Author Archive
Lauren C. Williams
Senior Editor

Lauren C. Williams is senior editor for Defense One. She previously covered defense technology and cybersecurity for FCW and Defense Systems. Before then, Williams has reported on several issues, including internet culture, national security, health care, politics and crime for various publications. She has a master's in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park and a bachelor's in dietetics from the University of Delaware. She can be contacted at lwilliams@govexec.com or follow her on Twitter @lalaurenista.
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CXO Briefing
The Pentagon’s Innovation Shop Wants More Influence in 2023
The agency wants to be part of program executives’ acquisition strategies and to spread more commercial-based tech across the department.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
A Wireless Intelligence Community ‘On The Horizon,' Official Says
Getting there is a matter of appropriately protecting data and tweaking policies to allow for wireless secret- and top-secret networks.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Let’s Make It Easier to Share Top-Secret Data With Allies, Intel Leader Says
The Defense Intelligence Agency’s CIO wants to expand collaborative workspaces—and resist the urge to mark everything NOFORN.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Cyber, Speed, and UFOs: A Tour of Tech Provisions in the 2023 NDAA
The defense policy bill also prods the intelligence community to follow other defense agencies’ emerging-tech efforts.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Google Cloud Greenlit To Handle Sensitive Data Ahead Of Contract Reveal
The announcement comes just days ahead of the Pentagon’s expected reveal of contract winners for its $9 billion tactical cloud capability.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
Expect AR/VR on the Battlefield, Air Force CIO Says
Augmented- and virtual-reality gear will become more than just a training tool, Knausenberger says.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Policy
Recruiting Crisis? Not at Space Force
The youngest and smallest service says it pays to be both choosy and inclusive.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Cybersecurity
It’s Finally Here: Pentagon Releases Plan To Keep Hackers Out Of Its Networks
Defense agencies are to implement zero-trust standards by 2027.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Ukraine, Irregular-War Changes Are Reshaping Pentagon’s Info-Ops Strategy
Civilians reporting military movements and a return to proxy war will inform the first IO update in seven years.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
Is the Pentagon Changing Fast Enough?
So far, two former defense insiders say, new service organizations are more promise than improvement.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
The Army’s Distributed Command Posts of the Future Will Need More than Videochats
Structuring data is key to the service’s visions of Pacific-spanning operations and AI-enabled decision tools.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
DISA’s Plea to Industry: Bring Us Battlefield-Ready Tech
The Pentagon’s IT agency also wants help wringing more performance out of its existing gear.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
More Than a Dozen States Have Activated the National Guard to Secure Midterm Elections
Other states can request help, but some leaders say more capacity is needed.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
You Get a Software Factory! And You Get a Software Factory!
DISA’s Vulcan program aims to give defense agencies and field activities all the tools they need to improve their software development practices.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
L3Harris Wants To Add Drone Data Streams To Night Vision Goggles
Improving image quality and broadening the amount of data feeds available are priorities for future versions.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
DISA’s Sweeping New Plan Takes Aim at Data Silos, Mistagged Info
The Pentagon’s IT agency has policy and culture ideas to encourage freer, more secure info-sharing.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
The Air Force Has A Plan To #Fixourcomputers and More
After airman complaints go viral, USAF CIO promises to make the service’s IT more generally reliable and capable.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
US Trails China in Key Tech Areas, New Report Warns
Ex-Google, DOD leaders paint dire picture unless U.S. organizes to win technology races.
- By Patrick Tucker and Lauren C. Williams
Cybersecurity
Army Updates Cyber Training After Some Graduates Weren’t Ready for Their Jobs
New classes and updated curriculum reflect evolving threats and lessons from the Ukraine war.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
The U.S. Army Is Hunting For More Soldier-Connected Tech
A recent solicitation calls for soldier-centered networking and information technology that will link existing and prototype technologies together.
- By Lauren C. Williams