For nearly 250 years, the U.S. Navy has been responsible for protecting our nation and the global economy through maritime domains. From fighting against pirates in the Barbary Wars to safeguarding the world’s economy from hostile nations that threaten commerce traveling by sea. Now, with fast-evolving technology, modernizing the Navy’s Enterprise Information Ecosystem is essential to protecting our country’s national security.
Directed by the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer’s memorandum for Network Consolidation to Enterprise Information Technology Services, the office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (DCNO) for Information Warfare has made it a priority to modernize Navy systems by December of 2027.
The Navy Blueprint for Modern Enterprise Information Ecosystem (Navy Blueprint 2.0) outlines a unifying technical framework that captures a high-level architectural guidance to modernize the Navy’s IT capabilities, and the workforce required to achieve this. First, we must look ahead and assess the potential threats we see forthcoming. For example, in the last few decades, we have seen a rise in cyber threats and have had to adjust to the developing technologies that make these attacks possible.
The Navy Blueprint 2.0 outlines activities to ensure the Cyberspace Workforce will evolve to build, protect, and defend the Navy’s cyber platforms. Navy Blueprint 2.0 ensures the Cyberspace Workforce has qualified manpower to address these issues, maintaining a high level of standards set for its cyberspace personnel.
Another integral part of the Navy Blueprint 2.0, is ensuring everyone is modernizing.
Oftentimes, for Sailors, a simple IT obstacle can cause frustration and impede mission outcomes due to antiquated equipment. Through the Navy Blueprint 2.0 the Navy is shifting away from continued use of end-of-service/end-of-life and adopting a “modern” ecosystem. The goal is to deliver state-of-the-art capability and sun-setting systems and devices that no longer align with the proficiency the Navy requires. These modernization efforts enable the flow of data to be more continuous and fuel the enterprise information system to deliver at a speed of warfighting advantage.
To round out the objectives of the Navy Blueprint, version 2.0 directs the Navy to shift away from a compliance-based risk management method to a “cyber ready” approach. Consequently, this would allow the Navy’s systems to maintain a model of vigilance where they are able to assess cyber risk in real-time, catch attacks before they happen, and be proactive when strategizing how to address certain cyber threats. Additionally, this improvement would improve the agility of development pipelines, rapidly delivering information and capabilities to the warfighters.
“The speed and reach at which information flows through the global environment has fundamentally changed the character of modern warfare. This global competitive space spans all warfighting domains – where operations heavily depend on the flow of information for assured resilient command and control,” said Acting Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare, Jennifer Edgin. “The Navy Blueprint for a Modern Enterprise Information Ecosystems builds on decades of constant effort to improve our information systems, infrastructure, and processes.”
In order for the Navy to accomplish the goal of full system modernization and migrate to a new model by Q4 of 2027, there are certain milestones that have been identified. First, and already completed, the Navy has registered all of its IT systems, networks, and applications in the Department of War Information Technology Portfolio Repository – Department of Navy (DITPR-DON), enabling a high-level view of the IT portfolio for better management.
Additionally, the Navy has assessed certain Enterprise and Excepted Networks that fall within Enterprise IT services to determine a course of action and support to consolidate the networks.
Forthcoming, the Navy will identify modernization plans, with divestment strategies for networks capabilities which can be supported by the evolving enterprise IT service catalog.
Data remains the fuel that drives the enterprise information ecosystem which guarantees that information is flowing continuously through these systems. It is imperative that Navy systems are modernized on time to gain a warfighting advantage when delivering, receiving, and assessing information warfighters encounter. As the Navy has and continues to protect the United States and the global economy through maritime domains, it is prudent that systems are modernized in due time so Sailors can more effectively execute their missions.