At a time when digital superiority defines global security, the defense sector faces a critical challenge: that of deploying software updates swiftly without compromising safety or certification standards. There is a solution – modular, certifiable software architectures built on open standards. By fostering a collaborative ecosystem of innovation, this approach enables rapid deployment, seamless integration of third-party capabilities and streamlined certification processes.

In the past, any reflection on America’s military competitiveness looked at how it stacked up against traditional adversaries such as China and Russia. But the world is changing quickly, and the U.S. needs to ensure that its military stays strong and can compete against new threats – Iran, Lebanon, and North Korea, for example – and not just face off with old enemies.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled autonomous systems have revolutionized military operations and modern warfare. These uncrewed systems are well-suited for dangerous and repetitive tasks, enhancing situational awareness and logistical capabilities while reducing risks to human personnel. However, their growing role raises significant security concerns: Uncrewed vehicles rely heavily on machine learning (ML) and can be vulnerable to cyberattacks that could jeopardize missions, troops, and critical technologies. While no system is unhackable, system architecture becomes critical in ensuring a device is as resilient as possible to cyberattack not just on the day of initial deployment but several years into its product life cycle. Because of this, robust safeguards are necessary throughout their development and deployment life cycles. Secure design principles, encryption, access controls, and secure communications can harden these systems against unauthorized access.

SAN JOSE, Calif.  Lynx Software Technologies -- a provider of open architecture software for use on the mission-critical edge -- has acquired Thompson Software Solutions (TSS -- Atlanta, Georgia), which offers software development, engineering, and integration solutions to mission-critical aerospace and defense (A&D) platforms.

SAN JOSE, Calif. Lynx Software Technologies has acquired Timesys (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), a provider of development tools, cybersecurity solutions, and software-ngineering services for open source embedded and edge software applications. 

Rust is a new systems-programming language that eliminates dangerous memory bugs while providing high performance. It has the potential to transform safety-critical software development through its innovative ownership model guaranteeing memory safety. However, challenges – including building out an ecosystem for certified code – may hinder Rust’s adoption. Even so, Rust provides a promising solution for more secure, reliable code.

Modular open system approach (MOSA) strategies such as the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) Technical Standard are changing how the Department of Defense acquires technology. In this podcast with Tim Reed, Chief Executive Officer for Lynx Software Technologies, he and I discuss how MOSA benefits the warfighter and what it means to be certified conformant other the FACE Technical Standard.