DOD maps out plan for new enterprise command-and-control program office - The Daily Scoop Podcast

The Daily Scoop Podcast — Episode Summary
DOD maps out plan for new enterprise command-and-control program office
Date: January 7, 2026
Host: Billy Mitchell

Overview

This episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, hosted by Billy Mitchell, delivers key updates on the Defense Department's initiatives to modernize command and control operations and employ AI-driven solutions for cybersecurity assessments. The main focus is on the newly planned Enterprise Command and Control (EC2) Program Office at the Pentagon, designed to integrate and accelerate the use of advanced technology for real-time warfighting and data sharing across the U.S. military. Other news includes the department’s increasing adoption of artificial intelligence and automation to meet impending Zero Trust cybersecurity requirements.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Establishment of the EC2 Program Office

[00:32]

The Pentagon is preparing to launch a new Enterprise Command and Control (EC2) Program Office, aiming to consolidate and refresh long-standing efforts around common operating platforms and AI tools.
Purpose: To enable real-time tracking and targeting of adversaries, supporting the fast-paced, multidomain nature of modern combat.

"Internal guidance regarding a new EC2 program office suggests that its establishment would ensure that the Defense Department has the authority, resources and accountability to deliver capability at the speed of relevance."
— Billy Mitchell [01:20]

The Envision Hub will merge capabilities from the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s Maven Smart System (MSS) and Edge Data Mesh into the new EC2 suite—a fresh platform intended for joint all-domain command and AI-enabled warfighting.
The program aims to fuse multiple Pentagon elements that have evolved since the late 2010s, centralizing efforts to digitize command and control and deploy AI across the Joint Force.

2. Transition of Responsibility & Structure

[01:50]

The Under Secretariats for Intelligence & Security (I&S), and Research & Engineering (R&E) will submit plans to transfer MSS authorities, infrastructure, and responsibility from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) to the EC2 office.
This move re-aligns previously scattered initiatives, such as those springing from Project Maven (notably the Maven Smart System, developed by Palantir) under a unified structure.

"Responsibilities for most of Maven’s program features were split between NGA and the CDAO, while certain duties shifted to the INS office. All three organizations have been mostly unforthcoming about MAVEN related operations since the transition."
— Billy Mitchell [02:35]

In 2025, the DoD raised the contract ceiling for Palantir’s MSS from $4 million to almost $1.3 billion through 2029, a significant investment signaling the importance of these capabilities.

3. Modernizing the Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2)

[02:16]

CJADC2 is the Defense Department’s vision for seamlessly connecting sensors, shooters, and decision-makers across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyberspace), both within U.S. forces and with coalition partners.
MSS, rooted in Project Maven, is a cornerstone for bringing this concept to operational reality.

4. AI and Automation for Zero Trust Assessment

[03:10]

The DoD is soliciting input on how AI and machine learning can enhance the Zero Trust assessment process to meet its agency-wide compliance deadline by end of fiscal 2027.
Zero Trust is a cybersecurity model assuming persistent adversary presence, requiring constant monitoring and user authentication.

"The Portfolio Management Office wants to see if AI capabilities can help with initial approval and future continuous monitoring."
— Billy Mitchell [04:15]

Purple Teaming—combining Red Team (attacker) and Blue Team (defender) assessments—is central to validating compliance but is resource- and time-intensive.
The Pentagon is seeking commercial, off-the-shelf AI/ML solutions to automate and scale these assessments for both unclassified and secret networks, helping to avoid pulling skilled personnel from other missions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the new EC2 Office’s mission:
"Its establishment would ensure that the Defense Department has the authority, resources and accountability to deliver capability at the speed of relevance."
— Billy Mitchell [01:20]
On the complexity of inherited programs:
"All three organizations have been mostly unforthcoming about MAVEN related operations since the transition."
— Billy Mitchell [02:35]
On the urgency of AI for Zero Trust:
"Officials are asking vendors to submit ideas for commercial, off the shelf AI and ML enabled platforms and services that can scale Purple Teaming for Zero Trust evaluations on both unclassified and secret networks."
— Billy Mitchell [04:32]

Important Timestamps

00:32 — Introduction of the EC2 Program Office and its capabilities
01:20 — EC2’s mission to deliver at the "speed of relevance"
02:16 — Explanation of CJADC2 and integration of MSS/Project Maven
03:10 — DoD request for AI/automation ideas for Zero Trust assessments
04:15 — The challenge and necessity of automating Purple Team assessment

Summary Flow

Billy Mitchell presents a clear narrative around the Pentagon’s strategic push to centralize command and control modernization under a new EC2 office, leveraging AI and real-time data platforms evolved from Project Maven. The episode also reports on the increasing need for AI-assisted cyber compliance (Zero Trust), emphasizing government interest in commercial solutions to automate critical but labor-intensive assessment processes. Listeners gain valuable insight into how technology integration and organizational restructuring underpin the DoD’s current priorities.

