A $1.5 billion research contract is headed to Carnegie Mellon University, tasking its Software Engineering Institute with shaping the digital backbone of national defense.
The U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base awarded the new five-year deal, aiming to bolster secure, high-quality software that protects critical government systems and infrastructure.
Researchers at the Software Engineering Institute, or SEI, will focus on making the next leap in trusted computing, artificial intelligence, DevSecOps practices, threat response, and secure systems engineering. Since its founding in 1984, SEI has staked out a reputation for leading-edge innovation, especially in the high-stakes arenas that define national security.
Shaping Security and Quality in Defense Software
The institute’s CERT division is a pillar of cybersecurity research, having emerged in answer to one of the first devastating internet worms decades ago. Today, CERT drives the field forward, building strategies and tools to shield networks and respond quickly to suspicious activity.
SEI is perhaps best known for creating the Capability Maturity Model Integration, a game changer in how organizations measure their software development capabilities. These levels, ranging from basic project management to self-improving software processes, have become benchmarks for government and defense contracts worldwide.
Under the new contract, work will take place in Pittsburgh, with an end date set for June 2030. Carnegie Mellon experts will push for advancements not just in code quality, but in the actual tools and standards that industry relies on to keep vital systems running smoothly.
Looking back on past achievements, SEI has not just raised the bar on secure engineering but also fundamentally shaped best practices in software acquisition and architecture. Their influence runs deep, often setting standards that ripple through industrial and government spheres alike.
General consensus in federal tech circles is confidence in SEI’s ability. In the words of project lead Grace Lee, “We’re committed to forging software that stands up to relentless threats and meets the rigorous demands of our national defense.”
By the time this contract wraps, the advancements made in Pittsburgh will likely be woven into the core operations of military and critical infrastructure, assuring both resilience and stability in the digital age through the renewed focus on national security software innovation national security software innovation as well as ongoing AI tools in software development.
