CYBER QUEST
In 2017, Cyber Quest focus areas included ways to:
• Improve the capacity, reach and security of tacti- cal communications.
• Better enable the mission visualization, planning and management of defensive cyber operations.
• Advance mission visualization, planning and management for electronic warfare.
• Expand situational understanding of the battlefield.
In 2018, the experiment focused on opportunities to:
• Improve the commander’s situational understand- ing of the threat environment.
• Conduct radio-frequency-enabled offensive cyber operations.
• Better enable unified network operations.
• Implement advanced wireless solutions for command posts.
• Explore applications for protected waveforms with low probability of detection and low probability of intercept.
In 2019, the experiment focused on identifying opportunities to:
• Increase situational understanding, analysis and exploitation of cyber.
• Explore automated capabilities for defensive cyber operations.
• Implement local and remote management and planning of tactical electronic attack and elec- tronic warfare assets.
• Extend the tactical network’s range.
Lab established testing criteria and provided Soldiers participat- ing in the exercise with the opportunity to operate the systems and provide user feedback. Data from the experiment was used to inform installation, operation and maintenance procedures; to examine how well the equipment and software operated on the network; and to define fielding schedule requirements.
Vendors, particularly nontraditional industry partners who have less experience working with the government, are encouraged to participate in Cyber Quest because it enables access to a realistic network environment to exercise new technologies, offers expo- sure to high-level decision-makers, and provides an opportunity to understand Army needs and shape future programs.
Tis year, 18 large and small business industry partners received government sponsorship and participated in the exercise. Each company was integrated into the experiment’s military network, and each was afforded the opportunity to put their product into the hands of Soldiers. Tis provided immediate feedback to the vendors on their product’s capabilities.
One participating company specializing in enterprise software products that demonstrated its concept for how the Army can manage digital identities for secure system access noted that Soldier feedback enabled its team of computer and software engi- neers to make quick but necessary adjustments that made their product’s user interface more intuitive.
Following the event, each vendor receives written feedback on how well their product performed in achieving its objectives. Additionally, each company gets a direct audience with Army senior leadership from the CCOE, cross-functional teams and the acquisition community. During Distinguished Visitors Day, each company provides a briefing on its products and fields ques- tions directly from top decision-makers.
CONCLUSION Te CCOE is using its experience from Cyber Quest to make adjustments that will create more collaboration opportunities. While Cyber Quest traditionally has involved coordination and buildup to a single annual exercise, future iterations will include smaller events throughout the year to evaluate technologies that do not require the full resourcing in personnel and equip- ment necessary for the larger-scale annual exercise. Te goal is to provide partners from industry and academia with greater access to integrate new technologies into the government’s test environ- ment and get needed equipment in the hands of Soldiers.
58
Army AL&T Magazine
Fall 2019
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