Venable partner and retired Navy Rear Admiral Jamie Barnett was quoted in an April 12, 2013 CSO Online article on the recent decision by the Air Force to reclassify six cyber tools as weapons. The move will enable the programs, which were not explained in detail, to compete more effectively for funds in the Defense Department’s budget.
Commenting on the Air Force’s decision, Admiral Barnett said the move shows that the military wants to make this part of normal military operations. “They're trying to show that this is a military domain, and we're very good at it,” he added. “You don't want to have your enemies under or over estimate what your capabilities are.” Comparing the move to previous military operations, Admiral Barnett said, “We were never very secret about what our nuclear weapons capabilities were… It makes sense to have people know your capabilities and what's out there.”
Commenting on the Air Force’s decision, Admiral Barnett said the move shows that the military wants to make this part of normal military operations. “They're trying to show that this is a military domain, and we're very good at it,” he added. “You don't want to have your enemies under or over estimate what your capabilities are.” Comparing the move to previous military operations, Admiral Barnett said, “We were never very secret about what our nuclear weapons capabilities were… It makes sense to have people know your capabilities and what's out there.”