Navy Officials Say Work Being Done to Improve Cybersecurity, Cyber Workforce

Adm. Michael Gilday, the chief of naval operations at the U.S. Navy and a two-time Wash100 winner, said the military branch has struggled to meet cyber personnel readiness goals but is doing its part to secure training gaps.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Gilday shared that the lapses are in cyber recruitment, training, assignment and retention processes. He noted that the service is doing well in terms of hiring cyber experts and matching them with the right mission areas.

Gilday also said the Navy is working with behavioral scientists to develop a cyber aptitude test that would allow entry-level cyber staff to be paired with their more experienced counterparts, FCW reported Thursday.

Talking about the aptitude test, Gilday shared that the passing rate in the initial course has increased significantly through remedial training. To this extent, he said the Navy has added extra staff to try and address cybersecurity training gaps.

When it comes to overall cybersecurity, Carlos Del Toro, the secretary of the Department of the Navy, said during the House hearing that the organization has been putting investments in cyber capability and policy since fiscal year 2021. He added that the Navy’s chief information officer is pursuing a new cybersecurity initiative that is aimed at protecting all weapons systems at all times.

Del Toro also talked about the cyber curriculum that is in place at the U.S. Naval Academy.

The Navy requested almost $2.5 billion for cyber-related activities for the fiscal year 2023.