"We've had to iterate and figure out what worked, what didn't work, different pathways, different APIs, different cross domain solutions, to find out okay, this is the best one, this is more reliable one, okay, let's turn the spigot on full blast to see what we get," Chief Warrant Officer 4 Sean Benson told Breaking Defense.
What is changing on the battlefield?
The Army's Scarlet Dragon exercise is adding commercial data to battlefield data flows, a shift that, even in a single sentence, maps a tight choreography of experimentation and adjustment. The move pairs government and commercial information streams and, by Benson's account, has required repeated iteration across technical approaches — different pathways, different APIs and different cross-domain solutions — until a more reliable integration was identified.
Lessons from the laboratory of iteration
Benson’s comment underscores a practical engineering truth: integrating disparate systems is rarely plug-and-play. His timeline — testing alternatives, discarding what failed, identifying a more reliable approach and then "turn[ing] the spigot on full blast" — describes a deliberate process of scaling a solution only after confidence in its reliability is achieved. That phrasing captures both the slow work of refinement and an intention to move from experiment to broader use once thresholds are met.
Why technologists, policymakers and users should pay attention
- Technologists: The emphasis on "different APIs" and "cross domain solutions" highlights the technical complexity of moving data between systems built for different purposes and security regimes. The quoted account suggests engineers are prioritizing reliability before scale.
- Policymakers: Introducing commercial data into battlefield flows invites questions about governance, standards and oversight. Benson’s description of trial-and-error integration points to decision paths that policymakers will likely want to understand and influence.
- End users: The intent to "turn the spigot on full blast" implies a forthcoming increase in data volume or availability; for users, that can mean richer information but also demands clearer interfaces, training and rules for use.
- Adversaries and risk assessors: Any change in the makeup of data flows alters the attack surface and the dependencies in the system. The account of multiple integration attempts suggests defenders are conscious of reliability as a prerequisite for expansion.
From experiment to expansion — a cautious momentum
Benson's words sketch a conservative progression: experiment, identify a reliable method, then scale. The phrase "turn the spigot on full blast" is as much a signal of confidence as it is a reminder that integration projects can move quickly once technical uncertainties are resolved. The balance between moving fast to exploit new sources of information and ensuring those sources are dependable is the central tension in the account he gave to Breaking Defense.
As the Army explores the promise of commercial data in battlefield systems, one simple question looms: when the tap is opened wider, will the reliability proven in tests hold under the pressures of real operations?
