DISA

As the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) embraces a more data-centric vision, the agency is developing policies for enhanced data management and identifying necessary technical capabilities to support agency operations, and improved decision making and operability for warfighters, said Caroline Kuharske, DISA acting chief data officer, on April 27 speaking with Michelle Lee, director, Threat Intelligence at Lumen Technologies, during AFCEA’s TechNet Cyber conference in Baltimore.

Meeting technology priorities—at cost, at speed and using what’s already in inventory—coupled with better workforce development initiatives were some of the headline objectives of center directors from the Defense Information Systems Agency, or DISA.

The U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) intends to double down on the security of its classified networks in the coming months as it experiments with the zero-trust prototype known as Thunderdome.

Julian Breyer, DISA’s senior enterprise and security architect, reported a change in priorities while discussing Thunderdome during a panel session at AFCEA’s TechNet Cyber conference in Baltimore, April 26.

The Army’s Unified Network, which will enable the service to deliver the strategic, operational and tactical effects that maneuver commanders need across joint and coalition operations, is advancing, said Lt. Gen. John Morrison, USA, deputy chief of staff and the Army G-6, speaking at AFCEA’s TechNet Cyber conference in Baltimore on April 26.

With the creation of its first Chief Data Office, the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency is stepping into a more data-centric vision. The need for enhanced data management, technologies and policies is necessary to support greater ventures of agency operations and improved decision making and operability for warfighters, explained Caroline Kuharske, acting chief data officer, Defense Information Systems Agency.

The Defense Information Systems Agency is trying to accelerate the pace of change by incorporating transformational technology into its operations. Emerging capabilities such as 5G will find their way into DISA services, but the agency also is partnering with industry to develop and leverage new capabilities to meet burgeoning operational needs.

Thunderdome, the Defense Information Systems Agency’s zero-trust solution, may enhance cybersecurity while also transforming the way the agency does business.

In times of global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is working to make sure the U.S. Defense Department’s communications networks are running securely to provide leaders and warfighters with the information they need.

A key aspect of this is velocity of action, using innovation and initiative to gain an advantage over adversaries, DISA officials told SIGNAL Magazine Editor in Chief Robert Ackerman during the first of a series of TechNet Cyber 2022 webinars.

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is striving to diversify its workforce by working both within and without. Its efforts include querying existing workers for information about the work environment and laying the groundwork for bringing in new people from nontraditional sources.

These activities are coming from the newly created DISA Diversity Office. Damien J. Terry, chief diversity officer for DISA, explains that the office is pursuing a multifaceted approach to improving diversity at the agency. This includes tapping existing expertise among DISA employees and establishing mechanisms for future hires—effectively, a detailed program for recruitment and retention.

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has announced the award of a $6.8 million contract to Booz Allen Hamilton for a Thunderdome prototype, a zero-trust security model.

During this six-month effort, the agency will operationally test how to implement DISA’s Zero Trust Reference Architecture, published in March 2020 for the Defense Department, by taking advantage of commercial technologies such as secure access service edge (SASE) and software-defined wide area networks (SD-WANs). Thunderdome will also incorporate greater cybersecurity centered around data protection and integrate with existing endpoint and identity initiatives aligned to zero trust, according to the press release.

Which articles from our SIGNAL Media team caught your eye this past year? Check out the top 10 most-read articles from 2021.

1. Special Forces Command Seeks Key Data Aggregation, Cyber Tools
By Kimberly Underwood, February 17, 2021

Alpha Communications Services, Fairfax Station, Virginia, was awarded a competitive, single-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling value of $40,000,000 for the provision of non-personal services for audiovisual, visual information, video teleconference, and videophone support services in support of the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Department of Defense Fourth Estate agencies. The first task order, valued at $14,435,734, is funded by fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds. Primary performance will be at Defense Information Systems Agency headquarters, Fort Meade, Maryland.  Proposals were solicited via the sam.gov website, and three proposals were received.

When I hear of zero trust, I think of “In God We Trust,” the motto printed on U.S. currency and Florida’s official motto. More than just a buzzword phrase, though, zero trust is better understood as an approach to security.

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is developing an important solution to provide clear situational awareness for electromagnetic spectrum, or EMS, operations. The agency expects to roll out an initial version of the Electromagnetic Battle Management System, or EMBM, next spring, according to Alan Rosner, program manager, Joint Spectrum Center, Defense Spectrum Organization, at DISA.

