Cyber Spending Expected to Increase.

The Defense Department recently elevated U.S. Cyber Command to a full-fledged, unified combatant command, as threats in the digital domain continue to grow. However, the long-term budgetary implications of the move remain unclear, said a leading analyst.

President Donald Trump requested $647 million for Cybercom in fiscal year 2018, a 16 percent increase from the previous year. The extra money would help the command make the transition and beef up its mission force, officials have said. The buildup is slated to be completed by the end of 2018.

Trump administration officials touted Cybercom's elevation as a major milestone.

"This decision is a significant step in the department's continued efforts to build its cyber capabilities, enabling Cyber Command to provide real, meaningful capabilities... on par with the other geographic and functional combatant commands," Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security Kenneth Rapuano told reporters during a briefing at the Pentagon.

Going forward, the command will have a greater role in "advocating for and prioritizing cyber investments within the department," he said.

How much influence the command will actually wield over acquisitions in the long run is unclear at this point, said Todd Harrison, director of defense budget analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"Real authority in DoD is budget authority," he said. "Does Cybercom get more budget authority, more money that falls under the command not under the services?" he...