US Army Lt. Gen. Joshua M. Rudd, nominee for Director of the National Security Agency, Chief of Central Security Service, and Command of US Cyber Command, testifies during a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on his nomination on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2026. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images)
An emblem on a rug inside the National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland outside Washington, DC. The NSA is the central producer and manager of signals intelligence for the United States. It operates under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense and reports to the Director of National Intelligence. (Photo by Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images)
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Joshua M. Rudd, deputy commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Samantha Jetzer)
If confirmed, Rudd would take over dual-hat leadership for both NSA and Cybercom — two powerful agencies charged with collecting intelligence and protecting American cyber interests from…
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 28: The U.S. Capitol building is seen on April 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Members of the House of the Representatives and the U.S. Senate returned to Washington after a two week recess. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
Marines with Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command pose for photos in cyber operations room at Lasswell Hall aboard Fort Meade, Maryland, Feb. 5, 2020. (Photo illustration source: DVIDS)
A sign for the National Security Agency (NSA), US Cyber Command and Central Security Service, is seen near the visitor’s entrance to the headquarters of the National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade, Maryland, February 14, 2018. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
A sign for the National Security Agency (NSA), US Cyber Command and Central Security Service, is seen near the visitor’s entrance to the headquarters of the National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade, Maryland, February 14, 2018. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service visited Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala., Apr. 3, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Trey Ward)
The task force will have three main focus areas: delivering artificial intelligence capabilities for operations, enabling AI adoption and countering AI threats.
Airman 1st Class Gerald Mack, cyber operator with 175th Cyber Operations, Maryland Air National Guard, monitors cyber attacks during Exercise Southern Strike at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, April 21, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Renee Seruntine)
U.S. Cyber Command and the Defense Intelligence Agency are conducting a series of pilots and sprints to evaluate ways to improve foundational cyber intelligence.