NAVIFOR Commander Address IW Modernization, Innovations and Defense at AFCEA Maritime IT Summit
19 May 2023
NORFOLK, VA. -- Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) Commander Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach gave a luncheon keynote at the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association (AFCEA) Hampton Roads Maritime Information Technology Summit at the Hilton Norfolk May 17, openly discussing today’s information warfare (IW) environment.
The summit was attended by more than 1,000 industry representatives and 500 virtual attendees. Held in concert with the Department of the Navy Information Technology EAST Conference, the event brings together leaders in military, industry, and academia to discuss IW, integrated warfare, near-peer challenges and associated creative and agile solutions. The summit aims at stimulating networking between government, industry, and academia to speed capability to the warfighter.
During her remarks, Aeschbach emphasized that the Navy recognizes that information superiority is critical to its ability to operate effectively in the modern battlespace. With the rapid pace of technological advancement, the Navy must continually invest in cutting-edge technologies and develop innovative solutions to stay ahead of potential adversaries.
“The Navy’s Information Superiority Vision is centered around three lines of effort; modernize, innovate, and defend,” said Aeschbach. “I am investing in these areas that aim to improve our ability to collect, process, analyze and disseminate information across the fleet.”
Aeschbach discussed NAVIFOR initiatives tied to the Vision, sharing details om the transition to Flank Speed, the Deployable Mission Support System, and Cyber Ready, emphasizing where industry can help deliver wholeness.
“One of the challenges we face as a Navy – and this is particularly endemic in information warfare – is delivering wholeness for new systems and capabilities. I would say we are phenomenal at delivering new capability. We have all kinds of technology, and great ideas,” said Aeschbach. “Where we need help is nailing the training content that comes with those capabilities.”
Aeschbach also emphasized that NAVIFOR is actively supporting the Navy’s IW warfighters to ensure they are properly manned, trained and equipped to gain the competitive edge needed to win in competition; and how IW capabilities and expertise are in a high demand across the fleet, playing a role in every naval mission, every day.
“We have much to be proud of, and we really need to continue to lean in,” said Aeschbach. “The investment we make in networks, in information warfare, information management, research and development of cyber security are all fundamental to our ability to stay in competition and prevail if we ever end up in conflict.”
NAVIFOR’s mission is to generate, directly and through our leadership of the IW Enterprise, agile and technically superior manned, trained, equipped, and certified combat-ready IW forces to ensure our Navy will decisively DETER, COMPETE, and WIN.
For more information on NAVIFOR, visit the command Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/NavalInformationForces/ or the public web page at
https://www.navifor.usff.navy.mil.
-USN-