The Pentagon’s Software Awakening: Trust, Tech & the Warfighter’s Edge

In today’s conversation you’ll hear why software is now just as critical as hardware in modern military operations—and what the Department of Defense is doing to keep pace with this shift. Former Deputy Navy CIO Commander, Julie Vida, joins Francis to explain how evolving battlefield realities, from GPS denial to cyber threats, are driving a transformation in how the Pentagon develops, acquires, and deploys software.

You’ll learn how the Defense Department’s current focus on agile development, cloud readiness, and cultural change is shaping the future of warfighting technology. Julie shares why software must be designed for denied environments from the start—and why technologists must rethink their assumptions about where and how their tools will be used.

From her time as a Navy helicopter pilot, Julie illustrates the critical need for trust in software—not just from the engineers who build it, but from the warfighters who rely on it. You’ll hear why collaboration between government and industry is essential to ensuring that software solutions are reliable, secure, and mission-ready.

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