NAVIFOR at the Forefront of the Space Domain: Information Warfare is not the Future - it is the Present
09 April 2025
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- At the 2025 Sea-Air-Space Symposium, Vice Adm. Mike Vernazza, commander, Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR), delivered a keynote address emphasizing that operations in space are not merely a supporting function but the backbone of maritime warfighting dominance. He underscored the crucial role of Information Warfare (IW) in dominating the space domain, a critical frontier in modern naval power, not in the future but in the present day.
“Not only are we preparing to celebrate our 250th anniversary - a testament to the enduring spirit of our Nation and the unwavering dedication of generations of Sailors – but we are also looking ahead to the challenges, and opportunities, from seabed to space, in an increasingly complex and contested environment,” said Vernazza. “The landscape of war is dynamically changing and nowhere more so than in space.”
The Sea-Air-Space Symposium, hosted by the Navy League of the United States, is the premier maritime exposition, drawing military leaders, industry partners, and government officials to explore the latest advancements in naval warfare. This year’s theme was “Addressing Threats and Operations from Seabed to Space”. A key theme in Vernazza’s remarks was the growing importance of space as a contested domain. He emphasized that information warfare is not merely a supporting function but an essential pillar of naval operations in this area.
“The access to, and use of space is of serious national interest and has significant national consequence if we don’t get it right,” Vernazza stated. “The U.S. Navy, and the information warfare community, play a vital role in this domain, from operational support and technological advancement, to our services’ use of space-based capabilities for communications, targeting, navigation, intelligence, and reconnaissance to name just a few. The information warfare community is absolutely to operations in space and how this realm enables warfighting and readiness to keep our homeland safe and deter our adversaries.”
Vernazza highlighted the growing threat posed by adversaries, particularly China as the pacing challenge, who are actively developing counter-space capabilities. He warned of the dangers posed by their expanding satellite network and advancements in anti-satellite weapons and jamming technologies.
“Potential adversaries are developing capabilities designed to disrupt, degrade, and even destroy the very satellites we depend on. This is not a distant threat, but a clear and present danger, demanding we take seriously the criticality of space in every facet of our war fighting doctrine and that is where information warfare comes in,” said Vernazza. “China in particular, poses a significant and growing challenge to our national security interests in space. They seek to position themselves as a leading space power…they are developing new space systems to enhance military effectiveness, testing and building sophisticated counter space capabilities with the intent to disrupt and degrade the U.S. space enabled advantage.”
To counter these threats, NAVIFOR is focusing on three strategic priorities: developing and training information warfighters, investing in space readiness with cutting edge technologies and innovation, and continuing to strengthen our partnerships with other services like the Space Force, the intelligence community and Allies and partners.
“In the face of these challenges, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to maintaining the most lethal, ready, and capable Navy the world has known. This requires a multi-pronged approach, laser focused on warfighting, and underpinned by the warrior ethos that defines who we are as Sailors,” said Vernazza. “Which brings me to our most crucial asset to ensure warfighting excellence, our information warfighters, they are the ones who will operate in this contested environment, bringing together both the maritime and space domains to deliver information advantage throughout competition, crisis, and conflict.”
The IW Pavilion featured demonstrations, keynotes speakers, and engagement zones highlighting advancements in information warfare. Attendees engaged with subject matter experts from across the IW enterprise, gaining insight into how the Navy is operationalizing information warfare to enhance maritime superiority.
“The pillars of information warfare, battle space awareness, integrated fires and assured command and control are completely reliant on space,” Vernazza noted. “By embracing information warfare as the vital capability that it is, and prioritizing space in our warfighting doctrine, growing space education in our school houses, and developing tactics, techniques, and procedures, and concept of operations that maximize our warfighting capabilities, we can assure our continued dominance in space. The future of naval power depends on it.”
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-