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Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional)

Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional) was a proposed United States Air Force Major Command that existed only in provisional status in 2007-08. On October 6, 2008, the Air Force announced that the command would not be brought into permanent activation, and that that the cyber mission would be transferred with the Twenty-Fourth Air Force, to Air Force Space Command.

Overview

The development of Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional) (AFCYBER (P)) was announced by the Secretary of the Air Force on November 2, 2006.

Originally designated to stand up around Summer 2007, but pushed back to Late-2008, AFCYBER will draw upon the personnel resources of the 67th Network Warfare Wing as well as other resources of the Eighth Air Force. It will be placed under the command of Major General William T. Lord. Former Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne summarized the mission of the AFCYBER:

The aim is to develop a major command that stands alongside Air Force Space Command and Air Combat Command as the provider of forces that the President, combatant commanders and the American people can rely on for preserving the freedom of access and commerce, in air, space and now cyberspace.

On Aug. 14, the Air Force made a statement about a pause in standing up the AFCYBER command, which was set for Oct. 1.

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 Force 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.

Bases in contention for AFCYBER Headquarters

A decision on AFCYBER basing was due to be released on 29 February 2008, but has been delayed until October 2009. This is the list of Air Force bases in competition to host the new Cyber Command headquarters, listed alphabetically by state:

Maxwell AFB, Alabama
Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
Beale AFB, California
Peterson AFB, Colorado
Scott AFB, Illinois
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts
Michigan - several Air National Guard bases
Keesler AFB, Mississippi
McGuire AFB, New Jersey
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
Offutt AFB, Nebraska
Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
Pennsylvania - several Air National Guard bases
Lackland AFB, Texas
Hill AFB, Utah
Langley AFB, Virginia

In May 2008, the Air Force informed the governors of the several states who are candidates to house the new command asking for specific information regarding existing conditions and infrastructure. The survey of sorts addresses the following issues:

If similar cyber activities such as intelligence and space/satellite operations already operate at the installation.
The detail of the high-speed network capabilities and capacity for growth (i.e. fiber or cable, secure communications, joint or other Department of Defense networks available, support/maintenance level).
Proximity to existing high-technology processes or centers.
If local universities or businesses support an existing cyber-related workforce.
The level of security available for the mission (i.e., local threat assessment favorable or low? Is encroachment an issue? Would it adversely affect beddown of a headquarters operation?).
Is there adequate, existing facilities with both secure and un-secure contiguous office space to accommodate both the AFCYBER headquarters and numbered Air Force staff.
Is there practical and economical accessibility to multiple routes of travel, including air transport (i.e. close to an airport, train, does it have its own runway, major interstates).
Is the area subject to recurring natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, extensive flooding, fires, blizzards, ice storms, or earthquakes (as indicated by governmentally declared emergencies in the past 10 years) and does the local area have a reasonable disaster preparedness plan in place.

The 18 governors who received letters are from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.

Proposed Organization

Twenty-Fourth Air Force

Co-located with AFCYBER HQ

Wings

Groups

Info Ops

23d Information Operations Squadron - ?
33d Network Warfare Squadron - Lackland AFB, Texas
39th Information Operations Squadron - Hurlburt Field, Florida
91st Network Warfare Squadron - Lackland AFB, Texas
92d Information Operations Squadron -
262d Information Warfare Aggressor Squadron - McChord AFB, Washington
346th Test Squadron - Lackland AFB, Texas
453d Electronic Warfare Squadron - Lackland AFB, Texas

Electronic Attack

55th Electronic Combat Group - Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona

Electronic Protection

53d Electronic Warfare Group - Eglin AFB, Florida

16th Electronic Warfare Squadron
36th Electronic Warfare Squadron
68th Electronic Warfare Squadron
453d Electronic Warfare Squadron - Lackland AFB, TX

Lineage

Upon formal activation, the Air Force Cyberspace Command (AFCYBER) will trace its lineage to the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Re-designation of SAC to AFCYBER resurrects 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.

Emblem

The Continental Air Forces activated in 1944 was re-designated as Strategic Air Command in 1946. The emblem used at the time was a modification of the "Hap Arnold" wings with the command's name on a tab as depicted.

In 1950, SAC decided to create its own unique emblem and conducted a command-wide competition with a $100 US Saving Bond as an incentive. More than 60 entries were submitted by both military and civilian personnel. The winning design was submitted by Staff Sgt. Robert T. Barnes of the 92nd Bombardment Wing at Fairchild AFB, Wash.

The Air Force approved the new designed Jan. 4, 1952. The approval letter described the significance of the new SAC emblem:

-- The blue sky is representative of Air Force operations; -- the arm and armor is a symbol of strength, power and loyalty and represents the science and art of employing far reaching advantages in securing the objectives of war; -- the olive branch, a symbol of peace; and -- the lighting flashes, symbolic of speed and power, are qualities underlying the mission of the Strategic Air Command.

Strategic Air Command was a decisive contributor to strategic deterrence and to winning the Cold War. In the same way, a fully capable Air Force Cyberspace Command will hope to achieve Air Force dominance in the cyberspace warfighting domain and facilitating Air Force command and control across the other domains of warfighting - air, sea, land and space.

The SAC emblem adopted in 1952, reflected the agility, power, determination and strength of a global effects command. This emblem again will be worn with pride, this time by cyber-warriors demonstrating the same traits as their predecessors.

The "recycling" of the SAC emblem has been a source of controversy as many veterans have 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.