Mark Pomerleau
The Army is adding more expeditionary cyber teams and creating a new battalion focused on cyber — a validation that the concept has proven its worth.
In late February, the Army Force Structure Transformation (ARSTRUC) plan directed the activation of two more so-called expeditionary cyber and electromagnetic activities teams (ECTs) in the 11th Cyber Battalion — a total of 90 authorizations — rounding out that battalion and an additional 390 authorizations for ECTs to begin building the 12th Cyber Battalion, Lt. Gen. Maria Barrett, commander of Army Cyber Command, said in an interview with DefenseScoop.
“We’re doubling down on what the expeditionary [Cyberspace and Electromagnetic Activities] teams have been doing to date. I think that is a good sign,” Barrett said.
The battalion provides tactical, on-the-ground cyber operations (mostly through radio-frequency effects), electronic warfare and information operations. The unit consists of four companies with over 300 personnel total and five ECTs — scalable formations designed to augment units upon request.
They’re expected to maneuver with units, plan tactical operations for commanders and conduct operations on the ground.
The decision to expand the teams — and the overall concept — comes after what initially began as a pilot effort over six years ago to test how the Army could integrate tactical cyber and electronic warfare effects for brigades on the ground without having to rely upon the remote, strategic resources of U.S. Cyber Command, which are not only in high demand but, at the time of the pilot, limited in authorities to conduct operations.
No comments:
Post a Comment