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STATEMENT BY 
MAJOR GENERAL MARILYN A. QUAGLIOTTI
DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY

 BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TERRORISM, UNCONVENTIONAL THREATS AND CAPABILITIES SUBCOMMITTEE

FEBRUARY 11, 2004

 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, for this opportunity to testify before your Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities.  I am Major General Marilyn A. Quagliotti, United States Army.  I am the Vice Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency.  

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is responsible for building, operating and protecting joint command, control, communications and computer (C4) capabilities to help catalyze and sustain the Department of Defense's (DoD) transformation from platform-centric to network-centric operations.  We are the preferred provider of Global Net-Centric Solutions for the Nation's warfighters and all those who support them in the defense of the Nation.  In effect, we are one of the principal executers and integrators of the DoD Global Information Grid Architecture, based on guidance from the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Networks and Information Integration (ASD NII).  DISA directly supports three of Secretary Rumsfeld's critical operational goals expressed in the Quadrennial Defense Review.  Those goals - assuring information systems; providing persistent surveillance, tracking and rapid-engagement with high-volume precision strikes; and leveraging information technology and innovative concepts to develop an interoperable joint C4ISR architecture and capability - will be made possible by the underlying support of a Global Information Grid (GIG).

It is our strong belief that in order to reach the Quadrennial Defense Review goals, net-centric transformation is central to our success.  The DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO) has established a DoD Global Information Grid architecture; it is the blueprint that we are using to define key DISA-provided transformation components.  DISA is deploying an innovative communications infrastructure - the Global Information Grid-Bandwidth Expansion (GIG-BE) - that will begin to reduce bandwidth as a constraint in future wars.  We plan to deliver this high bandwidth capability to 10 sites this year.  DISA continues to deliver the DoD Teleport, which extends significant multi-band and multimedia connectivity to deployed forces.  The Department's joint command and control (C2) system of record, Global Command and Control System-Joint (GCCS-J), and the Global Combat Support System, Combatant Command/Joint Task Force (GCSS [CC/JTF]) provide end-to-end information interoperability across and between C2 and Combat Support (CS) functions.  Finally, another important transformation initiative, Net-Centric Enterprise Services, will provide a common set of information capabilities across the Global Information Grid, allowing DoD, the intelligence community, and coalition partners to pull information they want, whenever they need, from wherever they are - within appropriate constraints.

Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom were opportunities to put new warfighting capabilities into action, and allowed DISA to demonstrate wonderful success with our initiatives.  It is important to continue to maintain net-centric capabilities for our warfighters, today and in the future. For that reason, I stand before you today.

In 1999 and 2000, the Department's NII (formerly C3I) and J-6 Joint Staff conducted a mission analysis. The analysis was sent to Congress as a report in 2001.  The results of the analysis defined what would be necessary for the Department to conduct network-centric warfare.  Net-centric warfare requires an end-to-end coherent network.  We don't have that network today, but we do have a vision and that vision is a key part of the Global Information Grid (GIG).  The vision and attributes of the this network are as follows: A single, secure grid that provides seamless, end-to-end capabilities to all warfighting, national security and support users; support to the Department and intelligence community's requirements from peacetime business support through all levels of conflict; joint, high-capacity netted operations; coherent cross-service command and control integrated with weapons systems; support to strategic, operational, tactical and base/post/camp/station levels; "plug and play" interoperability guaranteed for the United States and its allies; mediated connectivity for coalition users; and information on demand and "Defense in Depth" against all threats.  Since that time, the Department has worked to achieve protected, assured and interoperable communications.

If we are to create a Global Information Grid that provides net-centric operations, DISA must address two major strategic challenges.  First, we need to operationalize our networks -that is, organize the force to support and view the networks as warfighting resources, such that this becomes an integrated part of our warfighting command structure.  Second, we need to solve interoperability problems that prohibit successful joint mission execution.  By only addressing technical issues, we will not achieve the end state of network-centric warfare.  The framework for change includes: doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leaders, personnel, facilities, culture, resources and processes (DOTMLPF & CRP).  Actions must be accomplished in each of these areas for network-centric warfare to become a reality.

DISA has now been given new opportunities to take on large acquisition activities in the joint arena for the Department.   To facilitate these new opportunities, we have created a full-time Component Acquisition Executive (CAE) responsible for not only the content or the technical reviews of all of our programs, big and small, but also all of the program review materials.   This function deals with large-scale acquisition activities we have underway -- GIG-Bandwidth Expansion and Net-Centric Enterprise Services.  This function will provide DoD a joint acquisition organization dedicated to meet Joint Forces Command and Joint Staff requirements for joint programs.

With the Congress' help, we have achieved significant materiel advances.  This year, the GIG Architecture and its development process were very favorably reviewed by the General Accounting Office as part of its 2003 review of the Executive Branch Enterprise Architectures, and it is being worked to align with the Federal Enterprise Architecture.  Following ASD NII's lead with their architectural standards, DISA is working hard to achieve network-centric solutions.

