{"id":19108,"date":"2019-01-18T20:34:14","date_gmt":"2019-01-18T20:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/01\/18\/will-enterprise-it-as-a-service-create-a-more-digital-air-force\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:02:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:02:21","slug":"will-enterprise-it-as-a-service-create-a-more-digital-air-force","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/it-networks\/2019\/01\/18\/will-enterprise-it-as-a-service-create-a-more-digital-air-force\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Enterprise IT as a Service create a more digital Air Force?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The U.S. Air Force is considering having an IT company handle it\u2019s day-to-day enterprise computing tasks, such as base infrastructure and email service, as part of an internal reorganization and realignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the new structure, portions of the Air Force\u2019s main communications and IT arm, known as the A6, will align under the intelligence arm, or A2, creating a new A2\/A6, similar to the Navy position that\u2019s referred to as the N2\/N6. Specifically, cyber effects, which include offensive cyber, defensive cyber and tactical communications, will realign to the A2 office. The Air Force has selected Lt. Gen. VeraLinn \u201cDash\u201d Jamieson, the current director for Air Force intelligence, to lead that effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Involved in the reorganization is a pilot program called Enterprise IT as a Service, which looks at what efficiencies are gained by having commercial companies conduct the IT services as opposed to having airmen maintain the IT infrastructure. Microsoft and AT&T are currently involved in that effort with contracts worth a combined $121 million.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Force leaders have stressed that industry can perform day-to-day IT tasks more efficiently than the government and by assigning those jobs to contractors, the move frees up uniformed personnel to focus on cyber defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, on the cyber defense front, Air Combat Command has directed the creation of mission defense teams, which are specialized cyber teams whose primary mission is to defend local installations and critical mission tasks from cyberattacks. These teams are different from the defensive and offensive forces the Air Force provides to U.S. Cyber Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\t