After five years of building capacity and capability, all 133 of U.S. Cyber Command's cyber mission force teams are now fully operational, according to a Defense Department announcement.
"Achieving the FOC milestone early is a testament to the commitment of DOD's four military services toward ensuring the nation's cyber force is fully trained and equipped to defend the nation in cyberspace," the Pentagon said.
The Air Force announced today that all of its CMF teams had reached full operational capability. The Army's CMF teams reached that goal last September, the Navy's CMF teams the following October and the Marine Corps in January.
The CMF has been building capability since 2013 and is now composed of 6,200 servicemembers and civilians from across the military services.
The CMF is considered CYBERCOM's "action arm" to direct, synchronize and coordinate cyberspace operations.
The force's specific cyber assignments include national mission teams that protect the U.S. homeland, combat mission teams that conduct military operations in cyberspace, protection teams that defend the Defense Department's information network and support teams that provide analytic and planning assistance to the national mission and combat teams.
Gen. Paul Nakasone, the new commander of CYBERCOM, praised the CMF for executing operational activities before it was fully established.
"It's one thing to build an organization from the ground up, but these teams were being tasked operationally while they were growing capability," he said. "I am certain that these teams will continue to meet the challenges of this rapidly evolving and dynamic domain."
The Pentagon said CYBERCOM would now transition the CMF toward sustainable readiness.