Wing selected for cyber warfare mission
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base has been selected as the location for the Air Force’s new Cyber Warfare Mission, according to announcements by Gov. Mike Dewine and Sen. Sherrod Brown.
“The Cyber Warfare Wing (CWW) will put Mansfield in the middle of the military’s cutting edge cyber capability and the fight against emerging cyber threats. The mission will also bring approximately 180 new jobs to the base,” Brown, Dohio, said in a news release issued Wednesday.
Dewine said he received “this outstanding news” on Wednesday directly from the Secretary of the Air Force.
“Ohio is gaining a leading-edge mission that will strengthen the fabric of the military community and further solidify Ohio as a national leader in cybersecurity excellence,” Dewine said.
Mansfield Air Guard base hosts wing site visit
On Aug. 3, the 179th Airlift Wing hosted a two-day, in-person cyberspace wing site visit at the base at the Mansfield Lahm Airport. Col. Todd Thomas, commander of the 179th, said a variety of military stakeholders were present, including the National Guard Bureau, Air Combat Command and 16th Air Force.
“The 179th AW site survey team was extremely well-prepared and was able to showcase a multitude of capabilities that both the 179th AW and the state of Ohio has to offer,” Thomas told the News Journal after the visit.
“... Possible scenarios were socialized that were generally in the areas of manpower, operations, facilities and environmental,” Thomas said. “This specific mission has the potential for long-lasting viability and stability at the Wing as the cyber battlefield is a cutting edge capability.”
The site visit participants were looking for a multitude of topics, requirements, feasibility and more.
Why was Mansfield Air Guard Base chosen?
Lahm was one of two locations under consideration, the other being the Minneapolis-st. Paul International Airport in Minnesota.
Among the criteria considered in the decision were manpower, recruiting, and retention; building capacity and connectivity; environmental; construction costs, and cost of living, the governor said in his news release.
“Not only will this new mission bring more jobs into the community, but it will also spur more economic growth and create new opportunities for industry and academic growth. This is a tremendous win for Mansfield and for the entire state,” Dewine said.
“Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base is the pride of Richland County,” Brown said. “Placing the new cyber warfare mission in Mansfield will help Ohioans perform critical missions to support the warfighter and will expand the strategic capabilities of the servicemembers at the base, who protect and serve their country with pride.”
Dewine and Brown express support
The Department of Defense notified Gov. Mike Dewine on Nov. 20, 2020, that the Air Force had selected Mansfield as one of two locations being considered for the new mission, the News Journal reported earlier.
Dewine recently sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to express his strong support for the Mansfield location and praising its military service flying C-130 transport planes.
“The 179th Airlift Wing has a long and distinguished history in Mansfield, and we are proud of the C-130’s dedication to mission and service,” Dewine wrote. “We recognize that the Air Force’s critical modernization may mean a move away from this storied aircraft into the cyber and information warfare realm, and Ohio is ready to lead the way.”
In 2018, Brown secured $13 million in military construction funding to replace the fire station at Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base. In 2017, in meetings with then-secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and then-air Force Secretary Dr. Heather Wilson, Brown pressed for upgrades to the C-130H planes flown at Mansfield Lahm ANGB.
As a result of the new cyber mission, the Air Force will divest the eight C-130HS flown at Mansfield, Brown said, adding he will continue to support the Airmen serving at the base and will advocate for additional resources to support the new operational mission.
Base commander confident in airmen’s ability to tackle coming challenges
Thomas said Thursday that he is confident in the airmen’s ability to take on the coming challenges.
“The announcement from the (Secretary of the Air Force) Thursday, selecting the 179th Airlift Wing as the first Air National Guard Cyberspace Wing, sets the stage for the journey towards a missioncapable cyber wing. I have high expectations for this new capability and see this as a long term win for the Wing, Mansfield, Ohio, and the nation,” he said.
The wing commander said that while the announcement means a new opportunity for Mansfield, it is important to acknowledge the difficult transition for the aviation community that helped shape the heritage and culture of this community. The community has supported the airlift mission for generations, dating back to their transition from fighter aircraft to the C-130B model in the 1970s.
“Since becoming the Wing Commander, I have always told our Airmen we must do everything in our ability to ‘keep the front gate open’ and flex to whatever mission allows us to be viable well into the future and aligns with the National Defense Strategy. I am extremely confident our Airmen are capable of shifting focus from tactical airland and air drop operations to the cyber battlefield,” Thomas said. “I look forward to what our Airmen will bring to the cyber fight.”
Thomas ensures wing leadership will help Airmen in aviation-based career fields transition into new roles, whether they decide that is with the new mission or seeking new roles within the state or across the U.S. Air Force.
“The Airmen of the 179th Airlift Wing are confident, resilient, and well-suited for whatever the task or mission that comes our way – today and tomorrow, It’s the Mansfield way,” the wing commander said.
Mansfield Mayor Tim Theaker said an awful lot of people have worked on this project including local, state and national leaders. He credited U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, Senator Brown, State Sen. Mark Romanchuk, Jodie Perry of the Chamber of Commerce, State Rep. Marilyn John and U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson.
“I am very pleased. They were very impressed with the support that the base got from the Mansfield community,” Theaker said. “That impacted their decision.”
Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr., Ohio adjutant general, said, “This selection will build on the 179th Airlift Wing’s legacy of excellence to begin a new chapter in the cyber warfare domain. The transition to a cyber wing places the Ohio National Guard at the forefront of leveraging cutting edge technologies and capabilities for national defense and mitigating emerging threats.”
Jobsohio President & CEO J.P. Nauseef, said, “The U.S. Air National Guard cyber warfare wing in Mansfield will advance our country’s 21st century warfare capability while attracting new in-demand cybersecurity positions and talent to Ohio. This new mission amplifies Ohio’s leading position as America’s most military-friendly state that can also advance our nation’s military’s fight against emerging cyber threats. Ohio is all in.”
The Air Force has not yet announced a timeline for the new mission, however the next step is expected to be an environmental assessment of the site. lwhitmir@gannett.com 419-521-7223
Twitter: @Lwhitmir