TechNet Indo-Pacific 2026

Thomas (TJ) Johnson
Senior Principal Engineer for Combined and Joint Command and Control (C2)
Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA)


Thomas "TJ" Johnson is from Atlanta, Georgia and later attended Tennessee State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science in December of 1997. In March of 2010, Mr. Johnson joined the civil service at the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA) at Camp Pendleton, California, as the Combat Operations Center (COC) Lead Systems Engineer. In this capacity, he led a highly functional team of Marines, civilians, and contractors in delivering complex engineering, integration, and life cycle testing for tactical C2 systems. During this decade of service, he acted as the Commander's lead adviser for COC constructs, deployed globally to support operational forces, and pioneered the integration of critical C4ISR systems. In 2015, he was appointed as the USMC's representative to the Joint Staff J6's Coalition Interoperability Assurance and Validation (CIAV) delegation, advising the CIAV national lead on service-specific mission partner integration areas of interest. In 2017, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School where he earned a Master of Science degree in systems engineering. In 2020, Mr. Johnson was promoted to his current position as the Senior Principal Engineer (SPE) for Combined and Joint Command and Control (C2) at MCTSSA. Serving as the command's primary technical expert, he assumed responsibility for researching emerging technologies, advising senior leadership on system employment, and representing MCTSSA across service, joint, and combined technical forums. In 2023, he pioneered and developed the first-ever Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) at MCTSSA under MCTSSA Technology Transfer (T2) authorities. He continues to serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) for two active CRADAs, accelerating tactical C2 capability development through collaborative public-private partnerships. In October 2024, Mr. Johnson was honored with the Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely Jr. Trailblazer Award for his pioneering technical contributions to command and control integration. Throughout 2024, he spearheaded MCTSSA’s engineering support for the Marine Corps’ CJADC2 accelerator, Project Dynamis, leading critical network integration during the Joint Command and Control Alliance (JC2A) exercise. His efforts successfully demonstrated novel coalition data configurations, establishing vital test foundations for upcoming multinational assessments such as the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX) under EUCOM. In November 2025, he received the Michelle J. Howard Senior Leadership Award for his outstanding enterprise guidance. In 2026, Mr. Johnson serves as the Principal Investigator for "Aero Club," a $9.2M OSD-sponsored JADC2 Operational Energy prototype that integrates real-time platform energy intelligence with Palantir analytics, transitioning to the Operational Command Post baseline in FY29. Concurrently, he serves as the CD&I technical lead for Island Marauder—the USMC’s contribution to Bold Quest and Olympus Fires. In this capacity, he directs a cross-functional Navy-Marine Corps team executing 16 demonstrations across 11 Joint Staff mission threads, culminating in data-centric partner exchanges among the USMC, Joint Fires Network, and Five Eyes plus Japan.

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