In modern Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), Command and Control (C2) is the ultimate center of gravity. The victor of the next conflict will not just be the force with the most advanced kinetic weapons, but the force that can seamlessly process data while simultaneously blinding the adversary's ability to do the same. To maintain absolute information advantage, the U.S. Army is fundamentally transforming how it builds, fields, and fights with cyber capabilities—pivoting from rigid hardware lifecycles to dynamic, software-defined warfare.
Near-peer adversaries are aggressively deploying advanced cyber and electronic warfare tools designed to fracture U.S. and allied networks. Historically, the Department of War has struggled against a slow, hardware-centric acquisition process that simply cannot keep pace with the lifecycle of modern malware or agile adversary tactics. The critical challenge facing the Army today is twofold: how to harden our own unified networks against relentless attack, and how to deliver lethal, non-kinetic fires to the tactical edge at a speed that outpaces the threat.
This session will unpack the Army's strategic and tactical pivot to agile cyber delivery. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how the Army is achieving decision dominance through three core operational pillars:
Protecting Friendly C2: How the implementation of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) and AI-driven automated defenses are securing the Unified Network and ensuring resilient communications under fire.
Creating Options Against Adversary C2: The deployment of modular Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO) and tactical Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) to isolate, degrade, and dismantle enemy decision-making loops.
Integration at Operationally Relevant Speed: How the Army is leveraging DevSecOps pipelines, Software Acquisition Pathways, and Modular Open Systems Approaches (MOSA) to push rapid code updates and integrate seamlessly into the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) framework.