Recently, the U.S. Air Force Academy and global telecom giant, AT&T entered into a 5-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) focused on increasing the Air Force’s practice of using cutting-edge technology similarly found in the business sector.
"Networking is a platform for innovation and mission support," said Lt. Col. Michael Chiaramonte, director of Air Force CyberWorx at the Air Force Academy. "With access to AT&T's resources, we plan to advance our academic and research objectives. By leveraging public-private partnerships with AT&T and our other industry partners, we improve our understanding and use of technology and, ultimately, improve the Air Force's mission capabilities."
CyberWorx was launched in 2016 as a public-private design center focused on cyber capability and combines the Air Force’s industry and academic expertise with pioneering and innovative thinking and technology to solve operational problems.
The partnership seeks to provide hands-on experience for Academy cadets, explore opportunities that lie beyond academic interests and offer best practices in cybersecurity, according to Rocky Thurston AT&T’s client executive vice president.
"Our work with the U.S. Air Force Academy will be much like an action-oriented academic 'think tank,' Thurston said. “We're here to help the Air Force keep pace with commercial innovation and pinpoint their current and future technology needs.”
