Command Shapes Tomorrow's Cyberwarriors

Signal, Feb 2008 by Kenyon, Henry S

Enterprise to focus network combat capabilities, training and doctrine.

The U.S. Air Force is laying both physical and virtual groundwork for its newest warfighting organization, the Air Force Cyberspace Command. This unique group will have a physical headquarters, but it will be virtual in nature, with most of its personnel distributed across several bases.

With its initial operational capability slated for this October, the command will leverage the Air Force's capabilities in areas such as command and control, electronic warfare, network warfare and information assurance and will apply these functions to Cyberspace operations. Full operational capability is expected next year.

Planning the organization's infrastructure will include a framework covering both physical systems, such as computer networks, and human aspects, which will require new approaches to training and doctrine.

The person responsible for planning this infrastructure is Maj. Gen. William T. Lord, USAF, the Air Force Cyberspace Command's (AFCYBER's) provisional commander. His mission is to organize, train and equip the command; to create a budget; to determine basing criteria for the final headquarters location; and to meet the command's launch deadline. A two- or three-star general will then be selected to head the organization.

AFCYBER is part of the U.S. 8th Air Force under the command of Lt. Gen. Robert J. Elder Jr., USAF. Gen. Elder is responsible for overseeing AFCYBER's warfighting and operational functions (SIGNAL Magazine, August 2007, page 35) and managing the Air Force's networks as Air Force Network Operations commander. These operational and infrastructure activities eventually will merge when the command achieves its initial operational capability, Gen. Lord explains.

The key challenge for AFCYBER will be to create a mostly virtual organization with a limited brick and mortar footprint. Gen. Lord says that creation of this command presents an opportunity to establish a lean organization with components connected through Cyberspace. This arrangement will distribute the command's elements at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia; Scott Air Force Base, Dlinois; and Barksdale Ak Force Base, Louisiana. The general's support staff consists of 160 personnel distributed across these three bases.

Besides organizing personnel and determining the command's structure, Gen. Lord must establish a training program and a career development plan. He also will have to address additional advanced training requirements and determine the command's equipment infrastructure.

Developing basing criteria is important for the command because it may not be headquartered at Barksdale. The general notes that more than 24 congressional delegations have expressed interest in hosting AFCYBER's headquarters. Although the organization is distributed, its command and control nexus will house some 400 to 500 personnel. He expects the final basing decision to be set by the end of this month to permit the personnel assignment process to begin.

The Air Force has been involved in Cyberspace operations for many years, but only recently has it formally added Cyberspace to its mission statement Gen. Lord says that the service uses Cyberspace as a warfighting domain, to both secure and protect its assets and to conduct offensive operations. The Air Force defines the domain to include the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Technical areas for Cyberspace operations include electronic warfare and directed energy, electronic support and combat, computer network defense and network operations.

According to the general, Air Force planners believe that in the next major conflict, the first signs of an attack will be in Cyberspace. "We don't think it will be the traditional combat operations that we see today. The first indication is not going to be the bad guy's mechanized divisions landing at Coronado Beach," Gen. Lord says.

Because of the diverse nature of Cyberspace threats, the general explains, the Air Force must match its cyber policies closely with the U.S. Defense Department's and work in partnership with other government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Homeland security (DHS). "We need to be lashed quite tightly to them [the DHS], because there are statutory things that prevent us from doing things inside the United States," he shares.

Beyond forming partnerships with other Defense Department and government agencies, AFCYBER also must cultivate its most important resource-its people. But developing the training doctrine for the personnel who will fight these future conflicts is a challenge. Gen. Lord says that the command is examining the entire training regime for its cyber and electronic warfare personnel. It is working with the National security Agency, which certifies cyber warfare training. He envisions the career requirements in AFCYBER as combining many skills such as electronic warfare, intelligence and satellite communications. The command will be a nexus for training and certifying these career skills.