WASHINGTON, March 2-- The U.S. Department of Defense said Wednesday that it will invite hackers to test the department's cybersecurity as part of what it called "the first cyber bug bounty program in the history of the federal government."

Only "vetted hackers" will be allowed to take part in the "Hack the Pentagon" initiative, the department said, meaning that participants will first need to pass a background check prior to any involvement with the pilot program.

The bug bounty program is modeled after similar competitions conducted by big U.S. companies to test and find vulnerabilities in their applications, websites, and networks.

"I am confident this innovative initiative will strengthen our digital defenses and ultimately enhance our national security," Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said in a statement.

Once vetted, the hackers will participate in "a controlled, limited duration program" that will allow them to identify vulnerabilities on a predetermined department system, the Pentagon said.

It said other networks, including the department's critical, mission-facing systems, will not be part of the bug bounty pilot program.

Participants in the competition could receive monetary awards and other recognition.

The "Hack the Pentagon" initiative is being led by the department's Defense Digital Service (DDS), which included a small team of engineers and data experts meant to improve the department's technological agility. Carter launched the DDS last November.

The pilot program will launch in April and the department will provide more details on requirements for participation and other ground rules in the coming weeks, it added.