Inside the Ring

New Cybercom

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ directive ordering the creation of a new military cybercommand is expected to trigger a debate over whether U.S. military war fighters or the intelligence community will dominate computer warfare in the future.

Warning of a “growing array of cyber threats and vulnerabilities,” Mr. Gates on Tuesday directed the U.S. Strategic Command to set up the military’s first command devoted to waging computer warfare and protecting military and defense networks from electronic attack.

“To address this risk effectively and to secure freedom of action in cyberspace, the Department of Defense requires a command that possesses the required technical capability and remains focused on the integration of cyberspace operations,” Mr. Gates said in a memorandum to top military and defense leaders.

“Further, this command must be capable of synchronizing warfighting effects across the global security environment, as well as providing support to civil authorities and international partners,” Mr. Gates said.

Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, the current U.S. Strategic Command leader, was charged with setting up the new command by October. Also, in connection with recent White House cybersecurity efforts, Michele A. Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, will lead a policy and strategy review “to develop a comprehensive approach to DoD cyberspace operations,” he said.

Cyberwarfare specialists said the process of setting up the cybercommand is likely to trigger a vigorous debate over whether the command will be a war-fighting command or an intelligence-gathering command.

Currently, the U.S. intelligence community and the National Security Agency in particular dominate U.S. military cyberactivities and receive most of the nearly $18 billion spent annually on cyberoperations.

If the command ends up being dominated by the NSA and the intelligence community, it could damage U.S. cyberwar-fighting capabilities, some analysts warned.

John Wheeler, a specialist on cyberwarfare and former special assistant to former Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne, said setting up the new command is likely to trigger a debate over how to operate in the new war-fighting domain, a debate similar to earlier military debates about air power and underwater warfare.

However, Mr. Wheeler said the key will be the new commander, Lt. Gen. Keith B. Alexander, director of NSA.

“As long as the president provides an empowered commander like Eisenhower, Marshall and MacArthur, then it will work,” Mr. Wheeler said. “The good news is Keith Alexander operates in both domains. He is a war fighter in his DNA.”

However, Mr. Wheeler stated that placing the new command next to NSA is a bad idea. “Intel persons are not war fighters,” he said. “Keith’s headquarters should be in Texas or California or Colorado or North Carolina, for example.”

Edward T. Timperlake, a former director of technology assessment in the office of the undersecretary of defense for technology, also said that cyberspace must remain “first and foremost” a war-fighting battle space, as well as a law enforcement domain.

“The intelligence community has an important role but should not be in command of all things cyber,” Mr. Timperlake said.

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