| Summary/Abstract |
The fictional account above illustrates where the Department of the Air
Force (DAF) could find itself in this new decade. It is possible that the
DAF will develop the technical ability to exploit enemy systems but not
possess the language expertise to make use of the information. More than a theoretical possibility, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) started developing a
Chinese-based operating system in 2019.1
The PLA’s knowledge of US systems,
language, and culture gives it asymmetric leverage against the United States. The
USAF has responded to the situation by establishing the 16th Air Force to lead
operations in the information environment. In the future, the DAF must also
increase its linguistic and cultural competency to ensure the service is eliminating
vulnerabilities.
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