Welcome to the spring 2026 issue of the Aircraft Survivability journal (ASJ). This year is a particularly special one for us, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the journal’s first appearance. We’ll be saying more about it in our summer issue, but it’s remarkable to think that what began as a simple 4-page newsletter shared among a small, emerging community of survivability specialists in the summer of 1976 is now a 32-page, full-color technical journal distributed to the mail and email boxes of more than 40,000 technical professionals across the country.
It’s also remarkable to consider how the discipline and community have changed over the last half century. There’s probably been no bigger change than in the emergence of cyber as a threat type facing U.S. combat aviation. In fact, with today’s heavy dependence on advanced computing and digital networks in all of our latest-generation air platforms—as well as our steady integration of artificial intelligence and autonomous capabilities in these systems—the risk of malicious computer code from adversaries is as real and dangerous to our aircraft, aviators, and missions as the most lethal of kinetic, electromagnetic, and other threats. Thus, the focus of this spring issue is on some of the ways in which the community is using both traditional and novel tools and techniques to analyze, test, model, and improve the cyber survivability of our current and future aircraft.
To begin, Mr. Charles Fisher and Dr. Arturo Revilla highlight a 2024 study for the Army’s Development Command Analysis Center regarding the use of several modeling and simulation (M&S) tools to assess different cyber-hardening approaches to unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and the overall impact on mission effectiveness. Importantly, these tools—the Cyber Operations Lethality and Effectiveness (COLE) application suite and the Full Spectrum Survivability Tool (FSST)—as well as others, are helping UAS designers and developers predict, analyze, and mitigate cyber threats even before these aircraft are fielded.
For our feature article, Dr. Bill “Data” Bryant of Modern Technology Solutions Inc. discusses the use of an analytical framework and mission-level M&S tools to better evaluate full-spectrum survivability, quantify the effect of different cyber threat drivers on mission success, and validate mitigation strategies. This approach, which is an extension of existing survivability analysis methodologies, promises to provide improved, mission-based quantitative analysis for both system and mission engineering efforts.
And speaking of Data Bryant, we’re pleased to formally recognize him in this issue for his Excellence in Survivability. As his nickname aptly suggests, Data has been at the forefront of the community’s venture into the previously unchartered skies of cyber survivability; and he brings to the task a rare and valuable combination of operational and leadership experience, academic achievement, and analytical skill that is helping the discipline successfully navigate this vital and challenging area.
In addition, Mr. Tom Barnett, the Cyber Engineering Lead for the Army’s Capability Portfolio Executive Aviation for Engineering & Architecture, highlights the mission and activities of the Army Aviation Cyber Incident Response Team, as well as its coalition of Army and Joint partners. The team was established to help answer the important question—which is sometimes overlooked in cyber survivability efforts—of what to do after a cyber attack has occurred.
Finally, remember to check out our regular News Note, JCAT Corner, and Calendar of Events sections to stay connected with the latest news and events happening in and around the survivability community.
Thanks again for reading.
Sincerely,
