US Army to stand up second expeditionary cyber battalion in coming months

The new expeditionary cyber battalion will be a second Army unit built to perform the same mission as the 11th Cyber Battalion, called the Leviathans. Its purpose is to train and deploy teams that provide cyber and electromagnetic warfare capabilities close to operational forces. The Army describes this as scalable expeditionary capability.

The battalion will deliver non-lethal, non-kinetic effects. These include cyberspace operations and electronic warfare assets. Its teams can use radio-frequency-enabled cyber effects, as the current battalion is doing for Joint Task Force–Southern Border under a division commander’s direction.

The new unit is expected to reach initial operating capability within a year of beginning formation. It will then work toward full operational capability. The Army is expanding this model because the 11th Cyber Battalion is already supporting missions, demonstrations, and development of new unmanned technology.

Army Cyber Command leader Lt. Gen. Christopher Eubank said the new battalion should begin standing up in earnest within the next couple of months. That timeline was provided at the Association of the United States Army conference in Washington. The article does not provide an exact start date.

After formation begins, the battalion is expected to achieve initial operating capability within the next year. Initial operating capability means the unit can begin performing its assigned mission, although it may still be building toward its complete capacity. The article gives no more precise date.

After reaching that first milestone, the battalion will work toward full operational capability. This creates a staged expansion rather than an immediate move to maximum strength. The Army is modeling the unit directly on the existing 11th Cyber Battalion, which is already conducting operations and technology demonstrations.

The Army currently uses the 11th Cyber Battalion for this expeditionary mission. Adding an exact replica will double the number of battalions training and deploying expeditionary cyberspace and electromagnetic warfare teams. In simple terms, the force grows from one specialized battalion to two.

The article also gives a longer-term team goal. When the 11th Cyber Battalion was created, the Army said it planned to have 12 expeditionary teams deployable under that battalion by September 2027. Those teams are the smaller, scalable elements used to deliver capabilities in the field.

The new battalion’s addition broadens the Army’s structure, but the article does not state a separate team target for it. The immediate plan is to establish the unit, reach initial operating capability within a year, and then build toward full operational capability.

The teams are designed to produce non-lethal and non-kinetic effects. The article specifically identifies cyberspace capabilities, electronic warfare assets, and radio-frequency-enabled cyber effects. These tools let commanders pursue objectives without relying on physical destruction or lethal force.

A cyber operation generally targets or uses digital systems, networks, software, or data. Electronic warfare generally uses electromagnetic energy to sense, protect, deceive, disrupt, or deny systems that depend on radio frequencies. The categories can overlap, especially when cyber actions are delivered through or affect electromagnetic systems. This distinction is based on established technical knowledge, not an explanation in the article.

The 11th Cyber Battalion is already providing radio-frequency-enabled cyber effects for Joint Task Force–Southern Border. It also demonstrated technologies for diffusing electromagnetic threats at Aberdeen Proving Ground, showing how the Army is developing these capabilities for practical use.

When a unit uses radio-frequency-enabled cyber effects, it can affect systems that depend on electromagnetic signals. Possible results include disrupted communications, denied access, misleading information, or reduced effectiveness of enemy sensors and control links. These effects are designed to be non-lethal and non-kinetic, according to the article.

The key mechanism is the interaction between cyber tools and radio-frequency systems. A team may use digital access, signal manipulation, or electromagnetic techniques to interfere with how a system sends, receives, or processes information. The article does not detail specific methods, so this explanation relies on established technical knowledge rather than article-specific claims.

The 11th Cyber Battalion is currently providing radio-frequency-enabled cyber effects for Joint Task Force–Southern Border. It also helped demonstrate technologies that diffused electromagnetic threats at Aberdeen Proving Ground. These activities show the Army testing such capabilities in operational and training settings.

A second battalion gives the Army more capacity to train and deploy expeditionary cyberspace and electromagnetic warfare teams. The article says the Army will soon double the number of battalions used for this mission. That expansion can support more assignments while preserving the existing unit’s ability to train, develop concepts, and demonstrate technology.

The 11th Cyber Battalion already performs several demanding roles. It is supporting Joint Task Force–Southern Border with radio-frequency-enabled cyber effects. Its developers also worked with the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade’s Cyber Solutions Development unit on new drone technology for the “Transforming in Contact” initiative.

The Army is therefore copying a tested structure rather than creating an unproven design. The new battalion should begin forming within months, reach initial operating capability within a year, and then pursue full operational capability. The article does not identify a separate reason beyond this expansion plan.

The electromagnetic spectrum is the full range of electromagnetic energy, including the radio frequencies used for wireless communication and sensing. Military radios, navigation systems, radar, drones, and remote-control links rely on portions of this spectrum. The article refers to electromagnetic threats and radio-frequency-enabled cyber effects, but it does not define the spectrum.

Control matters because armies need their signals to work while limiting an opponent’s ability to use the same environment. Interference, deception, or disruption can affect communications, navigation, sensors, and drone control. Protection can include resisting hostile interference and preserving friendly access. These explanations use established technical knowledge beyond the article.

The Army is building units specifically for cyberspace and electromagnetic warfare. The 11th Cyber Battalion demonstrated three new technologies at Aberdeen Proving Ground for diffusing electromagnetic threats. Its work shows the Army treating spectrum-related capabilities as part of combat power at the tactical edge.