CYBERWARFAREUsing IT to Defeat Evolving Threats: The Case of the Marine Corps
Since the dawn of the 21st century, the Marine Corps has progressively placed a greater emphasis on leveraging IT components. It has since become nestled within the Corps’ supply chain and is integral in achieving present and future goals.
Each year, Marine Corps Systems Command acquires a range of ground-based innovations designed to meet the warfighter’s needs. This includes infantry weapons, fire support technologies, communication gear, intelligence systems and much more.
Much of these capabilities share a common thread: information technology.
“You would be hard pressed to name any device or component—either commercial or in defense marketplace—that does not involve IT,” said Brig. Gen. A.J. Pasagian, MCSC commander. “IT is involved in every aspect of our lives today.”
Since the dawn of the 21st century, the Marine Corps has progressively placed a greater emphasis on leveraging IT components. It has since become nestled within the Corps’ supply chain and is integral in achieving present and future goals.
IT is more than email and virtual meeting rooms. Marines rely on IT when employing interactive data collection capabilities, participating in modeling and simulation activities, connecting to wideband networks and for recruiting and retention purposes.
“Today, IT is an inseparable part of our lives,” said Col. Robert Bailey, military deputy at the Corps’ Program Executive Officer Digital. “We are engaged with adversaries through our IT resources and networks, and we have to maneuver and win in that domain just as we do at sea, on land and in the air.”
MCSC acquires ground weapons and other innovative systems that include data packets, cybersecurity products and information security elements. In many instances, the IT within these capabilities allow the Marine Corps to replace subcomponents rather than entire systems.
The Marine Corps continues to acquire systems designed to support expeditionary operations around the globe, meeting Force Design 2030 goals. IT serves as a pillar in future operations and provides tactical advantages, such as increased situational awareness, to naval forces.
These capabilities include tactical tablets such as the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Common Handheld, intelligence systems that include the Distributed Common Ground/Surface System-Marine Corps, and satellite communication technologies like Networking On-the-Move, among others.
“I believe IT is a huge enabler in where the Corps is headed with regards to the commandant’s Force Design 2030 vision,” said Bailey. “The Marine Corps intends to leverage the benefits of modern compute, storage and learning to build and retain an optimal force. It will be a journey, but we are committed to it and we will get there.”
Changes to IT Pprocurement
Bailey said achieving Force Design 2030 goals requires a greater emphasis on cybersecurity.
