JBSA-Lackland –
The United States Air Force established 24th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas on 18 August 2009 as a subordinate cyber-centric Numbered Air Force (NAF) under Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Seven years, five change of commands and two building locations later, 24 AF continues to mature and grow creating and integrating cybersecurity throughout the Air Force and supported Combatant Commands, including lifecycle weapon-system development across all operational ca mission areas. These continuous 24-hour efforts mitigate state and non-state actors’ attempts to interfere with AF operations, reaching more than one million attempts a day against the Air Force Information Network (AFIN).
Current commander of 24 AF, Major General Christopher P. Weggeman, serves as Commander Air Forces Cyber (AFCYER), the Service Cyber Component to United States Cyber Command. Its mission: “American Airmen delivering full-spectrum, global cyberspace capabilities and effects for our Service, the Joint Force, and our Nation.”
The audacious Airmen and civilians of 24 AF and AFCYBER direct cyber units around the world 24/7 conducting cyberspace operations across six Lines of Effort: Building, Operating, Securing, and Defending the AFIN and mission critical cyber terrain; Extending cyber capabilities to the tactical edge of the modern battlefield and Engaging the adversary in support of combatant and air component commanders. The Command affectionately refers to these LOEs as, “BOSDEE,” Because Our Service Demands Expeditionary Excellence!
The commander’s third and final role is commander of the Joint Force Headquarters – Cyber, also AFCYBER, with its Operating Location at the National Security Agency-Texas in San Antonio, Texas. JFHQ-C provides ready cyber forces in support of U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. European Command, when directed to plan and execute full spectrum cyberspace operations.
During the most recent Change of Command ceremony in June, Maj Gen Weggeman, explained his cyber philosophy and intent moving forward. “Long gone are the days where only Communication Squadrons and Information Technician specialists do that ‘cyber-stuff,’ while the rest of us just continue our entitled existence and expectation of application-based, instant, mobile, and secured connections everywhere,” Weggeman stated.
In seven years, 24 AF reached many operational goals, integrated into national and international AF exercises, and trained a remarkable number of highly-skilled cyber operations Airmen.
Since its existence, 24 AF has participated in more than 90 national and international combat ready exercises including RED FLAG, Black Demon, Cyber Flag, Blue Flag, Global Lightning, Global Thunder, and the Turbo and Austere Challenges.
“Cyber events have merged in all levels of exercise play…strategic, operational and tactical,” said Col Daniel Pepper, Director of Operations, 24 AF. “Traditionally air dominated events like the most recent RED FLAG 16-3 (where non-rated officers commanded Air Expeditionary Wing forces and served as Combined Air Operations Center Director) are transforming as a result of Cyber immersion.”
The Air Force contribution to U.S. Cyber Command as a service component are 39 global offensive and defensive Cyber Mission Force teams. Currently, 25 teams are initial operation capable and five have achieved full operational capability.
“Cyberspace capabilities are the virtual oxygen driving today’s joint force employment,” said Weggeman. “The cyber-awakening is upon us, and it’s our job to ensure we continue to grow our commanders, educated and informed on mission assurance, cyber readiness, and integrated cyber effects. In our classic warfighting domains, commanders are ultimately held accountable for the readiness of assigned missions and forces…cyber must be no different…cyber readiness is everyone’s job, and our missions, actions and activities must be inculcated into our culture and operational DNA as a Service.”
Twenty-Fourth Air Force is accountable for two cyberspace wings and one combat communications group to organize, train, and equip cyber operators. These organizations provide the resources to complete Cyber Mission Force teams and systematically align them within the NAF’s “BOSDEE” Lines of Effort. The 688th and 67th Cyberspace Wings are located at JBSA-Lackland, Texas, while the 5th Combat Communications Group is located at Robins AFB, Ga. More than 50 subordinate units and 15,000 active duty, Guard, and Reserve Airmen serve and contribute to the mission of 24 AF throughout the world.