Send the right data to the right person at the right time, in a secure, discoverable, interoperable and actionable environment. 

Whether or not you attended DoDIIS this year, that was arguably the defining takeaway from the event's senior leaders and conference sessions.

This year, the DOW has made official its priority to advance its AI dominance across all branch services by “becoming an AI-First warfighting force.” AI technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and computer AI-vision are being integrated into military operations to improve decision-making, enhance efficiency, and increase autonomous capabilities. Most revealing, however, are the DoW’s budget requests for AI investment, setting the trend for implementation.

Federal quantum policy is shifting from long-term research planning to implementation and readiness. There have been several recent actions taken, including executive orders, strategy updates and new initiatives, to strengthen U.S. leadership in quantum technologies and post-quantum cyber resilience. Quantum is becoming a priority in federal IT modernization, cybersecurity, procurement and national security. 

Earlier this month, the Trump administration released a new executive order titled “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks,” in efforts to accelerate the shift to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). While the new EO is directed at federal agencies, the downstream effects on SLED will be impactful, particularly through funding alignments, vendor requirements and shared infrastructure.

On June 2nd, President Trump signed a new AI executive order, Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security, which aims to strike a balance between AI innovation and security. The order directs federal agencies to strengthen AI-enabled cybersecurity defenses and coordinate with private industry on secure AI deployments.

The Quantum Threat and The Need for Change

Quantum computing is introducing a newer cybersecurity risk with the potential to undermine encryption methods that are currently considered secure, reducing their effectiveness against future threats. For federal agencies and national security systems, this is critical as they rely on cryptography to protect data, identities, software and communications. The risk is not theoretical for planning purposes.

On May 7, 2026, the FEMA Review Council released its final report recommending a substantial shift in how disaster preparedness, response and recovery are managed nationwide.

At this year’s Red, White and You conference, our market intelligence team detailed the ins and outs of what we’re seeing across the public sector. Throughout the sessions, one theme became clear: while success in the public sector market used to rely heavily on institutional knowledge and long-standing relationships, agency buying cycles, and slower opportunity development, the market this year looks different. It’s faster, calling for more efficiency, innovation and cost-optimization.

More than 15 years ago, the DoW formally elevated cyber pursuits to the same strategic level as sea, land, air and space. This acknowledgement shifted cybersecurity from risk management to a national defense need, underscoring the importance of protecting the DoW’s defense infrastructure and networks. Defense cybersecurity challenges have since evolved into a multi-domain conflict, particularly with China and Russia - both aiming to infiltrate digital assets.

In mid-March, AFCEA NOVA hosted the Naval IT Day in Chantilly, Virginia with the core message on how Navy and Marine Corps digital priorities are enabling the naval force. The message was clear, IT is not just a necessary function, it is a mission-critical warfighting capability.