AF Fights Attacks With New “Cyber-Squadrons”

Kris Osborn

The Air Force is standing up new “cyber squadrons” and working vigorously to widen the aperture of its cyber-security focus. 

“We do a good job with our networks. Our weapons systems are also IT related, so we are working within the Air Force to get those systems to a better place with regard to cyber security,” Peter Kim, Air Force Senior Information Security Officer, told Scout Warrior in an interview.

In order to bring this effort to fruition, the service has begun establishing “cyber-squadron” pilot programs.  These programs task specific units at bases to go on cyber-patrols to protect mission systems and core networks, Kim explained.

Rapidly emerging computer algorithms as well as sensors and weapons systems linked by computer processors also pose a growing and unique cyber-security challenge, Kim explained. As a result, the Air Force continues to prioritize being adaptive and inclusive so that drone feeds, fire-control systems and computer-integrated avionics are secured against rapidly-evolving cyber-threats.

While Kim did not mention any weapons systems in particular, there are a wide range of current and emerging Air Force weapons which depend heavily upon IT-related developments. The F-35, for instance, utilizes early iterations of artificial intelligence applications wherein computer algorithms help acquire, organize and present information to the pilot without requiring as much human intervention.

Often referred to as easing the cognitive burden upon pilots, the effort is geared toward systematically presenting information from a range of disparate sensors on a single screen. The F-35s widely-discussed sensor fusion, for example, is evidence of this phenomenon, as it involves using computer algorithms to consolidatie targeting, navigation and sensor information for pilots.

Protecting drone feeds from enemy hacking attempts is yet another example of a focus by the Air Force to maximize its information assurance efforts. Technologies aimed at intercepting, interfering with or jamming real-time drone video transmission is an area of growing concern for Air Force ISR developers.