Vice Adm. Mike Gilday, commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet (FCC/C10F), provided testimony on the cyber posture of the Navy in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2019 and the Future Years Defense Program before the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on cybersecurity, March 13.

During the hearing, Gilday answered questions from the chairman of the subcommittee, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), the ranking member, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Florida) and the other members of the subcommittee on the Navy's approach to cyber defense and what he has observed in this environment since assuming command.

"I have continued to observe an upward trend in the capacity, capabilities, sophistication, and persistence of cyber threats against our networks," he said during his opening statement. "Cyberspace intersects every one of our Navy's missions, requiring an adaptive approach to counter the threat."

Gilday emphasized how the Navy intends to meet these threats in the coming years and how our cyber posture will ensure that we maintain an advantage over our adversaries.

"We are modernizing & defending our networks by implementing our Cyber Resilience Strategy, focused on hardening our network infrastructure and reducing its attack surface. We are in the 5th year of this ongoing effort. Further, we have extended our defensive posture to include deploying defensive cyber teams with the Navy's carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups," he said.

"Lastly, I still believe we have much room to grow. In particular, we will continue to seek improvements in how we recruit, train, retain and reward our cyber workforce - while ensuring they are equipped to compete and defeat the adversary."

The hearing also featured testimony from Lt. Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, commanding general, U.S. Army Cyber Command; Maj. Gen. Loretta E. Reynolds, commander, Marine Forces Cyberspace Command; Maj. Gen. Christopher P. Weggeman, commander, 24th Air Force and commander, Air Forces Cyber.

Since its establishment, FCC/C10F has grown into an operational force composed of more than 15,000 Active and Reserve Sailors and civilians organized into 29 active commands, 40 Cyber Mission Force units, and 29 reserve commands around the globe. FCC 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. C10F, the operational arm of FCC, executes its mission through a task force structure similar to other warfare commanders. In this role, C10F provides support of Navy and joint missions in cyber/networks, cryptologic/signals intelligence and space.

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