About Us

The 90 COS, is a subordinate unit under the 318 Cyberspace Operations Group, 67th Cyberspace Wing, 16th Air Force at JBSA-Lackland, Texas.

Lineage. Constituted as 690 Information Operations Squadron on 30 Sep 1997. Activated on 1 Oct 1997. Redesignated as 90 Information Operations Squadron on 1 Aug 2000. Inactivated on 20 Jul 2007.   Activated on 18 Aug 2009. Redesignated as 90 Cyberspace Operations Squadron on 1 Feb 2016.

Assignments.   690 Information Operations Group, 1 Oct 1997; Air Intelligence (later, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) Agency, 14 Jan 2000-20 Jul 2007. 318 Information Operations Group, 18 Aug 2009-Current.

Stations.   Kelly AFB (later, Kelly Fld Annex, Lackland AFB), TX, 1 Oct 1997-20 Jul 2007. Lackland AFB (later, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland), TX, 18 Aug 2009-Current.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 18 Aug 2009-1 Oct 2010; 1 Oct 2013-30 Sep 2014. Air Force Organizational Excellence Award: 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 17 May 2016.

Supersedes statement prepared on 16 Jun 2015.

Emblem.   Approved 2 Jun 1998; newest rendition approved on 15 Mar 2016.

90 COS Leaders

(Jun 2023 – Present) – Lt. Col. Karl Sickendick
(Jun 2021 – Jun 2023) – Lt. Col. Casey Miller
(Jun 2019 – Jun 2021) – Lt. Col. Jacob Ames
(Jun 2017 – Jun 2019) – Lt. Col. Nathan Hoevelkamp
(Feb 2016 – Jun 2017) – Lt. Col. Michael Winter

90 IOS Leaders

(Jun 2015 – Feb 2016) – Lt. Col. Michael Winter
(May 2013 – Jun 2015) – Lt. Col. David E. Stone
(Nov 2012 – May 2013) – Lt. Col. Kevin Cousin
(Jul 2012 – Nov 2012) – Lt. Col. Andrew Proud
(Aug 2009 – Jul 2012) – Mrs. Lynne Patrick

Before becoming the nation’s premier cyber development squadron, the 90 COS had an operations support mission under the Air Intelligence Agency (AIA) as Operations Support Central (OSC) where it provided a 24-hour multi-dimensional operations center focusing on conducting and integrating worldwide information operations. In 1996, OSC was renamed Information Operations Center, and in September 1997, the squadron was designated, 690 Information Operations Squadron (IOS) and continued supporting Air Force and AIA operations around the clock. In August 2000, the 690th was re-designated as 90 IOS and remained under the direction of AIA.

Meanwhile, on the same date, the 318 IOG was re-activated under Air Force Information Warfare Center (AFIWC), along with the formation of the Information Operations Technology Division (IOT) which would later become what is now the 90 Cyber Operations Squadron (COS) under the 318 Cyber Operations Group (COG).

In 2006, the AFIWC was re-designated Air Force Information Operations Center (AFIOC) and in 2007 the center, changed organizational alignment from Air Intelligence Agency to Air Combat Command, under the 8th AF. On 20 July 2007, the 90 IOS was inactivated.

In August of 2009, AFIOC was re-designated the 688 Information Operations Wing under Air Force Space Command and 24th AF. IOT was redesignated the 90th Information Operations Squadron under the 318th Information Operations Group. Finally, On 1 February 2016, the 90th IOS was re-designated 90th COS and remains under the 318th COG.

While the lineage of the 90 COS reflects the mission of the 24-hour command post function, supporting worldwide Information Operations and Intelligence operations (as Operations Support Central, 690th IOS and 90th IOS), the history of the squadron has a rich background of both offensive and defensive cyber operations (OCO/DCO).

The 90th Cyberspace Operations Squadron (90 COS) squadron developed throughout history, its ranks were filled with airmen from the Air Force Information Warfare Center’s Offensive directorate, Advanced Programs (AP), and Defensive directorate, Engineering Analysis (EA), who contributed their experience. AP was focused on both hardware and software solutions for delivering offensive information warfare capabilities and was a self-contained directorate with an Operations division, Intelligence, Mission support, Technology division, and Plans shop.

EA was focused on the securing of Air Force networks, engaging in the hunt mission, and presenting innovative hardware such as ASIMs to defend against intrusion sets.

When the two directorates disbanded in an AFIWC reorganization in August 2000, multiple new squadrons and divisions were created including Information Operations Technology (IOT), the 33rd IOS, 23 IOS, and 346TS.

Today, the Shadow Warriors of the 90 COS operate a world class software factory called Shadows Edge (SHED) in downtown San Antonio, TX, supporting AFCYBER and delivering to other national level customers.