Air Force officials outline cyber capabilities in today's fight

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick
  • Air Force Public Affairs Agency
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  The director of cyberspace operations for the Air Force discussed the service's cyber capabilities and their importance in the joint fight during the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 18.

Maj. Gen. Earl D. Matthews explained the cyber mission's expansion and the focus shift from one of "net-centricity," or network defense, to one of information defense.

"Since the beginning of our Air Force, airpower has been in the DNA of all Airmen," he said. "Airmen began to culturally appreciate the integration and relevancy of air and space power together.

As adversaries develop tactics and tools to thwart the Air Force, Airmen must remain vigilant in stymying information exploitation and solicitation attempts.

"We have to find ways to defend behind the line and fight through the attacks, since our adversary has found ways to be over, under, around and through our defenses," Matthews said. "We still need to protect the network, but we must also protect the reason for the network: the data and information that ... flows through (it) and the value of that information."

Matthews cited examples of bolstering information defense such as better protection and security of personally identifiable information.

The Air Force, according to Matthews, must also partner with other services in the cyber domain, particularly in regard to the joint information enterprise and joint aerial layer network that each focus on situational awareness.

"We need to work with the joint community to clearly understand the joint warfighter cyberspace requirement, so we can posture our forces appropriately to contribute to those missions," he said. "With this in mind, we will partner with our joint brothers and sisters to create a stronger and more interoperable cyber team."

Still, Matthews said, the cyber domain wouldn't be possible without "growing and fostering premier cyberspace Airmen ... whose training gives them a well-rounded understanding and depth of knowledge regarding cyber networks and systems," that better enable the Air Force to support homeland defense issues.

Chief Master Sgt. Linus Jordan, command chief for Air Force Space Command, agrees, and related the value of exploring solutions to an ever-evolving mission.

"How do we prepare our Airmen -- officer, civilian and enlisted -- for the demands of operation in cyber space?" Jordan asked in relation to creating stronger, more secure and more resilient cross-domain effects.

"As the service continues to embrace innovation and face challenges in cyber, we will need to consider that all of us are cyber Airmen to some degree," Matthews said. "Every one of us works, plays, learns, teaches and operates cyber throughout every single work day."