New wing brings Air Force dominance to cyberspace

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shad Eidson
  • Air Force Print News
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  The Air Force consolidated the responsibilities of its network operations security centers under one wing here today, giving it the advantage over America's enemies and achieving tactical dominance on the newest battlefront -- cyberspace.

That took place when the 67th Information Operations Wing was redesignated the 67th Network Warfare Wing.

The change will better support the Air Force mission to "deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests -- to fly and fight in air, space and cyberspace," said Lt. Gen. Robert J. Elder Jr., 8th Air Force and Air Force Network Operations commander.

"The Air Force established the 67th Network Warfare Wing to have an organization solely focused on ensuring that our networks are able to operate in time of peace and war and to have the capability to deal with potential adversaries who may be trying to exploit our networks," the general said.

The wing falls under the newly created Air Force Network Operations Command, which stood up July 5 at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The change is part of a larger reorganization of Air Force network operations structure designed to better support the warfighter by placing all Air Force units charged with network operations under a single commander.

"We are treating our networks as a global force just as we treat the Air Forces as a global force," the general said. "We will treat the entire network as one large global grid."

The capabilities of Air Force network operations security centers, which were previously decentralized among the major commands -- as well as 8th Air Force, the Air Intelligence Agency, the Operational Standard Systems Group and the Air Force Communications Agency -- will consolidate under the wing.

The wing will oversee the change of the NOSCs at Langley AFB, Va., and Peterson AFB, Colo. These two centers will centralize the Air Force's remaining eight centers into the network command.

The general said the Air Force has maintained battlefield dominance and superiority through asymmetrical advantages and that "advantage comes from the communications capability that we have and our ability to have a decision cycle that is unsurpassed by any potential adversary."

"We want to make sure that nothing occurs that would prevent us from maintaining that tremendous advantage that we have over our potential adversaries," General Elder said.

67th NWW Commander Col. Kathryn Gauthier believes that cyberspace is a change facing the nation and it is changing fast.

"Our Air Force embraces change," the colonel said. "We will gain and maintain the high ground. Air Force networks will stay secure. Success will happen and the (67th) will deliver."