Global Information Grid-Bandwidth Expansion

Given that the architecture is based on the exploitation of the benefits of net-centricity, it is envisioned that Global Information Grid-Bandwidth Expansion (GIG-BE) is the first step towards creating a ubiquitous "bandwidth-available, anyone-to-anyone" environment to improve national security intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, command and control information sharing.  The program will provide increased bandwidth and diverse physical access to between 90 and 100 critical sites in the Continental United States (CONUS), Pacific, European and Southwest Asian Theaters.

GIG-BE will provide a secure, robust, optically switched terrestrial network delivering very high speed classified and unclassified Internet Protocol (IP) services.  In addition, the GIG-BE will be configured with equipment necessary to facilitate optimization around the GIG-BE high-speed infrastructure of DoD's existing communications infrastructure, the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN).

The GIG-BE program has progressed from concept to Milestone C in little over one year.  The program is on schedule to reach Initial Operational Capability in September 2004 and Full Operational Capability in September 2005.

Teleport

The DoD Teleport System is the upgrade of telecommunications capabilities at selected Standardized Tactical Entry Point (STEP) sites.  The system provides deployed forces with sufficient interfaces for multi-band and multimedia connectivity from forward-deployed tactical locations, enabling direct reachback to multiple command, control, communications, computer and intelligence (C4I) systems.  The Teleport system facilitates operational flexibility and interoperability between multiple deployed combat elements, providing a direct access link from small unit teams to a Combined Task Force (CTF), Battle Group (BG), or Air Expeditionary Force (AEF).  It allows the commander to conduct split-based operations when necessary, pushing combat units forward to remote areas, and leaving databases and higher headquarters behind.  For example, CENTCOM Headquarters commanded and controlled Special Operations units operating in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.  Based on a technical, flexible approach, the DoD Teleport system continues to rapidly evolve in response to warfighter needs.

Global Command and Control System-Joint (GCCS-J)

GCCS-J is DoD's joint C2 system of record.  Operational at over 650 sites worldwide, GCCS-J is an essential component for achieving the full spectrum dominance articulated in Joint Vision 2020 by enhancing information superiority, and supporting the operational concepts of full-dimensional protection and precision engagement.  Built upon the Common Operating Environment (COE) infrastructure, GCCS-J integrates C2 mission applications, databases, Web technology and office automation tools.  It provides an open system architecture that allows a diverse group of mission applications/systems and commercial-off-the-shelf software packages to operate at any GCCS-J location.  GCCS-J offers "plug and play" access to the joint and service systems that joint warfighters use to plan, execute and manage military operations, and it eliminates the need for inflexible, duplicative, stovepipe C2 systems.

GCCS-J allows the Commander-in-Chief, Secretary of Defense, National Military Command Center, Combatant Commanders, Joint Force Commanders, and Service Component Commanders to maintain dominant battlefield awareness through a fused, integrated, near real-time picture of the battlespace by synchronizing the actions of air, land, sea, space and special operations forces.  GCCS-J provided USCENTCOM critical capability that was key to the successful execution of the Global War on Terrorism.  The use of GCCS-J during these military operations supported our ability to track blue and red forces, shortened decision cycles, increased operational flexibility, provided near-time common shared views across services at all echelon, supported in-air targeting based on shared intelligence information, and reduced fratricide.

Global Combat Support System, Combatant Command/Joint Task Force (GCSS (CC/JTF)

GCSS (CC/JTF) provides end-to-end information interoperability across and between Combat Support (CS) and C2 functions.  This system integrates CS information into overall situational awareness, encouraging collaboration of logisticians with operators, and resulting maintenance of high tempo battle rhythms.  In addition, GCSS (CC/JTF) significantly increases access to critical personnel and medical information, providing direct support to field operations.  It is fielded both as a GCCS-J mission application, and as a stand-alone capability directly accessible to combat support operators. 

Net-Centric Enterprise Services (NCES)

As I already mentioned, our networks are constantly being modified, upgraded and improved to better support the warfighter.  This presents a unique challenge, not only to our research and development organizations, but also to our system's operators and users.  This constant change requires a networked capability that is not only flexible and expandable, but designed to meet current and future threats.   Part of our new organizational structure is an end-to-end engineering organization and several specific major program offices that are responsible for engineering, developing, acquiring and fielding portions of the GIG.

Net-Centric Enterprise Services (NCES) will provide enterprise level information technology (IT) services and infrastructure components for the Global Information Grid.  It will provide a common set of interoperable information capabilities to the warfighter which will (1) support posting of data to shared spaces; (2) provide users with the capability to pull whatever data they need, whenever they need it, from wherever they are; and (3) provide information assurance.  NCES will increase warfighter flexibility, improve the quality and timeliness of DoD decision cycles, and enhance business operations.  Stove-piped department and/or service-specific enterprise level legacy programs will be replaced by or migrated to the consolidated infrastructure built upon NCES capabilities.  The end result will be the enterprise-level integration of IT systems, in both warfighting and business domains, in an interoperable, net-centric operating environment.  NCES supports DoD's transformation goals to achieve rapid decision superiority, streamline business processes, conduct effective and discriminating information operations, and provide the joint force shared situational awareness.

