Space Command to Launch Dedicated Cyber Center

The United States is to launch a dedicated joint cyber center to promote integration between US Space Command and US Cyber Command.

News of the center was shared by the commander of US Cyber Command, General James Dickinson, during a 2022 fiscal budget hearing with US Strategic Command and Space Command last week. 

“We are standing up a joint cyber center within the command as we speak,” said Dickinson.

Detailing what else was in the works for space and cyber, the general added: “I also have, as a result of the command standing up, I’ve got five service components provided by each of the services to the combatant command with two of those—my Navy component as well as my Marines component—who are dual hatted.”

In prepared testimony on the fiscal year 2022 priorities and posture of Space Command, Dickinson warned of security threats coming from the east. 

The general noted China’s desire “to use space to supplant the US as a global economic and military leader” and said that Russia is seeking “to degrade US space capabilities in order to prevail in future conflicts.” 

He said: “Both countries reorganized their militaries to develop deeper competency in technical military fields such as electronic warfare, cyberspace and space operation.”

Dickinson said that Russia and China were developing and testing anti-satellite weapon systems to achieve their national security goals. 

“China is developing a broad complement of jamming and cyberspace capabilities, directed energy weapons, on-orbit capabilities, and ground-based antisatellite missiles that can achieve a range of effects,” said Dickinson.

Other countries flagged by the general for their cyberspace and counter-space activities were Iran and North Korea. 

“Iran and North Korea continue to advance their own counter-space threats through cyberattacks, jamming and electronic warfare,” said Dickinson, before noting that North Korea’s technology “to evolve and mature their cyberattack capabilities” continues to improve. 

The general emphasized the need for the United States to maintain “a robust cybersecurity environment that secures our intellectual and technological advantage from cradle to grave” to achieve its space goals.

He named cybersecurity as one of the critical areas that the country must keep funding.