Rosner spoke during a panel session of AFCEA International’s TechNet Cyber conference in Baltimore in October 27.

The Defense Information Systems Agency is introducing a new strategy that will blend five lines of effort with an internal reorganization amid new budgeting authority. The goal is a synergistic effort that ensures information superiority for the U.S. military as it moves forward against new adversarial challenges.

The new strategy aligns the fiscal year 2022 budget collaboratively with internal agency reorganization. This approach is designed by Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) leadership to allow it to make necessary changes for the next several years.

The Defense Information Systems Agency is embracing robotic process automation, and it is implementing several steps. The agency is training a cadre of developers, and it is also creating a platform and code library and establishing practices and methods—all to internally improve how it delivers robotic process automation across the agency. By using automated software robots, or bots, that can perform rules-based processes, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) aims to reduce the workload for humans that conduct repetitive tasks across the agency’s financial, public relations, procurement and other offices.

As it advances its application of robotic process automation, the Defense Information Systems Agency is expanding its artificial intelligence efforts through a research agreement and a new pilot program. The agency is using these latest efforts to examine the application of artificial intelligence capabilities to network defense—as it conducts its daily around-the-clock mission of protecting the Department of Defense Information Network.

In one effort, the agency is working with Vienna, Virginia-based software company NT Concepts through a cooperative research and development agreement, or CRADA, to apply machine learning (ML) to defensive cyber operations.

The U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency’s Thunderdome project may be the new kid on the block supporting the Defense Department’s command and control vision, but the agency’s legacy systems also could prove pivotal.

“I think there’s more to DISA’s role in JADC2 than is obvious,” says Brian Hermann, program executive officer for services development at the agency commonly known as DISA. Joint all-domain command and control, or JADC2, focuses on data to allow warfighters to make faster decisions than potential adversaries.

ARINC Inc., Annapolis, Maryland, was awarded a non-competitive, firm fixed-price, single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling value of $205,062,956, for Datalink Services to provide certified and continuous flight safety services, Datalink messaging and voice communications with worldwide air traffic control agencies, and general data and voice for government command and control agencies.  The $15,000 minimum guarantee will be funded by fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds. Primary performance will be at the contractor’s facility.

Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) officials do not plan to try to force others in the Defense Department or military services to use its zero-trust solution known as Thunderdome.

Thunderdome is a fledgling program that offers a range of capabilities, including secure access service edge (SASE), software-defined area networking (SD-WAN), identity credential access management (ICAM) and virtual security stacks.

SASE, which is pronounced “sassy,” is a technology package that includes SD-WAN, firewall as a service and cloud access security broker. While SASE has been implemented across much of the commercial world, it has not yet been widely adopted by the government.

The Defense Information Systems Agency, known as DISA, is expanding its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts through a research agreement and a new pilot program. While both efforts are in the beginning stages, the agency is considering how to possibly apply the so-called AI capabilities to network defense—among other areas the agency is separately pursuing—as it conducts its daily 24/7 mission of protecting the Department of Defense Information Network, or DODIN.

The agency entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, or CRADA, with Vienna, Virginia-based software company NT Concepts to apply machine learning (ML) to defensive cyber operations.

Cisco Systems Inc., San Jose, California, was awarded a single-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling of $1,180,185,116 for brand name Cisco Smart Net Total Care and Software Support Services for users across the Department of Defense. The period of performance is a one-year base period and two one-year option periods, for a total contract life cycle of three years. Proposals were solicited from the System for Award Management website (beta.SAM.gov), and three proposals were received. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1084-21-D-0003). 

Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner, USAF, director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the Joint Force Headquarters Department of Defense Information Network, (JFHQ-DODIN), highlighted agency priorities and focus areas that could provide a peek into his much-anticipated new action plan to further modernize the Defense Department.

Now a few months into his new role as DISA/JFHQ-DODIN commander, Gen. Skinner is looking to 2022 and beyond with a focus on data centricity, he said Thursday during the AFCEA Central Maryland chapter’s May virtual luncheon.

The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was awarded a non-competitive, firm-fixed-price contract for high throughput commercial military Ka-band mission essential communications and internet service on E-4B aircraft under Air Force Global Strike Command control. The face value of this action is $26,634,982, funded by fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds.  The total cumulative face value of the contract is $197,223,871.  Primary performance will be at Boeing Global SatCom Services Network Operations Center, Kent, Washington. The period of performance is April 1, 2021, through March 31, 2022, with four 12-month option periods. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition.