The Navy's Shore and Expeditionary Integration Program Office (PMW 790) held a Shore and Expeditionary Users' C4I Working Group here on April 3-5, bringing together stakeholders from across the fleet to discuss the theme Shore as an Information Warfare (IW) Platform.

A large part of the concept of shore as an IW platform involves improved governance and standardization for the key shore IW command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) sites. Specific attention is paid to advanced planning, design, configuration control and installation processes. Attendees participated in working groups that covered topics including cybersecurity; modernization for maritime operations centers (MOCs); nuclear command and control; expeditionary C4I; and assured command and control through deployment of Virtual Secure Enclaves, or VSEs.

"These working group activities are important for improving our delivery of capability and for strengthening our partnerships," said Rear Adm. Carl "Chebs" Chebi, program executive officer, Program Executive Office C4I (PEO C4I) and PEO Space Systems. "My focus is on delivering integrated warfighting capability from the seabed to space--that spans our undersea, afloat and ashore networks. Our systems need to work together across all domains so that our joint and combined forces can compete, deter and win. Events like this allow us to learn more about what the fleet requires and how we work with our partners to get our warfighters what they need, get it to them faster and get it at a better cost."

PMW 790 is one of the 10 program offices that comprise PEO C4I. Chebi briefed the working group on the second day of their meeting, joining leaders from across the IW community and fleet stakeholders who also took part in the event. Other notable speakers included Rear Adm. Danelle Barrett, director, Navy Cyber Security Division; Manuel Hermosilla, executive director, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. Tenth Fleet; Bob Stephenson, acting director of communications and information systems, and chief information officer, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Ruth Youngs-Lew, program executive officer, PEO Enterprise Information Systems; and Nancy Harned, executive director, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command.

Additional participating IW organizations were Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) and Naval Information Forces. Discussions among the many participants included focus on operations, infrastructure, process, training and supportability.

"We host this working group every two years and each time we're increasing the number of commands and participants who attend," said Capt. Kyle "Chet" Turco, program manager, PMW 790. "We want to get as many people, from as many commands, as we can to attend so we can address the key issues in the highly dynamic shore and expeditionary C4I environment. This helps us deliver the right capabilities to the fleet and its partners."

Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I) provides integrated communication and information technology systems that enable information warfare and command and control of maritime forces. PEO C4I acquires, fields and supports C4I systems which extend across Navy, joint and coalition platforms. More information can be found at http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/PEOC4I/Pages/default.aspx


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