Dr. Raj G. Iyer, chief information officer of the U.S. Army, discussed innovative initiatives to strengthen the service branch’s warfighting ability and create a wholly integrated and holistic approach to its IT systems and development during his keynote speech at GovCon Wire’s Army: IT Management and Transformation Forum on Thursday.
If you missed the Army: IT Management and Transformation Forum, you can still access the OnDemand footage by visiting GovConWire’s Event Archive.
Ryan Fairchild, Novetta Enterprise Solutions vice president, introduced Iyer before his keynote address. Iyer began by explaining the main priorities of the Army Enterprise Digitized strategy, adding that the Army’s data and IT strategy “aligns with other overarching strategies from the DOD.”
He stressed that IT modernization and reform is a critical measure to achieve the Army’s digital transformation. This includes phasing out outdated legacy systems that are incompatible or too inefficient in a fully digitized environment.
The Army will achieve the desired digital transformation by “fully leveraging and operationalizing the cloud at we have established over the last couple of years and achieving the full potential of the data with the right technology and security behind it to truly be a force multiplier for the Army, that will essentially make the cloud and data a warfighting platform for the future,” commented Iyer.
Iyer explained that between 2021 and 2028, his office’s objective is to converge the disparate active digital initiatives that are actively working to integrate new technologies and rapidly adopt artificial intelligence systems. Correspondingly, Iyer intends to unify those digital initiatives with current modernization drives in a single integrator plan that will increase uniformity and effectiveness.
The key to Iyer’s single integrator plan will be “accelerating our cloud infrastructure and using data as a strategic asset to achieve interoperability, but also use data for decision making at all echelons. We will elevate our cybersecurity poster by adopting zero trust principles for IT and operational technology as well,” added Iyer.
The Forum also hosted an expert panel on the advantages of IT modernization and digital transformation moderated by Kevin Heald of Novetta, featuring Jason Brown of Leidos, Ryan Fairchild of Novetta and Leonel Garciga, Paul Puckett, Rob Schadey, John Howell of the U.S. Army.
If you missed the Army: IT Management and Transformation Forum, you can still access the OnDemand footage by visiting GovConWire’s Event Page.
Mark your calendar for September 14th, when GovConWire Events will host its Space Acquisition Forum.
The Department of Defense (DOD) is committing significant resources into space technology acquisition to dominate the space domain. During the Space Acquisition Forum, notable federal and industry leaders will discuss aligning space acquisition goals and acquisition reform and modernization.
Featuring Shawn Barnes, acting assistant secretary of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration will deliver the Forum’s keynote address.
