CYBER Situational Understanding

Abstract

Cyber SU is a software-only, mission command application designed for use by maneuver commanders at the tactical level (Infantry, Armor, Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, Division, Corps, and Army Service Component Commands). Cyber SU is the first application of its kind designed for maneuver commanders focusing on tactical/expeditionary combat operations to detect and mitigate cyber and electronic warfare threats and assist with decision making during combat operations. Cyber SU produces a Cyber Electromagnetic Activity (CEMA) overlay on the commander's Common Operational Picture (COP) within the Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) software, and is integrated on the Tactical Server Infrastructure (TSI) framework. Unlike Enterprise Cyber Mission Force(s) Tools, Cyber SU was designed using the CPCE Software Development Kit (SDK), to operate within the constraints of TSI hardware, a bandwidth constrained tactical environment, and support COE standards on the Army's Command Post. The underlying Cyber SU framework is also being leveraged by the Air Force to ensure alignment with the Army and Air Force Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2). The Army will ensure Cyber SU has an open systems architecture and will continue to explore options to integrate Cyber SU functionality and data ingests between other Services as well as explore insertion of third-party technology within the Cyber SU solution. Cyber SU provides the maneuver commander the ability to visualize and understand any cyber related impacts/threats to physical (geographical), logical (at a specific network internet protocol), and cyber persona layers (bad actors, from individuals to nation states) of tactical cyberspace data. Supporting CEMA, Cyber SU ingests existing data sources from related programs (e.g, TDI, CPCE, EWPMT, UNO, DCGS-A, DDS), synchronizes and integrates blue (friendly), red (enemy), and grey (commercial/ private sector data), and enables collaboration therein at the tactical edge. Cyber SU follows a five-year, Information Technology (IT) Box construct to deliver capability over time, based on approved requirements. In the current IT Box (FY2020 - FY2024), Cyber SU is being developed in three capability drops (CDs): See Yourself (Initial Capability), See Your Cyber Battlespace (CD 1), and Understand Your Cyber Battlespace (CD 2). Each capability drop builds upon the previous drop in order to deliver the full capability at the end of the five years. Cyber SU Initial Capability provides the Tactical Maneuver Commander and CEMA work group a user interface within the CPCE COP that shares friendly operations cyberspace activity including network and computer health/status. The CD 1 capability user interface expands to include visualization of enemy CEMA operations. The CD 2 capability incorporates advanced features and analytics to comprehend the meaning of cyber activity and facilitate response actions. This allows for proactive decision making in support multi-domain operations. Capability will continue to evolve in alignment with warfighter needs with the renewal of the IT Box in FY2024 for the following five year term (FY2025 - FY2029). Cyber SU FY2023 funding supports the completion of testing and post-test fix/ integration to allow for the delivery of the Cyber SU CD 1 capability planned in 4QFY2023. Funding also supports the development, engineering, training development and program management for Cyber SU CD 2.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: CY5_0605041A_5_2040_PB_2023

Tags

Fields of Study

• Computer science

Readers

• Cybersecurity.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.

Technology Areas

• Cyber
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Microelectronics