DoD panel recommends special bomber-armed cyber deterrent force

Foreign Policy ^ | March 6, 2013 | John Reed

[Seizethecarp]

The Defense Science Board's new report on protecting the Pentagon's computer networks calls for the development of a special force armed with its own bombers, cruise missiles, and cyber weapons to respond to a devastating cyber attack. Kind of like a mini, conventionally-armed Strategic Command for cyber deterrence.

We've heard Pentagon leaders acknowledge that they are building up their offensive cyber capabilities to deter destructive cyber attacks that could harm thousands or even millions of Americans. However, the new report says that the U.S. must go further to "ensure the President has options beyond a nuclear-only response to a catastrophic cyber-attack."

That's right, the report, written by the DSB's Task Force on Resilient Military Systems, implies that the United States might have to rely on nuclear weapons to retaliate after a large-scale cyber attack.

To avoid going nuclear, the report calls for the Pentagon to develop a cadre of cyber and conventional forces that are heavily protected against cyber attack and dedicated to retaliating after such a strike.

"Cyber offense may provide the means to respond in-kind," reads the document. "The protected conventional capability should provide credible and observable kinetic effects globally. Forces supporting this capability are isolated and segmented from general-purpose forces to maintain the highest level of cyber resiliency at an affordable cost. Nuclear weapons would remain the ultimate response and anchor the deterrence ladder."

The document then lists a number of weapons systems that could be included in this special conventional deterrent force: "Global selective strike systems e.g. penetrating bomber, submarines with long range cruise missiles, Conventional Prompt Global Strike (CPGS), survivable national and combatant command."

[Perdogg]

I saw that movie and it did not end very well.

[Seizethecarp]

I expect that secret executive orders authorize drone strikes within the US to terminate any terrorist or nation-state decapitation cyber attack launched from within the US. The potential cyber attack danger could easily be rationalized as being so “imminent” as to require immediate armed drone intervention directing “observable kinetic effects globally,” which includes within the US, logic would dictate.

[PieterCasparzen]

New world order will not attack itself.

[Uncle Miltie]

Because what we always need in government is a whole new organization that lives forever, grows and never shrinks, and becomes sclerotic.

[ryan71]

“However, the new report says that the U.S. must go further to “ensure the President has options beyond a nuclear-only response to a catastrophic cyber-attack.””

Especially if that “attack” were to come from an American citizen on American soil? I suppose setting aside a “special” force to do this would be hand-picked and more “trainable” by the president and more discrete?