Marines budget bolsters new IT strategy

The Marine Corps plans to begin funding an initiative to field common computing equipment across the service as part of its fiscal 2000 budget, according to Navy documents released today.

The budget proposal reflects the Marines' new "enterprise" strategy for acquiring and deploying information technology, announced in December by Debra Filippi, deputy chief information officer for the Marine Corps. The Marines, Filippi said, have embraced the Navy's Information Technology for the 21st Century standards, which provide a common computing environment based on commercial products for Navy systems on ships and on shore.

Out of the $470 million earmarked for communications and electronics, the Marines have asked for $102 million for common computer equipment. The budget also includes $77 million for base infrastructure upgrades and $24 million for the Tactical Data Network, which will extend the Corps' information infrastructure to deployed forces.