Officials announce commander of 24th Air Force

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PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --  Air Force officials announced June 4 the commander of 24th Air Force, a new numbered Air Force focused on the cyber mission. 

Maj. Gen. Richard E. Webber will assume command of the NAF later this year.

Currently, General Webber is the assistant deputy chief for air, space and information operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. In this position, he is responsible to the secretary of the Air Force and the chief of staff for formulating policy supporting air, space, nuclear, counterproliferation, homeland security, weather and cyber operations. As the Air Force operations deputy to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Webber determines operational requirements, capabilities and training necessary to support national security objectives and military strategy.

General Webber is a command space and missile operator with qualifications in the Minuteman II, Minuteman III, Global Positioning Satellite and Counter Communications System weapon systems.

Last fall, the secretary of the Air Force decided to stand up a NAF dedicated to cyberspace. This new NAF will provide combat-ready forces trained and equipped to conduct sustained cyber operations, fully integrated with air and space operations.

A cyber NAF under Air Force Space Command enables cross-domain synergy, while aligning common technical expertise, to present Air Force cyber forces to the joint fight. Consolidating cyberspace combat forces within a cyber-focused NAF emphasizes their operational nature, establishes a nexus of existing Air Force combat experience in the domain, and allows flexibility for future growth.

Air Force officials announced May 15 that Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was the preferred alternative for the permanent location of 24th Air Force. However, the final basing decision will not be made until completion of the environmental process required under the National Environmental Policy Act.