The United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC-LANT) are critical components of the Department of Defense (DoD) tasked with enhancing security, operational readiness, and global mission success. The USMC, a premier branch of the U.S. military, is responsible for amphibious and expeditionary warfare and requires advanced infrastructure to support personnel across global installations. NIWC-LANT is vital in delivering cutting-edge information warfare solutions to enhance data integrity, cyber resilience, and technological superiority.

The USMC and NIWC-LANT were tasked with addressing a critical and complex challenge: replace aging barracks access control systems at MCAS Beaufort and develop a scalable, cloud-native model that could be expanded across all USMC barracks worldwide. The objective extended beyond a local upgrade and demanded a cloud-hosted wireless locking solution that fully integrated with the Common Access Card (CAC) system and adhered to the DoD’s stringent Risk Management Framework (RMF) cybersecurity standards. The solution also needed to minimize onsite hardware, support global deployment, and integrate natively with the Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) and other secure DoD systems. To further complicate the effort, the project required a phased implementation to avoid disrupting daily operations at an active installation. TIAG needed to ensure close collaboration with key stakeholders – including the MCAS Housing Office, Network Battalion, Security Control Assessor (SCA), and Authorizing Official (AO) to drive alignment, streamline approvals, and facilitate rapid deployment at the test site, with an eye toward future enterprise-wide adoption.

The solution’s heart is a fully cloud-native platform built on LenelS2 OnGuard, integrated with ASSA ABLOY Aperio IN100 wireless locks, and hosted within IL-4 AWS GovCloud. From the outset, the project’s intent was to establish a repeatable, mission-ready access control framework that could be deployed to every USMC barracks installation worldwide. To achieve this, TIAG deployed the system at Building 1122 at MCAS Beaufort, one of the most extensive Marine Corps barracks facilities. TIAG began with a fully validated prototype hosted in a hardened AWS IL-2 environment, successfully demonstrating critical system capabilities – including wireless lock performance, CAC authentication, and cloud-hosted management – during a live test at NIWC-LANT’s USMC Lab. Following prototype approval, TIAG launched the Pilot at Beaufort, conducting a detailed site survey to assess technical and environmental conditions, which informed a phased rollout strategy to avoid operational disruptions. The deployment involved the creation of three integrated environments: a local physical node for redundancy, a cloud-based test/development environment to validate configurations, and a production environment hosted in IL-4 AWS GovCloud, fully integrated with MCEN. Deployment progressed in two phases. TIAG installed and configured nine wireless-lock-enabled doors on the second floor of Building 1122, successfully performed System Operability Verification Tests (SOVT) using test CACs, and secured an Interim Authority to Test (IATT) for the system’s connection to Marine Corps networks. The system was then expanded to the remaining 140 doors across the facility, followed by rigorous functional, cybersecurity, and user acceptance testing (UAT) to validate full production readiness.

TIAG developed the U.S. Marine Corps’ first-ever cloud-hosted Electronic Security System (ESS) – not only modernizing access control at MCAS Beaufort, but also demonstrating a proven model capable of supporting barracks security modernization efforts across all USMC installations globally. Designed for maximum scalability, this system delivers centralized, enterprise-level management with seamless CAC and mobile credential integration, supporting over 60,000 locks across Marine Corps barracks globally. By eliminating the need for localized server infrastructure at each site, TIAG’s design drastically reduced hardware costs, streamlined maintenance, and strengthened overall security posture. 

The Department of Defense (DoD) protects national security through global defense operations, advanced technology, and military readiness. As the nation’s rapid-response force, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) conducts land, sea, and air operations to secure naval bases and support military objectives. The Cybersecurity and Information Technology Support Services (CITSS) contract strengthens Marine Corps operations by enhancing cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, and mission resilience. Leading the Navy’s information warfare efforts, the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic develops advanced technology solutions to secure military operations and empower warfighters. In partnership with NIWC Atlantic, TIAG supports CITSS with cutting-edge cybersecurity and IT solutions that drive the success of the Marine Corps mission.

The U.S. Marine Corps required enhancements to its Maritime Operational Reach Tool (MORT) to improve operational readiness and efficiency in maritime and littoral operations. MORT, a sophisticated logistics simulation tool, integrates components such as machine learning algorithms, logic systems, and preset variables to create comprehensive and dynamic simulations. These simulations assist in planning amphibious assaults by evaluating navigability, determining operation capacity and timing, and identifying optimal assault routes. Additionally, the tool serves as a training platform for service members, allowing them to experience various conditions in a controlled environment, enhancing their readiness and decision-making capabilities. NIWC was selected for its industry connections and expertise in providing warfighters with tactical advantages through enterprise IT services, including on-premise and cloud services, cyber sensor and alerting systems, 5G battlefield mobility, and continuous agile processes like DevSecOps. 

TIAG provided NIWC with an environment to consolidate MORT components such as machine learning algorithms, logic, and preset variables. This involved refactoring existing tools to boost operating power and efficiency, standardizing data ingestion processes, and creating a user interface for visualizing and reporting scenarios.

TIAG leveraged Python, the language native to the calculation engine, for an enhanced and modernized integration approach. The team developed initial API and data layers in Python, enabling rapid production of working architecture modules that seamlessly integrated with the existing codebase. This modular architecture facilitated the use of specialized software technologies and languages for future iterations. The team modernized data ingestion and output processes by transitioning from local file storage to a normalized SQL schema implemented via a PostgreSQL database. This shift replaced existing local file I/O with streaming data services, integrating the data ingestion process into web APIs and improving performance within the calculation engine by up to 80%. TIAG connected data from the new database schema into a modular persistence layer using an object-relational mapper, providing standard CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) methods for the API. They defined RESTful API endpoints to OpenAPI standards, ensuring shared server and client integration contracts, integrated documentation, and ad-hoc testing.

TIAG integrated into NIWC’s existing Agile team, contributing effectively from the first sprint. The team introduced best practices, including unit and integration testing and refactoring existing code to fit the new modular architecture. Additionally, they recommended improvements to current sprint processes to better align with Agile methodology. This included more robust and frequent sprint meetings (Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective, Sprint Planning, and Backlog Grooming) and encouraging cross-functional teams to prevent single points of failure.

Developing a user-friendly interface for visualizing and reporting scenarios enabled NIWC to make informed decisions based on comprehensive and easily interpretable data. This enhancement improved the overall user experience and increased the tool’s operational effectiveness.

The new system architecture resulted in an 80% increase in performance within the calculation engine, streamlining the data ingestion process and reducing processing times. TIAG successfully modernized and enhanced MORT, providing a robust, efficient, and reliable logistics simulation tool that meets the organization’s dynamic needs.