AFWERX Fusion: Showcasing the Power of Moving Target Defense
The U.S. military is pushing forward a new model of technology innovation and contracting that is faster, more cost-effective, and better able to deliver cutting-edge results. A prime example is the Air Force’s AFWERX program.
AFWERX moves away from the legacy system of contracts captured by a small number of major players and instead creates open challenges that spur inventive, collaborative solutions from the government, academia, and/or the private sector.
This week’s AFWERX Fusion Xperience event in Las Vegas is part of the AFWERX Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) Challenge, and CryptoMove is proud to have been selected as a Showcase Finalist for this challenge. During the two days of AFWERX Fusion, CryptoMove will have the opportunity to interact with leaders from across the Department of Defense and to compete to be included in the final MDO solution chosen by the Air Force.
What is AFWERX?
AFWERX was established by the Air Force in 2017 to spur a new type of innovation in collaboration with academia and industry. In traditional military contracting, large enterprises frequently win bids because of their resources and familiarity with the bid process. AFWERX recognizes that this hinders the Air Force’s access to innovative technologies that may come from non-traditional sources, including early-stage startups.
As a result, this program takes an alternate approach, seeking to create a culture of innovation both within the Air Force and with its vendors, opening opportunities for new ideas and solutions.
One central way that AFWERX achieves this goal is through challenges. These challenges identify a specific Air Force need and then open it up to all players to submit ideas and proposed solutions. Those proposals are evaluated, and the top-ranked ideas have a chance to take part in the showcase at AFWERX Fusion. The highest-scoring solutions at AFWERX Fusion are featured at a subsequent demo event, after which the Air Force makes decisions about contract offers.
This approach streamlines the R&D process for the Air Force and the contracting process for vendors. In a recent AFWERX challenge to develop a new helmet for Air Force pilots, four prototypes were developed within 9 months, saving millions in costs and potentially shaving years off of the project’s time to delivery.
What is the AFWERX Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) Challenge?
The MDO Challenge is the ninth challenge led by AFWERX, and it focuses on the complex decision-making and communications environments faced by the U.S. military in defense and disaster relief operations. The MDO Challenge seeks to build a solution that can effectively manage three key functions:
- Data collection, verification, and analysis
- AI-assisted human decision-making employing that data
- Communication of decisions to key parties to facilitate timely, coordinated action
The system must be integrated, work rapidly (within minutes), and meet high standards for security at all levels in order to keep data and communications protected.
After announcing the Challenge, AFWERX received over 300 submissions to help meet one or more components of this solution. 100 of those, including CryptoMove, were chosen as finalists for the AFWERX Fusion showcase based on criteria such as feasibility, scalability, applicability to the MDO need, and warfighter impact. In September, AFWERX will host an event for the top 20–30 to do a more in-depth demo, and this event will guide the Air Force to their preferred vendors.
CryptoMove’s moving target defense (MTD) technology provides a compelling response to the MDO Challenge’s security and data protection needs. An MTD platform enables robust, dynamic protection for DevSecOps in an MDO system including with its application to Kubernetes, cloud networks, and edge devices.
AFWERX Fusion will provide an opportunity for CryptoMove to engage with experts and decision-makers and illustrate how MTD is a game-changing approach that flips the attack surface to benefit defenders.
Beyond AFWERX Fusion: the Bigger Picture
As we outlined in a prior blog post, the military has long been a key driver of technology. Silicon Valley as we know it would not exist without its connection to military research. AFWERX, which has already delivered impressive results, is just one element of the military’s efforts to remain a leader in promoting innovation even as technology and the threat environment have changed.
Programs like the DoD’s Enterprise DevSecOps Initiative, led by the Chief Software Officer of the Air Force, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) further reflect the growing commitment on behalf of the military to incorporate agile development principles and non-traditional players into solutions in order to meet its multifaceted needs.
The nature of military operations is such that a premium must always be placed on secrecy and data security. As a provider of a patented technology that offers a fundamentally different paradigm for data protection, CryptoMove is well-positioned to continue collaborating with military and federal government partners across a wide range of challenges and projects.
If you’re at the AFWERX Fusion Xperience this week in Las Vegas, stop by our booth on the Showcase Floor.
If you are a developer and want to see how the CryptoMove vault can better manage and protect your keys and secrets, sign up now for free and try it out.
