Cyberspace Activities

The Cyberspace Activities line item (LI 4645) in the Department of the Navy's FY 2026 budget supports a range of Marine Corps programs focused on enhancing the security, resilience, and operational effectiveness of cyberspace capabilities. The primary objective of this line item is to procure and sustain systems and infrastructure that enable the Marine Corps to defend its networks, conduct cyber operations, and ensure compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) cybersecurity policies. The programs funded under this line item are critical for maintaining the operational readiness of Marine Corps forces in an increasingly contested and complex cyber environment.

Defensive Cyberspace Weapon Systems (DCWS) is a major component of this line item. The DCWS program provides self-contained, deployable hardware and software suites to Marine Corps Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs) and Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Defensive Cyberspace Operations-Internal Defensive Measures (DCO-IDM) teams. These suites enable teams to conduct vulnerability analysis, incident response, and other defensive cyber operations on both classified and unclassified networks. The goal is to preserve the Marine Corps' ability to operate in cyberspace by detecting, mitigating, and defeating malicious cyber activities that threaten DoD information systems and mission-critical assets.

Secure, Operate, Defend and Enable the Marine Corps Cyberspace Environment (MCCE) is another key objective. This program, managed by the Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group (MCCOG), focuses on securing, operating, and defending the Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN). MCCOG provides network situational awareness, command and control, and technical support to operating forces, both in garrison and deployed. The program also delivers enterprise IT services such as directory management, storage, messaging, and unified communications, while conducting vulnerability management, malware protection, web assessment, hunt operations, and cyber incident response.

Enterprise Information Technology (IT) Security & Compliance ensures the Marine Corps' IT infrastructure remains secure and interoperable. This program, formerly known as Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), manages the generation, distribution, and validation of digital credentials used for secure communications and system access. The objective is to comply with DoD security requirements, including the transition to Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), and to maintain the integrity, confidentiality, and authenticity of electronic transactions and communications across the MCEN in both garrison and tactical environments.

The Robust Infrastructure initiative, while not separately funded in FY 2026, underpins the transition from legacy, non-interoperable cyber platforms to a joint common access platform for offensive cyber operations. This effort aims to improve the efficiency, mobility, and scalability of cyber mission forces by consolidating resources and enhancing collaboration across Joint Mission Operations Centers. The long-term objective is to provide a secure and flexible foundation for both defensive and offensive cyber missions, supporting force multiplication and rapid adaptation to emerging threats.

Additionally, the line item supports Publicly Available Information (PAI) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Support to the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). This capability provides enterprise solutions for collecting and analyzing open-source data, which is increasingly important for situational awareness and decision-making during both competition and conflict phases. The program leverages Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) models to deliver timely and relevant intelligence to Marine Corps operators.