It’s become very clear in recent years that the Department of Defense’s (DoD) mission is undergoing a profound change that demands different resources to drive success. While conventional forces will always be at the heart of the DoD, the creation of the Space Force is one very tangible example of this change. But behind the scenes, more profound change is happening as IT shapes the mission from the physical frontlines to the defense of the nation against cyberattacks.
To support this change, the DoD has begun to mature its understanding of what modernization looks like. Where modernization was once a siloed activity that involved a slow-paced and piecemeal implementation of new IT tools, the DoD’s matured approach to modernization focuses on iterative change that supports the warfighter’s need for agility.
A key component of this new approach can be seen in the 2022 Department of Defense Software Modernization Strategy in which Deputy Secretary of Defense, Kathleen Hicks, noted that “Delivering a more lethal force requires the ability to evolve faster and be more adaptable than our adversaries. The Department’s adaptability increasingly relies on software and the ability to securely and rapidly deliver resilient software capability is a competitive advantage that will define future conflicts.”
To own this competitive advantage, the Department of Defense recognized that they needed to transform “software delivery times from years to minutes” by adopting a DevSecOps approach, using software factories, and partnering with private sector organizations that have proven capabilities with this agile approach.
One of the first examples of this transformational approach is currently under development in Quantico, Virginia. Chenega Applied Solutions and the Cyber Bytes Foundation have designated Nebula as the birthplace of software factories for the United States government and, in particular, the Department of Defense. According to Michael C. Masten Vice President of Operations at Chenega Applied Solutions, Nebula will provide “a fully operational software factory with best-in-class tools, development platforms, and cloud access for government programs.”
Using their own Modernization-as-a-Service capabilities that have successfully delivered programs to the DoD, including Kessel Run, LevelUP, and Project Synergy, the team from Chenega Applied Solutions is committed to making Nebula a place that prioritizes agility and collaboration to deliver solutions to the warfighter at the speed of innovation. “Our goal with Nebula is to provide a place where bootstrap software development groups across the DoD can come, free of charge, to use the best-in-class tools and technologies, create meaningful Minimal Viable Products, and get the proof of concepts they need to go back to their leadership and say: ‘This works! Look what we can accomplish if we leverage the right tools and methods! Support this!'” shared Masten.
With this level of expertise and experience at their fingertips at the Nebula Software Factory, the Department of Defense looks to be on the right track to deliver on its modernization strategy. While that’s an important achievement in and of itself, the support that this agile approach to software development will provide to the warfighter, as they defend the nation from ever more complex and serious threats, is the real victory.
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