Air Force Academy taps AT&T to stay up on emerging tech
The Air Force Academy inked a five-year cooperative research and development agreement with telecom giant AT&T to keep better pace with the speed of commercial advancement.
The Air Force Academy wants to get be just as innovative as the private sector so it’s teaming up with telecom giant AT&T.
AT&T announced a five-year cooperative research and development agreement with the Academy June 7, which will focus on cybersecurity, the internet of things, Smart Base solutions, 5G, and software-defined networking, among other emerging technologies.
The Air Force Academy’s director for CyberWorx, Lt. Col. Michael Chiaramonte, said in a statement that using the telecom company’s resources could "improve our understanding and use of technology” and “advance our academic and research objectives."
The partnership would provide Academy cadets with hands-on demonstrations and experience beyond the classroom. It would also fit under the AFA’s larger research mission, which includes 19 centers and two institutes as part of their research program.
AT&T Public Sector’s client executive VP Rocky Thurston described the partnership via statement as being "an action-oriented academic ‘think tank’" that will help pinpoint the Air Force's current and future needs.