DISA Eyes Mobile Apps Store

The Defense Information Systems Agency kicked off a market research project last week for development of a mobile apps store. The store could eventually serve the entire Defense Department, if you read the notice carefully.

DISA, in its request for information, also said it is contemplating Mobile Device Management software, already used by the Veterans Affairs Department to manage distribution of apps to smartphones and other mobile gadgets.

Last month DISA signaled that it wants to acquire smartphones and tablet computers for its networks serving Europe, the Mideast and Africa.

That notice, along with the apps store RFI, sure indicates it is a question of when, not if, Defense will finally embrace mobile computing taken for granted by the rest of the planet.

The mobile apps store project is managed by -- take a deep breath here -- DISA's Program Executive Office GIG Enterprise Services (PEO-GES), User Facing Division.