PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Representatives from the forthcoming Information Warfighting Development Center (IWDC) visited the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT) to begin a dialogue about training missions, capabilities and roles, Sept. 27.
Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR), as the Navy's global type command responsible for readiness of Navy information warfare (IW) capabilities, is in the process of establishing the IWDC in Norfolk, with an initial operational capability targeted for March 2017. The center will develop and implement doctrine and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) for IW and provide advanced IW warfighting training to forces afloat and ashore.
"As we're moving quickly toward standing up the IWDC, it's important for us to collaborate with the various stakeholders in the IW community and all the other mission areas, and understand the good work already being done by so many people in different organizations," said Edward Rosequist, who is part of the initial core IWDC staff and IWDC's N7 training department lead.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson's "A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority" emphasizes "information as warfare" and demands the delivery of information warfare as a critical capability of the Navy's mission sets. The IWDC will be similar to other development centers that support mission sets such as air, undersea and surface.
Meeting with CIWT leadership provided the opportunity to discuss the breadth of the training CIWT offers from rating-specific enlisted apprentice courses to officer development.
"Our focus at CIWT, as a learning center for the Naval Education and Training Command, is basic skills training that prepares Sailors and joint students who may have walked off the street about three months beforehand, and turns them into someone who has a usable and tangible skill," said Capt. Bill Lintz, CIWT commanding officer. "That training ranges from new Sailors right out of boot camp, to advanced skills training for fleet returnees that provides them with follow-on specialized training that is job or equipment-specific."
CIWT's training is primarily focused on the individual and ties back to fleet requirements as determined by NAVIFOR or, for some training areas, requirements set by national agencies.
The IWDC's role will be to train to advanced mission set TTPs the IWDC staff develops. They will produce warfare tactics instructors and provide operational and subject matter expertise.
"We feel that it is important that we partner and be part of the whole training continuum," said Rosequist. "Going forward, we are having discussions on responsibilities, command and control, and standardization around doctrine."
The IWDC mission will also include establishing performance standards and conducting fleet training and warfighting effectiveness assessments on those standards.
Center for Information Warfare Training delivers trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services, enabling optimal performance of information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.
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See what the Center for Information Warfare Training is all about, visit www.navy.mil/local/cid/, www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ciwt, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.