Panel pushes plan for US cyber force

A newly formed panel of former defense and cybersecurity leaders has launched a push to define how the United States could create a dedicated Cyber Force, signaling a proactive step toward establishing a standalone digital military branch, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

Known as the Commission on Cyber Force Generation, the group includes retired senior officials from US Cyber Command, the NSA, and Pentagon cyber policy leadership. Co-chaired by Ed Cardon and Josh Stiefel, the commission intends to deliver a comprehensive framework ahead of next year's National Defense Authorization Act. While a separate, congressionally mandated study by the National Academies is assessing whether such a service is necessary, this commission assumes its creation is inevitable and focuses instead on its design and structure. Critics argue the commission may undermine the legitimacy of the official study, but supporters emphasize urgency amid growing cyber threats. "We can't sit around for four or five years," said Cardon, underscoring the accelerating pace of cyber conflict and technological change.