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Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional)
Encyclopedia
Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional) (AFCYBER (P)) was a proposed United States Air Force
Major Command
that existed only in provisional status. On 6 October 2008, the Air Force announced that the command would not be brought into permanent activation, and that the cyber
mission would be transferred, with the standup of the Twenty-Fourth Air Force, to Air Force Space Command
.
on 2 November 2006. Originally designated to stand up around Summer 2007, but pushed back to late-2008, AFCYBER was planned to draw upon the personnel resources of the 67th Network Warfare Wing
as well as other resources of the Eighth Air Force
. It was planned to be placed under the command of Major General William T. Lord
. Former Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne
summarized the mission of AFCYBER:
On 14 August 2008, the Air Force made a statement about a pause in standing up the AFCYBER command, which was set for 1 October 2008.
On 8 October 2008, the Air Force followed up on its previous findings and decided to place AFCYBER as a Numbered Air Force within Air Force Space Command
. On Wednesday, 19 August 2009, the 24th Air Force was stood up, following an environmental impact analysis as required by law.
On 14 May 2009, the Air Force announced that Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, "has been selected as headquarters of the 24th Air Force, the Air Force's downgraded version of its provisional Cyber Command." However, it was also reported that "continued separate armed services cyber operations exist under a cloud of uncertainty...in light of recent reports that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is considering creation of a multi-service Cyber Command to be based at Fort Meade, Md."
Upon formal activation, AFCYBER hoped to trace its lineage to the Strategic Air Command
(SAC). Re-designation of SAC to AFCYBER would have resurrected a lineage that began in World War II and a heritage that embodies the Core Values of the Air Force: Integrity First, Service before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.
The "recycling" of the SAC emblem was a source of controversy, as many veterans expressed the opinion that the historic and storied SAC emblem should simply remain a piece of Air Force history, and that the new Cyber Command should create its own emblem rather than try to piggy-back on the work of the venerable Cold War command.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Major Command
Major Command
Major Command or Major Commands are large formations of the United States Armed Forces. Historically, a MAJCOM is the highest level of command.There are two types of Major Commands in the United States military:...
that existed only in provisional status. On 6 October 2008, the Air Force announced that the command would not be brought into permanent activation, and that the cyber
Cyber
Cyber may refer to:* Cyber-, a common prefix* Cybergoth* CDC Cyber, a range of mainframe computers* Cyber Acoustics, a brand of computer hardware* Cyber Missionary* Cybersex * Cyberitis * Cyber...
mission would be transferred, with the standup of the Twenty-Fourth Air Force, to Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
.
Overview
The development of AFCYBER was announced by the Secretary of the Air ForceUnited States Secretary of the Air Force
The Secretary of the Air Force is the Head of the Department of the Air Force, a component organization within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Secretary of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate...
on 2 November 2006. Originally designated to stand up around Summer 2007, but pushed back to late-2008, AFCYBER was planned to draw upon the personnel resources of the 67th Network Warfare Wing
67th Network Warfare Wing
The 67th Network Warfare Wing , Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was reactivated October 1, 1993 as the 67th Intelligence Wing. The wing was re-designated the 67th Information Operations Wing on February 1, 2001...
as well as other resources of the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
. It was planned to be placed under the command of Major General William T. Lord
William T. Lord
William is the Chief of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. General Lord leads five directorates and two field operating agencies consisting of more than 1,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel...
. Former Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne
Michael Wynne
Michael W. Wynne is an American business executive and was the 21st United States Secretary of the Air Force. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asked for and received his resignation Michael W. Wynne (born September 4, 1944) is an American business executive and was the 21st United States...
summarized the mission of AFCYBER:
The aim was to develop a major command that stands alongside Air Force Space Command and Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
as the provider of forces that the PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, combatant commanders and the American people can rely on for preserving the freedom of access and commerceCyber-security regulationIn the United States government, cyber-security regulation comprises directives from the Executive Branch and legislation from Congress that safeguards information technology and computer systems. The purpose of cyber-security regulation is to force companies and organizations to protect their...
, in air, space and now cyberspaceCyberspaceCyberspace is the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place.The term "cyberspace" was first used by the cyberpunk science fiction author William Gibson, though the concept was described somewhat earlier, for example in the Vernor Vinge short story "True...
.
On 14 August 2008, the Air Force made a statement about a pause in standing up the AFCYBER command, which was set for 1 October 2008.
The Air Force remains committed to providing full-spectrum cyber capabilities to include global command and control, electronic warfare and network defense. The Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air ForceChief of Staff of the United States Air ForceThe Chief of Staff of the Air Force is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Air Force, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the...
have considered delaying currently planned actions on Air Force Cyber Command to allow ample time for a comprehensive assessment of all AFCYBER requirements and to synchronize the AFCYBER mission with other key Air Force initiatives. The new Air Force leaders continue to make a fresh assessment of all our efforts to provide our Nation and the joint force the full spectrum of air, space, and cyberspace capabilities.
On 8 October 2008, the Air Force followed up on its previous findings and decided to place AFCYBER as a Numbered Air Force within Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
. On Wednesday, 19 August 2009, the 24th Air Force was stood up, following an environmental impact analysis as required by law.
Bases in contention for AFCYBER Headquarters
This is the final list of Air Force bases that were in competition to host the Cyber Command headquarters, listed alphabetically by state:- Peterson AFB, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- Scott AFB, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
- Barksdale AFB, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
- Offutt AFB, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
- Lackland AFB, Texas
- Langley AFB, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
On 14 May 2009, the Air Force announced that Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, "has been selected as headquarters of the 24th Air Force, the Air Force's downgraded version of its provisional Cyber Command." However, it was also reported that "continued separate armed services cyber operations exist under a cloud of uncertainty...in light of recent reports that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is considering creation of a multi-service Cyber Command to be based at Fort Meade, Md."
Wings
- 67th Network Warfare Wing67th Network Warfare WingThe 67th Network Warfare Wing , Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was reactivated October 1, 1993 as the 67th Intelligence Wing. The wing was re-designated the 67th Information Operations Wing on February 1, 2001...
- 688th Information Operations Wing688th Information Operations WingThe United States Air Force's 688th Information Operations Wing is an Information Operations unit located at Lackland AFB, Texas.It was a redesignation of the Air Force Information Operations Center on August 18, 2009 as planned by the initial Air Force Cyber Command plan in 2007-2008,The 688 IOW...
- 689th Cyberspace Wing
Lineage
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC). Re-designation of SAC to AFCYBER would have resurrected a lineage that began in World War II and a heritage that embodies the Core Values of the Air Force: Integrity First, Service before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.
The "recycling" of the SAC emblem was a source of controversy, as many veterans expressed the opinion that the historic and storied SAC emblem should simply remain a piece of Air Force history, and that the new Cyber Command should create its own emblem rather than try to piggy-back on the work of the venerable Cold War command.