The Defense Intelligence Agency’s communications network — the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System, or JWICS — started over three decades ago with an experiment to transmit a video feed securely between DIA headquarters and the Pentagon. Since then, JWICS has evolved into the top-secret sensitive, compartmented information, or SCI network for sharing intelligence across the intelligence community, the Department of Defense and other federal agencies.
Now, the urgency behind digital transformation across the entire federal landscape has prompted DIA officials to usher JWICS into a new era of modernization. In an exclusive video interview with Executive Mosaic, DIA Chief Information Officer Doug Cossa provided insight into the JWICS modernization effort, explained his vision for the future of working with allied intelligence agencies and outlined his priorities as CIO.
Modernizing JWICS will occur in three major areas: tech refresh, cybersecurity and automation. Cossa explained that in the tech refresh effort, the agency will replace old equipment and outdated systems with new technology, and in the cybersecurity area, DIA is deploying a zero trust approach.
In the third area, Cossa aims to move JWICS past tedious manual processes and into a new chapter defined by speed.
“Where we’re moving to in terms of technology is a lot of automation, and that’s what JWICS is really looking to take advantage of,” Cossa said in conversation with Executive Mosaic’s Summer Myatt.
Artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role in automating the management of the JWICS network, Cossa explained.
“When we do identify anomalous behavior — things that don’t fit the common pattern of the activity that’s on the network — we can identify it immediately and isolate and take immediate action,” Cossa said of using AI in the context of JWICS management and cybersecurity.
Hear more of Doug Cossa’s insights and learn more about the path toward JWICS modernization by watching the full video interview here. Subscribe to Executive Mosaic’s YouTube channel to stay updated with the latest interviews with GovCon’s leaders.
