Tech 101: Interoperability

The ability to seamlessly integrate emerging technologies is crucial to maintaining an effective military force in the 21^st century. Far too often, components and systems across the services, manufacturers, and alliances lack basic compatibility, resulting in persistent obstacles throughout their service life. This is especially true when it comes to software, the proliferation of which creates major challenges of interoperability: how do we get all of these digital systems to work together? By pursuing greater interoperability, defense initiatives can deploy with a far smaller footprint while maintaining extreme levels of efficiency and adaptability. This presentation will discuss the fundamentals of interoperability, including examples from everyday life, illustrate the importance of interoperability to the defense sector, and provide an overview of ongoing DoD and government activities to enhance the interoperability of US forces. Technical approaches for providing scalable, adaptable, and secure interoperability and their implications for Mosaic Warfare will also be covered.