{"id":28334,"date":"2018-11-19T20:07:28","date_gmt":"2018-11-19T20:07:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/19\/heres-what-combatant-commanders-want-from-cyber-teams\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:30:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:30:21","slug":"heres-what-combatant-commanders-want-from-cyber-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/home\/2018\/11\/19\/heres-what-combatant-commanders-want-from-cyber-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s what combatant commanders want from cyber teams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Combatant commanders are asking for more support in planning cyber operations, Department of Defense leaders say, a sign that cyber is becoming a key element in mission preparations and is no longer an afterthought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combatant commanders \u201cwant more capacity and capability. They want more planning expertise and really what they\u2019re looking for is how do [they] bring planning expertise that understands the cyber domain and the other domains together so that they can have a holistic operational plan for the area of responsibility that they\u2019re responsible for,\u201d Maj. Gen. Robert Skinner, commander of 24th Air Force\/Air Forces Cyber, told Fifth Domain in a November interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of the heads of the service cyber components also provides planning, targeting, intelligence and cyber capabilities to various combatant commands. This relationship provides a connective tissue between Cyber Command and the combatant commands. For example, Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber Air Force supports U.S. European Command, U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Strategic Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About a year ago, Pentagon leaders tasked the military service cyber commands with creating planning cells within the various combatant commands. These cells, known as cyber operations-integrated planning elements, will include small staffs to help better coordinate offensive and defensive cyber operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Department cyber leaders say this arrangement is necessary because combatant commands don\u2019t necessarily have cyber skill sets or planners at the staff level to help with campaign planning. They will only include planners, not operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\t