WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Two new units are coming to Robins Air Force Base.
The 350th Spectrum Warfare Detachments are the next step in the creation of an entire group that will be a center for electronic warfare.
This unit was supposed to come to Robins in 2027 as the 950th Spectrum Warfare Group. However, leaders shared Wednesday they wouldn't be able to meet their goals if they waited on that timeline.
On Wednesday, the base welcomed the solution to keeping them defensive and knocking out the enemy's wireless electronic warfare.
The units will work with the electromagnetic spectrum. These are wireless communication tools used on a daily. For instance, your remote control, wifi or cellular service all rely on the electromagnetic spectrum.
"If there is something that you are using that you don't have to get up and manually touch, or a wire is not connected to it, then that is something that operates on the electromagnetic spectrum," Lt. Col. Christopher Ryan Cox shared.
Cox is the Commander of the 350th Warfare Wing Detachment 1 and 87th Electronic Warfare Squadron Detachment 1.
The goal is to take the spectrum — and all of its uses — away from the adversary. He says that would help win battles and wars before they begin.
"You're unable to talk to your wingman to see where he is. You're unable to find your enemy because your radar's not working," he said. "Most of your weapons are not going to work because they rely on the spectrum to see and to engage with the enemy."
The 350th Spectrum Warfare Group operates across the country but mostly in Florida at Eglin Air Force Base. Leaders say the new units at Robins could be the most important.
"They're bringing everyone together to make sure that all the capabilities are doing what you want them to do," Cox said.
The goal of these detachments is to create the 950th Spectrum War Group which will add to the nation's defense through what they call rigorous assessment.
"In order to fight the conflicts of the future, we're going to have to know how well we can execute within the contested spectrum," Col. Joshua Koslov Commander of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing at Eglin AFB said.
Koslov says they will be in charge of assessing the technological systems for every aircraft in the Combative Air Force inventory.
But these units coming to Robins will bring 300 jobs to the area.
"Warner Robins, Ga, will be the heart of the Air Force's center for electronic warfare and assessment," Koslov said.
Cox said — right now — they have a team of seven people, but they're aggressively recruiting workers.
The base is looking to hire people with expertise in engineering, IT, artificial intelligence, weapons, tactics specialist and operation missions specialists.
You can look for job postings here.
They plan to be fully operational by the summer of 2024.