Lackland Air Force Base, Texas— The 688th Cyberspace Wing has established a new cyber defense operation location on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, expanding physical cyber defense presence in the INDOPACOM theater to meet current and future demands.
The 33d Cyberspace Operations Squadron (COS) stood up the new Operation Location (OL), partnering with the 690th COS "Cyber Koas" to provide premier, enterprise-level cyber defense support to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). “This is the right team needed to bridge gaps and provide support to local warfighters in PACAF,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Brownheim, Commander of the 33d Cyberspace Operations Squadron, 688th Cyberspace Wing. “This is yet another way we are positioning ourselves for success in the Great Power Competition.”
The new operation location will allow the Air Force Information Network Security Operations Center (AFIN-SOC) to provide key integration support between Department of the Air Force (DAF) enterprise services and PACAF units to meet cyber defense priorities. A core function of the new operation location is to extend enterprise Incident Response (IR) capabilities into the Pacific theater, shortening response times and positioning key resources closer to potential cyber threats.
“As INDOPACOM and PACAF continue to reoptimize in support of Great Power Competition, physically locating key elements within the theater highlights the preparation, cooperation, and investment needed to ensure access to our networks,” said Col. Eric Crowell, Deputy Director of Communications & Cyber Ops, Pacific Air Forces. “The 688th Cyberspace Wing’s posturing of the 690th and 33d Cyber Operations Squadron side-by-side locally exemplifies our commitment to defending critical capabilities across PACAF.”
In addition to the new operation location, the 33d COS operates at other locations across the globe, including in North Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Colorado, and Virgina, with even more locations on the horizon. These locations are strategically aligned with warfighter missions and are dedicated to ensuring information operations superiority for Air Force missions. These OLs safeguard critical information and prevent adversaries from accessing mission data that could be used maliciously.
The mission of the new OL co-located with 690th COS in Hawaii is to conduct enterprise-level security operations under peacetime conditions. During times of conflict, these OLs adapt, and shift focus of their operations to address the specific threats and regulations of their geographic areas of responsibility.
“We understand the stakes and are on a no-fail mission in keeping the Air Force Information Network [AFIN] resilient and ready for conflict,” said Col. Joshua Rockhill, Commander of the 688th Cyberspace Wing, 16th Air Force. “That means constantly investing in our capabilities to be an elite, wartime-ready cyber force for PACAF and warfighters around the world, and this new operation location helps us achieve that.”
The establishment of the new operation location in Hawaii is part of the Air Force's ongoing efforts to strengthen its cyber defense capabilities and protect critical information and mission data from malicious actors in the ongoing Great Power Competition.
Date Taken: | 11.05.2024 |
Date Posted: | 11.05.2024 12:56 |
Story ID: | 484677 |
Location: | HAWAII, US |
Web Views: | 25 |
Downloads: | 1 |
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