Washington, Apr. 22: The Obama administration plans to create a new military command to coordinate the defense of Pentagon computer networks and improve U. S. offensive capabilities in cyber warfare, according to current and former officials familiar with the plans.

The initiative will reshape the military''s efforts to protect its networks from attacks by hackers, especially those from countries such as China and Russia. The new command will be unveiled within the next few weeks, Fox News quoted Pentagon officials, as saying.

The move comes amid growing evidence that sophisticated cyber spies are attacking the U. S. electric grid and key defense programs.

A page-one story in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported that hackers breached the Pentagon''s biggest weapons program, the 300 billion dollar Joint Strike Fighter, and stole data.

President Barack Obama, when he was a candidate for the White House, pledged to elevate cyber security as a national-security issue, equating it in significance with nuclear and biological weapons.

A White House team reviewing cyber security policy has completed its recommendations, including the creation of a top White House cyber policy official. Details of that and other proposals are still under debate. A final decision from the president is expected soon.
(ANI)