14 DAY TRIAL // The US Marine Corps announced last week plans to expand US Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace (MARFORCYBER) with a new unit called Marine Corps Cyberspace Warfare Group (MCCYWG).
MARFORCYBER was set up in 2009, after leadership realized the need to deal with cyberspace threats while on offensive and defensive operations.
MARFORCYBER launched at the same time the US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) was created, and similar divisions were also set up, such as the Navy’s U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (FLTCYBER), Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER), and Air Force Cyber Command (AFCYBER).
This new unit, MCCYWG, will have to man, train and equip Marine Cyberspace mission teams under the command of MARFORCYBER and USCYBERCOM.
Their role is unclear at the moment, but in simplified terms, they'll have to build small hacking units to assist ongoing operations of the US Marine Corps.
Think of it as smaller portable hacking units that can be deployed wherever commanders need them, aiding troops with planning operations, on the field of battle, or defending troops from cyber-attacks.
"We’re still evolving, but I think five years from now, as the Marine Corps comes online and understands more and more what is happening in this space, the Cyberspace Warfare Group [MCCYWG] will look much different than it does today," said Col. Ossen J. D’Haiti, the commanding officer of MCCYWG.