GovCIO’s Post

The authors are spot-on: "The cyberspace expertise resident within each service is tailored to the unique mission and domain-specific requirements for the cyberspace elements supporting the warfighting platforms in the physical domains (land, air, maritime and space.)" Creating separate services creates bureaucratic barriers that induce friction into a situation where it is already rife. We should be simplifying the means of support for commanders rather than making them coordinate with other agencies who have their own interests and institutional cultures.

Farewell to China’s Strategic Support Force. Let’s meet its replacements April 28, 2024, Defense One   https://lnkd.in/eHYcUYC5   On April 19, the PLA announced that three co-equal forces—the Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, and Information Support Force—would be established to replace the SFF, itself created as part of the broad 2015 reorganization that also birthed the PLA Rocket Force.   And for all that is changing, there is much that is not. According to an op-ed released in PLA Daily after the establishment of the ISF, while the structure may be new, the PLA’s underlying theories of victory remain the same: “Victory is achieved through information. Modern war is a confrontation between system and system, a contest between system and system. Whoever holds information superiority will hold the initiative in war.” This new reform seeks to drive the PLA further towards that enduring goal.  

The Air Force has been discussing how to transform their Aerial ISR/PED community. One change is with DCGS to a problem-centric DCGS Next Gen with Analysis Exploitation Teams (AET). The Airforce saw that Airmen were focused on specific platforms with a linear processing. In an effort to rapidly make sense, these AETs were envisioned to consume data/intel from multiple sources. Some of this has led to restructure to incorporate this sensor-agnostic approach (example: Formation of 16th Air Force which combined Cyber and Intel). In the Army, we have been discussing how PED really serves three Warfighting functions (Intel, Fires, Mission Command) and the need for PED to have different offramps at different speeds to ensure collection has value for Decision Making, Targeting Effects, and a common intelligence picture. I'd love to see what the Navy is doing in this space. I'd love to see a similar Triad that SOF/CYBER/SMDC established with INTEL/FIRES/MISSION COMMAND. https://lnkd.in/eVaMcj_k

The United States and its allies have long relied on five operational domains for wartime, but Russia's war in Ukraine has shown that a sixth domain deserves attention: the "sphere of activities" of the private sector. Developing an effective wartime strategy for the private sector is critical for the effectiveness of US and allied militaries. I had the privilege of exploring this topic with the Atlantic Council and a group of esteemed panelists, including Franklin D. Kramer, Emma Schroeder, Leonor Tomero, and Marjorie Censer from Defense News. As we look to the future of military defense, it's clear that the private sector has an essential role to play. #military #AI #defense https://lnkd.in/eu2Pq_zg

In modern-day combat, the segregation of military strengths clears the way for a more unified approach, resulting in more effectiveness in the battlefield.   The key to uniting ground, air, and naval forces lies in robust and dependable communication networks. To answer this need, Elbit Systems' C4I & Cyber Division developed the E-Lynx™ series, which features a fusion of Radio Frequency (RF) communication into one software-defined, multi-band, IP-based range of products.   The E-Lynx devices offer a secure tactical network solution while sharing a common architecture, enhancing radio communication effectiveness across various landscapes with crucial, uninterrupted connectivity.   Read more: https://bit.ly/48M0lNr

What an amazing and great opportunity these 3 days have been at the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA), Warfare Symposium. This has definitely been a professional development event and surprised at the hand full (low number) participation from the sister services. This event one of the two major AFA symposium a year is a must attend if you are in the community of interested (IO, Space, Cyber, EW, PO, etc.). The discussions, panels, and academia & industry displays were first class. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our Allies and Partners that were in attendance and there participation as panel members in critical discussions such as the great power competition, deterrence, and PLAAF threats in the INDOPACOM theater of operation. The DAF, USAF, and USSF two service one department leadership are phenomenal and one of a kind. There developments and push for change NOW and not tomorrow; accelerating the speed and delivery of Joint enabling forces and capabilities based on the threat of today and flexibility to rapidly adjust for the threat of tomorrow is definitely going to enable their mission, the Coalition, and Joint Force. Big changes coming now! Just to mention a few: - 3 star lead and oversight on Information Dominance; Joint All/Multi-Domain C2 - Information Dominance System Command - Integrated Capabilities Officer - Office of Competitive Activities - The revitalization of command, control, and communication (C3); this was once our foundation concept first introduced in the late 70’s with Army TRADOC first dedicated doctrinal publication, published in 1981. All this to tackle the persistent issues that have been prevalent across all services for the past 40+ years. Both service chiefs emphasis on Narrative and Relevant Actors is extremely reassuring as a “true” career information and effect’s practitioner. Lastly, thank you AFA for putting on such an amazing and remarkable event. A few THEMES. - The time is now and the treat is here now. - Threat, Threat, Threat! - Embrace Risk. - Communication. - Collaboration. - System integration vs. Platform integration. - Integrated Deterrence. - I’d critical capabilities and vulnerabilities. - Narrative and relevant actors. For more, check out https://lnkd.in/eSkx7ryi #AFA

The AFA’s annual Air, Space & Cyber Conference hosted 18K+ attendees, including service members from all 11 major military commands and industry professionals. (Great turnout!)   One of our favorite quotes from the event was from Lt. Gen. Leah Lauderback:   “When we say ready, it’s ready for competition, crisis, and conflict. This is an era of great powers competing with one another, and if our deterrence fails, then we’re in crisis and conflict. We have to be thinking from a warfighting aspect, whether that’s warfighter communications or if that’s cyber operations, that we’ve got to be ready.”   We couldn’t agree more. ICYMI, read our event recap here: https://lnkd.in/eYi_cyZ2   #AFANational #AirForce #SpaceForce #GovCon

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James C. Slife said the service was has a “decisive advantage” in training, operations, maintenance, and logistics offered by the data produced by digital flight systems, as reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine. Defense fleets generate massive volumes of data that can improve the readiness, survivability, and lethality of weapon systems. This data must first be unlocked to allow operators and leaders to make operational, maintenance, and cybersecurity decisions quickly and confidently: shift5.io/defense/ Full story here: https://lnkd.in/eRtPZbmY

𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀   That was the theme of last week’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, hosted by the Air & Space Forces Association. As always, it was a can’t-miss event! If you did miss it, though, here are some of our key takeaways: • 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁: The provisional Integrated Capabilities Command will lead efforts to prioritize modernization in key investment areas while working to establish the new Air Force Institutional Command next year. • 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗬𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲: The Space Force – the newest and least-funded military service – must make critical investments to effectively protect and defend against adversaries. • 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Lt. Gen. Leah Lauderback, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Cyber Effects Operations, stressed the role of cyber readiness – for warfighter communications and cyber ops – to reoptimize for the Great Power Competition.   Read our full event recap in Boscobel Marketing Communications’ FedBizBeat blog: https://lnkd.in/eqKvmVxp   #AFANational #AirForce #SpaceForce #GovCon