Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 2nd Class Jonathan Morel, assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), uses a radar tracking system to track surface contacts. File Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Danny Kelley/U.S. Navy

Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy announced it has inaugurated a new Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group Reserve unit.

Deputy Commander Rear Adm. James Butler presided over the ceremony on Jan. 4 at Club Meade.


"We at U.S. Fleet Cyber Command are determine to increase our competitive advantages over our nation's adversaries by focusing on our capabilities, processes, and mostly importantly, our people," Butler said in a statement. "This new Reserve unit will leverage reservists' skill sets to support the active duty NCWDG component and its overall mission to test and deliver advanced cyber, cryptologic and electronic warfare capabilities to the Navy."

The new reserve unit was ordered on Jan. 1. Sailors and Marines previously operated as a directorate within the reserve structure and will now operate independently to provide new capabilities to command.

The Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group has conducted technical research and development to create, test and deliver advanced cyber warfare for over 30 years as FCC/U.S 10th Fleet lead for innovation.

Congress mandated two years ago direct commissioning pilot programs with a relative lack of cyber expertise in the military, although the Navy has been directly commissioning highly skilled software engineers for more than a few years on a small scale.