Twenty-Fourth Air Force

Twenty-Fourth Air Force – Air Forces Cyber
33d Network Warfare Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio
Active	18 August 2009 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Advanced Persistent Threat Unit
Role	Cyber Operations
Part of	U.S. Cyber Command Air Force Space Command
Garrison/HQ	Lackland Air Force Base, Texas^[1]
Nickname(s)	AFCYBER
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current commander	Maj Gen Christopher "Wedge" Weggeman
Insignia
Emblem of Twenty-Fourth Air Force

The Twenty-Fourth Air Force (24 AF) - Air Forces Cyber (AFCYBER)^[2] is a Numbered Air Force (NAF) with the United States Air Force (USAF). The USAF has consolidated its cyberspace combat and support forces into 24 AF.^[3] The Twenty-Fourth Air Force is the Air Force component of U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM). The current commander is Major General Christopher "Wedge" Weggeman, who assumed command June 2016.^[4]

Formation

The Twenty-Fourth Air Force (24 AF) was originally intended to be a part of the now-defunct Air Force Cyber Command (AFCYBER); however, 24 AF became a component of the Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) on 18 August 2009.

In August 2008, then-new Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz placed a stop order suspending implementation of Air Force Cyber Command (AFCYBER), halting personnel assignments and activation of units. On 6 October 2008, following its annual Corona conference, the Air Force announced that the activation of AFCYBER would not take place, and that a Numbered Air Force, the Twenty-Fourth (24 AF), would gain the cyber warfare mission as part of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC).^[5]

One key element under 24 AF is the Air Force's primary network warfare wing, the 67th Cyberspace Wing (67 CW), headquartered at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The new NAF also gained the following units:

The 688th Cyberspace Wing (688 CW) – Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
The 689th Combat Communications Wing (689 CCW) – Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
The 624th Operations Center (624 OC) (taking over duty and personnel of the 608th Air Force Network Operations Center (AFNOC)) – Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
Although administratively aligned directly under Air Force Space Command, the Air Force Network Integration Center (AFNIC), formerly the Air Force Communications Agency, works closely with 24 AF on its mission to build and sustain Air Force networks.

Over 14,000 Airmen make up the work force of 24 AF. Many of these are in place at other organizations, and Air Force units host cyber specialists from other organizations. Before the command was officially activated, the Air Force had announced six possible locations for the headquarters of 24 AF. The candidate locations were: Barksdale AFB, LA, Lackland AFB, TX, Langley AFB, VA, Offutt AFB, NE, Peterson AFB, CO and Scott AFB, IL.

On 15 May 2009, Air Force officials announced that Lackland is the preferred alternative, and the decision was confirmed on 12 August 2009.^[6] The organization officially stood-up on 18 August 2009.^[7]^[8] On 22 January 2010, 24 AF was certified by AFSPC/CC for its Initial Operational Capability (IOC).^[9] Full Operational Capability (FOC) was declared on 1 October 2010.^[10]

History

In 2014, the 24th provided the "Cyber Mission Force" for the Red Flag exercise for the first time.^[11] During U.S. Strategic Command's Global Lightning 14, the 24th operated as a Joint Force Headquarters - Cyber in support of a combatant commander during a large joint exercise for the first time.^[12]

Units

624th Operations Center, Lackland AFB
67th Cyberspace Wing, Lackland AFB
- 26th Cyberspace Operations Group, Lackland AFB
  - 26th Network Operations Squadron, Maxwell AFB
  - 26th Operations Support Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 33d Network Warfare Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 68th Network Warfare Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 352d Network Warfare Squadron, JBPHH
  - 426th Network Warfare Squadron, Ramstein AB
- 67th Network Warfare Group, Lackland AFB
  - 67th Operations Support Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 91st Network Warfare Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 315th Network Warfare Squadron, Ft. Meade
- 690th Cyberspace Operations Group, Lackland AFB
  - 83d Network Operations Squadron, Langley AFB
  - 561st Network Operations Squadron, Peterson AFB
  - 690th Intelligence Support Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 690th Network Support Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 690th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, JBPHH
  - 691st Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Ramstein AB
688th Cyberspace Wing, Lackland AFB
- 38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group, Tinker AFB
  - 38th Contracting Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 38th Cyberspace Readiness Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 38th Engineering Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 38th Operations Support Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 85th Engineering Installation Squadron, Keesler AFB
- 318th Cyberspace Operations Group, Lackland AFB
  - 39th Information Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field
  - 90th Information Operations Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 92d Information Operations Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 318th Operations Support Squadron, Lackland AFB
  - 346th Test Squadron, Lackland AFB
689th Combat Communications Wing, Robins AFB
- 3d Combat Communications Group, Tinker AFB
  - 3d Combat Communications Support Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 31st Combat Communications Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 32d Combat Communications Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 33d Combat Communications Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 34th Combat Communications Squadron, Tinker AFB
  - 35th Combat Communications Squadron (AFRC), Tinker AFB
- 5th Combat Communications Group, Robins AFB
  - 5th Combat Communications Support Squadron, Robins AFB
  - 51st Combat Communications Squadron, Robins AFB
  - 52d Combat Communications Squadron, Robins AFB
  - 53d Combat Communications Squadron, Robins AFB
  - 54th Combat Communications Squadron, Robins AFB
  - 55th Combat Communications Squadron (AFRC), Robins AFB

Commanders

Maj Gen Richard E. Webber, August 2009 - 29 April 2011, first commander^[2]^[13]
Maj Gen Suzanne M. Vautrinot, 29 April 2011 - June 2013^[2]^[14]
Maj Gen J. Kevin McLaughlin, June 2013 - July 2014^[15]
Maj Gen Burke E. "Ed" Wilson, July 2014 – July 2016^[16]
Maj Gen Christopher "Wedge" Weggeman, July 2016 – Present

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

Lord, William T., Major General, USAF (Fall 2008), USAF Cyberspace Command To Fly and Fight in Cyberspace, Strategic Studies Quarterly, United States Air Force, p. 15

↑ "Lackland chosen as cyber numbered Air Force headquarters". Af.mil. Archived from the original on 17 Jul 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
1 2 3 Tech. Sgt. Scott McNabb. "24th AF becomes AFCYBER". Af.mil. Archived from the original on 20 Jul 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
↑ Frequently Asked Questions
↑
↑ "Air Force senior leaders take up key decisions". Archived from the original on 2012-07-19.
↑ "Lackland chosen as cyber numbered Air Force headquarters". Afspc.af.mil. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
↑ San Antonio Express-News, "New Cyber Command Activated At Lackland AFB", 18 August 2009.
↑ Gen. C. Robert Kehler (19 August 2009). "Twenty-Fourth Air Force Activation". 24af.af.mil. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
↑ 24 AF link "Air Force Cyber Numbered Air Force achieves initital operational capability, 26 Jan 2010"
↑ "24th AF reaches full capability". Airforcetimes.com. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
↑ Eshel, Tamir (15 March 2014). "Cyber Operations Become Part of the Red-Flag Game Plan". defense-update.com. Defense Update. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
↑ Hein, Meredith (18 June 2014). "Global Lightning electrifies the joint fight". www.afspc.af.mil. USAF. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
↑ USAF Bio for Richard E. Webber
↑ USAF Bio for Suzanne M. "Zan" Vautrinot
↑ USAF Bio for James K. "Kevin" McLaughlin
↑

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