Internet2

In 2005 Air Force leadership added cyberspace to the USAF mission statement. Shortly thereafter, 8th Air Force was named the provisional headquarters of Air Force Cyber Command (AFCYBER). The past two years have witnessed an enormous amount of USAF capital invested in recognizing cyberspace as a co-equal warfighting domain to air and space. That point is not contested in this research paper, nor is the argument that the electronic spectrum is a component of cyberspace. Instead this research focuses on cyberspace’s man-made aspects that are shaped by military and commercial technology making it unique from air and space. Two main programs are shaping cyberspace today: the Global Information Grid (GIG) and Internet2. The Global Information Grid (GIG) program is the DoD’s comprehensive cyberspace network shaping program. It is intended to merge the diverse network operations of the various services into a seamless, integrated framework. Unfortunately, the GIG is focused almost entirely on transforming US forces to expanding the network, not to shaping cyberspace operations. Meanwhile, Internet2 is the commercial and academic community’s most advanced program for shaping the Internet. Internet2 fosters cooperation between the research and development community to create advanced networking technologies. This paper asserts that AFCYBER should directly participate in both of these programs for the purpose of shaping cyberspace into a more effective domain for integrated air, space and cyberspace operations. Shaping the domain involves identifying, analyzing, and investing in components of the military and commercial community’s network development programs to proactively enhance future cyberspace operations. Failure to consider shaping the cyber-battlefield will result in continual reaction to the vagaries of the commercial industry to the potential detriment of future cyber operations.

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