"Countdown to Air Force Cyber Command Stopped"

by Chelsea Dilley, CDI Research Assistant

Air Force Cyber Command (AFCYBER) was to become operational on Oct. 1, 2008, but the countdown to its launch on the AFCYBER website has stopped and all efforts related to this controversial command have been suspended, according to an internal Air Force e-mail obtained by Nextgov.  It is not certain who ordered the halt in development but some Air Force officials think it may have come from Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is pushing for the Navy to play a larger role in cybersecurity.[1] The Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz announced August 14, they are “considering delaying currently planned actions,” but that they are still “committed to providing full-spectrum cyber capabilities to include global command and control, electronic warfare and network defense.” The current delay in action is to allow “ample time for a comprehensive assessment of all AFCYBER requirements and to synchronize the AFCYBER mission with other key Air Force initiatives.”[2] Air Force officials have announced they are confident the command will continue after the command’s mission, capabilities and size have been evaluated by the Air Force’s new leadership.

The recent change of leadership, after the June resignation of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Secretary Michael W. Wynne, has given cause for re-evaluation of all of the Air Force’s responsibilities, especially this new, highly controversial command.  The August 2007 scandal surrounding the Air Force’s mishandling of its nuclear weapons,[3] followed by the discovery in March 2008 that 18 months earlier, nuclear missile fuses were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan,[4] hardly adds confidence in the proposed command. It is reassuring that the new leaders will be evaluating all new projects including AFCYBER to ensure they do not have the same lack of commitment to quality control, and that similar mistakes are not made.

It is also speculated that the recent suspension could be due in part to the command’s “hard sell” when attempting to publicize AFCYBER.[5] The media marketing of the command included many grandiose claims of the it’s capabilities, necessity and certain success.  The Air Force has designated itself the overall protector of the cyber domain, yet both the Army and the Navy have cyberspace capabilities comparable to the Air Force’s and are also adept in defending against cyber attacks.  Although the Air Force’s grab for power by naming themselves the defenders of cyberspace has not been publically disputed by the other services, it makes sense that the Joint Chiefs of Staff would want to review whether the Air Force should be in charge of protecting, or rather, “dominating” cyberspace. 

The decision has come at a bad time in light of the recent cyber attacks between Russia and Georgia.  Some, including Wynne, worry that this suspension is sending the message that “the United States is not interested in focusing on warfighting in the cyber domain.”[6] This is not the case:  the suspension is based on valid concerns and questions surrounding the purpose, mission and resources of the command. Although AFCYBER has been halted, there are many other programs within the Department of Homeland Security, the Army and Navy working to ensure the security of cyberspace.

All aspects of AFCYBER have been ordered to stop and are under review; however, the Air Force base in Barksdale, Louisiana and possibly others who were competing and being considered for the permanent headquarters for the major command are continuing to jostle for the lead in this competition.[7] The original list of locations in 18 states was to be narrowed significantly and a preferred location was to be announced this November.  The final decision regarding location of the AFCYBER headquarters was not to be announced until September 2009.[8]

The new Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz will be evaluating the new command along with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and should have a decision on AFCYBER later this month.[9] No matter what reasons brought about the halt, it is reassuring that expensive and elaborate programs such as AFCYBER are being reviewed.  This serious interest in evaluating command structure and necessity by the Air Force’s new leadership could help bring back a positive view of the Air Force.  If the necessary changes are made, the crucial questions surrounding AFCYBER are answered and the decision to continue the program is made, hopefully the result will be a legitimate and reasonable program that has the support of all those involved in cybersecurity.