DIA nears deployment of AI-enabled MARS on classified military network
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is preparing to deploy its Machine-assisted Analytic Rapid-repository System (MARS) on the U.S. military’s Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet), reports DefenseScoop. MARS, designed to replace the aging Military Intelligence Integrated Database, uses AI to help analysts manage and interpret large datasets related to military intelligence.
DIA Chief Information Officer Doug Cossa highlighted MARS as a flagship program during an INSA event, noting its role in automating and visualizing historical data on military and infrastructure targets. MARS is expected to achieve full operational capability by 2025 and has already produced several minimum viable products.
A key aspect of the system is its integration with the zero-trust cybersecurity framework, which will ensure data integrity across the intelligence community and Department of Defense networks. The agency expects to receive approval for MARS to operate on SIPRNet soon.
Looking ahead, Cossa emphasized the potential for zero trust to eliminate the need for separate networks, allowing international intelligence partners, like the Five Eyes, to securely share data through a unified platform.
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