From DIU ‘3.0’ to classified leaks, to the Army network: 5 cyber stories from 2023

From DIU ‘3.0’ to classified leaks, to the Army network: 5 cyber stories from 2023
From DIU ‘3.0’ to classified leaks, to the Army network: 5 cyber stories from 2023

This year Breaking Defense heard straight from some top network and tech officials in the Pentagon about their ambitious plans.

Australia developing ‘top secret’ intelligence cloud to work with US, UK spy agencies

Australia developing ‘top secret’ intelligence cloud to work with US, UK spy agencies
Australia developing ‘top secret’ intelligence cloud to work with US, UK spy agencies

Andrew Shearer, Australia’s Director-General of National Intelligence, also discussed how analysts will use AI, and the “lively debate” about whether Japan could join the Five Eyes.

US, Aussies funding Google undersea internet cables for Pacific Islands, with geostrategic implications

US, Aussies funding Google undersea internet cables for Pacific Islands, with geostrategic implications
US, Aussies funding Google undersea internet cables for Pacific Islands, with geostrategic implications

The investment by Australia and the United States into funding the new Google internet cables means the Pacific islands can avoid becoming integral parts of China’s global data collection.

The cloud, fiber optics and hiding in basements: Army races to adapt to new command post threats

The cloud, fiber optics and hiding in basements: Army races to adapt to new command post threats
The cloud, fiber optics and hiding in basements: Army races to adapt to new command post threats

Drone-guided artillery strikes have made Ukraine “the graveyard of command posts,” two Army generals have warned. But, Lt. Gen. Milford Beagle and Brig. Gen. Jason Slider told Breaking Defense, better tactics and affordable tech can save lives.

Navy, Marines race for better at-sea connectivity using clouds

Navy, Marines race for better at-sea connectivity using clouds
Navy, Marines race for better at-sea connectivity using clouds

“I love the cloud, but I don’t have access to the cloud all the time while I’m afloat,” said Rear Admiral Stephen Donald of 10th Fleet. “So I need industry to figure out how to give me a virtual cloud.”

Inside the Army’s distributed mission command experiments in, and over, the Pacific

Inside the Army’s distributed mission command experiments in, and over, the Pacific
Inside the Army’s distributed mission command experiments in, and over, the Pacific

Brig. Gen. Patrick Ellis, I Corps chief of staff, said his team was able to send mission command information from a Stryker, in mid-air transit aboard a C-17 headed to Guam, back to Joint Base Lewis-McChord using the airplane’s antenna.

milCloud 2.0 to die a quiet death in spring 2022

milCloud 2.0 to die a quiet death in spring 2022
milCloud 2.0 to die a quiet death in spring 2022

Sunset deadline could be tight, according to a former DISA official, as “May 2022 is tomorrow in terms of DoD IT.”

DoD issues cloud solicitations to AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle

DoD issues cloud solicitations to AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle
DoD issues cloud solicitations to AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle

Google’s addition is somewhat surprising since, in recent years, the company has pulled away from DoD work due to internal pressure on executives from its workforce. The apparent omission of IBM is also notable.

NSA Should ‘Reevaluate’ Massive IC Cloud Contract: GAO

NSA Should ‘Reevaluate’ Massive IC Cloud Contract: GAO
NSA Should ‘Reevaluate’ Massive IC Cloud Contract: GAO

The GAO decision sustained a protest from Microsoft, saying the agency’s evaluation was partly “unreasonable.”

To Aid Digital Transformation, Army Eyes ‘One Cloud’ And Faster Acquisition

To Aid Digital Transformation, Army Eyes ‘One Cloud’ And Faster Acquisition
To Aid Digital Transformation, Army Eyes ‘One Cloud’ And Faster Acquisition

“The Army in the past has always executed traditional IT in a very decentralized way — we let every command do their own thing,” Army CIO Raj Iyer said. “Now, if you look at the requirements for multi-domain operations, that model doesn’t work anymore.”

JADC2 Implementation Plan ‘Weeks Away’: J6’s Parker

JADC2 Implementation Plan ‘Weeks Away’: J6’s Parker
JADC2 Implementation Plan ‘Weeks Away’: J6’s Parker

“Joint always seems fun until we get into decisions about who governs this,” joked Army CIO Raj Iyer.

DoD Kills JEDI, Pivots To Multi-Cloud

DoD Kills JEDI, Pivots To Multi-Cloud
DoD Kills JEDI, Pivots To Multi-Cloud

Acting DoD CIO John Sherman said Microsoft and AWS will likely be invited to bid on JWCC, and DoD will also look at the capabilities of other US-based cloud service providers, such as Google, IBM, and Oracle.

IT Modernization Strategy, Spectrum Plan Imminent: DoD CIO

IT Modernization Strategy, Spectrum Plan Imminent: DoD CIO
IT Modernization Strategy, Spectrum Plan Imminent: DoD CIO

Rep. Langevin criticized the 2022 budget overview for its brevity, opacity, and appearance as “nearly a carbon copy” of the 2021 document. “If DoD were a high school student, I would have called [the 2022 budget overview] plagiarism.”

DoD Cloud Delays Hamper Missions: IT Leaders

DoD Cloud Delays Hamper Missions: IT Leaders
DoD Cloud Delays Hamper Missions: IT Leaders

 “The more we wait, the more vulnerable we are,” a leader told the survey takers.