Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Eckelbecker | SAN DIEGO (Sept. 2, 2025) - Cyber Warfare Technician 2nd Class Kyler Koenig, the Navy...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO (Sept. 4, 2025) – Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific and Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC) personnel began a threat assessment of the NIWC 5G Tactical Training Network on Sept. 3, 2025, on board Naval Base Point Loma. This assessment is part of Operation Shoehorn, the comprehensive effort to test and develop a secure 5G tactical network.
5G networks have presented unique security challenges which have prevented integration with Navy systems. The NIWC Pacific Tactical Communications Branch aims to solve that problem.
“5G, to this point, has not been useable because it’s proprietary, meaning we don't have the visibility needed to detect cyber threats,” said Mike Anderson, the NIWC Pacific Joint Tactical Communications branch head. “By using open-source 5G, we are able to solve that proprietary issue and create a defensible tactical 5G network.”
The NIWC Pacific 5G Tactical Training Network aims to develop a secure, open-source 5G tactical network approved for Defensive Cyber Operations and deployment by Navy 10th Fleet Cyber Command. This project aligns with ongoing Department of Defense efforts to establish an enterprise-grade, open-source 5G solution in fiscal year 2026.
“Adequate 5G defense capabilities are necessary for the Navy to confidently deploy tactical 5G solutions required to maintain technological superiority," said Anderson.
NCDOC sent their Red Team to NIWC to test the network’s security and assist in finding and eliminating vulnerabilities.
“Red Team’s role here is to evaluate the 5G tech stack from an adversarial perspective to hopefully uncover security vulnerabilities in the early stages of development,” said Lt. Erik Faulk, the NCDOC Advanced Capabilities Engineering officer in charge. “We can use our findings as a training tool that enables defenders to recognize when or if those vulnerabilities are being exploited, so that they can employ their appropriate response actions to secure the network.”
NIWC Pacific’s mission is to develop and deploy technologies for the warfighters of the U.S. military and their allies.
The project to develop NIWC Pacific’s 5G tactical training network is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s FutureG Directorate.
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.10.2025 13:36 |
| Story ID: | 547732 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 328 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Operation Shoehorn: Securing 5G for Tactical Advantage, by PO1 Michael Eckelbecker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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