Defense Software for a Contested Future: Agility, Assurance, and Incentives

By Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, Committee on Enhancing the Assurance and Nimbleness of Large-Scale Integrated Software-Based Systems, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board

U.S. national security depends on defense software that is secure, reliable, and agile. At the request of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conducted a study to explore how to enhance the assurance and agility of large-scale, integrated software-based systems. This report recommends ways the Department of Defense can engineer and manage its software systems to reduce cyber risk and enable more rapid system evolution to meet changing mission needs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0309992737
• ISBN13: 9780309992732
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: National Academies Press
• Length: 102 Pages