Army soldiers access the DCSG-A intelligence system during an exercise.
WASHINGTON: The Army announced today it has enlisted the data analytics firm Palantir in a $823 million contract to provide what the company called the “data fabric and analytics foundation” for the Distributed Common Ground System-Army program.
The contract comes as the Army enters its next phase of modernizing its intelligence infrastructure to prepare for multi-domain operations, a major part of which is getting soldiers access to data around the world.
Following an initial testing period, under the new contract, Palantir will support the operational testing of the Distributed Common Ground System-Army’s second capability drop. The Distributed Common Ground System-Army is the service’s primary platform for storing, processing and delivering intelligence to commanders.
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Palantir will provide Army users with its Gotham data platform, which Palantir said in a release will “connect the dots between disparate sources.” The Army release said the contract was awarded Sept. 30.
The Army is in the midst of a sprawling modernization effort that includes preparing for a battlefield in which soldiers and commanders require consistent access to data.
The award to Palantir caps a year of vendor competition and soldier testing. In February 2020, Palantir was awarded an initial contract to provide its platform for numerous iterations of testing with intelligence users across the Army, the PEO release said. The initial award was part of the Army’s so-called “Test-Fix-Test” phase which included soldier testing, including a focus on advanced intelligence analytics and intelligence planning tools.
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The DCGS-A interfaces with the intelligence community data fabric to provide both sides with intelligence.
“We look forward to the continued partnership with PEO IEW&S and the Army’s Intelligence Community in providing new and exciting technology that help them in their modernization efforts,” said Doug Philippone, Palantir’s global defense lead, in a statement.
