Delivering Resilient Warfighting Capability at the Speed of Relevance

Abstract

Advancements in technology are transforming how U.S. military systems, especially those in the Navy, are designed, developed, and maintained. In the 20th century, as the private sector led technological innovation with the rise of the internet and personal computing, the Navy increasingly adopted commercial technologies. Post–World War II military systems relied on purpose-built electronics and specialized software (SW) running on unique operating systems. With limited storage and processing power, these systems had to be lean and deterministic. For example, the total storage of a dozen military specification (MILSPEC) devices like the UYH-16 now fits on an $8 Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive. Over time, as memory and processing capabilities expanded, these monolithic SW programs grew in size, incorporating new functions but retaining outdated architectures. This created challenges in transitioning to modern technologies like microservices and advanced hardware. Modernization though costly and complex, is critical to maintaining readiness. Efforts like the unmanned surface vessel (USV), Aegis Virtualization, and Integrated Combat System (ICS) demonstrate progress in adapting more agile, scalable systems and accelerating deployment to the fleet. These initiatives reflect the Navy’s commitment to leveraging technological advances effective and efficiently to stay operationally prepared.