For continuous coverage of federal government technology news, visit fedscoop.com.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Today on the Daily Scoop Podcast from the Scoop News group, the DoD maps out a plan for a new Enterprise Command and Control Program Office and the Pentagon looks to use AI and automation for zero trust assessments. It's Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Welcome to the Daily Scoop Podcast where you'll hear the latest news and trends facing government leaders. I'm the host of the Daily Scoop Podcast, Billy Mitchell. Thanks so much for joining me. And now let's dive into the day's top headlines. The Pentagon is looking to launch a new Enterprise Command and Control Program Office in a move that would consolidate and refresh its long standing efforts to provide common operating pains and user specific AI tools to track and target enemies in real time. The Envision Hub would combine and expand the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office's Maven Smart System and Edge Data Mesh capabilities into the Enterprise C2 suite, a new platform and program of record for combined joint all domain command and control and AI enabled warfighting options, according to sources familiar with the plan who requested anonymity to discuss it ahead of a forthcoming official announcement. Internal guidance regarding a new EC2 program office suggests that its establishment would ensure that the Defense Department has the authority, resources and accountability to deliver capability at the speed of relevance. DoD's under secretariats for Intelligence and Security and Research and Engineering would be directed to deliver a plan for these expedient transition of MSS authorities, infrastructure, support activities and responsibilities from the National Geospatial Intelligence agency to the EC2 program office. This new Program Office would essentially fuse multiple Pentagon elements that have come to fruition since the late 2010s and are associated with digitizing command and control processes and deploying AI across the Joint Force Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control, or as it's referred to, CJADC2 refers to the DoD's broad concept of connecting all the US military's sensors, shooters and decision makers across airland, sea, space and cyberspace and seamlessly moving that data across the services and with coalition partners. MSS is an AI enabled software platform that routes back to the Pentagon's now defunct Project Maven. It was developed by Palantir Technologies and serves as a foundational component for realizing CJADC2 in 2022. Responsibilities for most of Maven's program features were split between NGA and the CDAO, while certain duties shifted to the INS office. All three organizations have been mostly unforthcoming about MAVEN related operations since the transition. Without providing many details. DoD revealed plans in 2025 to increase the military's contract ceiling for Palantir's MSS from the initial 4 million to nearly $1.3 billion through 2029. Now, looking at other news, the Defense Department is soliciting ideas for how artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities can assist in the Zero Trust assessment process as the deadline to reach target level compliance approaches. According to a request for information Posted Tuesday, the DoD Zero Trust portfolio Management Office is interested in leveraging automation, AI and ML to accelerate and scale Zero Trust assess the entire department specifically for Purple Team assessments. The technologies will help the Pentagon mitigate its limited capacity to validate initial compliance and conduct continuous assessments. According to the rfi, Zero Trust is a cybersecurity concept that assumes IT networks and systems are constantly under attack by adversaries, requiring the Pentagon to continuously monitor and authenticate users and their devices as they move through the network. The department's Zero Trust strategy mandates that all DoD components achieve target levels of Zero Trust by the end of fiscal 2027. Validating compliance requires a combination of internal and third party assessments. A key part of the Pentagon's independent evaluation process is a method called Purple Teaming, which analyzes and tests both how Red Team Adversaries and Blue Force Cyber Defenders move and interact in an IT network. However, officials have previously noted that conducting comprehensive purple teaming can be a time consuming process that can take warfighters away from other important missions. And with the deadline to achieve target level Zero trust looming, meaning more solutions will have to be validated through Purple Teaming, the Portfolio Management Office wants to see if AI capabilities can help with initial approval and future continuous monitoring. Officials are asking vendors to submit ideas for commercial, off the shelf AI and ML enabled platforms and services that can scale Purple Teaming for Zero Trust evaluations on both unclassified and secret networks. For more news at the intersection of the federal government and technology, make sure to visit fedscoop.com.