Splitting Commands, Building Capabilities: DefenseScoop’s Mark Pomerleau on the DoD's Cyber Future

Cyber Focus

In this episode of Cyber Focus, host Frank Cilluffo sits down with Mark Pomerleau, senior reporter for DefenseScoop, to discuss the evolving landscape of U.S. cyber operations and military doctrine. Pomerleau unpacks the ongoing debate over splitting NSA and U.S. Cyber Command, the rising role of offensive cyber capabilities, and what “Cybercom 2.0” might look like in practice. He also explores the integration of cyber, electronic warfare, and space as part of a new operational triad, and shares lessons learned from Ukraine that are reshaping U.S. strategy. Together, they examine whether U.S. deterrence efforts are keeping pace with adversaries—and what needs to change to meet tomorrow’s threats.

Main Topics Covered:

• The origins and implications of the NSA-Cyber Command dual-hat debate
• Tactical cyber at the edge: how services are enabling cyber in battlefield operations
• The emerging cyber-electronic warfare-space triad
• Cybercom 2.0 and the effort to modernize doctrine, authorities, and force generation
• The limits of cyber deterrence and the need for a more assertive posture

Key Quotes:

“As a Title 50 intelligence organization, your goal is to not get caught… using that same infrastructure for military operations… can undermine that [intelligence] mission. And so Cyber Command has been working to really build up its own infrastructure, its own tools.” — Mark Pomerleau

“The modern triad… really includes space, special operations forces and cyber. And the notion is that all of these together will be greater than the sum of their parts and be able to provide some really unique mission packages and capabilities for commanders.” — Mark Pomerleau

“One of the big lessons that the Department of Defense came away with is that cyber does have a role to play in future conflict, but it's not the role that they necessarily thought it was a few years ago. And that cyber by itself likely isn't going to have the effect that they… initially thought it was.” — Mark Pomerleau

“EW is going to be a huge enabler going forward… The faster commanders realize how to harness that and maneuver within that space, combine it with other effects like cyber and RF… we're really going to see that take off.” — Mark Pomerleau

“Ultimately, those that are integrating [cyber and EW] into their warfighting strategy, doctrine, and practice are the ones that are going to dominate.” — Frank Cilluffo

Relevant Links and Resources:

• Recent reporting by Mark Pomerleau on DefenseScoop
• Coverage of the NSA–Cyber Command split

Guest Bio: Mark Pomerleau is a senior reporter for DefenseScoop, covering information warfare, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations, intelligence, and battlefield networks. With over a decade of experience, he is widely regarded as one of the most authoritative voices reporting on military cyber and EW strategy. His reporting regularly shapes the national conversation around U.S. cyber policy and defense modernization.