Director of Air Force Cyber Operations corrects erroneous blog article
November 21st, 2008
Comments off
An article, entitled "U.S. Air Force Generals Lose One," posted November 18 on StrategyPage.com asserted erroneous information about changes to the Air Force's Cyber Command. Brigadier General Mark O. Schissler, Director of Air Force Cyber Operations wrote a rebuttal correcting the record. Below is his counter piece.
On 19 November 2008, Strategy Page posted an article describing a change of course the USAF has recently made. I wish to address the main assertion in this piece. The unnamed author suggested the Air Force intended to “be in charge” of all cyber operations for the Department of Defense. This is not true.
The United States Air Force mission is to Fly, Fight, and Win in Air, Space and Cyberspace. Our nation’s Air Force has undergone many changes in the past year, but our commitment remains the same: to execute our mission in support of Combatant Commanders worldwide and always in concert with our service, wider DoD, US government departments and agency partners.
The Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff, in a desire to reinvigorate our nuclear enterprise, made the decision to stand-up the Air Force Global Strike Command to focus on nuclear operations that had waned in previous years. This development presented the opportunity to place cyber operations in Air Force Space Command. Cyber operations will find a strong advocate there and fit well with AFSPC component relationships with US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).
The Air Force has led many efforts to develop a variety of cyber capabilities, but the service is not trying to take charge of cyber security for the DoD. That responsibility falls to the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). DISA leads the day-to-day defense of the US Global Information Grid through Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations, a subordinate command of US Strategic Command. The Air Force provides forces to both USSTRATCOM and DISA to perform their missions. The article refers to an “Air Force Cyber Control System” which is just not true—there is no such system. Command and Control (C2) is an inherent military function, regardless of which domain the forces are operating in. Not surprisingly, the Air Force is developing C2 capabilities to adequately employ forces in cyberspace. The Air Force is a full and willing joint partner in the effort to build a C2 arrangement that leverages the best of what each service and agency offers to national cyber operations.
The United States Air Force can contribute greatly to the future of Cyber Operations. As we partner with government, industry, and allies, our one goal is to help provide the security the American people trust us to provide, whether the domain is Air, Space or Cyberspace.
Mark O. Schissler, Brig Gen, USAF
Director of Air Force Cyber Operations
Director of Air Force Cyber Operations
Posted by Paul F. Bove, Air Force Public Affairs.