- Kirsten Davies identified Project Arcadia as a major Five Eyes digital modernization effort.
- The initiative aims to improve coalition data sharing and operational coordination.
- Five Eyes leaders will continue digital transformation discussions at the next summit in Sydney.
Kirsten Davies, chief information officer at the Department of War and a 2026 Wash100 awardee, highlighted Project Arcadia during the Five Eyes Combined Digital Leadership Summit at the Pentagon, describing the initiative as a key element of coalition digital transformation efforts among allied countries, DOW reported Friday.
What Is Project Arcadia?
Davies said Project Arcadia is intended to create a shared digital ecosystem that enables Five Eyes nations to integrate data from across joint forces and establish a common operating picture for coalition operations.
“Throughout this week, we've solidified our shared understanding that [this] is not merely another [information technology] project; it is the operational imperative of our time,” she said of Project Arcadia.
The CIO said the project is designed to provide warfighters with “data supremacy and decision dominance” across future operational environments.
“[Project] Arcadia is how we make that vision a reality,” Davies stated. “It is the foundation that will allow us to deliver overwhelming strength and decisive advantage from the core to the tactical edge, across all of our forces.”
The next Five Eyes Combined Digital Leadership Summit is scheduled to take place in Sydney in November.
How Does Project Arcadia Align With the DOW’s Digital Transformation Priorities?
Davies outlined the department’s four-pillar digital transformation strategy focused on an enduring digital foundation, agile capability delivery, cybersecurity and workforce development.
In her testimony before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Davies identified data superiority and decision dominance as central goals of DOW's modernization efforts, highlighting the need for integrated data architectures, real-time analytics and agile software delivery to support warfighters and coalition operations.
