By The Marine Corps Systems Command is reforming cyber acquisition by working with the Marine Corps Cyber Task Force to enhance oversight and governance and use a new streamlined processes to better respond to force needs, the Marines said Thursday.
The updated effort will involve the Cyber Acquisition Team (CAT), established in 2015 by MCSC Commander Brig. Gen. Joseph Shrader, to develop a rapid cyber acquisition process to address urgent and emergency cyber requirements.
The Marines highlighted the CAT will lead acquisition and fielding efforts for emergency requirements (under 30 calendar days from statement of need to fielding) and as needed assist program management offices with urgent cyber requirements (30-180 calendar days from statement of need to fielding).
The Marine Corps is placing a strong emphasis on improving management of our cyber operating environment. “Our immediate role as the systems command of the Marine Corps is to provide that focused pursuit of accelerants to IT and cyberspace system acquisition to address critical requirements of today and tomorrow,” Harry Oldland, director of systems engineering and integration and CAT team lead, said in a statement.
The overall update effort is in response to the Marine Commandant’s vision to modernize offensive and defensive cyber operations in a complex operating environment. The end goal is to provide speed to the Corps’ cyber warfighting capability while also maintaining discipline necessary for a unified, standardized, and configuration-controlled Marine Corps Enterprise Network, Systems Command said.
“The tailored rapid cyber acquisition process still conforms to all of the key activities associated with the traditional acquisition model. The primary key to successfully implement this process, compared to the traditional acquisition process, is accelerating the review and approval times for the required paperwork,” Oldland added.
The Marine Corps Systems Command oversees the development and acquisition of all Corps ground weapon and information technology systems.
