Kirsten Davies, nominee for Pentagon CIO, advocates for ‘great change’ at the department

Kirsten Davies, President Donald Trump’s pick to be the next Department of Defense chief information officer, told lawmakers that she plans to shake up the Pentagon’s IT enterprise, if her nomination is confirmed.

The department faces major challenges as it looks to acquire new capabilities and address growing threats, Davies noted Thursday during her opening remarks at her confirmation hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“America’s warfighter readiness and lethality depend upon secure, resilient, modernized systems and innovative technical and cyber capabilities. The department has challenges to overcome. It is weighed down with legacy systems and un-optimized data. There are great people, but at today’s speed of change, skills must be constantly refreshed and future fit. New entrants with innovative tech solutions struggle with red tape and lack of access. Cyberattacks are pervasive, and America’s adversaries are motivated and capable to inflict massive impact, and there is little deterrence. Great change is needed in this time and in this hour,” she said.

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