A Summit for the Record Books!

More than 2,000 intelligence, defense, and national security professionals were on hand for the 11th AFCEA/INSA Intelligence & National Security Summit on August 27 and 28 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.  The two day program included six breakout sessions, five plenaries, a jam-packed career fair, lightning round sessions and an exhibit floor packed with the latest technological services and innovations. 

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Plenary 1: State of the Community

Speakers:

• The Hon. Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence
• Lewis Shephard, Chairman, AFCEA International (moderator)

In her opening remarks, The Hon Avril Haines stressed the importance of deeper integration between public, private, and academic sectors. She said this collaboration should involve more than just information sharing, including mutual understanding and joint decision-making. Director Haines highlighted the influence of public sector innovations on government work, citing examples like tech advancements in election security, digital technologies, and AI.

She discussed the threat posed by advanced technologies and R&D and how we must strive to establish an institutional culture that reinforces sharing of information and ideas, with a focus on incentivizing private sector engagement. Director Haines also highlighted ODNI’s efforts to improve the access analysts have to the expertise and knowledge held by the private sector and industry. 

Breakout Sessions

Space Acquisition

Speakers:

• The Hon. Kari Bingen, Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies
  
• Ricky Freeman, President, Amazon Kuiper Government Business
• Dave Gauthier, Chief of Strategy, GXC, Inc.
• MG Timothy Brown, USA, Commanding General, Intelligence & National Security Command (moderator)

Panelists discussed how industry, academia, and government collaborate on the innovation and acquisition of space technology. They highlighted space acquisition as a potential guarantor of economic security for the U.S. and discussed the development of remote sensing technology, pointing to the effective use of U.S.-developed remote sensing capabilities in Ukraine. The panelists closed by encouraging government to view the commercial industry as a partner, not just a provider, to maximize U.S. efficiency and global competitiveness.

The Challenge of AI: Seeing is No Longer Believing

Speakers:

• Dr. Welton Chang, Co-founder & CEO, Pyrra Technologies
• Dr. William Corvey, Information Innovation Office (I2O) Program Manager, DARPA
• Mark Munsell, Director, Data and Digital Innovation, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
• Jason Richards, Deputy Assistant Director, Directorate of Intelligence, FBI
• Adam Lurie, Chief Executive Officer, Knexus (moderator)

The discussion covered topics surrounding the intersection of AI, trust, and truth, particularly in relation to deepfakes and open-source data. Key points included the need for data authenticity while ensuring that legal data acquisition aligns with privacy laws. The conversation emphasized the importance of human involvement in decision-making to ensure AI systems are safe and trustworthy. Speakers agreed that the future of AI faces challenges such as data overload and speed of innovation, while also stressing the need for introspection and cautious deployment of AI technology. 

Plenary 2: Next-Gen National Security: Tech Advancements at Speed and Scale

Speakers:

• Dr. Megan Anderson, Executive Vice President, Capabilities, In-Q-Tel
• William "Mac" McHenry, Intelligence Community Lead, Defense Innovation Unit
• Dr. Rick Muller, Director, Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity
• William "Chip" Usher, Senior Director for Intelligence, Special Competitiveness Studies Project
• Lt Gen Michael Groen, USMC (Ret.), Former Director, Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (moderator)

The panel discussion examined the challenges with adapting to rapid technological advancements and maintaining a competitive edge. Speakers discussed how emerging technologies like commercial space innovation, are reshaping the landscape and being integrated into critical applications. Key themes included the challenge of aligning the swift pace of technological development with government expectations and strategic needs, and the necessity of global collaboration to address competitive threats from nations like China and North Korea. Speakers also addressed workforce issues, emphasizing flexibility and innovation as essential to meet future challenges. 

Plenary 3: Service Intelligence Priorities

Speakers:

• Kenneth Bray, SES, Associate Deputy Chief for ISR, and Cyber Effects, U.S Air Force
• Andrew Evans, Director of IRS Task Force, Department of the Army
• Maj Gen Gregory Gagnon, USSF, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Intelligence, U.S. Space Force
• VADM Karl Thomas, USN, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare, N2N6 Director of Naval Intelligence
• BGen William “Will” Wilburn, Jr., USMC, Deputy Director for Combat Support, Cybersecurity Directorate, National Security Agency
• LTG Bob Ashley, Jr., USA (Ret.), CEO, Touchstone LLC (moderator)

The panel's focus was on evaluating current strategies and investments amid evolving military and technological challenges. Panelists spoke on the shrinking size of military forces but emphasized their increasing effectiveness through technological innovation particularly in maintaining space superiority, however, concerns were raised about adversaries like China and North Korea, and the need for effective counterspace capabilities. The conversation turned to lessons learned from the Russia/Ukraine war, leveraging data and AI, and integrating unmanned systems, emphasizing the importance of modernization, effective use of data, and industry collaboration. Future priorities included enhancing joint war-fighting concepts, improving ISR capabilities, and addressing the challenges of data management and AI. The need for open communication between military branches and industry was stressed to foster innovation and address emerging threats effectively.

