A Utah Air National Guard base will soon receive two new squadrons dedicated to cyber operations airmen while simultaneously inactivating a tactical air control party squadron. This shift is part of the Air Force’s ongoing transition from its Global War on Terror posture. The Air Force announced this decision on a Thursday, identifying Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base as the preferred location for the new cyber operations squadrons.

As part of the 2025 defense budget plans, the 109th Air Control Squadron, currently stationed at the base, will be inactivated. This move aligns with the Air Force’s broader strategy to cut half of the Air National Guard’s tactical air control party and control and reporting center missions.

During the two decades of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Tactical Air Control Parties (TACPs) were frequently deployed alongside U.S. Army and special operations units to coordinate air support during combat. As of 2023, the Air Force had approximately 3,700 TACPs, but the service stated intentions to reduce this number by about 44% by 2025, marking a strategic pivot towards addressing potential conflicts in the Indo-Pacific region.

In July 2024, the Utah Air National Guard further announced that the 109th Air Control Squadron, also known as the Warlocks, would undergo a major transformation, transitioning to a cyber warfare mission. Senior officials within the Air Force and National Guard emphasized the increasing importance of cyber capabilities as a tactical asset in future warfare, particularly in light of adversaries like China and Russia who are advancing their own cyber capabilities.

The interim National Defense Strategy indicates a heightened military focus on cyber operations as essential for modern warfare. Lt. Col. Joshua McCarty, commander of the 109th Air Control Squadron, highlighted that “Cyber is the future of warfare,” stressing the need for readiness in both aerial and cyberspace confrontations.

As the 109th Air Control Squadron disbands, some of its personnel will be reassigned to the newly established cyber squadrons, with Utah anticipated to lose 52 part-time personnel authorizations but gain 12 full-time positions during the transition. The new cyber squadrons are expected to achieve full operational capability by spring 2030.