The 119th Cyber Operation Squadron was one of the first Air National Guard units to become a part of the United States Space Command (later United States Strategic Command). Its mission is augmentation for USSTRATCOM's global operations center (GOC) which coordinates and directs the use of the Department of Defense’s military space forces.

The 119 COS provides support to Headquarters USSTRATCOM via three primary Cyber Operation mission areas: Global Operations, Homeland Defense Operations, and Natural Disaster Events.

The 119 COS was originally activated as 119th Aircraft Warning and Control Squadron in 1950. Since its inception, the 119 ACS had always operated tactical (mobile) radar systems, but was slated to lose its mission and association with Air Combat Command. This provided a fortuitous opportunity for the unit to be associated with USSPACECOM as a direct supporting unit. In the mid-1990s, USSPACECOM commander Gen Howard Estes III directed the command to expand the role of guard and reserve forces in operations from two percent to 20 percent.