Fleet Cyber Command will soon get a new deputy commander
Fleet Cyber Command/10th Fleet will soon get a new deputy commander, according to a Pentagon announcement.
Rear Adm. Michael Bernacchi Jr., who is currently the director for plans and policy at U.S. Space Command, will take over as the deputy commander for the Navy’s main cyber and space arm.
Fleet Cyber Command is also “dual-hatted” as the Navy’s component to Space Command. Its leader recently discussed the importance of more closely linking the two capability sets in order to stay ahead of adversary activity.
“It is my hypothesis that the opening rounds of the next conflict will likely begin in cyber, space and/or both … [and] it’s highly likely that the next conflict will be determined and won in cyber and space,” Vice Adm. Ross Myers said in an interview with FedScoop. “We’ve got to be ready to prevent the worst [conflicts] as well as win them. To do that we must expand our capability to operate in both cyber and space.”
It is unclear when Bernacchi will arrive at Fleet Cyber Command or what exactly he’ll do there. Fleet Cyber has three deputy commanders, one that oversees the space element, one that oversees the cyber element and one that oversees the reserve component.
