Managing Data on the Battlefield
CJADC2 connects sensors, shooters and command posts from the military’s six branches into a mesh network to ensure that the right information gets to the right decision-makers at the right time.
In a scenario where the Navy receives satellite imagery from the South Pacific that indicates heavy machines digging where there was previously little activity, it might request signal intelligence from unmanned aerial vehicles in the area to pick up communications about the digging activity. That data is then transmitted to a monitoring station and reveals that the operation is bigger than it originally appeared, which may pose a threat to nearby shipping lanes.
To better inform command of the situation, the Navy might launch reconnaissance flights for nuanced real-time reports. With all this data compiled, those monitoring the situation can brief command with reliable information so decisions can be made quickly and confidently.
DISCOVER: DOD needs to test capabilities at the tactical edge before deployment.
Securing Data From Transmission to Analysis
In the South Pacific example, sensitive data is being transmitted from satellites, UAVs and recon missions. This data has to make a perilous journey, first being downloaded onto a device that then sends it to a processing center where it is finally uploaded to a tactical military cloud. Every step of the way, the data must be secured against increasingly sophisticated attacks.
As cloud communication becomes vital to military planning, DOD can microsegment the cloud down to the application layer. Military IT administrators can gain more granular control over applications and workloads by cordoning off parts of the network, or even siloing individual devices in this way.
Microsegmentation also enables east-west expansion inside the cloud so that, as more computing power is required and more virtual machines are spun up, DOD can protect that whole space inside the cloud. Most important, this process lends itself to a multidomain environment, so data classification can be enforced while allowing reliable access for efficient mission planning.
DOD can then use a zero-trust architecture for that specific section of the network, using a segmentation gateway that monitors people and data as they enter and incorporates security measures to make sure any users are cleared to enter.
UP NEXT: Microsoft solutions help feds police their artificial intelligence work.
