This CSIS report explores the important choices that the Department of Defense has to make about the future mission and organization of the Defense Information Systems Agency—the organization created in the Cold War to unify its top-level communications—as it adapts to the challenges of a changing world.

A central player in the DoD’s organizational approach to communications is the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). Today, DISA manages the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN)—a communications network serving as the core connectivity between the various networks of the military services and defense agencies, operating around the world and across the internet with data storage systems, satellite communications, and other advanced data transport capabilities. In addition, DISA plays a critical role in providing security for a wide range of the DoD’s computer systems. This CSIS report begins with a discussion of the rapidly evolving environment in which DISA is operating in order to provide context for understanding DISA’s operations, DISA’s recent changes, and the ways in which DISA’s mission is likely to be transformed in the coming years, with a focus on areas that will require careful management by DISA and DoD leadership. It then examines contract data from DISA and related agencies to illustrate how these changes have manifested in DISA’s spending and its organizational and operational approach. It concludes with a discussion of the choices confronting policymakers who are considering decisions on DISA’s future.

Contents

Chapter 1 | Introduction ................................................................................................. 5

Chapter 2 | DISA’s Strategic Environment ........................................................................ 8

JADC2 ........................................................................................................................ 8

Artificial Intelligence .................................................................................................. 9

Cybersecurity ............................................................................................................10

Enterprise IT and Cloud Computing .............................................................................10

Chapter 3 | DISA’s Evolving Mission ............................................................................... 12

Adapting DISA’s Organic Footprint to Changing Operations ........................................... 12

DISA’s Emerging Role in Providing Enterprise IT.......................................................... 13

Securing Critical Data ................................................................................................ 14

Chapter 4 | DISA’s Organization, Relationships, and Workforce ........................................ 15

Organizational effects of Growth in IT Contracting ....................................................... 15

Evolving Relationships with Customers ....................................................................... 15

DISA Funding ........................................................................................................... 16

DISA Workforce ......................................................................................................... 17

Chapter 5 | DISA Contract Trends .................................................................................. 18

Top-Level DISA Trends ............................................................................................. 18

Who in the DoD Funds DISA and Contracts for ICT Services? ......................................... 21

How Does DISA Contract? .......................................................................................... 23

DISA Structure and Contracting Approaches ................................................................ 27

Key DISA Contract DISA Takeaways ............................................................................. 31

Chapter 6 | Key Decisions and Implementation Priorities for Policymakers ....................... 33

Key Decisions and Implementation Priorities for Policymakers ..................................... 34

Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 34

About the Authors ..................................................................................................... 35