Partnerships Possible for Army Cyber and Augusta Facility

By Thomas Gardiner

The U.S. Army Cyber Command broke ground last year on its new Fort Gordon facilities, bringing its headquarters to Augusta from Fort Belvoir, Va. After a tour of the fort and a visit to cyber and other electronic warfare facilities, Congressman Rick Allen said the trip was educational and called Gordon’s cyber efforts vital to national security.

Operations at Fort Gordon, though, won’t intersect with training at the Cyber Innovation and Training Center, at least for now. “Fort Gordon and the Augusta region is becoming a center of gravity for the U.S. Army in cyberspace,” said Charles Stadtlander, spokesman for U.S. Army Cyber Command. “Cyberspace is a domain of warfare, and Army Cyber Command offers capability to keep our nation safe adversaries ranging from nation states to terrorist groups to cyber criminals.”

He said the military and the university facilities could partner up, but no arrangements have been made. Although no agreements are in place, it is unclear whether the Cyber Innovation and Training Center will have a secure classified information facility. Such a facility is tightly secured and maintains classified materials and operations. “Army Cyber Command will relocate in 2020. From Fort Gordon (Cyber Command) will operate and defend the vast Army Network, and deliver both the offensive and defensive effects as part of overall U.S. military operations,” Stadtlander said.

Attacks from major world powers like China and Russia have given cyber weaknesses a high priority for national security. Last year’s reports of Russian cyber operations during the presidential election initiated rounds of investigations, testimony and the eventual leakage of a classified report from the NSA Georgia site at Fort Gordon. Even though no agreements are in place, Stadtlander didn’t rule out future partnership with the Augusta University training facility.

“Partnerships are crucial to success in cyber operations and Georgia’s new training center offers a unique place where partners can come together,” he said. “This facility, Army Cyber’s new headquarters, and the investment in Fort Gordon all comprise an impressive momentum in Augusta that will continue to grow.”

Originally published by The Augusta Chronicle at http://chronicle.augusta.com.