The Growing Threat to Air Force Mission-Critical Electronics

The Growing Threat to Air Force Mission-Critical Electronics
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 111
Release: 2019-08-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309493900
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High-performance electronics are key to the U.S. Air Force's (USAF's) ability to deliver lethal effects at the time and location of their choosing. Additionally, these electronic systems must be able to withstand not only the rigors of the battlefield but be able to perform the needed mission while under cyber and electronic warfare (EW) attack. This requires a high degree of assurance that they are both physically reliable and resistant to adversary actions throughout their life cycle from design to sustainment. In 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a workshop titled Optimizing the Air Force Acquisition Strategy of Secure and Reliable Electronic Components, and released a summary of the workshop. This publication serves as a follow-on to provide recommendations to the USAF acquisition community.

Optimizing the Air Force Acquisition Strategy of Secure and Reliable Electronic Components

Optimizing the Air Force Acquisition Strategy of Secure and Reliable Electronic Components
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 63
Release: 2016-09-12
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309445183
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In 2012, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), section 818, outlined new requirements for industry to serve as the lead in averting counterfeits in the defense supply chain. Subsequently, the House Armed Services Committee, in its report on the Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA, noted that the pending sale of IBM's microprocessor fabrication facilities to Global Foundries created uncertainty about future access of the United States to trusted state-of-the-art microelectronic components and directed the Comptroller General to assess the Department of Defense's (DoD's) actions and measures to address this threat. In this context, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a workshop to facilitate an open dialogue with leading industry, academic, and government experts to (1) define the current technological and policy challenges with maintaining a reliable and secure source of microelectronic components; (2) review the current state of acquisition processes within the Air Force for acquiring reliable and secure microelectronic components; and (3) explore options for possible business models within the national security complex that would be relevant for the Air Force acquisition community. This publication summarizes the results of the workshop.

Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems

Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 101
Release: 2020-08-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309678129
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Modern software engineering practices, pioneered by the commercial software community, have begun transforming Department of Defense (DoD) software development, integration processes, and deployment cycles. DoD must further adopt and adapt these practices across the full defense software life cycle - and this adoption has implications for software maintenance and software sustainment across the U.S. defense community. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems evaluates the current state of software sustainment within the U.S. Air Force and recommends changes to the software sustainment enterprise. This report assesses how software that is embedded within weapon platforms is currently sustained within the U.S. Air Force; identifies the unique requirements of software sustainment; develops and recommends a software sustainment work breakdown structure; and identifies the necessary personnel skill sets and core competencies for software sustainment.

Autonomous Horizons

Autonomous Horizons
Author: Greg Zacharias
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 420
Release: 2019-04-05
Genre:
ISBN: 9781092834346
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Dr. Greg Zacharias, former Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force (2015-18), explores next steps in autonomous systems (AS) development, fielding, and training. Rapid advances in AS development and artificial intelligence (AI) research will change how we think about machines, whether they are individual vehicle platforms or networked enterprises. The payoff will be considerable, affording the US military significant protection for aviators, greater effectiveness in employment, and unlimited opportunities for novel and disruptive concepts of operations. Autonomous Horizons: The Way Forward identifies issues and makes recommendations for the Air Force to take full advantage of this transformational technology.

Social Media

Social Media
Author: Scott E. Solomon
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2017-07-24
Genre:
ISBN: 9781973751281
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Social media is the fastest growing vulnerability to the military mission and the personal security of all Airmen. On 30 November 2014, the FBI issued warning to members of the US military and requested that they review their social media presence for any information like names and addresses that might attract the attention of violent ISIS extremists. Over the past decade, the convergence of mobile broadband devices has enabled social media to become more and more integrated into our everyday lives. The inherent risks and vulnerabilities of the internet and social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter along with the Air Force's endorsement to actively use social media, has cultivated a rich and ripe environment for foreign adversaries and criminals to cherry-pick personal information about Airmen and their missions for nefarious activities. To help Americans understand the risks that come with being online, the Department of Homeland Security launched a new cybersecurity awareness campaign: Stop, Think, and Connect. To educate Airmen on social media, AF public affairs created the "Air Force Social Media Guide" in 2013 to encourage Airmen to share their AF experiences with family and friends in the social media environment. However, this is counter to the FBI's guidance that promotes the reduction of users' on-line footprint and online presence in cyberspace.

The Threat of Counterfeit Electronics to the Viability of the U.S. Air Force

The Threat of Counterfeit Electronics to the Viability of the U.S. Air Force
Author: Joshua I. Tolk
Publisher:
Total Pages: 62
Release: 2015
Genre: Defense industries
ISBN:
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"This research paper examines the threat counterfeit electronics represent to the United States Air Force (USAF) maintaining superiority in the air, space, and cyber domains. By analyzing how the counterfeit electronics trade substantially emanates in China, the global criminality that surrounds it, and the ways they are subsequently introduced into USAF supply chains, I illuminate where the vulnerabilities in USAF procurement processes lie and how pervasive this epidemic truly is. This is accomplished by providing two case studies that highlight how easy it was for two criminally culpable companies to buy counterfeit electronics from China and sell them into the USAF and Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain, making millions of illicit dollars for years while committing this fraud. Data was collected from public records, published government and industry reporting, periodicals, and open source federal contracting databases. This research describes how current and proposed measures and policies by the USAF and DoD to detect and prevent counterfeit electronics are widely inadequate, due to the ubiquitous and insidious nature of the global counterfeit electronics market. As this study will convey, the only measure that provides a permanent solution to counter this threat is for law enforcement to bring to justice the individuals and companies who criminally, by knowledge or negligence, sell these imitation parts to the USAF, and place airmen and systems across all Commands at grave risk."--Abstract.

Examination of the U.S. Air Force's Aircraft Sustainment Needs in the Future and Its Strategy to Meet Those Needs

Examination of the U.S. Air Force's Aircraft Sustainment Needs in the Future and Its Strategy to Meet Those Needs
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 254
Release: 2011-11-17
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 030921520X
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The ability of the United States Air Force (USAF) to keep its aircraft operating at an acceptable operational tempo, in wartime and in peacetime, has been important to the Air Force since its inception. This is a much larger issue for the Air Force today, having effectively been at war for 20 years, with its aircraft becoming increasingly more expensive to operate and maintain and with military budgets certain to further decrease. The enormously complex Air Force weapon system sustainment enterprise is currently constrained on many sides by laws, policies, regulations and procedures, relationships, and organizational issues emanating from Congress, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Air Force itself. Against the back-drop of these stark realities, the Air Force requested the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies, under the auspices of the Air Force Studies Board to conduct and in-depth assessment of current and future Air Force weapon system sustainment initiatives and recommended future courses of action for consideration by the Air Force. Examination of the U.S. Air Force's Aircraft Sustainment Needs in the Future and Its Strategy to Meet Those Needs addresses the following topics: Assess current sustainment investments, infrastructure, and processes for adequacy in sustaining aging legacy systems and their support equipment. Determine if any modifications in policy are required and, if so, identify them and make recommendations for changes in Air Force regulations, policies, and strategies to accomplish the sustainment goals of the Air Force. Determine if any modifications in technology efforts are required and, if so, identify them and make recommendations regarding the technology efforts that should be pursued because they could make positive impacts on the sustainment of the current and future systems and equipment of the Air Force. Determine if the Air Logistics Centers have the necessary resources (funding, manpower, skill sets, and technologies) and are equipped and organized to sustain legacy systems and equipment and the Air Force of tomorrow. Identify and make recommendations regarding incorporating sustainability into future aircraft designs.