Attributable to Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon:
Today in California, Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks visited Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton to gain a better understanding of JADC2 coordination within the department, visit with service members, and discuss the effects of climate change on installation resilience.
Through multiple touchpoints with Army, Marine Corps and Air Force leaders, the deputy secretary sought to gain a better understanding of service-specific strengths and challenges as they relate to Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) during the Project Convergence 2022 Capstone Event.
Future conflicts will require numerous, synchronized planning and execution decisions within hours, minutes, or seconds compared with the current multi-day process to analyze the operating environment and issue commands. The processes and architecture which will enable these advancements is called JADC2.
JADC2 is a warfighting necessity to keep pace with the volume and complexity of data in modern warfare and to defeat adversaries decisively. JADC2 enables the Joint Force to "sense," "make sense," and "act" on information across the battlespace quickly using automation, artificial intelligence (AI), predictive analytics, and machine learning to deliver informed solutions via a resilient and robust network environment.
Hosted by the U.S. Army, Project Convergence is a joint and multinational experiment designed to inform acquisition and force structure decisions for the Joint Force. The capstone event is designed to experiment with emerging technologies across the U.S. military services, in cooperation with United Kingdom and Australian armed forces, to assess interoperability, integration and potential contributions to future operations.
More on Project Convergence is available here: https://armyfuturescommand.com/convergence/.
During her visit, Deputy Secretary Hicks also met with military personnel from Marine Aircraft Group (MAG 39) and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) personnel who support California wildland firefighting to thank them for their hard work and dedication and to discuss the effects of drought and wildfires on base operations.
Throughout the day, the deputy secretary met with troops and held a "working lunch" to hear about their most pressing challenges, listen to recommendations to improve the department's operations, and thank them for their contributions to U.S. national security.
Over the past year, the department has focused on ways to take even better care of our service members and their families. Secretary of Defense Austin and Deputy Secretary Hicks are taking action on issues critical to force and family stability, including securing affordable basic needs, making moves easier, further strengthening our support to families, and expanding spousal employment.
Supporting our service members and the families who provide the strong foundation for our force is critical to recruitment, retention, and readiness. The department's leadership will continue to listen, learn, and lead on issues that are critical to stability and to the unique challenges of military life.
Throughout her travel, Deputy Secretary Hicks will also focus on linking the department's resources to our strategic competition priorities, including the pacing challenge of China, and ensuring DoD remains the world leader in cutting-edge innovation.