Former Army CIO/G-6 Calls for Holistic Approach to Developing C4ISR Capabilities

Taking “a private sector-like holistic approach” to the development of U.S. Army C4ISR will be more important than ever before, according to a former Army CIO/G-6. Lt. Gen. Jeff Sorenson, USA (Ret.), president and partner, A.T. Kearny Public Sector & Defense Services LLC, told an overflow audience at AFCEA’s Army Signal Conference on March 9 that the service must take advantage of commercial information technology advances.

Gen. Sorenson emphasized that new communications and information systems will shape future operations with game-changing capabilities. “We need to take advantage of commercial information technology advances. We need to think through that,” he emphasized.

We need to take advantage of commercial IT advances.--Lt. Gen. Jeff Sorenson, USA (Ret.), Army Signal Conference

— Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) March 9, 2017

Yet he also cited the need for better architectural governance of information technology services. Analyzing the operating model a C4ISR program is executing can yield significant benefits in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, he added.

Analyzing the operating model of a C4ISR program can yield significant efficiency and effectiveness benefits.--Lt. Gen. Sorenson, USA (Ret.)

— Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) March 9, 2017

Gen. Sorenson stressed the need to approach C4ISR challenges thoughtfully. “I caution all of you: think about how we provide those [C4ISR] capabilities on time,” he stated.