Army holds industry day for technology solutions and prototypes

At an industry day hosted by U.S. Army Cyber Command as part of the Army’s Cyber Innovation Challenge last week, officials engaged tech industry vendors and assessed technology solutions and prototypes that could potentially increase the Army’s ability to combat threats to cyber security, as well as in the field.

“This event is definitely about how we work together to solve problems,” Ronald W. Pontius, deputy to the commanding general for U.S. Army Cyber Command, said. “The Army is continuing to build a world-class cyber mission force that adapts faster than our adversaries, and the Cyber Innovation Challenge keeps us in conversation with the tech industry to work at the pace needed to combat this threat.”

The event was the third installment of the Cyber Innovation Challenge, a process that allows the Army to rapidly purchase and evaluate prototype technologies from small and non-traditional businesses through a flexible acquisition model.

“Cyberspace moves too fast for the Army to start from scratch and develop our own kit when the solutions are already out there in industry,” Douglas K. Wiltsie, executive director of the System of Systems Engineering and Integration Directorate and assistant secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology), said. “By tapping into commercial innovation and putting prototypes in the hands of Soldiers early in the process, the Army also gets smarter on our enduring acquisition strategies for cyber equipment.”