2017 DOD budget calls for 15 percent increase in military cyber security spending
WASHINGTON, 24 Feb. 2016. Leaders of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) plan to increase spending for cyber security and cyber warfare operations next year by 15 percent -- or nearly a billion dollars -- over current-year levels, according to Pentagon budget documents.
The fiscal 2017 DOD budget calls for spending $6.7 billion for cyber operations, which represents an increase of about $900 million over fiscal 2016 enacted levels for the Pentagon's defensive and offensive cyberspace operations capabilities and cyber strategy, according to the 2017 Defense Budget Overview. The DOD submitted its 2017 budget request earlier this month.
The planned increase in cyber spending represents at least the second consecutive increase for cyber operations, and has seen the Pentagon's cyber security budget increase from $5.1 billion in 2015 to $6.7 billion next year.
U.S. military cyber strategy focuses on building cyber capabilities and organizations for DOD’s three primary cyber missions: defending DOD networks and information; defending against cyber attacks of significant consequence; and providing cyber support to operational and contingency plans, DOD officials say.
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Military cyber planning has five goals: developing cyberspace capabilities; defending the DOD information network, securing DOD data, and mitigating cyber risks to DOD missions; preparing to defend U.S. interests from major cyber attacks; developing cyber options to control cyber warfare; and building international alliances to deter shared global cyber threats.
Chief objectives of cyber provisions in the 2017 DOD budget are:
-- organizing the 133 team Cyber Mission Force, which will become operational by the end of late 2018;
-- outfitting the new Joint Operations Center for U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) at Fort Meade, Md., which will be occupied by late 2018;
-- supporting cyberspace science and technology research to develop Cyber Mission Force tools;
-- developing ways to provide a virtual environment for the Cyber Mission Force to train against a wide range of threats;
-- defending and securing DOD networks from cyber attacks; and
-- supporting combatant commanders and offensive cyber operations.
