Air Force squeezes new cyber defense teams out of its communications squadrons (Mark Pomerleau, Defense News)

The Air Force has officially created three new mission defense teams focused on cyber defense of local installations and missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by J.M. Eddins Jr.)

In September, the Air Force announced the 55th Communications Squadron had met all objectives to be redesignated as the 55th Cyber Squadron, meaning the service would add a new mission defense team to its capabilities, a specialized cyber team focused on defending critical Air Force missions and installations such as critical infrastructure or computers associated with aircraft and remotely piloted systems.

The Air Force has been on a multiyear path to redesignate communications squadrons through efficiencies realized by outsourcing mundane IT efforts to private industry allowing it to reinvest its people to conduct cyber defense.

Air Force squeezes new cyber defense teams out of its communications squadrons (defensenews.com)