As geopolitical tensions rise from Europe to the Indo-Pacific, it’s clear that U.S. allies and partner nations need new tech now. In fiscal year 2024, the total value of transferred defense articles and services and security cooperation activities conducted under the  Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system was $117.9 billion, the highest ever. Worldwide in 2024, defense spending rose to $2.46 trillion. 

Yet delivering technologies faster is a challenge. To speed support while reducing costs, the FMS program needs to increase government-industry collaboration. But how can security cooperation leaders get on the fast track? Fortunately, they have an untapped ally: data.  

Data transformation is the fastest way to get insights that propel the way forward. AI-powered analytics can translate the complexity of allied needs into actions—and accelerate access to the commercial innovation that U.S. national security relies on. 

“Adopting tech that simplifies decisions is a big undertaking,” says Joe Bice, senior vice president and leader of security cooperation at Booz Allen. “The good news is that dual-use technology delivers flexibility. The same tools and frameworks needed to transform FMS processes can be reused to boost coalition collaboration, at both the enterprise level and for warfighters on the ground.”  

“Data unlocks lessons from the past to power the future. And each ally has a treasure trove of information sitting in legacy systems,” says Allison Heiser, a leader in Booz Allen’s security cooperation business.  

“The databases hold information on what an ally has ordered, for example. That data can provide a baseline on mission needs, as well as maintenance and sustainment metrics for projections.” 

By implementing data frameworks using interoperability protocols already established by initiatives such as NATO standardization agreements (STANAGs), security cooperation leaders can speed support and strengthen cooperation—and earmark the enabling tech for reuse in those very programs downstream.  

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“In addition to expediting FMS planning, AI-powered data would give commercial tech partners a heads up so they can ramp up production,” says Bice. “It would also help them identify mission-relevant breakthroughs to maximize their research and development dollars. In our case, metrics inform our tech scouting program, innovation projects with tech partners, and the investments we make through Booz Allen Ventures. For example, ConductorAI can streamline disclosure and the FMS approval process, and Second Front Systems can expedite Authority to Operate (ATO).”   

For example, aggregating and analyzing historical procurement or sustainment data would help FMS specialists forecast timelines for maintenance and parts. “It could also help them assess which systems are likely to need replacing and which can be upgraded with minimal effort by injecting new technology,” Heiser says. 

Enabling demand forecasting and predictive analytics would also assist in automating resupply and generating forecasts for obsolescence management. Booz Allen AI solutions help turn engineering manuals and technical data into predictive supply and obsolescence forecasts to support long-term sustainability of FMS programs.  

Requirements across allies and partner nations can be aggregated and processed to give these partners the benefit of volume pricing, faster delivery, and interoperability.   

Research can be done up-front as part of data transformation and it is easier to continue once data analytics are in place. Analytics tools allow teams to rapidly identify similar requirements and functionalities to consolidate gains. For example, AI-driven insights could reveal how the U.S. Army can take advantage of contracts or systems that other organizations already have in progress. 

Solving the Data Dilemma

Security cooperation and FMS leaders have faced daunting challenges in analyzing and sharing data across U.S. forces, allies, and partner nations. Some matters are administrative, such as agreeing on shared security classifications and policies.  

Other challenges are technical. That’s where advances in data and network engineering come in. 

Thanks to tech innovation, organizations with legacy systems can rapidly solve challenges like:

• Stovepiped data—varying data platforms, systems, and protocols 
• Incompatible infrastructures—legacy systems versus modern cloud infrastructures, for example 
• Cybersecurity risks—cyberattacks and infiltration attempts from rival nations, including operational cyber risks across platforms   
• Varied data standards—ranging from differences in how data is labeled to semantic disconnects 

Speed and Savings

Building for reuse is a strategic way to implement the modular open systems approach (MOSA) mandated by U.S. defense. At Booz Allen, we’ve realized benefits on both new and legacy systems using cutting-edge approaches and high-impact tech from AI to zero trust. 

Working with a company that knows the mission offers customers the benefits of dual-use tech from the very start. For example, we’ve saved organizations time and expense by allowing them to reuse agile, accredited toolsets we’ve created that expedite cloud migration and eliminate headaches. Since our solutions are built on top of tech from industry-leading partners, we ensure smooth adoption from inception to completion. 

New platforms built on open architectures deliver advantages beyond data. They're easily updated and always evolving to adapt to new technologies and priorities. Adding new tech provides a flexible framework to strengthen present and future missions. 

These essential elements of open architectures can be rapidly deployed or implemented step by step, delivering benefits along the way:

• Microservices: Containerized services are modular and independent, allowing scalability, customization, and interoperability of tools with any tech partner the U.S. government, NATO, and allies or partner nations select. 
• Open data platform: This modular data ecosystem ingests, translates, stores, organizes, and makes data discoverable and accessible, using innovations in DevSecOps tools and processes. 
• Cross-domain shared services: These tools simplify sharing mission-relevant data flowing up or down classification levels, critical for multinational missions. 
• Zero trust architecture: Granular security with strict access controls is built in from the ground up, extending protection from enterprise to edge. 

These elements work together to enable organizations to fuse siloed data via machine learning operations (MLOps)—the ability to build, train, and tune AI models, including powerful models built with generative AI (GenAI). Modern platforms are also key to instituting data fusion across partner nations and domains. 

The Data Advantage

Now is the time to explore how reuse can accelerate objectives from operations to acquisition. Modernizing data, connectivity, and analytics strengthens allied and partner nation capabilities faster—with upgradable tech that can be subsequently rolled out for new countries and missions.