[Infowarrior] - USAF cyber unit reaches IOC

[Richard Forno]

Air Force cyber unit reaches operating capacity
By John Reed - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 25, 2010 18:34:50 EST

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2010/01/airforce_cyber_unit_012510w/
The Air Force announced Monday that its cyber fighting arm, the 24th  
Air Force, reached its initial operating capability less than one year  
after its stand-up at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

“This milestone designation means that 24 AF is capable of performing  
critical elements of its mission,” a service announcement said.

The 24th Air Force’s IOC is the culmination of years of sometimes  
controversial work by the service to establish an effective cyber  
fighting command. In 2007, the service announced that it was aiming to  
establish a full major command dedicated to cyberwarfare, even  
releasing television ads depicting the service as the country’s only  
line of defense from cyber attack. Many saw this move as a turf grab  
by the air service and its former leaders, Air Force Secretary Michael  
Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.

However, soon after Wynne and Moseley were fired by Defense Secretary  
Robert Gates in the summer of 2008, new Air Force Chief of Staff Gen.  
Norton Schwartz announced that the service was suspending its pursuit  
of establishing a cyber MAJCOM. That fall, Schwartz announced that the  
Air Force would instead establish a numbered air force reporting to  
Air Force Space Command that would focus on cyber warfare. In August  
2009, the service stood up 24th Air Force.

Service leaders say that the numbered air force will serve as the air  
service’s contribution to U.S. Cyber Command when that organization is  
stood up. For now, however, 24th Air Force reports to AFSPACE.

Although Air Force officials have long acknowledged that 24th Air  
Force’s mission will be to operate and defend Air Force computer  
networks, they remain cryptic about the unit’s offensive mission,  
saying only that it will “provide full spectrum capabilities for the  
joint war fighter.”