Kristen Smith
Mattermost Vice President of Public Sector Matthew Heideman said delivering information to warfighters quickly is essential to decision advantage.
During a discussion with former U.S. Air Force intelligence operative AJ Nash at a recent event, Heideman explained that achieving decision advantage extends beyond using simple chat tools, noting that the Department of Defense uses the term “ChatOps” to describe a broader capability that integrates data and operations, according to a Mattermost blog post on Thursday.
“Unpacking ChatOps is a big thing. The chat piece is 10% of what you see,” Heideman said. “It’s really the ability to bring in all the data and get the human the information they need when they need it.”
According to Mattermost, it has supported this approach, with the U.S. Air Force improving mission information availability fourfold through secure collaboration using its open core, self-hosted collaboration platform.
The Role of JADC2
Joint All-Domain Command and Control is shaping how defense organizations approach information sharing. By linking disparate systems across military services and allied agencies, JADC2 aims to provide a unified operational picture.
“Everything is spread out,” Heideman said. “It’s kind of like, ‘Where do I look for the information when I need it?’ These systems aren’t connected. Search isn’t centralized.”
He explained that collaboration tools can help serve as the connective tissue across cyber defense platforms, logistics systems, legacy technology and government-off-the-shelf solutions.
Heideman, however, noted that closed communications systems in defense are hindering collaboration. He pointed to the F22 aircraft’s communication system, which can connect with other F22s but not with different aircraft. While closed systems have benefits, he said they can limit innovation and interoperability.
“If you’re looking at closed systems, it’s hard to innovate fast,” he noted, citing rapid advances in the commercial space industry as an example of open approaches accelerating progress.
AI and Mobile at the Tactical Edge
The growth of data volumes poses another challenge for collaboration. “Intel people are never going to give up a source of data; they want it all,” Heideman said. “But the question is how long does it take to process.”
Artificial intelligence can help by analyzing large information sets and surfacing the most relevant insights, he added.
Heideman also emphasized the importance of mobile technologies for warfighters at the tactical edge. “The ability to deliver content in a fast and rapid way to a mobile device is going to be absolutely critical,” he said.
Mattermost positions its platform as a secure collaboration tool that extends beyond messaging. “We’re more than a chat tool,” the executive said. “We’re more of a command-and-control, process automation type of tool.”
He concluded that supporting warfighters remains the ultimate goal. “It’s all about supporting the warfighter. At the end of the day, that’s our main responsibility. Our warfighters matter most.”
