Twenty-Fourth Air Force

Twenty-Fourth Air Force / Air Forces Cyber (AFCYBER)[4] was a Numbered Air Force within the United States Air Force. The Air Force consolidated its cyberspace combat and support forces into 24 AF.[5] 24 AF was the Air Force component of U.S. Cyber Command.

Twenty-Fourth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber)
Shield of the Twenty-Fourth Air Force
Active7 December 2010 - 11 October 2019 (as Twenty-Fourth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber))
11 August 2009 - 7 December 2010 (as Twenty-Fourth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic))
(10 years, 1 month)[1]
Country United States of America
Branch United States Air Force
TypeNumbered Air Force
RoleProvide combat-ready air force cyber forces for U.S. Cyber Command[2]
Part of Air Combat Command
U.S. Cyber Command
HeadquartersJoint Base San Antonio, Texas, U.S.[3]
Decorations
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

On 11 October 2019, the 24th AF was merged with the 25th AF to form a reactivated 16th Air Force.

Formation

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

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

One key element under 24 AF is the Air Force's primary network warfare wing, the 67th Cyberspace Wing, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The new NAF also gained:

Over 14,000 Airmen make up 24 AF. Many of these are in place at other organizations. Air Force units also host cyber specialists from other organizations. Before the 24 AF was activated, the Air Force had announced six possible locations for its headquarters: 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 Lackland as the preferred alternative, and the decision was confirmed on 12 August 2009.[7] The organization officially stood-up on 18 August 2009.[8][9] On 22 January 2010, 24AF was certified by AFSPC/CC for its Initial Operational Capability.[10] Full Operational Capability was declared on 1 October 2010.[11]

History

In 2014, 24 AF provided the Cyber Mission Force for the Exercise Red Flag for the first time.[12] During U.S. Strategic Command's Exercise Global Lightning 14, 24AF operated as a Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber in support of a combatant commander during a large joint exercise for the first time.[13] Twenty-Fourth Air Force was reassigned to Air Combat Command on 17 July 2018.[14]

Units

List of commanders
No. Commander Term
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1
Major General
Richard E. Webber[16]		11 August 200929 April 20111 year, 261 days
2
Major General
Suzanne M. Vautrinot[18]		29 April 201131 June 20132 years, 62 days
3
Major General
James K. McLaughlin[19]		31 June 201331 July 20141 year
4
Major General
Burke E. Wilson[20]		31 July 201417 June 20161 year, 322 days
5
Major General
Christopher P. Weggeman		17 June 201617 July 20182 years
6
Major General
Robert J. Skinner		17 July 201811 October 20191 year, 86 days

See also

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. 15CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  1. "Twenty-Fourth Air Force (AFSPC)". af.mil. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  2. "Air Forces Cyber > Home" (PDF). www.24af.af.mil. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  3. "Lackland chosen as cyber numbered Air Force headquarters". Af.mil. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  4. Tech. Sgt. Scott McNabb. "24th AF becomes AFCYBER". Af.mil. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  5. "Frequently Asked Questions". af.mil. Archived from the original on 29 December 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  6. "Air Force senior leaders take up key decisions". Archived from the original on 19 July 2012.
  7. "Lackland chosen as cyber numbered Air Force headquarters". Afspc.af.mil. 8 December 2009. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  8. San Antonio Express-News, "New Cyber Command Activated at Lackland AFB", 18 August 2009.
  9. Gen. C. Robert Kehler (19 August 2009). "Twenty-Fourth Air Force Activation". 24af.af.mil. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  10. 24 AF link "Air Force Cyber Numbered Air Force achieves initial operational capability, 26 Jan 2010 Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine"
  11. "24th AF reaches full capability". Airforcetimes.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  12. Eshel, Tamir (15 March 2014). "Cyber Operations Become Part of the Red-Flag Game Plan". defense-update.com. Defense Update. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  13. Hein, Meredith (18 June 2014). "Global Lightning electrifies the joint fight". www.afspc.af.mil. USAF. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  14. "24th Air Force joins Air Combat Command, welcomes new commander".
  15. "MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD E. WEBBER > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  16. "MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD E. WEBBER > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  17. "MAJOR GENERAL SUZANNE M. "ZAN" VAUTRINOT > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  18. "MAJOR GENERAL SUZANNE M. "ZAN" VAUTRINOT > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  19. "LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAMES K. "KEVIN" MCLAUGHLIN > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  20. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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