16th Air Force Accelerates OT Cyber Defense to Secure Warfighting Systems

  • Published
  • By Anyssa Guzman, 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) Public Affairs
MONTGOMERY, Ala. --  As adversaries increasingly target critical civil and military infrastructure, 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) is accelerating efforts to defend the operational technology critical to Department of the Air Force power projection.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency observed malicious cyber activity targeting more than 100 internet-exposed systems in the U.S. water and wastewater systems sector in July alone.

The urgency is clear. Defending the Department of the Air Force Information Network and vital warfighting systems demands a collective approach, according to Lt. Gen. Thomas Hensley, commander, 16th Air Force, who was a keynote speaker at Department of the Air Force Information Technology and Cyber conference in Montgomery, Ala., Aug. 26.

To sharpen technical edges and build enduring advantages, 16th Air Force is strengthening partnerships across government, research, and private sectors.

“We are working with government, with the national labs, industry and academia [to] share ideas, share thoughts, concepts, and capabilities,” said Hensley.

Collaboration with the Department of Energy’s national laboratories is advancing the cybersecurity and resilience of critical industrial control systems and SCADA utility systems, while the ongoing engagements with industry and academia drive innovation in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and process automation to reinforce Air Force weapon platforms.

Demonstrating operational agility, 16th Air Force, in coordination with U.S. Cyber Command, developed and implemented the new OT Certification Joint Qualification Record in just two months. This effort drastically compressed a standards pipeline that historically requires 18 months, setting a benchmark for joint force readiness.

"We are getting after it—workforce development, capabilities, intelligence, and everything else we need to execute this mission," said Brig. Gen. Jason Christman, 16th Air Force OT lead, during an operational technology panel discussion at DAFITC 2026.

The command plans to deliver this certification joint-wide to standardize training across sister services, while simultaneously sharing threat telemetry and unified defense strategies with interagency partners.

According to Christman, building OT cyber mastery requires specialized infrastructure and sustained institutional support. By standing up a dedicated OT Cyber Defender Schoolhouse and leveraging live-fire simulation environments like the Joint Electric Power Range, 16th Air Force prepares defenders for contested environments. The efforts are backed by Cyber Resiliency Office for Control Systems funding, governance, and oversight to outmaneuver adversaries and ensure uninterrupted mission assurance.

Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, 16th Air Force is responsible for the Air Force’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission and capabilities; operationalizing weather forecasting for the joint force; leading the cryptologic activities of the Department; operating and defending the Department’s information network; and commanding and controlling the joint forces assigned by U.S. Cyber Command to execute offensive and defensive cyberspace operations that protect national interests and project combat power. Additionally, 16th Air Force provides critical warfighting expertise and organizational combat support to the execution of the Department’s kill chains, and the disruption of our adversaries’ attempt to do the same. Operationally, 16th Air Force creates decisive advantages for the joint warfighter while simultaneously defending U.S. forces’ command and control (C2) capabilities from adversary disruption. 16th Air Force’s operational footprint includes approximately 45,000 Total Force Airmen spanning 123 locations globally with missions that support all 11 combatant commands.