Data-centric information system envisioned for joint force

The future "data-centric" joint warfighting environment needs to be able to store information independently of applications and accessible from various locations across the globe, Rear Adm. Susan Bryer-Joyner said at the close of a joint warfighting conference Wednesday.

“If we cannot figure out a way for our legacy systems to expose and share the data and exchange the data within our data-centric environments, we will not be able to achieve the improvement and decision advantage that we need,” said Bryer-Joyner, deputy director for command, control, communications and computer/cyber systems, J-6, Joint Staff.

Addressing industry developers at the JADC2 Symposium, Bryer-Joyner underscored the need for developing and integrating data-centric capabilities in the warfighting environment for the combined joint force.

While current practice is to silo information, data centricity involves having information in a shared virtual space where users who meet security protocols access it.

The data-centric system envisioned needs to be “backwards-compatible,” she said. Users must be able to access information from legacy systems.

“The majority of inventory -- whether you’re talking about the Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Space Corps -- is going to be what we have today,” she said.

Bryer-Joyner said she “personally favors” the sliding scale approach to security offered through zero-trust architecture.

By contrast, she noted a binary approach might offer a gold-plated solution for the tactical environment that would be an obstacle for the warfighter.

“Industry can help us start to explore what that sliding continuum is and what the minimum essential attributes of zero trust are in all the different environments,” she said.