Maintaining Fleet Readiness and Minimizing Operational Risk: MSC ITESS

When mission assurance is on the line both speed and accountability are non-negotiable.

The team at MSC ITESS is delivering on those imperatives and empowering fleet readiness for the Military Sealift Command (MSC). We recently sat down with Elizabeth Zeno, Portfolio Manager for the Navy at Agile Defense to learn more.

Liz, at a high level, why does this program matter right now?

It matters because configuration management and network/hardware installation is not administrative overhead, it can be the difference between whether the mission succeeds or fails. The MSC ITESS program ensures that shipboard systems are properly configured, accurately documented, and meet all deployment requirements.

Team Agile applies their differentiated expertise in governing processes, checklists, benchmarks, and ensuring compliance with a keen understanding of the mission, to ensure no-fail sustainment and service support.

How is the team leveraging emerging technologies in a way that makes sense for the mission?

Our focus is not technology adoption for its own sake, but purposeful integration that reduces processing time, improves data accuracy, and strengthens decision making. The tools we’ve vetted and integrated have enhanced transparency, traceability, and data integrity across configuration processes. As a result, we’ve been able to minimize delays and ensure that stakeholders have reliable, actionable information.

What feedback have you received from operators in the field?

Field operators consistently emphasize the importance of responsiveness, clarity, and accuracy. When configuration data is current and systems function as expected, it eliminates unnecessary friction and enables them to focus on mission execution. Their priority is efficiency and reliability, having trusted information and streamlined processes that support operational tempo without added complexity.

Can you share a moment when you realized this program was truly making a difference?

It might sound counterintuitive, but those moments are the quietest ones – a schedule disruption that never occurred, a mission that was executed according to plan. It’s when our work behind the scenes to deliver rapid coordination and precise configuration records translates to uninterrupted fleet operations.

That sense of responsibility and the knowledge that our efforts contribute to mission success drives our commitment to excellence. We are incredibly proud that our work supports the civilian mariners who rely on these systems daily.

Background

In partnership with our Prime, Savvee Inc., Agile Defense provides MSC with IT systems engineering support services necessary to maintain systems engineering personnel, processes, and products; and to provide new IT capabilities and services required by MSC worldwide. Contact us today to learn more.