The Army has announced a new industry day in August to broaden its search for industry partners able to deliver battlefield-ready cloud computing services as part of its tactical network modernization effort.

Officials from the Army’s Network Cross Functional Team (CFT) and Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications – Tactical (PEO C3T) are encouraging non-traditional IT partners to attend the industry event in Raleigh, N.C., which arrives ahead of a fall decision on the baseline package of technologies needed for the upgraded deployable computing environment.

Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, director of architecture, operations, networks, and space for the  Office of the Army Chief Information Officer/G-6 discussing "Halt, Fix, Pivot." Photo: Matthew Beinart.
Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, director of architecture, operations, networks, and space for the Office of the Army Chief Information Officer/G-6 discussing “Halt, Fix, Pivot.” Photo: Matthew Beinart.

“Non-defense IT companies are highly encouraged to participate in this two-day forum,” Paul Mehney, PEO CST director of public communications, said in a statement. “These companies may already be providing innovative solutions to non-defense clients that the Army could integrate into a military environment. We also welcome their ideas as we formulate our approach on how to employ Cloud services in austere operational environments.”

Expected participants at the industry day include cloud service providers, systems and software engineers and network architecture professionals.

Network CFT and PEO C3T leadership will detail capability needs for mission command solutions integrated with cloud services for use by tactical formations.

“We are looking to leverage industry’s innovative spirit and emerging capabilities critical to enabling our Army to fight and win,” Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, director of Network CFT, said in a statement.

Officials will hold panel discussions on network modernization procurement priorities, including leveraging data analytics, AI, machine learning, blockchain tools, and delivery of service to the battlefront in degraded environments.

The August industry day arrives before Network CFT and PEO C3T officials are expected to propose a baseline package of technologies needed for the tactical network modernization effort to senior DoD leadership this fall (Defense Daily, May 11).

Army network leadership are also moving away from burdensome requirements in their acquisition approach to allow for more experimentation with innovative capabilities needed to rapidly deliver near-term capabilities (Defense Daily, May 22).

The industry day will be held Aug. 1-2 at the Raleigh Marriott City Center.

The first day of the event will focus on overviews of capability needs from Army leadership, and the second day will offer opportunities for technical exchanges between officials and industry participants.