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Air Force Cyber Mission Grows-adds Network Warfare and Ops Squadrons

  • Published
  • By William J. Allen
  • 67th Network Warfare Wing
Kelly Field Annex, Lackland AFB, Texas --  The 67th Network Warfare Wing activated the 91st Network Warfare Squadron at Kelly Field Annex, Lackland AFB, Texas, on 26 July 2007 bringing additional network warfare capability to the Air Force and combatant commanders engaged in the Global War on Terror. The 67th is the only Network Warfare Wing in the Air Force and is charged with organizing, training, equipping, and delivering forces and capabilities to conduct network warfare and operations for air, space, and cyberspace missions. The Cyberspace domain is characterized by the use of electronics and the electromagnetic spectrum to store, modify and exchange data via networked systems and associated physical infrastructures. The 67th provides full spectrum network operations from the offensive capabilities of assessment, exploitation and attack to operating and defending Air Force networks. The mission executed by the wing reflects the importance that Air Force leaders attach to cyberspace as a battlefield and terrorist sanctuary -- as well as a communications and intelligence-sharing venue. 

The cyber products and services provided to Coalition, Joint, and Air Force warfighters and national decision makers are used to help leaders determine the type of kinetic or non-kinetic effects that would be best employed against an adversary. This mission is accomplished by more than 3,000 network warfare, operations, and support professionals who provide global presence throughout the cyber domain. 

During ceremonies here, the 33rd Information Operations Squadron was redesignated to that of a Network Warfare Squadron and reassigned to the 26th Network Operations Group to conduct Network Defense operations for Air Force networks. The Group provides command and control of the Air Force network operations and management, and defense of the Air Force Network. The 33rd Squadron safeguards Air Force networks by preventing, detecting, and responding to network intrusions. The forensic analysis team provides up-to-date countermeasures against ever-changing hacker threats. 

Both the 83rd and 561st Communications Squadrons that operate the Air Force network were redesignated as Network Operations Squadrons to more clearly define their actual missions in the Cyber domain. These squadrons are responsible for intrusion/detection, active directory management, mail relay, firewall management, web proxy services, gateway management and other operations within the Air Force networks. 

The 91st takes its place within the 67th Network Warfare Group along side of the newly redesignated 315th Network Warfare Squadron. These two squadrons are home to some uniquely-trained Airmen that deliver myriad of cyber capabilities to Combatant Commanders. Together, the squadrons provide the Air Force with enhanced capabilities and expert crews on the leading edge of network warfare operations.