Army wants to fund defensive cyber programs in new pilot

The Army wants to start a "research, development, test and evaluation appropriation pilot program" in fiscal year 2021 for select Defensive Cyber Operations programs to support network modernization.

The service's FY-21 request includes $46.4 million in RDT&E funding to develop defensive cyber software prototypes, $16.6 million of which was realigned from the Defensive Cyber Operations procurement program.

The Army estimates the program will cost a total of $469.8 million.

DCO "consists of platform and software programs which are key elements of the DCO Maneuver Baseline infrastructure, platform, and tools," according to the budget justification documents. "The employment of defensive capabilities creates specific effects in cyberspace through actions that allow commanders to achieve the following objectives: deter, destroy, and defeat enemy offensive cyberspace operations; gain time; economy of force; control key terrain; protect tasked critical assets and infrastructure; and develop intelligence."

The RDT&E pilot program also includes funding for Tactical DCO Infrastructure, a software capability for cyber network defenders and cyber protection teams, and "rapid cyber prototyping" for Army Cyber Command, which provides "software-based capabilities that can quickly respond to emerging cyber threats and keep up with threat technology."

The Army's request says the DCO funding supports the network cross-functional team's "unified network" line of effort.