Less than two months into her new post as the Pentagon’s Chief Digital & Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO), Radha Plumb is already setting the stage for significant changes this fall. Plumb’s strategic vision spans initiatives from back office enterprise analytics to tactical battlefield applications. Speaking to Breaking Defense in her first official interview, Plumb emphasized her intention to unveil these initiatives starting at the end of summer but particularly through the fall.
One of Plumb’s initial moves was to launch the Open DAGIR model, short for “Open Data and Applications Government-owned Interoperable Repositories.” Described in a formal release, Open DAGIR aims to create a flexible, scalable architecture for the Department of Defense (DoD). The plan notably includes a $513 million contract for Palantir to develop “mission command” data and planning tools, a critical component of the Pentagon’s Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) initiative.
Plumb’s overarching strategy is to employ a modular approach, allowing multiple vendors to interact within a unified ecosystem. This approach intends to propel rapid innovation, leveraging both large and small vendors. “Palantir, right now, is one of the providers,” Plumb said, underscoring the goal of having multiple entities contribute to the ecosystem.
The flexibility of Open DAGIR extends across a spectrum of applications: from high-latency enterprise analytics for back office functions to low-latency tactical data systems for combat scenarios. As Plumb explained, enterprise systems require extensive data handling for tasks like financial management and weapons acquisition, whereas tactical systems must deliver crucial, real-time information amidst challenging battlefield conditions.
Moreover, the initiatives emphasize interoperability among varied data systems like tactical, enterprise, and theater-level command systems, ensuring seamless data sharing across different operational facets. “The infrastructure needs to match that,” Plumb said, highlighting the need for precise documentation and government ownership of metadata and business logic to ensure full transparency and control over the data processing pipeline.
While Palantir currently runs the foundational data layer and Maven Smart System applications, Plumb noted that the government retains significant decision-making power regarding third-party software integrations and negotiations. “Palantir is tasked with integration because they are the contract operator for the stack,” she said, stressing the DoD’s guiding hand in the broader system architecture.
Looking ahead, Plumb envisions multiple interoperable “data stacks” tailored for specific data types. These would be managed by the optimal contractor for each task but remain accessible to a wide array of software applications and users, encompassing tactical, enterprise, and theater-level needs. This multi-layered investment reflects the Pentagon’s strategy to modernize its digital and AI capabilities substantially.