Air Force’s Cyber Operations Arm Turns Two

Twenty-fourth Air Force (AFCYBER) at Lackland AFB, Tex., celebrated two years of operations recently. “The people of 24th Air Force have accomplished great things in the past two years,” said Maj. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot, 24th AF commander, during the Aug. 18 anniversary event, two years to the day of the numbered air force’s activation. A component of Air Force Space Command, 24th AF is USAF’s cyber operations arm and the Air Force element supporting US Cyber Command, the Pentagon’s lead cyber organization. Looking ahead, Vautrinot said 24th AF officials are working to build the organization’s capacity so that the Air Force can plug newly trained cyberspace operators “into the cyberspace units at the right place and right level.” The NAF also needs to mature its capabilities, scaling its “cool silver bullets—niche capabilities” to the enterprise level, she said. (Lackland report by Christine D. Millette)