Photo By Rick Naystatt | Rear Adm. Patrick H. Brady, commander, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO - More than 400 people were on hand to listen to Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Commander Rear Adm. Patrick Brady address the importance of cyber warfare to the Navy and discuss the impact of sequestration during the monthly San Diego Military Advisory Council breakfast May 15.
The event is held to advance partnerships between the government and local business industry and help facilitate dialog about the economic impact and contributions of the military to the greater San Diego community.
Brady highlighted three areas during his discussion, including the rise of Information Dominance as an important warfighting capability, his priorities as SPAWAR’s commander, and the budget implications of sequestration and impending Department of Defense furloughs.
Despite the government-wide fiscal uncertainty and austerity, Brady was upbeat about how the local San Diego area could contribute to the strategic pivot of U.S. national security policy to the Asia-Pacific region.
“It is very hard to extrapolate what this Pacific pivot will mean to the West Coast and San Diego businesses,” said Brady, “But the signs tell me San Diego’s naval stock is going up.”
The rise of the information warfare arena, and accompanying growing importance of cyber to national defense, makes the San Diego region strategically positioned to weather some of the anticipated economic impact to communities that rely on the defense sector as sequestration begins to take effect.
Of all jobs created in San Diego, 25 percent have some tie to the military. According to a San Diego Military Economic Impact Study, San Diego received an estimated $20.6 billion of defense spending in fiscal year 2012.
Brady said the Navy plans to increase the cyber force by 800 in fiscal year 2013 through realignment, and by 1,000 through 2016. In addition, the Navy is forming 40 computer defense, attack and exploitation teams and creating a new cyber-focused core curriculum at the U.S. Naval Academy.
He said two major SPAWAR acquisition programs, the Consolidated Afloat Network Enterprise System and Next Generation Enterprise Network, which reduce networks and applications, will be key structural enablers in the burgeoning information warfare arena.
Leading that fundamental shift as the Navy’s Information Dominance systems command, Brady said there will be a greater need for new tactics, techniques and procedures to be instituted, training programs developed and a cadre of experts grown and groomed capable of handling the kind of technical rigor that will ensure synergy in the Navy IT portfolio.
“Like aircraft, ships and submarines, information has its own unique environment and cyberspace permeates that battlespace,” said Brady. “Control of the environment is critical to our future warfighting capability because future conflicts will be fought and won in the electro-magnetic spectrum of cyberspace. We will need to develop a comprehensive approach that touches everything throughout the kill chain, from strategy to systems to our people.”
In order to maintain that readiness of SPAWAR systems deployed in the fleet today, including the much anticipated future CANES installs and NGEN program launch, Brady laid out his key priorities for the coming fiscal year, reiterating that keeping the fleet ready to fight was his number one objective.
To support the Information Dominance vision of the CNO, Brady detailed the command’s establishment of the Fleet Readiness Directorate and SPAWAR’s role as the designated Technical Authority lead for the Navy.
“The plan is to create a unified Technical Authority for all new and legacy IT systems and networks afloat and ashore. If someone is deployed, they shouldn’t see a difference in capability. We are making good progress and getting positive feedback,” said Brady. “We didn’t get here overnight, so it will take us some time to get there. It is important for the Navy to add rigor.”
Brady expressed concern about sequestration and the impact it is having on the organization’s ability to fill billets and support the organization’s wounded warrior hiring efforts.
Though the government-wide hiring freeze is still in effect, Brady said once authority is restored he will focus hiring on the wounded warriors transitioning back into the civilian world. He applauded industry present at the breakfast and encouraged them to continue supporting those wounded, ill and injured who have served their country.
“The hiring freeze is negatively impacting the Navy’s ability to offer meaningful careers to our wounded warriors,” said Brady, reaching out to industry to encourage hiring. “I look at the hiring of our wounded warrior like an NFL draft. Their resume may not be exactly what you’re searching for, but once you get them on board, you will see that they are the best athlete. They are the best for the job. I continue to encourage your support.”
As the Navy's Information Dominance systems command, SPAWAR designs, develops and deploys advanced communications and information capabilities. With more than 8,900 active duty military and civil service professionals located around the world and close to the fleet, SPAWAR is at the forefront of research, engineering, acquisition and support services that provide decision superiority for the warfighter.
For more news on the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/spawar/.
| Date Taken: | 05.15.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 05.15.2013 18:46 |
| Story ID: | 106965 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 382 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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