Lloyd J. Austin III Secretary of Defence | Official website
Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon provided the following readout:
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks visited U.S. Central Command headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base to meet with USCENTCOM Commander U.S. Army General Michael Kurilla and senior staff. The visit focused on discussing the implementation of Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) and receiving briefings on USCENTCOM's innovation efforts and theater threat assessments.
During her visit, Deputy Secretary Hicks reiterated the Department's support for the progress USCENTCOM has made through experimentation and real-world operations on CJADC2, partner sharing, autonomy, and other digital initiatives. She emphasized the need for enterprise-wide capabilities in these areas.
The efforts include establishing and expanding innovation task forces within the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Special Operations Components, as well as executing a command-wide digital exercise series known as Digital Falcon Oasis.
At USCENTCOM HQ, Deputy Secretary Hicks received briefings from operators and technical staff on digital capability sprints conducted over the past 18 months. These exercises have built CJADC2 capabilities across the command. Discussions also covered how USCENTCOM has addressed information-sharing challenges with partners and allies to advance CJADC2 capabilities in a multi-national environment.
Deputy Secretary Hicks was updated on USCENTCOM's Service Component innovation Task Forces involved in technology experimentation, validation, and integration in the field. She discussed lessons learned on transitioning capability from experimentation to scale.
She met with USCENTCOM's five "Servicemembers of the Year" to thank them for their dedication during a complex year of operations throughout the USCENTCOM area of operations.
Additionally, she met with teams from both USCENTCOM and USSOCOM involved in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Acceleration Initiative (ADA). She commended their efforts to "treat data as strategic assets" and elevate digital modernization as a priority. She sought input from experts on how to expand these successes across other component commands.
The ADA initiative was announced by Deputy Secretary Hicks in June 2021. It aims to provide data professionals to each combatant command to improve decision-making processes by enhancing data flows in preparation for implementing AI tools. ADA teams collaborate directly with headquarters subject matter experts to introduce capabilities that integrate into staff workflows.
