Pentagon seeks billions for cyber defence

The United States Defence Department is seeking a five-year, US$23 billion (A$24.5 billion) budget to protect IT infrastructure from outside intruders and develop offensive capabilities. 

Bloomberg news, which obtained a copy of the "cyber-expense" document outlining the budget, reports billions will be spent up until 2018 on information-assurance systems to block hackers and prevent disruptions of information on Pentagon computers.

A further US$8.9 billion will be earmarked for unspecified defensive and offensive cyber-operations, but the exact measure of these was not detailed. 

The Obama administration has shown willingness to spend big on electronic warfare, adding billions to the budget of the Cyber Command while slashing funding for other parts of the Pentagon.

Perceived threats from China, Iran and Russia are the drivers for the increased attention on cyber warfare in the United States. However, Barack Obama also seeks offensive cyber capabilities to target adversaries with little or no warning, with effects ranging from subtle to severely damaging, according to a presidential directive issued last year. 

Military units in the United States are now expected to be prepared for cyber defence, so as to protect their networks, and the data on them. 

According to Bloomberg, much of the spending is expected to benefit private defence contractors such as SAIC and Northrop-Grumman.