Air Force Academy taps AT&T to stay up on emerging tech
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The Air Force Academy inked a five-year cooperative research and development agreement with telecom giant AT&T to keep better pace with the speed of commercial advancement.
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The Air Force Academy wants to get be just as innovative as the private sector so it’s teaming up with telecom giant AT&T.
AT&T announced a five-year cooperative research and development agreement with the Academy June 7, which will focus on cybersecurity, the internet of things, Smart Base solutions, 5G, and software-defined networking, among other emerging technologies.
The Air Force Academy’s director for CyberWorx, Lt. Col. Michael Chiaramonte, said in a statement that using the telecom company’s resources could "improve our understanding and use of technology” and “advance our academic and research objectives."
The partnership would provide Academy cadets with hands-on demonstrations and experience beyond the classroom. It would also fit under the AFA’s larger research mission, which includes 19 centers and two institutes as part of their research program.
AT&T Public Sector’s client executive VP Rocky Thurston described the partnership via statement as being "an action-oriented academic ‘think tank’" that will help pinpoint the Air Force's current and future needs.