Rather than functioning simply as a tactical extension of MARFORCYBER, McGaughey said leaders view the MIGs as providing more cyber reach for the force. However, MARFORCYBER, given its relationship with Cyber Command, is looking to push as much capability as it can - even if it comes from another service - down to these new tactical forces, McGaughey said. While cyber operations at the top Cyber Command level are inherently joint, that joint-nature begins to dissipate at the lower levels within the services that are creating their own tactical forces. On the cyber front, given that tactical operations and authorities are still emerging, these forces are looking for expertise from MARFORCYBER regarding tactics and capabilities. These forces will work as both the primary planners and advocates for MEF commanders within the information environment, as well as deploy their capabilities on the ground alongside other Marines at the tip of the spear. These forces, dubbed the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Information Groups (MIG), will encompass a bevy of information-related capabilities to include cyber, electronic warfare, intelligence and information operations. One role is a cyberspace planner, which exists at various echelons and commands, such as the Marine Corps Force level and the Marine Corps Expeditionary Unit.īeyond those planning operations at the staff level, the new tactical units will conduct cyber operations under the larger umbrella of what the Marine Corps calls operations in the information environment. The Marine Corps a few years ago created a new cyber career field - dubbed 17XX - in its effort to build out a larger cyber enterprise across its fleet, beyond its responsibilities to Cyber Command. Neal McGaughey, a cyberspace warfare development officer at MARFORCYBER’s Littoral Operations Cyber Cell, told C4ISRNET. “It’s all about helping the 1700 cyber guys in the force … plugging them into the matrix and giving them the resources that they can build the cyber community the right way,” Capt. Orders might change for a unit, and forces that deploy to a different theater need to know whom to contact and how available cyber resources might shift.
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For example, a unit deploying to the Pacific will need to know how to plug into Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber Fleet Cyber as opposed to Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber Air Force, which covers cyber operations in Europe.
MARFORCYBER’s Littoral Operations Cyber Cell serves as this resource center for the fleet.