On 26 April 2016 Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen presented the plans for the new military branch to the public and on 5 October 2016 the command's staff became operational as a department within the ministry of defense. On 1 April 2017 the Cyber and Information Domain Service was activated as the 6th branch of the Bundeswehr. The Cyber and Information Domain Service Headquarters will take command of all existing Cyber, IT, military intelligence, geo-information, and operative communication units.