Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      AFTAC Cyberspace Capabilities SquadronCyber Capabilities Squadron
                        
                        
                        Hector Velez, a Cyber Capabilities Squadron Linux systems administrator, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., troubleshoots a lost connection to a server that keeps AFTAC’s nuclear treaty monitoring mission going strong. (U.S. Air Force photo/Susan A. Romano)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        AFTAC Cyberspace Capabilities SquadronCyber Capabilities Squadron
                        
                        
                        Logan Keith, a storage administrator with the Cyber Capabilities Squadron, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla., verifies the inventory of tapes and replenishes the tape silo as needed to conduct the center’s nuclear treaty monitoring mission.   (U.S. Air Force photo/Susan A. Romano)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Cyberspace critical to nuclear treaty monitoringPublished Aug. 29, 2017
                    
                    By Susan A. Romano
                    
                    
                    AFTAC Public Affairs
            **PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --**The Air Force Technical Applications Center here is charged with ensuring each and every nation across the globe complies with the ban on nuclear weapons testing, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Members of AFTAC answer that call without fail – monitoring nuclear treaty compliance is their business.To accomplish this task, the center uses a network of 3,600 worldwide sensors across multiple domains to collect a variety of data critical to revealing magnitude, yield and location of nuclear explosions. Regardless of what corner of the earth the data comes from or how the data is collected, the information must be transmitted back to the U.S. so analysts can transform the information into usable data that our national decision makers can rely on. While Airmen performing the data analysis are the best in the business, they could not execute their job without the skill and expertise of members of AFTAC’s Cyber Capabilities Squadron. The primary mission of CYCS is to generate, project and sustain cyberspace capabilities by providing mission assurance for AFTAC’s global enterprise. In other words, AFTAC’s treaty monitoring mission cannot be effectively accomplished without access to cyberspace.“My squadron supports all information technology services that AFTAC needs to achieve operational success,” said Maj. Nathan Loyd, the CYCS commander. “We support the mission through our oversight and sustainment of our servers, long haul communications systems, databases, and hardware/software. AFTAC is responsible for the largest sensor network in the Air Force, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”Loyd is a career cyberspace operations officer who took command of CYCS in July. Prior to joining the AFTAC team, he was assigned to various roles in the fields of cyber, electronic warfare, information systems and automations. His leadership philosophy is based on the foundation of trust.“Trust is the single most important key to effective leadership-followership,” Loyd said. “Our cyber mission is too large for any one person to handle alone, so I believe in trusting and empowering our Airmen down to the lowest possible level. That allows for more flexibility across the board.”In August 2016, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein outlined his number one focus area – squadron revitalization. He informed personnel Air Force wide that he considers squadrons to be the basic building block of the force and our most essential team, and squadron commanders have the most profound and lasting impact on Airmen and families.It’s a charge Loyd has taken to heart.“The Air Force is focusing heavily on reinvigorating the role of squadrons based on feedback received from various climate surveys and strategic planning meetings,” said Loyd. “The chief of staff wants to empower squadrons to have more authority to make decisions at the lowest possible level. As a relatively new member of the AFTAC team, my goal is to take Gen. Goldfein’s vision and incorporate it into every decision I make and every action I take.”A majority of CYCS’s efforts is tied to the DOD Information Network (DOIN) to ensure data confidentiality, integrity and availability. Loyd’s 150-person squadron is made up of a cross-section of talent – officers, enlisted, civilians and contractors – each filling critical roles as system and network administrators, help desk technicians, project managers and troubleshooters. “Like many organizations throughout the Air Force, our people-to-mission ratio is not quite right,” he said. “I’m working with my officers, civilian and senior enlisted leaders within the squadron to define where our limitations are, figure out what we can do to eliminate extraneous workloads, and determine how we can operate more efficiently with scarce resources.”Today’s cyber landscape is ever-evolving and one that sees increasing threats from those who want to disrupt it, whether that disruption comes from simple non-malicious, attention-seeking hackers or from combative nation-states with the purposeful intent to interfere with military operations and their IT systems. Government entities, to include Air Force organizations, are dependent on computer networks and systems, and rely on those information systems to successfully execute their global missions. As with any complex IT operation, however, the systems are vulnerable, and Loyd’s team addresses this concern every day.“Our biggest obstacle is balancing cybersecurity postures with the needs of a high operations tempo,” he explained. “AFTAC is a high-speed, enormously innovative organization that uses technology in its drive for change and evolution. So to balance that demand, it’s critical we ensure our CYCS Airmen are trained and certified to continually be on the cutting edge of technology.”He added, “Here in CYCS, we are working towards standardizing our enterprise to increase efficiencies in system maintenance. Additionally, we are posturing the squadron to establish a Mission Defense Team, focusing on cyberspace defensive operations to our mission critical systems. This pathfinder initiative takes aim at protecting the mission’s crown jewels. It is an important shift in posture to ensure AFTAC is able to execute its treaty monitoring mission across air, sea, space and cyberspace.”Col. Steven M. Gorski, the AFTAC commander, emphasized Loyd’s comment on the need to focus on cyberspace defense.“In today’s world, cyber threats pose serious challenges to AFTAC,” Gorski said. “Here at AFTAC, access to networks play a powerfully role in our daily responsibilities. Lack of access can significantly impact the effectiveness of our organization, and that’s why having the best people on board – leaders like Maj. Loyd and his incredibly talented Airmen who form his cyber team – is crucial to our worldwide mission. Countering cyber threats is all about risk management, and Maj. Loyd’s squadron fully understands that threat and takes every step possible to keep our systems and networks safe.”When asked what he sees as the Cyber Capabilities Squadron’s strongest asset, Loyd said, “Our squadron has done tremendous work in providing continuous, secure communications for AFTAC. CYCS’s shining moments are defined each time mission data is available on demand for our customers and delivered securely and without degradation. That’s the bottom line.”Air Force 



DOD 



Air Force Space Command 



45th Space Wing 



AF 



Department of Defense 



AFSPC 



AFTAC 



cyberspace 



25th Air Force 



Air Force Technical Applications Center 



45th SW 



Air Force Base 



monitoring 



Cyber Capabilities Squadron 



nuclear treaty 



CYCS 



DOD Information Network 



DODIN 



Patrick AFB Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil