Air Force Space Command’s 24th Air Force, USAF’s cyber operations arm at Lackland AFB, Tex., on Dec. 7 changed from “Air Forces Strategic” to “Air Forces Cyber.” Officials said the change would reflect better the numbered air force’s mission and its role as the Air Force element supporting the newly established US Cyber Command at Fort, Meade, Md. (CYBERCOM is the lead organization for protecting the Defense Department’s networks.) When AFSPC stood up 24th AF, CYBERCOM, a subunified command under US Strategic Command, did not exist. Col. Mark Ware, 24th AF’s director of cyberspace plans and operations, said the name change “will not impact the 24th Air Force’s mission.” According to Ware, Wednesday’s move came five years to the day that the Air Force added “cyberspace,” for the first time, to its mission statement. (Lackland report by TSgt. Scott McNabb)
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.