Persistent Systems recently hosted its third annual Technical Exchange Meeting to address the critical defense challenge of enabling allied forces to communicate on a shared infrastructure without compromising national data privacy.
The event, held from March 10-11 at the Duggal Greenhouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, centered on the theme of Building Secure Multinational Networks. By bringing together more than 400 Wave Relay mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) users and partners from over 20 nations, the meeting fostered collaboration among government, military, and industry participants. This focus on data-driven decision-making across coalition networks aligns with the vision for Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) operations, where forces communicate on a single network by leveraging existing MANET infrastructure.
Dr. Herbert Rubens, CEO and Founder of Persistent Systems, said, “At Persistent, our vision is a global communication fabric where coalition forces can maintain both connectivity and security simultaneously. This also applies to public safety missions, where multiple organizations and nations can operate across a common area, on a common network, while keeping their data private.”
General (Ret.) James E. Rainey delivered a keynote address highlighting the transformative role of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence in future conflicts. He noted that these advancements must span various service levels and partner nations to be effective.
General (Ret.) Rainey added, “It starts with the data layer. We need industry to help the Department of War (DoW) move to a data-centric architecture across service-level, joint-forces, and partner-nation networks so that we can leverage AI as a decisive advantage.”
The exchange featured technical insights into several high-level defense initiatives. Nihar Patel, Chief Technology Officer of the 4th Infantry Division, presented on U.S. Army efforts to develop the Next-Generation Command and Control (NGC2) prototype. Josh Sterling, Vice President of Products and Programs at Halcyon Days Consulting, discussed the development of secure tactical mission networks at the battlefield edge.
Industry perspectives from ecosystem partners including Boston Dynamics, Forterra, and Teledyne FLIR Defense highlighted how integrated platforms expand operational capabilities. Throughout the event, participants demonstrated uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs), uncrewed aerial systems (UAVs), sensors, and cameras fully integrated with Wave Relay MANET networks.
Persistent’s training team also showcased a new online training portal designed to support end users. The insights gathered from the 20 nations in attendance will directly inform the company’s research and development roadmap as it continues to focus on secure, multi-organizational communication networks.
