IWTC San Diego Supports Strategic Maritime Partnership

SAN DIEGO – Seven military officers from five different partner nations participated in the International Maritime Intelligence Course (IMIC) at Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) San Diego from Sept. 5 - 29, 2022.

IMIC supports Department of Defense and Department of the Navy objectives, particularly promoting our key strategic advantage of alliances and partnerships. 

According to the Chief of Naval Operations 2022 Navigation Plan, it is vital for the Navy to “strengthen our strategic partnerships, increasing interoperability, information sharing…working together, we strengthen our ability to prevail in conflict and further bolster integrated deterrence by demonstrating a united front against potential adversaries.”

Throughout the course, partner nation students learned from each other and a variety of U.S. Navy intelligence subject matter experts. The instructors covered a range of subjects including, U.S. Navy doctrine, operational intelligence, maritime threats, intelligence principles, and analytical concepts.

 “Instructing this course is always a neat experience because not only are the students from a wide range of backgrounds and countries, but they are afforded the opportunity to collaborate and it also allows us as instructors to view our material from a new perspective,” said Lt. McKenzie Barnett, one of the IMIC instructors.

Cmdr. Ak Tilak, from the Indian Navy stated, “Interact – Teach – Learn – Repeat… An amalgamation of ideas from around the world stitched together by American wisdom. Great learnings and an awesome experience.”

The three-week course convenes twice a year in San Diego, hosting intelligence officers from across the world. In addition to the curriculum, the students had the opportunity to visit tour areas in Southern California as part of the Field Studies Program. The group visited Los Angeles and numerous venues around San Diego including Cabrillo National Monument and got to see the Miramar Air Show.  

“[This] course was a very great experience for me,” shared a Deutsche Marine (German Navy) officer.  “It was great to leave our own national perspective and think outside the box.  It was amazing to see the differences as well as see similarities of different countries, bounded by the same subject.”

IWTC San Diego offers courses of instruction in information technology, cryptology, intelligence, and electronic warfare with an instructor and support staff of over 225 professionals training more than 4,500 students every year in San Diego, Hawaii, Pacific Northwest, and Yokosuka, Japan. 

With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, Center for Information Warfare Training trains over 26,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.