Air Force secretary announces provisional Cyber Command

9/19/2007 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The secretary of the Air Force announced the Air Force is officially standing up a provisional Cyberspace Command during his address at the Air Force 60th anniversary celebration Sept. 18 at the Pentagon.



Secretary Michael W. Wynne said the provisional command, called AFCYBER (P), will be located at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.



This is another step in the Air Force's move to develop an operational command for cyberspace. The size and location of the final major command has not been determined.



"While a number of basing locations for a permanent command staff are being considered and evaluated, no final decisions have been made," said Maj. Gen. Charles V. Ickes II, the special assistant to the deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements.



The Air Force will place a major general, yet to be named, in charge of the interim command.



"While Lt. Gen. (Robert J. "Bob") Elder (the 8th Air Force commander) and 8th Air Force will continue to focus on day-to-day operations, the commander of AFCYBER (P) will prepare the way for the eventual standup of a full major command that will be responsible for organizing, training and equipping forces to conduct sustained global operations in and through cyberspace, fully integrated with air and space operations," General Ickes said.



Personnel will be temporarily attached to the provisional major command until a permanent command is activated, he said. General Ickes stressed that although the headquarters will be at Barksdale AFB, no unit moves are planned at this point.



In December 2005, the Air Force mission statement was amended to include cyberspace as an operational domain along with air and space. In November 2006, the secretary announced 8th Air Force as the lead command for cyberspace.

