MSU, Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Gov. Reeves sign partnership to advance Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center

Contact: James Carskadon

BILOXI, Miss.—Mississippi and the U.S. Air Force are marking a new era in cybersecurity research, training and collaboration as leaders celebrate plans for the Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center.

The 100,000-square-foot planned building on Keesler Air Force Base will serve as the headquarters for the Mississippi State University-led Mississippi Cyber Initiative, building on statewide collaborations to enhance state and federal cybersecurity capabilities. On Friday [Jan. 10], leaders from MSU, the U.S. Air Force and the City of Biloxi, along with Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, signed a joint proclamation for the state-of-the-art facility and collaborations that will support community and military needs.

“The Cyber Center will strengthen Keesler’s mission to train cyber warriors, and it will serve as a hub for academic achievement and economic development for cyber, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technology companies and agencies,” Reeves said. “In short, the future is here in Mississippi.”

MSU President Mark E. Keenum shared that the Mississippi Cyber Initiative represents a continuation of the university’s land-grant mission to serve the entire state of Mississippi. The initiative’s collaborators are addressing critical cybersecurity needs to protect Mississippi’s future, he said.

“The Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center will fortify and strengthen Keesler’s mission and the Gulf Coast’s status as a national hub for cybersecurity expertise through training, research and outreach,” Keenum said. “It’s the perfect example of the power of partnerships and what we can accomplish by working together.”

The Mississippi Cyber Initiative was launched in 2021 as a continuation of collaborations between MSU and Keesler to support the 81st Training Wing’s cyber training mission. Since then, the initiative has been working to position Mississippi as a leader in cybersecurity, grow collaborations across government, defense and industry, tackle critical cyber challenges, and enhance economic development on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“Keesler Air Force Base is the epicenter of all Air Force cyber operations training,” said Col. Billy Pope, commander of the 81st Training Wing. “We can mark today as the day that we guarantee our relevance and our excellence in this space for generations to come.”

The Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center will be built through an enhanced use lease agreement between the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center and the MSU Research and Technology Corp. Designed by Dale Partners Architects, the state-of-the-art facility includes space for MCI’s headquarters, Air Force training, an event space, and secure office space available to private industry partners.

During Friday’s ceremony, Keenum thanked the Mississippi Legislature and Gov. Reeves for support in securing funding for the project, as well as Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for partnering to host MCI personnel and capabilities on MGCCC’s Harrison County Campus after the initiative launched. He also announced a corporate contribution of $3 million from Mississippi Power and Southern Company for the Mississippi Cyber and Technology Center.

“There are many who have contributed to this effort from across the Coast community, and we are so proud to be here working for them and with them,” Keenum said.

MCI activities include launching a digital forensics lab that is assisting 42 partnered law enforcement agencies on investigations that have a digital component, hosting cyber training exercises through an in-house cyber ecosystem, and leading K-12 outreach events to encourage the next generation of cybersecurity leaders. Additionally, MCI hosts quarterly summits that bring together stakeholders in academia, government, industry and defense for briefings and insights on current cyber issues. In October, MCI partnered with the Mississippi Hospital Association, the Federal Bureau of  Investigation, MS Cyber Unit and the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency to host a healthcare-focused cyber tabletop exercise.

For more on the Mississippi Cyber Initiative, visit www.mscyberinitiative.org.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.