KORAT, Thailand -- U.S. Marine Corps cyberspace operations personnel with 9th Communication Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, recently participated in the Exercise Cobra Gold 2025 cyber exercise, a multinational collective training event that brought together over 150 personnel from eight allied and partner nations, including Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia. The CYBEREX, which took place from Feb. 23 to March 7, aimed to improve defensive capabilities and promote interoperability in a realistic and challenging training environment, conduct intelligence fusion, and exercise the standing operating procedures of multinational forces.
The integration of cyber operations with conventional military operations is crucial in today's complex warfare environment, and events like Cobra Gold’s CYBEREX provide valuable training opportunities for service members to develop the skills necessary to effectively operate in a joint and multinational context.
CYBEREX participants prep for execution
Photo by CYBEREX participants prep for execution
U.S. Marines with 9th Communication Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, alongside service members with the Royal Thai Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and Republic of Korea Marines, participate in a cyber exercise during Exercise Cobra Gold 2025, March 4, 2025. The exercise focused on building and improving basic defensive cyber capabilities critical for enabling integrated deterrence against threat cyber operations. Cobra Gold is the largest joint and combined exercise in mainland Asia, held annually in Thailand, showcasing the U.S. commitment to the region by building interoperability, multilateral cooperative arrangements, and advancing common interests through our commitment to allies and partners in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I MEF executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF stand-in presence west of the international date line. (Courtesy Asset)
By incorporating cyber capabilities into staff, command and control, and command post exercises, military personnel can better plan and execute cyber operations, as noted by U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Charles Brodeur, a cyberspace warfare officer with 9th Comm’s Defensive Cyberspace Operations - Internal Defensive Measures Company.
"As the cyber and information domains become more integral to operational success, any opportunity to integrate cyber capabilities into exercises, regardless of their size and scope, should be pursued." said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Charles Brodeur
The participation of U.S. cyber personnel alongside their counterparts from allied and partner nations is essential for building partnerships and fostering cooperation in the cyber domain.
According to Brodeur, working with other nations provides a crucial opportunity to learn from cyber experts and further develop as cyberspace operators. Relationships established through CYBEREX events also facilitate ongoing information sharing, threat intelligence exchanges, and collaborative cyber defense strategies between participating nations.
"It is always a great experience for the Marines when working with other nations and the lessons learned pay dividends in developing our own organic capabilities," Brodeur said.
The value of multinational cyber exercises is not limited to U.S. forces, as allied and partner nations also benefit from the shared knowledge and expertise.
Ambassador Robert F. Godec, the Ambassador to Thailand, observes the CYBEREX
Photo by Capt Mark McDonough
Ambassador Robert F. Godec, the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, observes a presentation during the Cobra Cold 25 CYBEREX, March 4, 2025. U.S. Marines with 9th Communication Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, alongside service members with the Royal Thai Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and Republic of Korea Marines, participate in the training event. The exercise focused on building and improving basic defensive cyber capabilities critical for enabling integrated deterrence against threat cyber operations. Cobra Gold is the largest joint and combined exercise in mainland Asia, held annually in Thailand, showcasing the U.S. commitment to the region by building interoperability, multilateral cooperative arrangements, and advancing common interests through our commitment to allies and partners in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I MEF executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF stand-in presence west of the international date line. (Courtesy Asset)
“Multinational exercises allow for unique knowledge sharing and cross-leveling of domain-wide skills that can only be achieved through exercises such as Cobra Gold,” said Lt. Katherine Harrington of the Australian Defense Force, highlighting the value that allies and partners place on cyberspace operations training alongside U.S. personnel.
The Cobra Gold CYBEREX gave U.S. Marine Corps cyberspace operations personnel a unique opportunity to hone their technical expertise in a dynamic, realistic training environment, ultimately enhancing their defensive prowess and fostering effective collaboration with international partners.
As Brodeur noted, "The CYBEREX provides the chance to improve our defensive capabilities and promote interoperability."
The exercise's focus on building and improving basic and intermediate-level defensive cyber capabilities is critical for enabling integrated deterrence against threat cyber operations and the advancement of broader multilateral defense policy goals and objectives.
The efforts of the Marines and their counterparts demonstrated the importance of integrating cyber operations into multinational military exercises, providing valuable training opportunities for military personnel to develop the skills needed to operate effectively in a joint and multinational context. The success achieved during Cobra Gold highlights the need for continued cooperation and partnership among nations in the cyber domain and underscores the importance of sustaining such efforts to enhance collective defense capabilities.