The U.S. Navy’s information warfare chief announced last week that the service aims to fully certify all 10 fleet Maritime Operations Center (MOC) by 2027.
Speaking at AFCEA West 2026 in San Diego, Vice Adm. Mike Vernazza, commander of Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR), explained that in the last year, the NAVIFOR has solidified the concept of the MOCs as a weapon system. He added that the Navy is now “driving toward a goal where every fleet MOC is fully certified by 2027.”
MOCs serve as command-and-control hubs that enhance decision-making, integrate joint and multinational capabilities, and manage distributed maritime operations.
“The MOC is the engine of the OODA loop – observe, orient, decide, and act,” he said. “It is where we turn a flood of raw data into actionable knowledge for the commander’s decision cycle.”
NAVIFOR has conducted in-depth reviews of training and equipment at each center to identify gaps and align standards, all as part of its push to ensure every fleet MOC is fully certified by 2027.
“These events are designed to assess and mentor our fleets, ensuring they meet the rigorous standards, just as a Damage Control Training Team or Combat Systems Training Team would on afloat platforms,” he said.
Vernazza said the ultimate goal is to standardize equipment, processes, and training across all fleet MOCs, ensuring consistent readiness and capability.
In addition, Vernazza said the Navy is also integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into MOCs to accelerate decision-making and enhance the effectiveness of these command centers.
He explained that with AI, commanders could gain a comprehensive understanding of the battlespace in real time. He described a future in which a commander walks onto the watch floor with a single operational view that fuses real-time sensor data with open-source intelligence, social media, and other insights from the information environment.
“Crisis and conflict will move at machine speeds. AI will help us move at the speed of war,” Vernazza said.
Vernazza said AI tools could also help anticipate adversary courses of action, suggest optimal options for U.S. forces, and recommend weapons-to-target pairing in complex joint operations.
“This is not about replacing the commander,” he said. “It’s about creating a powerful human-machine team where AI handles the incredibly complex data analysis that we’re going to have in these MOCs, freeing up our leaders to focus on what they do best, applying their experience, judgment, and intuition to make tough strategic decisions.”
He said the broader objective is to build a professional information warfare force that is trained, equipped, and certified to meet national requirements.
“To get outcomes we’ve never had, we must do things we’ve never done. That is the journey we are on,” he said. “The future of warfare will be won by those who can outthink, out-maneuver, and out-innovate. And [NAVIFOR] is ready for that challenge.”