For the Navy, Information Is the New Wind in its Sails

The Navy is using and oozing information in nearly every aspect of its operations as it strives to maintain dominance in an ever-challenging environment, according to its information warfare and intelligence leader. Vice Adm. Jeffrey E. Trussler, USN, deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare and director of naval intelligence N2/N6, described an info-centric world in which the Navy dominates and is dominated by data used to prevail over increasingly capable adversaries.

Speaking at the Naval Information Warfare Theater on the first day of WEST 2022, the conference and exposition hosted by AFCEA and USNI in San Diego February 16-18, Adm. Trussler wasted little time in emphasizing the importance of information operations.

“21st century warfare is information age warfare,” the admiral declared. He added that, at the onset of an armed conflict, an effective information operations thrust may mean that kinetic operations never get a chance to participate.

21st century warfare is information age warfare.—Vice Adm. Jeffrey E. Trussler, USN, deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare and director of Naval Intelligence N2/N6 #WEST2022

— Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) February 16, 2022

Displaying a slide of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Adm. Trussler compared two potential U.S. adversaries in an information light. “These two use information warfare to the max,” he declared, adding that this is not always in a military sense. “There is conflict of some kind coming … and information warfare is going to play a part in it.”

The former submariner noted that the United States cannot always claim outright dominance in military arenas the way it used to. However, one area where that dominance is unquestioned is below the surface. “It’s hard to say where the United States is still dominant, but it’s still dominant undersea,” he declared. He attributed this to U.S. superiority in acoustic data, adding, “It is pouring in like never before.” Data across all Navy disciplines is surging, which brings up other issues.

One is cybersecurity. Traditionally, cybersecurity effectiveness was defined by an organization’s compliance to established rules and guidelines. However, reliance on that approach may actually be weakening cybersecurity. “Compliance should not be an industry unto itself,” he stated. “Compliance should not be weaponized.”

The cloud may offer one solution to security issues, and Adm. Trussler lauded the Navy’s efforts to move to the cloud. “I’m now a believer in the cloud for the collaboration aspects it provides, but also for security,” he declared.

I’m now a believer in the cloud for the collaboration aspects it provides, but also for security.—Vice Adm. Jeffrey E. Trussler, USN, deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare and director of Naval Intelligence N2/N6 #WEST2022

— Bob Ackerman (@rkackerman) February 16, 2022