The Devil will absolutely be in the details, but having a Major Command dedicated to cyber/ISR/Info Warfare is a long needed step by the USAF in my opinion. The USAF isn't giving details, so it isn't clear if the new MAJCOM will have just cyber and Air Combat Command will retain ISR and info warfare or if it will encorporate all three. Location for the new HQ will be a massive fight also. 16th AF is in San Antonio, but should the MAJCOM move there? The Army have always had their key cyber organizations based in the National Capital Region. Should the Air Force do the same? Thoughts anyone? #usairforce
My thought: As the ISR mission has become more about the data than about the particular (shrinking) fleet of USAF-owned sensors or platforms, it is a more natural fit amongst the Information Warfare family. But if the new Command is indeed “Cyber” and not IW, I would worry that ISR, EW, Weather, and IO would struggle for adequate positioning in capability strategy and resourcing in the budget like they have for decades. Depending on how this shakes out, I would only hope that ACC (where BM/C2, ABMS, AOC will likely still reside) and either AF Cyber Command or AF IW Command remain tight “drinking buddies” who can finish each other’s sentences or we are in for a decade of drift in warfare concept development and capability planning & integration.
With a foot in both worlds (retired AF, now Army Cyber Command civilian), I will say that San Antonio makes the most sense IMHO. Primarily as the preponderance of AFCYBER infrastructure and Teams are currently there. Additionally, ARCYBER and its 3-Star HQ has not been in the NCR for a few years now, and the geographic separation is not a show stopper.
With the intelligence/cyberwarfare community being so centralized in certain regions, it would behoove the USAF to consider staying in said central Intel areas.
Air Force Security Service, Electronic Security Command the evolution goes on. I recall that Gen Deptula didn't want to get into the business of owning bases and being a landlord when they stood up AFISRA.
Ed Marek
1y
This is very interesting. Way back when Electronic Securty Command worked hard to combine SIGINT and Info Warfare. I assume this MAJCOM will also include imagery?
Bernard Cruz
1y
We were advocating a Cyber Force….just like we advocated for Space Force. Hoping leadership will align to make Cyber Force happen in a few years….that was definitely something Gen Alexander facilitated and military leadership and politics were not ready.
Dear B.
1y
Dispersal will always be important. Don't want all your eggs in one basket.
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Jimmie Meek
1y
No, pur it in kansas
Vice President of Program Development at CALVERT SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, INCORPORATED
1yI don’t usually come up on the net, but I think it is important the Air Force doesn’t lose sight of a consolidated approach to IW which includes Cyber, ISR, EMSO. Perhaps, the collocating the new organization with largest IW Wing in the Air Force might be appropriate. The 55th WG owns the iron and Offutt AFB is building a new Ops Campus as result of the devasting flooding a few years ago. Collocation with STRATCOM and its evolving JEMSO mission would be an added benefit. With the apparent reconsideration of overall Wing structures and the advent of an ICC and Forces Command, the difficult question of separating the weapon systems from the mission components needs to be thought through. We have lived this before and I don’t know that there has ever been an optimum solution. Cyber Command or a IW Command needs to be carefully thought out. It is not just about Cyber. It is critical that ISR and EMSO is address in a new command structure to leverage the full value of IW for Competition, Crisis, and Conflict.