Charles Lyons-Burt Leidos is deepening collaboration with commercial technology leaders to bring speed, resilience and innovation to federal digital transformation efforts, according to Paul Wilkinson, senior vice president and digital modernization practice area leader at the company.
In a new video interview with Executive Mosaic’s Charles Lyons-Burt, Wilkinson discussed how Leidos’ partnerships and co-development initiatives are helping agencies adopt proven commercial technologies faster while meeting the security and compliance standards unique to the public sector.
“Our strategic partners give us access to innovative commercial technology that we can take, integrate, opinionate and use as foundational components of our repeatable offerings,” Wilkinson said. “These partnerships play a vital role in how we bring new capabilities to our customers quickly and securely.”
How Is Leidos Working With Industry to Accelerate Modernization?
Wilkinson said Leidos’ approach to modernization relies on close technical collaboration with hyperscalers and software companies. The company often brings together developers from both organizations to create new cloud-native capabilities and mission-ready platforms.
He pointed to Data ConnectiV, a data mesh solution jointly developed under a strategic collaboration agreement, as one example of how this model helps federal agencies unify data silos and enable secure data sharing. Leidos’ partnership with Second Front Systems and its Game Warden platform, Wilkinson added, allows commercial tools to obtain authority to operate in weeks rather than years, significantly reducing time to mission.
“These kinds of partnerships let us take technologies that would normally take 16 to 18 months to authorize and make them available much faster,” Wilkinson said. “That speed to mission is what our customers need most right now.”
What Role Does the Digital Modernization Sector Play in This Strategy?
Wilkinson said the company’s digital modernization sector, which was stood up in early 2024, serves as a framework for orchestrating innovation across its cloud, AI, cyber and enterprise IT practices. The structure enables Leidos to standardize successful approaches and accelerate deployment of modern, resilient solutions across missions.
By embedding zero trust principles and focusing on modular, scalable architectures, Leidos delivers modernization outcomes that are “secure, cost-effective and fast,” he said. The model helps ensure that digital transformation remains sustainable and repeatable across agencies and programs.
How Is Leidos Blending Commercial Innovation with Government Missions?
Wilkinson said Leidos is investing heavily in developing repeatable digital modernization offerings that can be deployed across both government and commercial markets. This cross-sector approach not only drives efficiency but also ensures that customers in every domain benefit from battle-tested, scalable and secure architectures.
“Digital modernization isn’t unique to the government,” Wilkinson noted. “Whether it’s energy, healthcare or defense, every organization faces similar challenges around cloud, cyber and AI. Our goal is to bring those solutions to market at scale and adapt them to each customer’s mission.”
Watch the full interview with Paul Wilkinson on YouTube and ensure you’re subscribed to Executive Mosaic’s channel to receive all of our up-to-date reporting on all things GovCon.