Plenary 4: Strategic Intelligence Challenges

Speakers:

• Paul Abbate, Deputy Director, FBI
• David Cohen, Deputy Director, CIA
• General Timothy Haugh, USAF, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command and Director, NSA/Chief, CSS
• The Hon. Christopher Scolese, Director, NRO
• VADM Frank Whitworth, USN, Director, NGA
• Julian Barnes, Intelligence Reporter, New York Times (moderator)

Panelists kicked off the conversation with a discussion on the Russia/Ukriane war and the long term implications for the region, use of commercial imagery, and enabling intel sharing. They then turned to investing in emerging technology like GenAI, and how each agency is implanting and standardizing their uses. The panel pivoted to counter terrorism and how foreign adversaries have increased due to less sophisticated actors access and utilize these technologies. Speakers covered how we are defending against the pacing challenge with the PRC in space-based ISR assets versus the more singular focused challenges of Russia in space. They also covered Iranians terror proxies in the middle east and their agencies roles in mitigating the conflict since October 7. Closing the conversation, panelists covered election security and the IC’s responsibility of delivering information to the public. 

Breakout Sessions

Future Focused: National Security Workforce 2030

Speakers:

• Maisha Glover, Partner, McKinsey and Co.
• Christine Parker, Senior Strategist/Acting Senior Advisor to the Chief Human Capital Officer, NSA
• Daniel J. Ragsdale, Deputy Assistant National Cyber Director, ONCD
• Justin Weissbrod, Senior Customer Success Account Manager, Microsoft
• Sue Kalweit, Managing Director, Deloitte (moderator)

The panel discussion explored several key themes shaping the future workforce. As today's middle schoolers prepare to enter the job market in 2030, there's a clear shift towards a results-driven approach rather than traditional presence-based outcomes. The pandemic has accelerated this transition, highlighting the need for greater workplace flexibility, including remote and hybrid options. The panelists emphasized the importance of adapting work structures to meet both personal and organizational needs, moving away from outdated 9-5 models. The panel also underscored the necessity of transparency, trust, and consistent leadership in fostering a multi-generational workforce. Furthermore, there was a focus on attracting and retaining Gen Z talent by rethinking job expectations and leveraging technology to enhance flexibility and collaboration.

Safeguarding Vital Systems: Nation-State Cyber Threats to U.S. Critical Infrastructure

Speakers:

• Liesyl Franz, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cyberspace Security. U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy
• David Frederick, Assistant Deputy Director for China, National Security Agency
• Erin Joe, Cybersecurity Executive, Office of the CISO, Google Cloud
• Martin Matishak, Senior Cybersecurity Reporter, The Record 

Panelists opened the conversation by discussing Volt Typhoon’s cyberattacks on the U.S. critical infrastructure.  A common concern amongst the panelists was Volt Typhoon’s ability to exploit the zero-day flaw to compromise organizations. The conversation concluded with China’s interference in Taiwan’s election using AI. The panelist urged that AI be leveraged defensively to protect U.S. critical infrastructure against adversaries. The panelists also emphasized the importance of practicing good cyber hygiene and working collectively to share information.

Building Resilient Defense Supply Chains

Speakers:

• Dr. Cynthia Cook, Director of the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group, Center for Strategic & International Studies
• Morgan Dwyer, Former Chief Strategy Officer, CHIPS, The Department of Commerce
• Dr. Devanand Shenoy, Principal Director for Microelectronics and Executive Director of the Microelectronic Commons, Office of Under Secretary for Research & Engineering – Critical Technologies, Department of Defense
• Mark Stewart, Lockheed Martin, Senior Vice President Operations
• Brandi Vincent, Pentagon Correspondent, Defense Scoop (moderator)

This session explored the challenges facing defense supply chains, exacerbated by the pandemic and global conflicts like the Ukraine war. Issues such as munitions and microchip shortages, reliance on foreign suppliers, and the complexity of defense-specific manufacturing were highlighted. Key efforts to address these challenges include the CHIPS and Science Act, aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor production, and initiatives to increase workforce readiness and flexible acquisition strategies. Ethical sourcing, particularly through small businesses, and strengthening cybersecurity across supply chains were also emphasized. International collaboration and innovation in domestic prototyping were presented as essential to ensuring long-term resilience and security in defense supply chains.

The State of Intelligence Studies

Speakers:

• Joe Gartin, Professor at the Elliot School of International Affairs, The George Washington University
• Ellen Laipson, Professor and International Security Program Manager, Director for the Center of Security Policy Studies, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University
• Dr. Martin Swartz, NIU Presidental Scholar, National Intelligence University
• Meredith Wilson, CEO & Founder, Emergent Risk International
• Linda Mills, Forensic and Legal Psychology Program Director, Marymount University (moderator)

The discussion focused on the evolving field of intelligence studies, highlighting how the use of open source and more holistic recruitment into the workforce are reshaping the discipline. Over 200 organizations now engage in intelligence studies at various levels, raising questions about whether current research and educational programs align with both intelligence agencies' needs and the private sector’s demands. Key points include the lack of a formal definition of intelligence, the need for both academic and practical expertise, and the integration of open-source information. Panelists emphasized the importance of creativity and imagination in intelligence work, alongside technical and subject matter expertise. The conversation also touched on the growing role of social media, the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, and the need for better collaboration between academia and the intelligence community. 

Plenary 5: Fireside Chat with General Mike A. Guetlein, USSF

Speakers:

• Gen Michael Guetlein, U.S. Space Force
• Letitia A. Long, Chairwoman, INSA (moderator)

INSA Charwoman Letitia A. Long sat down with USSF General Michael Gutlein for a discussion focused on U.S. priorities and threats in the space domain. General Guetlein addressed the Space Force's priority to maintain tactical advantage over our near-peer adversaries. He highlighted Space Force's growing cooperation with international partners and the IC as the most effective way to accomplish this mission. The conversation closed with General Guetlein emphasizing budgetary constraints as one of Space Force's main challenges, however with renewed public interest in the space domain, he is optimistic this will change.