Senator Proposes New Cyber Force Branch to Bolster National Defense

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is spearheading an amendment to the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act that would establish a dedicated Cyber Force as the next armed service branch, nested under the Army. This mirrors the relationship between the Space Force and Air Force, and the Marine Corps and Navy.

The proposal reflects bipartisan momentum, with similar measures reportedly under consideration in the House. Representative Pat Fallon, R-Texas, previously declared a Cyber Force “inevitable,” though his office did not comment on potential House amendments.

Gillibrand underscores the urgency, stating that new and escalating cyber threats on the battlefield demand a departure from the status quo. “The creation of a dedicated Cyber Force will ensure the United States is ready to fight and win on the modern battlefield and protect our national security,” she told Defense One.

This latest push builds on years of advocacy. Gillibrand and House lawmakers previously commissioned the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study organizational models for cyber forces, though those findings remain undisclosed. Specific details for the proposed Cyber Force are not yet public, but think tanks have offered designs. A 2024 report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies suggested a force of roughly 10,000 personnel and a $16.5 billion budget under the Army. FDD and CSIS plan to release a related Cyber Force Generation commission report next month.

However, not all experts agree with the Army placement. A former military official argued that putting the Cyber Force under the Army would likely relegate cyber to a secondary priority. “The Army is the largest service by far… It’s already hard enough to run the Army as it is,” they stated.

Advocate Mark Montgomery, a retired Navy rear admiral and FDD senior fellow, countered that this is an opportune moment, noting the need to act early in an administration. “Timing-wise, you need to do this in the beginning or middle of an administration, not at the end,” he said.

The amendment faces a complex legislative path through the Senate and House. The Trump administration’s stance is unclear. Last year, the Pentagon rolled out CYBERCOM 2.0 to bolster existing Cyber Command. Assistant Defense Secretary for Cyber Policy Katie Sutton recently argued that renewed Cyber Command and a new service branch could coexist, calling it “an important debate” separate from ongoing Cyber Command reforms.

Advocates for a dedicated force align with the administration’s push for offensive cyber operations against adversaries planning harm to Americans, as outlined in the new counterterrorism strategy. This comes amid acknowledgments from President Trump and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine regarding the increasing role of cyber effects in operations against Iran and Venezuela. “The president says, ‘We’ve got to be more offensive’ but then you got to better generate forces to be offensive,” Montgomery added. “A cyber force is clearly necessary.”

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