Competition heats up as Air Force mulls location for Cyberspace Command HQ

Lawmakers and officials from at least six states are competing neck and neck over the headquarters location of the Air Force’s nascent Cyberspace Command, which promises thousands of jobs and millions in revenue.

The Air Force, which has been tasked with protecting cyberspace — everything from electricity grids and bank systems to military computers and mobile communications — is expected to decide early next year which base will be the home of Cyber Command. The provisional headquarters are currently at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

{mosads}A lobbying war between several Air Force towns has been intensifying in recent weeks as communities and their representatives make their case to the Air Force leadership, and in the case of newly elected Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), as high up as President Bush.

The entire California congressional delegation sent a letter on Monday to Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne urging him to consider Beale Air Force Base in Northern California as the home of the new command. Beale already houses the Air Force U-2 and Global Hawk spy planes as well as a ground station that deciphers and disseminates intelligence information. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is also lending his support.

In making their case, the Golden State lawmakers pointed out that Northern California’s technology boom and universities would provide the Air Force “unmatched opportunities” for public-private partnerships.

“Northern California is a recognized leader in state-of-the-art technology, cutting-edge innovation, and boasts a highly qualified work force,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in a statement.

Apart from the economic boon to the surrounding community, the Cyber Command headquarters could lend more permanence to a base and shield it from potential base closures and realignments, said Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.), whose district houses Beale.

There is “absolutely strong competition for the Cyber Command,” Herger said in an interview. “It is an incredibly important facet of new modern warfare. The cyber domain has never been more important.”

Herger and a group of lawmakers and community representatives are planning to meet with Wynne early next year.

California faces stiff competition, however, from several other communities surrounding Air Force bases. Among them are Barksdale, La., home to the 2nd Bomb Wing and the 8th Air Force; Offutt, Neb., the home of Strategic Command; Lackland, Texas, the Air Force’s largest training wing; and Langley, Va., the home of Air Combat Command and a neighbor to NASA’s research center.

In early December, New Mexico governor and presidential contender Bill Richardson (D) announced the creation of a task force to attract the Cyber Command to one of several New Mexico bases. Colorado is also vying for the headquarters, already boasting Space Command as well as Northern Command.

Among the congressional advocates mobilizing in this campaign are Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and David Vitter (R-La.). In the House, Reps. Lee Terry (R-Neb.), Jim McCrery (R-La.), Lamar Smith (R-Texas), Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas) and Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas) are lobbying for the new headquarters. All of the bases currently in the running already do some cyber-related work, said a congressional source.

The Air Force is expected to whittle the competition down to three or four contenders next month, and a final decision is expected by late February, said a spokesman. The Cyber Command’s headquarters is expected to start its operations in October 2008 and be fully functional by October 2009. The headquarters will have about 500 staff members, according to the spokesman. But the command is expected to eventually create up to 10,000 jobs.

Wynne said at a recent conference that Air Combat Command, Air Force Space Command and Air Force Materiel Command are working to develop the new Cyberspace Command, while Air Force personnel specialists are working to develop educational plans and career paths for the airmen who will work within the new command.

Meanwhile, Air Force leaders working on the new command also indicated that there will be a high need for contracted services to support the nascent effort as it deals with personnel, technology and funding issues.