Cloud technologies and automation are transforming mission execution, allowing the Department of Defense (which the Trump administration has rebranded as the Department of War) to support warfighters with information delivered securely and at speed and scale. As cyber threats continue to escalate and evolve, the DOD is moving beyond an infrastructure-first mindset to outcome-driven thinking.
MeriTalk recently sat down with two Leidos leaders, Bryan Jolly, senior vice president, DISA IT business area leader, and Blake Nelson, vice president of the secure cloud & data center practice, to discuss how multicloud environments, automation, cybersecurity, and collaboration are reshaping how the DOD supports the warfighter.
MeriTalk: You’ve both noted that cloud is a business enabler, not a destination. In DOD terms, what does that mindset shift entail, and how does it translate to getting new capabilities to the warfighter in hours or days instead of weeks?
Nelson: Cloud is about speed and mission outcomes. You no longer have to drop ship servers and wait 10 weeks to deploy something. Now, you log into a cloud console and spin up what you need almost instantly. You think less about the technology, which enables the DOD to think differently about missions than they did even 10 years ago. With companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and Google investing billions in cloud infrastructure, the DOD can tap into that scale immediately. What Leidos brings is the ability to flatten the complexity across those environments and add layers of AI and automation that get capabilities to the field faster.
Jolly: In the past, agencies would procure cloud without tying it to a mission outcome. That mindset has shifted. Today, it is all about the mission, and cloud is central to the solution. We’re seeing a lot more hybrid environments, and that means networks and cybersecurity also need to evolve. For example, because data volumes are increasing so rapidly, network throughput capability also needs to expand. At the end of the day, the DOD is buying outcomes, and the technology – especially cloud – enables those outcomes.
MeriTalk: Mission owners don’t care which hyperscaler or AI tool they’re on. They just need everything to work together. How can defense organizations enable interoperability across multicloud and on-premises environments so data and applications “just talk”?
Jolly: Interoperability is tough, especially when you’re coming from legacy environments. One way to solve that is to stop focusing on acquiring specific technologies and start focusing on outcomes. If we shift the burden of interoperability to the integrators and service providers, we can start to break down silos. Flexibility in the way that we meet requirements and standards-based design is key.
Nelson: The speed of cloud adoption has created sprawl, and many agencies are still dealing with data centers alongside cloud. What’s needed is a unifying platform that allows orchestration across all those environments. That unified view must include cloud, networks, cybersecurity, and AI. Warfighters don’t care where the data lives – they just need results fast. An orchestration platform enables that kind of rapid innovation.
MeriTalk: What does it take to deliver repeatable, automated deployments to CONUS/OCONUS sites and DDIL/contested environments – and keep them resilient?
Nelson: Repeatability is key. Warfighters are in multiple theaters. But whether they are in the United States or operating in a disconnected environment, they need the same capabilities. Leidos is focused on delivering mission-ready solutions that are standardized and repeatable, so they can be deployed at home or at the edge and still function effectively. In contested environments, they can still meet the mission by syncing back to the larger cloud ecosystem once connectivity returns.
Jolly: It takes discipline, and it takes understanding the mission. Just providing data and applications to the warfighter isn’t helpful. They need context, and they need systems that work in the most difficult conditions. Being alongside the warfighter in many instances helps us understand what a system needs to be truly operable. We focus on those capabilities and on reducing complexity so warfighters can operate systems under any type of circumstance.
MeriTalk: Secure information sharing is mission critical. How do you move sensitive data across classification levels and networks without slowing operations?
Jolly: It’s not just about sharing data; it’s about turning that data into useful information with context. We combine classified and unclassified data using cross-domain services and mission partner environments, applying zero trust principles, automating data tagging, and making sure information reaches the right people at the right time. If we strip too much data out, it’s useless. If we leave too much in, it’s a risk. That balance is essential.
Nelson: Cloud is a key enabler here. With mission partner environments, we can create enclaves where information can be securely shared among coalition partners. Think of cloud as a trusted neighborhood. With proper cybersecurity and network foundations, that data – with the right context – reaches the warfighter when it matters most.
MeriTalk: How do we ensure cyber resilience while adopting cloud solutions and maintain the trust of the warfighter?
Nelson: Cyber resilience has to be baked in. Cloud providers offer native security tools, and then Leidos builds on top of that with repeatable, innovative layers that help those tools communicate with each other and provide real-time insights into threats. That visibility, speed, and ability to share threat data across partners enables defense agencies to make quick decisions that support warfighters.
Jolly: Continuous monitoring is also critical. The old checklist approach to cybersecurity doesn’t cut it today. In the cloud, we can have dynamic, persistent monitoring, including non-traditional methods like penetration testing. We also need to educate users – many incidents start with user error. Governance and training are key.
MeriTalk: Why is industry-government collaboration critical to unlocking the full power of cloud for the warfighter?
Nelson: When the government shares its desired outcomes, we can innovate quickly. That collaboration lets us bring AI, cloud, and cybersecurity together to solve complex challenges. We use immersive demonstration centers to show real, hands-on demos of what’s possible and how our solutions support digital modernization and mission success.
Jolly: Collaboration is one of our core values. The best solutions happen when we sit down with our customers and partners and solve problems together. Our customer technical exchanges are real conversations with demos and feedback – not sales pitches. We learn from each other and iterate quickly.
MeriTalk: How should DOD leaders approach financial operations (FinOps) across multiple clouds so they’re doing the right thing operationally and the smart thing financially?
Nelson: Speed is great, but it comes with financial risk. With cloud, costs can scale quickly if you’re not careful. We help agencies marry financial discipline with operational needs, using AI to forecast future spending and optimize resources. You can control spending before it gets out of hand while still delivering what the mission requires.
Jolly: FinOps empowers everyone – even developers – with financial accountability. With visibility into cloud use, teams learn to turn capabilities off when they’re not needed and optimize storage choices. It’s a shift from CapEx to OpEx thinking, and when done right, it makes the organization more agile and efficient.
MeriTalk: Drawing on Leidos’ work with defense and intelligence agencies, what moves should defense leaders prioritize in the next six to 12 months to unlock value from automation and multicloud? What pitfalls should they avoid?
Jolly: Avoid chasing shiny objects. Start with a real problem, not with specific technology. And don’t forget about the workforce. We’ve seen automation projects stall because teams weren’t trained to use the tools. We invest in upskilling and building communities of practice to build a future-ready workforce and ensure adoption.
Nelson: Don’t try to boil the ocean. Start small. The cost of failure is low, and the payoff for success can be huge. With cloud and AI, you can experiment quickly. Pick one mission area, test a solution, and then scale what works. That’s how we help accelerate transformation.