New Cyber Arm Activated

New Cyber Arm Activated: Air Force Space Command on Tuesday activated 24th Air Force, the new numbered air force at Lackland AFB, Tex., that will oversee the Air Force’s cyber operations. Gen. Robert Kehler, AFSPC head, presided over the activation ceremony. The new organization, led by Maj. Gen. Richard Webber, will provide combat-ready forces trained and equipped to conduct sustained cyber operations, fully integrated within air and space operations. Also on Tuesday at Lackland, Webber presided over the redesignation of the Air Force Information Operations Center as the 688th Information Operations Wing and the realignment of the 67th Network Warfare Wing under 24th AF. Lackland was chosen in May as the preferred location of 24th AF headquarters. This decision became final earlier this month with completion of the environmental impact analysis required by law. (Lackland release)

8/19/2009

Verbatim

Essential on Two Fronts
"While the new command has all of the Air Force nuclear capable assets assigned to it, I also understand that this is not exclusively a nuclear command. … I'd like to understand in more detail how the operational control of bomber aircraft will be managed. … Keeping the bomber force flying and fully capable to serve in its demanding conventional role is essential. All of these aircraft are old, the B-52 being the oldest, and all need to be modernized and maintained well into the future."
Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services strategic forces panel, noting the importance of Air Force Global Strike Command's dual missions—providing bombers for nuclear and conventional taskings, at a panel hearing, March 17, 2010

Verbatim

Industrial Base Fallout
"I'm very concerned, as I mentioned here previously, about the dramatic change in course proposed at NASA and what it would do to our solid rocket [motor] industrial base, which would have, in my opinion, a major negative impact on a lot of your capability and the costs of keeping that capability up."
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services strategic forces panel, commenting on the news that cuts in NASA's budget would negatively affect the Air Force expendable launch vehicle program and the Navy's Trident ballistic missile force, March 17, 2010. (Nothing Happens in a Vacuum)