The Modern Integrated Warfare Podcast

In today’s highly volatile geopolitical environment, being able to communicate and operate securely is a vital strategic advantage for the warfighter and command. With multivariant threats targeted at United States assets at the core and the edge, on land, in space, and at sea, investment in robust and resilient secure facilities has never been more important. The challenges of balancing effective communication with secure operations were top of mind at the Rocky Mountain Cyberspace Symposium 2026, that took place in February in Colorado.In this episode of the Government Technology Insider Podcast, we invited Michael Montgomery, who leads Chenega Architecture and Design Solutions and is President of Chenega Worldwide Support, and Jeff Kronewitter, Director of Strategic Solutions at Chenega MIOS, to discuss best practices in building a secure operations and communications environments in an era of disruption.“Many of the cyber threats are easily known and understood, but overall, the ‘wheel of access’ to our missions has been ever increasing,” said Kronewitter. “So, we need to take a deliberate approach, making sure that expertise in regulations, design specs, and technical requirements remain a top priority, while still creating affordable facilities for the government.”For more best practices, listen to the podcast now.

As the Department of War accelerates its transitions toward a mobile-first model, new technologies are emerging as force multipliers for safety, decision-making, and operational readiness. A key innovation is on-device AI. By running AI locally on mobile devices, teams can access live translation, transcription, chat assistance, and situational awareness tools without relying on cloud connectivity. This allows secure operations in disconnected or classified environments while management systems provide control over AI features, resulting in smarter and faster workflows that reduce cognitive and physical load on personnel. Teams can process information immediately, streamline reporting, and focus on the mission instead of managing multiple tools.Wearables and IoT devices further extend the mobile ecosystem. From battlefield injury monitoring to training optimization, these devices capture real-time biometric data to enhance safety and operational efficiency. Personnel can receive early alerts for health risks, track performance during exercise, and ensure continuous monitoring even in standalone mode without relying on paired devices. This flexibility enables smarter decision making and quicker responses in critical situations. In the second half of this Modern Integrated Warfare podcast, Bryan Schromsky, Managing Partner for 5G Public Sector at Verizon, and Todd Maxwell, Director of Regulated Business Development at Samsung Electronics America, explore how artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, and next-generation wearables are reshaping the military’s mobile ecosystem. In this new era, mobile devices are not just communication tools but intelligent hubs that enhance awareness, simplify workflows, and protect the warfighter in every environment. “It's really about trying to enhance safety and efficiency by providing this biometric data and then tying in some of the AI features, even down to the wearable on the device.”— Todd Maxwell

From field radios to ruggedized tables, mobile devices have been an integral part of military communications for decades. But today, the Department of War (DoW) is moving beyond simply using mobile devices and investing in placing mobility at the forefront of training, planning, and tactical operations. This emerging mobile-first model is reshaping readiness and accelerating the pace of operations at a moment when speed, flexibility, and secure data are the most critical.What emerges is a new vision for mobile capabilities in the field. Instead of carrying multiple devices or specialized gear, service members can rely on a single, secure endpoint that transitions seamlessly across environments like training ranges and command environments. Devices can now deliver a full desktop experience for mission planning in a vehicle, then shift into situational awareness mode during operations, and finally integrate with wearables or IoT sensors for team coordination. This consolidation improves efficiency while reducing the physical and cognitive load on warfighters.In this episode of the Modern Integrated Warfare podcast, Bryan Schromsky, Managing Partner for 5G Public Sector at Verizon, and Todd Maxwell, Director of Regulated Business Development at Samsung Electronics America, join host, Matt Langan, to explore the forces driving this shift and the innovations making it possible. As they explain, the modern military is now dominated by service members who grew up as mobile natives. That cultural readiness paired with more affordable devices, expanded commercial 5G coverage on military installations, and rapidly improving security frameworks set the stage for mobility to move from niche use cases to full-scale operational adoption. “Mobility is going mainstream…because the next generation of servicemen now are younger, and they actually live in a mobile-first world.”-Bryan SchromskyListen to part one of the podcast to hear the full discussion.

At the end of last year, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) released new Android 16 and iOS 26 Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) designed to provide military organizations with the guidance they need to better secure their mobile endpoints against modern adversaries. One of the most significant new requirements in the latest Android and Apple STIGS is for all managed mobile devices to have a mobile threat defense (MTD) solution deployed to remain compliant – a major undertaking for an organization with hundreds of thousands of mobile endpoints. In this episode of the Modern Integrated Warfare Podcast, host, Matt Langan, is joined by Farhan Saifudin of Ivanti, and Alex Froede of DISA to define STIGs, explain their importance for mobile device security, and discuss the new STIG changes and how they’ll impact military organizations. Farhan Saifudin, is Ivanti's sales engineer manager for the public sector. Alex Froede, a senior mobile cybersecurity architect and principal author of DISA’s mobile technology STIGs at the DISA Cyber Standards and Analysis Branch, also known as the DISA STIG Office. During their detailed discussion on the changes to Apple and Android device STIGS, they explore the current threat landscape for mobile devices in the U.S. DoD explain why MTD solutions are necessary in today's threat environment, provide considerations for DoD decision-makers looking to choose an MTD solution, and the importance of marrying an MTD solution to a mobile device management (MDM) solution. "The new MTD requirement in the mobile operating system, STIGS is part of a multi-layered approach for securing mobile devices. DISA did a study a few years ago and showed that the use of MTD tools adds to the overall security posture of a mobile device in the DoW." - Alex Froede