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Joint Force Quarterly

Authors

Shiraz Khan

Abstract

As threats in cyberspace continue to grow, U.S. policymakers are debating whether it's time to create a dedicated Cyber Force. In this Joint Force Quarterly article, Shiraz Khan uses a conditions-based framework, drawing from historical precedents like the formation of the Air Force and Space Force to assess whether the time is right for an independent military cyber service. Applying Dyck and Starke’s model for organizational breakaways, Khan explores the political, operational, and strategic conditions that led past capabilities to evolve into standalone services. Today, cyberspace shows similar signals: rising strategic importance, competing visions across Services, high-profile advocates, and institutional tension. However, unlike previous breakaways, the Cyber Force movement lacks strong White House backing and has yet to prove its doctrine in large-scale conflict. Still, with adversaries like China rapidly advancing and AI transforming the landscape, the urgency for decisive cyber leadership may shorten the timeline and intensify the need for an independent Cyber Force.

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