{"id":19854,"date":"2019-07-05T19:04:27","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T19:04:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2019\/07\/05\/what-the-pentagon-learned-from-cyber-lightning-2019\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:05:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:05:17","slug":"what-the-pentagon-learned-from-cyber-lightning-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/cyber\/2019\/07\/05\/what-the-pentagon-learned-from-cyber-lightning-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"What the Pentagon learned from Cyber Lightning 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Department of Defense\u2019s cyber leaders are using a spring exercise \u2014 where for the first time multiple teams helped commanders understand their cyber options on the battlefield \u2014 as a way to better work together in future conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese exercises taught us a great deal about ourselves and we\u2019ve come out stronger than we started,\u201d said<\/a> Maj. Gen. Robert Skinner, who leads 24th Air Force, which participated in the exercise. \u201cThe lessons we learned will help us continue to improve our readiness and lethality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cyber Lightning 2019 was the U.S. Cyber Command portion of European Command\u2019s Austere Challenge exercise, which featured 4,500 individuals from multiple NATO countries and personnel from U.S. Strategic and Transportation commands. The exercise took place March 13-26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exercise sought to test new cyber planning cells located within the combatant command staffs. These cells are known as cyber operations-integrated planning elements (CO-IPE). The new organizations were mandated for all the service cyber components in 2017 as satellite offices of the cyber entities that actually control cyber forces. They are expected to be fully operational by 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\t