NCES transforms legacy planning and execution capabilities into protected, Web-based, real-time collaborative business processes, including Joint and Coalition information exchanges across organizational boundaries.  It supports real-time battle management and operations by providing a user-defined operational view of the battle space.  NCES meets the military requirement to provide dramatically improved situational awareness, robust alerting, shortened decision cycles and shared understanding.

The integration of NCES capabilities will provide a consolidated, services-based IT infrastructure.  The NCES acquisition strategy seeks to reduce overall costs and time to deploy IT systems supporting day-to-day business and warfighter operations through consolidation, centralization/regionalization, and retirement of legacy systems.  The NCES services-based architecture approach eliminates costly legacy interfaces between disjointed, disparate and stove-piped systems by providing a comprehensive set of core enterprise services.

Information Assurance (IA)

In this era of asymmetric network warfare, we clearly need to understand the threat to our networks, how our networks can be attacked, and how we will respond to an attack.  DISA's information assurance (IA) work is focused on assuring DoD mission execution by providing essential computer operational, procedural, and technical services and standards to DoD.  All of these IA services are vital to DoD reliance on "the net" for warfighting and warfighting support.

Over time, we have learned that we must be proactive in our defense and operationalize our networks.  We must balance the risk of attack against the needs of the mission.  We have to integrate network defense and network management with the operational use of the network. To this end, we have developed equipment, configurations, processes and procedures that make up our IA initiatives.

DISA is patrolling the gateways between DoD and the Internet by designing and operating perimeter protections and attack detection at these gateways.  DISA ensures that each network component is remotely managed in a secure way, and that signaling among components is secured.  DoD follows DISA-provided standards for the proper use of infrastructure mechanisms like the domain name system (DNS) and the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).  DISA is also pursuing DoD-wide efforts to further harden the DoD DNS by developing and pursuing a joint plan for a DoD-wide DNS security standard.  These protections and standards apply to the current Defense Information Systems Network (DISN) as well as to the emerging GIG-Bandwidth Expansion network.  DISA and DoD's contributions to hardening the DNS have also benefited the robustness of the Internet itself.

IA will be included in an integrated concept called Network Operations (NetOps).  Under the NetOps concept, DoD is professionalizing and normalizing the operation, management and control of the GIG under the leadership of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).  DoD, DISA and industry partners have all teamed together to acquire and provide enterprise-wide solutions to the threats and vulnerabilities we face, now and in the future.

IA is a team effort that stretches across government and industry.  Major General J. David Bryan, former Vice Director of DISA and current Commander of Joint Task Force-Computer Network Operations (JTF-CNO), works closely with USSTRATCOM, which runs the JTF-CNO - located in DISA's headquarters building.  The DISA operational infrastructure, as well as those of the military services and the JTF-CNO, work closely together to ensure disciplined DoD network operations and computer network defense.

In order to support this new NetOps structure, we have transformed the way we do end-to-end operations.  DISA will oversee the NetOps mission through our new GIG Operations element.  As such, the USSTRATCOM staff portions of the JTF will be fully integrated with the DISA network operations and defense staff, so that the GIG can be monitored 24-hours a day, and that operations and defense decisions can be made and implemented quickly and effectively.

The Department, as a whole, has come a long way towards solving the interoperability problem, and we continue in those efforts.  DISA plays a key role.  The Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) analysis is a process developed by the Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Forces Command, focused on achieving joint operational capabilities rather than on individual systems.  It is composed of a structured, four-step methodology that defines capability gaps, capability needs, and approaches to provide those capabilities within a specified functional or operational area.  Based on national defense policy and centered on a common joint warfighting construct, the analyses initiate the development of integrated, joint capabilities from a common understanding of existing joint force operations and doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel and facilities (DOTMLPF) capabilities and deficiencies.

DISA's role in this process is to ensure that the Joint Interoperability Testing Command (JITC) is resourced, and has the requisite talent to run interoperability testing so that service systems are compliant with joint standards.  JITC ensures that the products acquired and built by DISA and the services meet appropriate DoD security standards through C4 and security certifications.

Summary

I believe we are on the right path to achieving net-centricity.  However, we face cultural, organizational and leadership challenges of a complexity we have never seen before.  With the materiel solutions identified and funded, we expect information on demand to help us achieve our end-state goal of net-centric warfare.  DISA exists to provide the net-centric capabilities to our Nation's warfighters and defense professionals who are regularly called on to execute any type of operation, from full-scale conflict such as Operation Iraqi Freedom to small scale contingencies anywhere in the world.  We are one of the principal executors and integrators of DoD's GIG Architecture.  Results of these efforts have proven their efficacy through Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.  The DoD IT challenges are considerable, but we continue to move forward on our leadership's vision.  We are committed to providing cost-effective, worldwide, robust, secure, joint and interoperable C4 architecture and capabilities that are essential to our national security.  Mr. Chairman, members of the Subcommittee, again, thank-you for the opportunity to appear before your subcommittee.