ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md.— As military operations increasingly rely on digital infrastructure, software security has become essential. To address this, cybersecurity engineers, computer scientists, and policymakers from 70 different government agencies gathered at the Mallette Training Facility for the Summer 2026 System Security Engineering Forum, held June 2-4. The event was a partnership between the Department of War, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the National Security Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security. Hosted by the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command Army Software & Innovation Center, the three-day event promoted collaboration and the exchange of ideas to advance software security policy. The forum’s primary goal is to accelerate the delivery of secure, resilient software capabilities to the warfighter. Delivering Secure Software at the Speed of Relevance The forum began on June 2 with a keynote from Mr. Garrett Shoemaker, executive director of CECOM ASIC. He stressed the urgent need to modernize software security practices to support Soldiers in a contested cyber environment. Shoemaker highlighted the importance of embedding security throughout the software lifecycle, introducing the three Ps: platforms, pipelines, and production—as key pillars of secure software delivery. "Our networks, our data, our systems, our Soldiers, our warfighters are under modern attack in cyberspace," Shoemaker said. "It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure that we are giving them the best tools, the best technology, all rooted in powerful software. We have to make sure that we continue to deliver software quickly ... but just as importantly, deliver it securely." He challenged the attendees to embrace new technologies to outpace adversaries. "We are at a crossroads. We have to shift from legacy cybersecurity mentalities and processes and policies, moving into modern cybersecurity where it has to be much quicker—has to take advantage of technology and automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning."