The Department of Defense seeks help from the private sector for mobile development

The keynote speaker for the second day of MobileCON was Major General Robert Wheeler. During his speech he spoke about the roles of industry and the enterprise as they pertain to innovation. Not so long ago, many technological developments were borne by the necessity of countering the Cold War threat, developed in the private sector, but pushed by the government.

That paradigm began to change in the 1990s and now the private sector leads the way in innovation. The Department of Defense (among other federal agencies) is interested in keeping pace with the rate of development and is seeking input from the private sector. In exchange, DoD hopes to offer better access and clear communication as these initiatives are pursued.

It is no surprise that the cyberthreat and technology advancement far outpace the government’s current ability to acquire and implement new solutions. In particular, DoD wants its mobile strategy to advance ahead of the curve and ensure that the bureaucracy does not force a vulnerability problem for the agency.

While secrecy and security are still primary concerns, General Wheeler says the DoD is more willing to engage with private companies to harness the innovation flowing from the private sector.