School, discussed how that agreement is going. She highlighted the impact it has had on developing leadership skills in students, particularly in acquisition and innovation, and preparing them for senior-level positions in the Defense Department.

Penry also discussed how she is fostering an innovative mindset to meet DOD and student needs.

During AFCEA West in San Diego, California, Mark Gorak, Defense Department’s principal director for resources and analysis and director of the Cyber Academic Engagement Office, discussed his priorities for cyber talent and retention amid new federal leadership.

Gorak lauded his office’s efforts to lower the average days it takes to hire cyber talent and discussed his efforts to retain cyber talent. The Cyber Workforce Strategy, which has been deployed since 2023, has been implemented hand in hand with ongoing and emerging innovations within and outside of the department.

Gorak has overseen hiring thousands of employees. He noted that departures from the agency allow other agencies and industry to hire talented individuals from the DOD, creating an ecosystem of like-minded experts throughout government.

The Marine Corps is modernizing its systems to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology while centering warfighters.

During AFCEA West in San Diego, California, Marine Corps Systems Command Cyber Technology Officer Gaurang Dävé said that innovation requires speed in delivering capabilities to the warfighter. Dävé highlighted that Marines act as sensors in the battlespace, needing the best information in real-time for informed decision-making.

Dävé also discussed the Marine Corps' approach of containerized, modular applications and the service’s collaborative work with the Army's software factory in Austin, Texas, that allows Marines to code applications and receive hands-on training in innovative technology.

Security and agility are critical to balancing the Department of the Navy's zero-trust journey amid evolving cloud modernization priorities. At AFCEA West in San Diego, California, DON’s CIO Jane Rathbun discussed the service’s recent zero-trust achievements with its Flank Speed initiative to enable secure cloud deployment. Rathbun shared some of the lessons learned for other organizations throughout the journey. She also highlighted how collaboration between cyber operators, acquisition communities, resource sponsors and requirement owners enabled the service’s success and discussed how the role of operator feedback, especially from cyber operators, is shaping IT architecture and future modernization.

Countering adversaries in the cyber domain requires the Navy to harness information at the speed of technological innovation.

During AFCEA West in San Diego, California, Vice Adm. Craig Clapperton, commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and Navy Space Command, discussed how he is approaching the evolving landscape of cyber threats and developing strategies to counter them in his dual-hat role.

From recent cyber incidents like SolarWinds and Volt Typhoon, to the role of emerging technologies like AI, Clapperton dives into the complexities of modern cyber warfare and explains how he’s eyeing collaboration with industry partners and allies, recruiting top cyber talent and staying ahead of adversaries in a rapidly changing digital environment.

Technology has made cyber threats more complex and difficult to discern for defense intelligence operations and combatant commands providing insights to decision-makers across the globe. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (Northcom) work with industry, allies and other combatant commands to secure all domains for the U.S. and Canada.

Director of Intelligence and Information Brig. Gen. Maurizio Calabrese discussed the evolving role of defense intelligence, the importance of cyber warfare and the need for global threat awareness.

He also addressed the growing importance of the Arctic region, citing increased international interest and the need for advanced tech capabilities.

Office of Personnel Management Chief Data Officer and Acting Chief AI Officer Taka Ariga provided an inside look at the agency’s innovative use of artificial intelligence. OPM is navigating the potential for AI in use cases such as general productivity tools and bespoke solutions tailored for federal workforce needs. Ariga highlighted the importance of data integrity and trust, the careful alignment of people, processes and technology, and the pivotal role AI plays in modernizing government operations. The interview also highlighted OPM’s efforts to grow the federal cybersecurity workforce and showcased how AI is shaping recruitment and training strategies. Additionally, Ariga shared how storytelling is helping simplify complex concepts like data governance to build trust and understanding across the agency.