The Department of War (DoW) Chief Information Officer, Honorable Kirsten Davies, today announced the release of the DoW Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Strategy. This comprehensive, forward-looking plan addresses the urgent need to secure the Department's communications, data, and command and control systems against the emerging threats posed by future quantum computing capabilities.
The Department of War is driving a rapid, enterprise-wide transition to deploy quantum-resistant cryptography on high-impact systems by 2030 and across the entire force by 2031. This aggressive rollout directly aligns with President Donald J. Trump's Executive Order 14409 "Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks", placing the DoW at the forefront of the national mandate to protect our highest-value systems. By accelerating this migration now, the DoW is actively neutralizing quantum threats — preventing adversaries from accessing sensitive data, compromising the integrity of systems, or impersonating warfighters.
"Empowering the warfighter is the relentless objective that drives every program," said Hon. Davies. "To deliver on Secretary Hegseth's vision of the most lethal and dominant military force in the world, our networks must be impenetrable. This strategy secures our tactical edge and the safety of our satellite communications and command systems (SATCOM). It builds the interoperability required to rapidly upgrade our cryptography today while ensuring we can adapt at the speed of innovation to counter the threats of tomorrow."
The strategy prioritizes strengthening industry collaboration to drive efficiency across the enterprise. A key element of this is preparing the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) — the engine of the Secretary of War's "Arsenal of Freedom"— for upcoming Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) cryptographic compliance. This proactive partnership includes new approaches to accelerate the integration of commercial-off-the-shelf PQC-enabled solutions, ensuring a unified and resilient defense posture while reducing costs to the nation by streamlining testing.
"As we execute this critical modernization, we remain uncompromisingly focused on delivering value for the American people," added Davies. "We are answering the President's call by establishing centralized governance—ensuring we leverage our buying power, eliminate waste, and secure the best possible value for every taxpayer dollar while moving at speed of innovation."
To execute this complex enterprise-wide transition, the strategy maps out five clear, interconnected Lines of Effort:
1. PQC Governance and Integration: Establishing a centralized oversight structure to streamline acquisition and ensure fiscal accountability.
2. Cryptographic Inventory and Planning: Launching an aggressive campaign to scan for vulnerable systems and coordinate migration roadmaps.
3. Technology Acceleration: Developing, testing, and maturing PQC solutions for unique defense needs while collaborating with standards bodies and industry to advance baseline capabilities.
4. Industry Partnership and Enablement: Lowering barriers for commercial partners through initiatives like the "Preparing for Migration to PQC" memo, which enables the rapid intake and adoption of PQC-enabled industry solutions.
5. PQC Migration and Fielding: Physically deploying quantum-resistance across all warfighting domains to secure our systems without slowing mission operations.
With these robust foundations, we will accelerate ahead of the timelines set by Executive Order 14409. This strategy stands as a critical milestone in our mission to forge resilient partnerships and institute a new paradigm for cybersecurity, ensuring that the United States maintains its technological and strategic advantage for decades to come.
The DoW Post-Quantum Cryptography Strategy is available here: https://dowcio.war.gov/Portals/0/Documents/Library/DoW-PQC-Strategy.pdf
