Exercise tests, evaluates DIA technologies

Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) personnel are espousing the benefits of the recently completed Joint Innovation Battle Lab (JIBL), an exercise targeting integration of operations, intelligence, and technology.

“Our technology is cutting-edge and we’re excited to showcase it,” Matt Avery, JIBL technology line of effort director, said. “One of the exercise goals is to integrate with our interagency partners to increase speed, accuracy, and lethality. Testing out our tech with end-users gives us immediate feedback so we can not only meet this goal but also show how agile and expeditionary DIA operates.”

The effort, which is conducted yearly at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, enables participants to share best practices; identify, test and evaluate innovative technologies; and improve operational and intelligence tradecraft with special operations forces, the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, federal law enforcement, the private sector, and academia.

“As technology experts, DIA must identify innovative technologies to meet intelligence and operational requirements for warfighters,” Avery said. “Our success in this area helps enable collaboration to improve tactics, techniques, and procedures, and achieve decision dominance for leaders on the battlefield during a great-power competition.”

Another essential exercise benefit is it builds relationships that ultimately improve capabilities and enhance support for national security.

“Matt Avery invited us to the exercise in 2018,” said Anna Leese de Escobar, a senior science and technology manager with Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific. “I observed last year so we could take advantage of the opportunities in 2019. So far this year we’re still taking data and it’s giving us the opportunity to test on land with unexpected things going on and that’s good. In the past, we’ve been at our own institution with everything under our control.”