It's all pretty hush-hush stuff, but here is a sampling of information. The 18th annual Systems & Software Technology Conference, which runs through Thursday, attracted 1,700 attendees for its first day. Sponsored by Hill Air Force Base, it seeks to bring together private-sector software programmers interested in Department of Defense work with representatives of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.

"It allows industry developers and the military a meeting place where they can explore with the military what it needs, and for the industry to make its pitches," said conference spokeswoman Marilu Trainor.

Military-themed displays at the Salt Palace Convention Center were eye-catchers, but the sensitive nature of the highly technical banter does not make for scintillating interviews.

Keynote speaker Kelly Miller, for example, wasn't leaking anything Monday after he spoke on the "Importance of Information Assurance."

"That's the ability to know that the information you have is secured and assured, that it's not been tampered with," he said.

Such as wireless and satellite traffic and images, transmissions from unmanned aerial surveillance drones or helicopter heat-sensing cameras?

"I can't discuss that," said Miller, principal director of engineering for the National Security Agency and Central Security Service.

Well, how about this? In a time when U.S. ground forces are stretched to their limits in Afghanistan and Iraq, are high-tech, information-gathering systems becoming ever more critical?

"I can't talk about that, either," Miller said, referring further questions to his superiors.

There were booths where computer code warriors could sample various military video training and combat-simulation programs or view demos of bomb detecting and disarming robots.

And, there was Grady Booch, chief scientist for IBM Rational, who was honored with the Stevens Award for "fundamental leadership in advanced software design and in the unification of development methods and their practical implementation."

In all, the conference is offering more than 180 sessions of networking and programming instruction, software and hardware demonstrations, and on preparing bids for defense contracts.

Today, the conference starts off with the Pentagon's Army Col. Brian Hamilton discussing"Interoperability: Data Sharing & Security - A Conundrum?"

Well, apparently so. The curious, attempting to look up information about the talk at the conference's Web site, http://www.sstc-online.org. will only get this: "Summary: Not Available."

bmims@sltrib.com