Greg Hadley
When Airmen and Guardians need data or connectivity, they don’t much care whether it comes via wires, fiber optic cable or a satellite—and the Department of the Air Force wants its networks to match.
A new “Network of the Future” strategy released Sept. 3 by the department’s Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer says IT networks must be adaptive and secure, “ensuring that real-time data, secure communications, and adaptive responses are available wherever and whenever the mission demands.”
Software-Defined Wide Area Networks, or SD-WANs are the underlying enabling technology for the new strategy. Conventional network technology uses switching hardware to route messaging through fiber optic cables, 5G towers, or satellites uplinks and downlinks. Software-defined networks use virtual switching to route traffic and adapt, on the fly, when network nodes fail. If a cyberattack or power failure cuts off one route, the system automatically reconfigures to send data via another.
“SD-WAN is designed to be easily scalable and can integrate across multiple connection types with end-to-end encryption and unified security policies across all locations to simplify security management,” the strategy states.
The Air Force strategy envisions a “unified control pane” allowing IT professionals to monitor and manage the entire network without having to toggle between systems.
The Space Force already has an SD-WAN program called meshONE-Terrestrial. Launched in 2021, it contributes to the Pentagon’s wider Joint All-Domain Command and Control efforts and expanded in 2024 to support more locations.
Another objective in the document calls for the Air Force to invest in a wide range of IT infrastructure, including 5G, fiber optics, traditional internet, and even satellite communications. Each comes with distinct advantages and challenges, which the strategy notes, but taken together, they “enhance flexibility for warfighters by allowing seamless movement of high-performance data.”
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