Aliya Sternstein
nextgov.com
Cyber Command aims to deploy by September all 13 cyberwarrior teams capable of striking adversary networks to deflect assaults on U.S. private computers, Pentagon officials said this week.
Last week, Gen. Keith Alexander, head of the command, provided lawmakers with a vague timeline for fleshing out three cyber forces, each with distinct functions.
“The intent is to roughly stand up one-third of those, the first third, by the end of September of this year; the next third by September of the next year, 2014; and the final third by September of 2015,” he testified at a Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing.
Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Damien Pickart now tells Nextgov that “the general was referencing the 13 cyber national mission forces teams when he said the ‘first third’ will be established by September 2013.” National mission forces will thwart incoming digital threats to American “critical infrastructure” sectors through offensive cyberattacks.