# Why is the US airforce responsible for cyberwarfare? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102 "2010-06-05T22:45:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/1 "2010-06-05T22:45:33Z")
According to its wikipedia entry, the US airforce is the branch of the military responsible for cyberwarfare. Why is this? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/2 "2010-06-06T00:07:11Z")
Because it is Wikipedia and it is wrong. This year the DOD established Cyber Command as part of Strategic Command, and mostly part of the NSA, which are organizations that are “above” the military services. The Army, Air Force, and Navy all have cyber capabilities but they are coordinated/directed through Cyber Command. I’m really simplifying this, so if anyone wants to pick nits, go righ ahead. ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/3 "2010-06-06T01:12:00Z")
With so many nerds in the Chair Force, it is a natural fit. ---
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/4 "2010-06-06T01:31:04Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Because it is Wikipedia and it is wrong. This year the DOD established Cyber Command as part of Strategic Command, and mostly part of the NSA, which are organizations that are “above” the military services. The Army, Air Force, and Navy all have cyber capabilities but they are coordinated/directed through Cyber Command. > > I’m really simplifying this, so if anyone wants to pick nits, go righ ahead. Thank you. I couldn’t find much information in the article. ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/5 "2010-06-06T01:46:12Z")
[Here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Cyber_Command) is a slightly better Wikipedia article on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/6 "2010-06-06T03:03:25Z")
It’s a purple command, someones got to be in charge and the airforce got the nod. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/7 "2010-06-06T05:14:59Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > It’s a purple command, someones got to be in charge and the airforce got the nod. But they’re not. An Army four-star is the current commander of Cyber Command. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/8 "2010-06-06T09:31:48Z")
All of this has been changing rapidly. Any article not updated in the last 6 months is reporting old news. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-us-airforce-responsible-for-cyberwarfare/542102/9 "2010-06-07T15:03:05Z")
Yeah, not a word about Skynet. Get with it, guys! Sheesh.