Pentagon Pushes Ahead with Mission Network Overhaul
In a recent interview titled “Acting Pentagon CIO Katie Arrington on how ‘Mission Network as a Service’ will reshape operations,” published by DefenseScoop, Acting Chief Information Officer Katie Arrington outlined the Department of Defense’s (DoD) ambitious plans to overhaul its digital infrastructure through Mission Network as a Service (MNaaS). The initiative represents a strategic pivot towards more agile, scalable, and resilient operational networks across the military enterprise.
Arrington emphasized that MNaaS is more than a technological upgrade—it is a fundamental restructuring of how networks are delivered and maintained across the Department. By leveraging commercial infrastructure and cloud-based capabilities, the Pentagon aims to enable units to access mission-tailored networks dynamically, based on operational needs, rather than relying on static, pre-engineered systems. The concept is designed to drastically reduce the time it takes to deploy secure and reliable communications in contested environments.
“MNaaS is about giving the warfighter what they need, when they need it, wherever they are in the world,” Arrington told DefenseScoop, highlighting a central tenet of the initiative: flexibility. According to her, the approach will diminish the logistical and technical burdens traditionally associated with IT provisioning, replacing them with a service model that allows commanders to request and be rapidly granted access to network capabilities on demand.
Arrington, who also served as a driving force behind the Department’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program, underscored that security will remain a top priority under this new framework. She argued that MNaaS will incorporate zero trust principles from the ground up, ensuring persistent protection against an evolving landscape of cyber threats. Seamlessly integrating these principles with elasticity in deployment will be key to sustaining both security and speed in military operations.
The initiative is currently undergoing pathfinder tests across select combatant commands, where early prototypes are being assessed for performance, scalability, and security. Arrington said that these proofs-of-concept will be repeated and refined before MNaaS is scaled throughout the Department of Defense. The goal is not only to modernize infrastructure but also to reform long-standing acquisition and operational models that have often stymied innovation.
While the full implementation timeline remains fluid, Arrington expressed confidence that MNaaS could deliver significant returns in near-term operational readiness. “This is about changing the DNA of how we operate,” she stated, reflecting a broader shift within the Department’s leadership towards more modern, responsive technology infrastructures.
The rollout of MNaaS comes amid a broader push by the Pentagon to integrate cloud, AI, and data-centric strategies into its digital modernization roadmap. As the geopolitical landscape grows increasingly complex, defense officials are betting that technologies like MNaaS will provide the speed, security, and adaptability required to confront tomorrow’s challenges.
DefenseScoop’s interview with Katie Arrington signals the Pentagon’s deepening commitment to transforming its digital posture through cutting-edge service-based models. If executed as envisioned, MNaaS could mark a pivotal shift in how the U.S. military mobilizes its technological edge in both peacetime and conflict.
