As the conflict in Ukraine grinds on, the importance of public-private partnerships has never been clearer. On the second day of INSA’s Intelligence & National Security Summit, intelligence leaders from across the U.S. defense and intelligence communities underscored the critical role that collaboration with the commercial sector plays in supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts.
Essential Partnerships Between Government and Commercial Sector
David S. Cohen, Deputy Director CIA, touched on the resilience of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, hinting at the potential shifts in the conflict’s dynamics. Cohen shared that Putin has believed that time is on his side in his ability to grind down Ukraine and that Putin seemed to think that western support will begin to wane. Cohen highlighted that Ukraine’s ability to mount a successful operation in Russia highlights their resilience. But beyond the battlefield, the broader strategy hinges on leveraging technological advancements provided by the private sector.
Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, Director USN Director NGA, emphasized how commercial imagery has become a cornerstone of support for Ukraine. Making commercial imagery widely available, with over 400,000 accounts, has been instrumental in providing the necessary intelligence to keep Ukrainian forces informed and prepared.
The importance of secure communications, especially in a conflict zone, cannot be overstated. General Timothy D. Haugh, USAF Commander and Director NSA and U.S. Cyber Command, discussed the evolution of NSA’s partnership with Ukraine, particularly in ensuring that communications remain secure despite ongoing cyber threats. This collaboration is made possible by integrating cutting-edge technologies from private companies, demonstrating how vital these partnerships are in maintaining a strategic advantage. Haugh noted that the U.S. looks at how we enable secure communications with a partner that’s under daily cyber threats that allows intelligence sharing. Secure communications are key, and the private sector plays an important role in that success.
The Hon. Christopher Scolese, Director NRO, spoke about the advantages of commercial partnerships in space operations. He highlighted how the reduction in launch costs through commercial means has allowed for more rapid deployment of critical capabilities. “Technology is infused faster because we are leveraging commercial solutions,” Scolese explained, emphasizing the NRO’s approach to seeking out commercial solutions first and turning to more specialized options when necessary.
Partnerships Shape the Intelligence Community
These insights from top intelligence officials highlight a clear trend: in today’s fast-evolving conflict environments, the fusion of government and commercial sector expertise is not just beneficial—it’s essential. As the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold, these partnerships will likely play an increasingly pivotal role in shaping the outcome. The theme of partnerships was a key point in Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines opening remarks on the first day of the conference. And that message continued in the rest of the morning talk, touching on topics like ongoing terrorist threats.
Paul Abbate, Deputy Director FBI shared the realities of ongoing terrorist threats and how the skills that have been developed over the last two decades are still relevant and necessary. Abbate said, “The terrorism threat remains persistent and elevated. A lot flies under the radar due to the work in the IC, but we are bringing people to justice every day.” That intelligence work continues to be possible due to the technology and partnership efforts that have been made over the last few years since pulling out of Afghanistan.
