OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- The 557th Weather Wing has been reassigned to the Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber).
The reassignment ceremony, held at the 557th WW’s headquarters here Oct. 29, was attended by commanders from Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) and Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern), its former Numbered Air Force.
The 557th WW joins the 55th Wing and other units whose missions fall under the new Information Warfare NAF.
“The 557th operates a truly global and data-driven enterprise,” said Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) commander. “On a daily basis, your Airmen exploit a worldwide network of sensors, processing mass quantities of data, connected to a communications network capable of disseminating weather intelligence at the speed of decision to create outcomes for joint commanders.”
Haugh also spoke about the wing’s developments in cyber.
“The 557th also maneuvers in unique segments of the cyber domain, and reaches into a vast data network touching DOD [Department of Defense], inter-agency and global partners,” Haugh said. “Progress in establishing Mission Defense Teams, understanding the cyber terrain, and integrating intelligence into operations also illustrates how the weather wing has optimized to operate in a degraded and contested operational environment.”
Col. Brian Pukall, 557th WW commander, then spoke about the 2018 National Defense Strategy’s call to organize for innovation, and the 557th WW’s drive toward that goal.
“Twelfth Air Force empowered our Airmen such that we could take this next step into the Sixteenth Air Force to help deliver new outcomes for the nation,” Pukall said.
He later added that through the innovation culture, the wing was able to tackle mission sets that were not previously possible.
“It has been an honor to lead the 557th as you transformed out of the Air Force Weather Agency, and into the globally ops-focused enterprise you are today,” said Maj. Gen. Andrew Croft, Twelfth Air Force commander. “I look forward to witnessing this weather wing max out its capability under the Sixteenth Air Force, aligned and integrated with the cyber, intelligence and information warfare communities, not only for the benefit of our Air Force, but for our joint force as a whole.”
Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) re-activated Oct. 11, and is the Air Force’s first information warfare NAF.