The U.S. Coast Guard plans to update the information technology systems of its vessels through cloud capabilities in line with its multiyear modernization strategy, FedScoop reported Monday.
Adm. Karl Schultz, commandant of the Coast Guard, told attendees at the 2020 Sea-Air-Space virtual event that integrating cloud technologies into its cutters and maritime patrol ships will help improve their mobility and capacity to conduct operations such as anti-drug trafficking missions.
Schultz noted that he seeks to implement lessons learned from the Department of Defense’s $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract award as the Coast Guard works on its own cloud strategy.
“You sort of say, ‘What is that next big technological advancement that really changes things, that allows you to find efficiencies?’” he said. “Years of investment tradeoffs have brought our [IT] to the brink of catastrophic failure.”
Schultz’s comments come after the Coast Guard awarded Palantir a contract to develop a “readiness system” to support COVID-19 response efforts.
