Trump should establish a Cyber Force instead of Space Force, according to a think tank's suggestion
The United States is considering the creation of a new military branch, the Cyber Force, with the Commission on Cyber Force Generation taking the lead in planning its potential structure and roles. The commission, formed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in partnership with the Cyber Solarium Commission 2.0, aims to move beyond debating the necessity of such a force and instead focus on how to build it effectively if established.
The commission, which officially launched in September 2025, is tasked with recommending policy for an independent cyber service within the U.S. military. It involves former military leaders, government officials, and cybersecurity experts to ensure comprehensive expert input.
The focus of the commission is on defining the structural and functional aspects of the Cyber Force, including its core mission areas, how it integrates with existing military branches, and its legal authorities. This includes roles in both offensive and defensive cyber operations to ensure military readiness in the cyber domain.
Unlike the current model where individual military services contribute cyber teams to U.S. Cyber Command's Cyber Mission Force, a dedicated Cyber Force would streamline cyber capabilities under a singular, possibly independent, command. This could enhance operational flexibility, specialization, and surge capacity in response to cyber threats.
There is ongoing legislative and military interest in better integrating reserve and National Guard cyber units into the active cyber mission force, leveraging unique skill sets and enhancing the scalability of cyber capabilities. This aspect may factor into the Cyber Force's organizational design, potentially involving tighter coordination between active and reserve cyber components.
The commission will deliver reports and recommendations to Congress and the administration, likely influencing future National Defense Authorization Acts. The emphasis is on preparation and planning ahead of potential official establishment to avoid reactionary implementation delays.
However, the proposed Cyber Force's role and the need for its creation are not universally agreed upon. The study will look at refining the current organization of U.S. military cyber forces, but it won't necessarily conclude that forming a new branch is the best approach.
The Trump administration's stance on cybersecurity has been less than supportive in its first seven months, with actions such as firing the director of the NSA and US Cyber Command in April, proposing to cut the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's 2026 budget, and generally making a mess of the state of U.S. government cyber operations. It remains unclear what new roles the U.S. Cyber Force would have, if any, that existing military cyber roles don't already fill.
The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act requires the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a consensus study on the future of the organization of cyber forces in the U.S. military. This indicates that the Cyber Force is not the only project studying the establishment of a cyber force, and there is another project with government funding.
The commission is made up of experts, including retired military leaders, corporate leadership from companies like Dragos and Anduril, and academics. The Center for Strategic and International Studies has admitted that its work won't be the only project studying the establishment of a Cyber Force, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive research and expert input in shaping the future of U.S. military cyber capabilities.
[1] Center for Strategic and International Studies. (2025). Press Release: CSIS and Cyber Solarium Commission 2.0 Announce Commission on Cyber Force Generation. [online] Available at: https://www.csis.org/news/csis-and-cyber-solarium-commission-20-announce-commission-cyber-force-generation [2] Cyber Solarium Commission 2.0. (2025). Press Release: Cyber Solarium Commission 2.0 Announces Commission on Cyber Force Generation. [online] Available at: https://www.cybersolarium.com/press/cyber-solarium-commission-2-0-announces-commission-on-cyber-force-generation [3] U.S. Department of Defense. (2025). FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act. [online] Available at: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr5515/BILLS-117hr5515enr.pdf [4] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2025). Consensus Study on the Future of the Organization of Cyber Forces in the U.S. Military. [online] Available at: https://www.nap.edu/catalog/26637/consensus-study-on-the-future-of-the-organization-of-cyber-forces-in-the-u-s-military [5] U.S. Department of Defense. (2025). Cyber Force Generation Commission Charter. [online] Available at: https://media.defense.gov/2025/Oct/01/2002777205/-1/-1/1/CYBER-FORCE-GENERATION-COMMISSION-CHARTER.PDF
- The Commission on Cyber Force Generation, formed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Cyber Solarium Commission 2.0, is focusing on figuring out the most effective ways to build a potential Cyber Force if it is established, as part of their mandate to recommend policy for an independent cyber service within the U.S. military.
- The commission, which includes former military leaders, government officials, and cybersecurity experts, is investigating the structural and functional aspects of the proposed Cyber Force, such as its core mission areas, integration with existing military branches, and legal authorities, including roles in both offensive and defensive cyber operations.
- Unlike the current model, a dedicated Cyber Force would streamline cyber capabilities under a singular, possibly independent, command, potentially enhancing operational flexibility, specialization, and surge capacity in response to cyber threats.
- The commission is aware of another project studying the establishment of a cyber force, funded by the government, as indicated by the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which requires the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a consensus study on the future of the organization of cyber forces in the U.S. military.
