96th cyberspace test group - international test and

I n t e g r i t y - S e r v i c e - E x c e l l e n c e

United States Air Force

96th Cyberspace Test Group Strategic Initiatives and Cybersecurity

November 2020

Col Mike DooleyCommander

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.


96th Cyberspace Test Group

Functionality and Performance• Test and Evaluation in relevant environments• Beyond specification compliance testing

• System-of-systems Integration and Interoperability

Security and Resiliency• Security => Information Assurance

• Confidentiality / Integrity / Availability• Resiliency => Mission Assurance

• Detection / Response / Recovery

IT-based & Software Intensive Programs• Air and Space Operations Center• Space C2 & Intel Systems• Mission Planning Systems• Business Enterprise Systems

Kill Chain Interoperability Programs• Datalinks • Seekers, Sensors & Electronic Warfare• Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance

Cyber Operations Programs• Full Spectrum Cyber Weapons Capabilities

Cyber Security/Resiliency• Weapons Systems & Information Systems• Cooperative Vulnerability Identification (CVI)• Cyber System Risk Assessment (CSRA)

Principal Air Force organization for developmental testing of Command, Control, Communications,Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) and Cyber systems



1. Test Agility

2. Multi-Domain / All-Domain Testing

3. Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science

96th Cyberspace Test Strategic Initiatives

Cybersecurity & Resilience Must Be A Key Enabler for these Emerging Capabilities


• Support existing legacy systems testing; posture for DevSecOps, Demos, Experimentation, and Interoperability Testing

• Evolving traditional role of test community: Implementation of User Centered Design, Test Driven Development & Integration Testing

• Integrated test approach to keep pace with system development & release

• Guiding programs to tailor test strategy to capabilities & constraints• System/Test Subject Matter Expertise with Instrumented, Operational & Simulated test environments• Targeting new skill sets to balance w/ current Ops SMEs (s/w coders, s/w architecture, data science,

DevSecOps experience, etc)

• Cybersecurity Risk Assessment: Integrate assessments into the pipeline • Capture, analyze & document data (leveraging integrated tools)

• Mission-based Risk Assessment Process for Cyber (MRAP-C)

• Partnering in the creation of the DevSecOps ecosystem & advocating test process improvement

Test AgilityContinuous/Integrated Approaches

Collaboration & Discipline Are Key to Delivering Performance at the Speed of Relevance


Multi-Domain Testing Kill Chain & Interoperability

Datalinks

Datalink Gateways

Multi-domain,multi-spectralIntelligence,Surveillance &Reconnaissance

Mission Planning

Weather ProgramsCyber Cybersecurity

All-Domain Command & ControlBase Defense

Advanced Battle Management

Battlefield Airman Operations

Target signatures

Business Enterprise Systems

Cybersecurity Test Considerations• Secure, open systems

interoperability and resilience• Data-driven Environments• Multi-level security

infrastructure• Artificial Intelligence will be a key

System of Systems Enabler

Evaluate System-of-Systems Performance Across the Kill Chain


2018 National Defense Strategy:• Rebuilding military readiness as we build a more

lethal Joint Force– Advanced autonomous systems– Artificial intelligence – Machine learning

• Reform the DOD for Greater Performance and Affordability

FY19 National Defense Authorization Act, Sec 238• Accelerate development & fielding of artificial

intelligence• Develop, test, & field artificial intelligence

capabilities• Build up appropriate workforce and capabilities at

test ranges to support artificial intelligence

DoD Artificial Intelligence StrategyDISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.


• Define success criteria• Examine documentation deltas between algorithm & software• Identify existing test tools and truth data sources• Seek automation tools for data extraction and comparisons• Implement continuous Test and Evaluation practices to address

maturation

Develop and document framework for C4ISR and Cyber Artificial Intelligence Test

Artificial Intelligence / Machine LearningEmerging Capabilities


Window of Opportunity for Change

“The world is changing in many ways…Our Air Force must accelerate change to control and exploit the air domain to the standard the Nation expects and requires from us. If we don’t change - if we fail to adapt - we risk losing the

certainty with which we have defended our national interests for decades. We risk losing in a high-end fight. We risk losing quality Airmen our credibility

and our ability to secure our future.”

General Charles Q. Brown Jr.Chief of Staff, US Air Force

(Excerpts from “Accelerate Change or Lose”, General Charles Q. Brown, August 2020)

8



Questions?

96th cyberspace test group - international test and

Documents