24th Air Force activated, 2 units realign in joint ceremony

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LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) --  Air Force officials here activated the newest numbered Air Force and realigned two units under its command in a joint ceremony here Aug. 18.

The 24th Air Force activation under Air Force Space Command is a major milestone in the combination of space and cyberspace operations within one command.

Gen. C. Robert "Bob" Kehler, the commander of Air Force Space Command, presided over the ceremony to activate the numbered Air Force.

Maj. Gen. Richard E. Webber is the first commander of the numbered Air Force dedicated to cyberspace. The 24th Air Force staff will provide combat-ready forces trained and equipped to conduct sustained cyber operations, fully integrated within air and space operations.

After the 24th Air Force was activated, General Webber, presided over two additional events, the redesignation of the Air Force Information Operations Center as the 688th Information Operations Wing and the realignment of the 67th Network Warfare Wing under the 24th Air Force.

The 688th IOW members will continue to perform the mission the AFIOC previously conducted as the Air Force's information operations center of excellence while also integrating engineering and installation expertise. The wing staff will synergistically create an information operations advantage for combatant forces through exploring, developing, applying and transitioning counter information technology, strategy, tactics and data to control the information battle space and providing the world's best information operations leaders. Additionally, the wing will deliver a survivable and resilient infrastructure through fix-based and rapidly deployable C4I system engineering and installation services.

The 67th NWW's mission is to operate, manage, and defend global Air Force networks. The wing staff also trains and readies Airmen to execute computer network exploitation and attack. Additionally, the 67th NWW members perform electronic systems security assessments for the Air Force and joint community. The 67th NWW is the implementation element for the Air Force Network Operations Command and provides network warfare capabilities to Air Force, joint task force, and combatant commanders.