The sweeping transformation over the last few decades in the areas of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cloud computing, and other cyber technologies has truly been remarkable. With it have come countless new capabilities and advancements for U.S. combat aviation, as well as many other industries. But these advancements have also brought with them many new risks and threats, threats that can be much more difficult to detect, analyze, and defend against than traditional kinetic and other threat types. Accordingly, this fall issue of Aircraft Survivability focuses on some of the community’s efforts to enhance our understanding of, and provisions for, an increasingly expanding and threatening battlespace.
In our feature article, cyber security specialist James Marek of Collins Aerospace discusses the modern cyber threat landscape facing today’s combat aircraft. As Mr. Marek explains, this landscape spans an ecosystem much larger than just the cockpit. He also highlights some ongoing strategies to address the emerging threats and better integrate cyber security into our developmental and operational processes.
And speaking of integration, the collaboration and data-sharing among survivability-related information systems are also increasingly vital as the community continues to take on the new challenges of increasingly complex multidomain operations, emerging threat types, and full-spectrum survivability issues. A team of computer scientists from the Army Engineer Research and Development Center and the SURVICE Engineering Company highlight a recent study of the interoperability of several community database systems. The goal of the study is to provide analysts and Warfighters with improved, comprehensive data analytics for critical decision-making processes.
We also include in this issue some feedback from the field. Feedback such as this continues to be another important information resource for helping survivability practitioners ensure that their efforts truly connect with, and improve the safety and effectiveness of, U.S. combat personnel operating in an ever-expanding battlespace. MQ-9 Reaper pilot Capt. Benjamin Coleman provides some unique personal insights into unmanned aerial system operations and the important role the Reaper—the so-called “MVP” of Operation Epic Fury—is currently playing in the U.S. fleet. Likewise, Michael Clement, a former Air Force C-130 electronic warfare systems technician, shares a brief survivability success story vignette from his deployment in the Middle East in the mid-2000s.
We also recognize long-time vulnerability analyst and modeling and simulation (M&S) practitioner Dawn Haddock for her Excellence in Survivability. Serving at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division for more than 30 years, Ms. Haddock has been involved in the development and use of numerous M&S tools and has significantly contributed to many major air system analyses and LFT&E programs.
Finally, be sure to check out our News Notes and Calendar of Events sections for some of the community’s latest technological, organizational, and personnel news, as well as upcoming community events. Thanks again for reading.
Sincerely,
