FORT MEADE, Md. (NNS) -- U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet continued a month long celebration of its fifth year of operations during a ceremony at Fort George G. Meade, Md., Feb. 2.
The event included a cake cutting and remarks from Vice Adm. Jan E. Tighe, commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet .
"It has been five years of operational excellence from this staff and the entire community," said Tighe during a worldwide video teleconference with the entire Fleet Cyber Command operational domain. "Thank you for helping drive that culture and never forget that we are the Fleet."
Fleet Cyber Command was established and 10th Fleet recommissioned Jan. 29, 2010. U.S. Fleet Cyber Command reports directly to the Chief of Naval Operations as an Echelon II command and is responsible for Navy networks, cryptology, signals intelligence, information operations, electronic warfare, cyber, and space.
Tighe reviewed the command’s accomplishments over the past five years of operations, which included highlights such as, most recently, the launch and operation of the third Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite; NC3 upgrades; expanding and maturing distributed signals intelligence operations; fighting and maneuvering the network during Operation Rolling Tide; and continuing to build the Cyber Mission Force (CMF) for U.S. Cyber Command.
Tighe also recalled the storied history that stretches back decades in making Fleet Cyber Command.
“We have built this on the rich heritage that came before … the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Command, Naval Security Group, and Navy Space Command collapsing into NETWARCOM and now becoming exclusively operational at Fleet Cyber Command,” Tighe said.
“I think the heritage and commitment to excellence of all those organizations played into who we are today. We are going to continue to make them proud,” she went on to say. Tighe also emphasized the growth the Navy has seen in recent years in Information Dominance and cyber warfare capabilities.
“Our evolution as part of the overall Information Dominance Corps and warfighting area is significant,” said Tighe. “The establishment of N2N6 in 2009, Fleet Cyber Command in 2010 and now Information Dominance Forces in 2015 is a maturation process that codifies us as a warfighting domain and I think we are going to continue to build on this foundation.”
The Navy Information Dominance Forces Type Command was established on Jan. 28, 2015 and is responsible for the man, train, equip and readiness mission for all Navy Information Dominance capabilities afloat and ashore.
Tighe briefly previewed the updated Command Strategy for U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, focused on five high level goals:
- Operate the Navy network as a warfighting platform;
- Conduct tailored signals intelligence (SIGINT);
- Deliver warfighting effects;
- Create shared cyber situational awareness; and
- Establish and mature Navy’s Cyber Mission Forces.
She stated that these goals will drive toward achieving the command’s vision, which is “…to conduct operations in and through cyberspace, the electromagnetic spectrum, and space to ensure Navy and Joint/Coalition freedom of action and decision superiority while denying the same to our adversaries.”
She went on to say that this will be accomplished, “…through our collective commitment to excellence and by strengthening our alliances with entities across the U.S. government, [Department of Defense], academia, industry, and our foreign partners.”
The final strategy document will be available at the end of February.
Tighe closed by wishing the command a happy fifth birthday and thanking the world-wide team again.
U.S. Fleet Cyber Command serves as the Navy Component Command to U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Cyber Command, and the Navy’s Service Cryptologic Component Commander under the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, exercising operational control of Fleet Cyber Command mission forces through TENTH Fleet (C10F).
C10F is the operational arm of Fleet Cyber Command and executes its mission through a task force structure similar to other warfare commanders.