Deputy Defense Secretary Bill Lynn unveiled the Pentagon’s first-ever cyberspace strategy Thursday during an address on the National Defense University campus in Washington, D.C. “The cyber environment we face is dynamic. As such, our strategy must be dynamic as well. So while today is an important milestone, it is only one part of the department’s efforts to learn and adjust through time,” said Lynn. Although it’s not yet clear exactly what role cyber will play in 21st century warfare, he said it’s clear that “bits and bytes can be as threatening as bullets and bombs.” The new strategy, which comes on the heels of the White House’s own cyberspace policy, has five pillars: treating cyberspace as an operational domain; employing new concepts to protect DOD networks; partnering with other US agencies; building relationships with allies, and leveraging an exceptional cyber workforce and rapid technological innovation. (Lynn remarks) (Cyberspace strategy full document; caution, large-sized file.) (See also DOD release.)
A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes in the Middle East are flying with fresh modifications as the Air Force looks to make the plane more versatile amid America’s ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and a tenuous ceasefire in the U.S. air war against Iran.