5 4 Redefining Security The Army needs to evolve beyond an outdated concept of security, in which they own their own boxes and build private networks. This has cost the DoD billions of dollars and has led to a proliferation of networks that can’t communicate with one another—roughly 15,000 different networks currently, built by hundreds of different companies. A logical focus on the security of “last mile” communications has morphed into an overly rigid risk management philosophy that has left military networks far behind in flexibility and performance. Also, the security of commercial networks has made leaps and bounds over the past decade. Today, AT&T provides enterprise-grade dedicated connections at the Layer 3 networking level, using Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) that can help deliver security with massive scalability. Tegen estimates that the Army could use highly secure commercial networks for 90 percent of its data networking needs today, so they can better focus time and resources on the contested 10 percent, from frontline to forward base. Finally, cybersecurity is increasingly the frontline of net-centric warfare. AT&T has MPLS-based communications services available in nearly 200 countries and territories. The company sees more than 80 billion potential vulnerability probes across their global IP network every day. This means that AT&T can see what the bad actors are doing before anyone else does. Acquisition/Procurement The way technology is developed and deployed in the commercial world is almost opposite of how it’s done in government—Tegen calls it “Push vs. Pull.” Tegen estimates that the Army could use highly secure commercial networks for 90 percent of its data networking needs today. LEADING THE FUTURE “I can’t tell you how many times in the past year a DoD leader has asked me a version of the same question—‘how can we tap into the innovation engine of private industry?’ I’ve explored this question from both sides— I’ve been an Army Contracting Officer and an Army Signal Officer, dealing with new technology. The fundamental issue is—Commercial is Push, while Government is Pull.” There are no equivalents to “requirements documents” in the commercial world. Technologies that deliver new capabilities targeted at specific business challenges are developed and then “pushed” out to the market. Look at how quickly new technology is developed by global tech companies and smart phone manufacturers.