U.S. Air Force Introduces New Position for Cyber and Communications Leadership
The United States Air Force has announced a significant reorganization of its Air Staff, marking one of the most substantial changes in over three decades. The reorganization, which was unveiled at a ceremony on July 23 at the Pentagon, focuses on Command, Control, Communications, and Cyber (C4/Cyber) and aligns the service more closely with the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) effort.
The Air Force's reorganization underscores the importance of integrating command and control capabilities with advanced communications and cyber operations, which are crucial enablers of the JADC2 concept. JADC2 aims to connect sensors, shooters, and commanders across all services in near-real time, accelerating decision-making and weapon delivery across domains.
By restructuring the Air Staff around these key elements, the Air Force enhances its participation in this joint effort, improving warfighting agility and interoperability with other services. The move is part of a broader Pentagon strategy to modernize military command systems to address evolving threats in contested environments where cyber and information domains play crucial roles in operational success.
The Air Force is also planning to elevate Air Forces Cyber out of the 16th Air Force to become a separate component, a move that is still pending. Brig. Gen. Max E. Pearson has been nominated to jump a grade to lieutenant general to take this position.
In addition to these changes, the Air Force has split its A2 office (managing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) and A6 office (handling cyber warfare) into separate directorates. The A2 job has been redefined as the deputy chief of staff for intelligence, while the A6's role will now focus on ensuring communications and cyber capabilities are "available, secure, and aligned with warfighter priorities."
Maj. Gen. Michele C. Edmondson, the new deputy chief of staff for warfighter communications and cyber systems, will continue to ensure warfighters have reliable, secure communications in a complex and contested environment. The Air Force's new deputy chief of staff aims to build an enterprise that connects people, systems, and decisions at the speed required by today's operational demands.
This reorganization is a necessary step to treat communications and cyber as the operational enablers they are, according to Lt. Gen. Leah G. Lauderback, the most recent official to hold that combined title. The Air Force's emphasis on cyber within the Air Staff highlights the recognition that cyber operations are integral to command and control and that defending and exploiting cyber networks is essential in future conflicts.
In summary, the Air Force’s Air Staff reorganization around Command, Control, Communications, and Cyber strengthens its capability to contribute effectively to the Joint All-Domain Command and Control effort. This reorganization enables more rapid, resilient, and integrated decision-making and operations across domains—a crucial factor in future joint warfare concepts.
- The Space Force, a new component within the Pentagon's strategy, will likely play a significant role in the Air Force's reorganization, considering the focus on space as a crucial domain for near-real time decision making and weapon delivery.
- The Air Force's reorganization includes the split of the A2 and A6 offices, with the A2 office now focusing on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and the A6 office ensuring communication and cyber capabilities are secured and aligned with warfighter priorities, signifying a shift towards a more technology-driven approach to warfare.
- The elevation of Air Forces Cyber to a separate component, currently pending, indicates the growing importance of cyber operations in command and control, suggesting a potential shift in warfare tactics to more heavily rely on cyber networks in future conflicts.
