Despite nearly a century of air operations, over a half-century of space operations, and decades of relying on some form of computer network, the USAF is without a coherent and tangible strategy for providing cross-domain operations and effects that are truly integrated across our “domain triad” of air, space, and cyberspace. While the need to move cyber forward is recognized by many, the challenge of getting from where we are today to where we want and need to be tomorrow remains. The author’s recommendation is simply for the USAF to take the next step and conduct a concerted study of how to best evolve from our current strategy of employing air, space, and cyber power as separate capabilities towards a truly integrated cross-domain operational approach. This is best done by a team of cross-functional experts dedicated to the task, charged to analyze both recent historical scenarios as well as potential future scenarios across the range of military operations.
