WASHINGTON • Two new cybersecurity squadrons — about 320 new personnel and $16 million in infrastructure spending — are coming to Scott Air Force Base.
Rep. Bill Enyart, D-Collinsville, whose district includes the base, called it “a huge win.”
“This is a direct message from the Air Force about Scott’s critical role in cybersecurity,” he said in an email.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who chairs the defense subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the new squadrons give Scott Air Force Base “a leading role in supporting the Air Force’s cybersecurity operations, which are critically important to our national security efforts.”
The Air Force is expanding cyber squadrons in 11 locations across the country, said Laura Taylor, Enyart’s communications director. Scott and Joint Base San Antonio in Texas were chosen from seven finalists for the new cyberprotection squadrons.
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Taylor called the protection squadron’s work “critical.” They monitor for attacks to the nation’s computer networks, identify hackers, stop the attacks, and repair the damage. In addition, the protection squads conduct “penetration testing” — they pretend to be hackers and try to break into military, Pentagon or other national computer systems.
“You hear a lot about cyberterrorism,” Taylor said. “These are the folks who go out and protect us against the people we can’t see.”
Scott Air Force Base’s public affairs office didn’t have additional information immediately available.
A spokeswoman said the base already houses three cyber units.
In March, in an effort to head off any possible plan to close Scott should it be targeted by a future Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
In April, , including 53 civilian jobs. A spokesman said leaders were responding to budget constraints, and had to make “tough choices for a smaller future Air Force.” Those jobs, the spokesman said, would be phased out through 2015.
It’s unclear what effect Wednesday’s announcement would have on them.
But Taylor said it was a good sign for Scott. “Obviously, no one can predict the future, and we can’t make any comments about base closing, because we just don’t have that information,” Taylor said.
“But I certainly think it shows the value of Scott Air Force Base to the Air Force and to our nation’s cybersecurity.”
Scott is the fourth-largest employer in the St. Louis area, with 5,100 civilian staff in addition to 5,500 active-duty Air Force and 2,400 Air National Guard and Reserve personnel.
Enyart, a former adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard, said the Air Force has signaled it wants to use Illinois National Guard personnel to support the new squadrons.
Enyart said project development will begin immediately, and positions will be filled over the next two years.
David Hunn of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
