The Senate has confirmed Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of Army Cyber Command, as the next head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency (NSA).

Lawmakers approved Nakasone’s nomination by a voice vote Tuesday, and he will now lead the Department of Defense’s top cyber warfare and intelligence gathering units.

LTG Paul M. Nakasone_ ARCYBER Commanding General_release on 14OCT2016
LTG Paul M. Nakasone_ ARCYBER Commanding General_release on 14OCT2016

Nakasone succeeds Adm. Mike Rogers, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Top Senate armed services and and intelligence committee members viewed Nakasone as a qualified choice for the position and pointed to his background leading the Army’s top cyber operations unit since 2016.

During a confirmation hearing, Nakasone told lawmakers he would provide the president and the Secretary of Defense with military cyber options for addressing future Russian election interference attempts (Defense Daily, March 15).

Nakasone also said he did not have a set opinion on the potential split of the dual-hat leadership role of Cyber Command and NSA, and that he would commission a study to inform his recommendation.

A change of ceremony for the new Cyber Command/NSA director is scheduled for May 4, according to the Washington Post.