Generative AI is Now in Space. Here’s Why That’s a Big Deal

Generative AI is Now in Space. Here’s Why That’s a Big Deal

Sept. 4, 2024 | By Dan Wald and Karen Fields

This summer, we witnessed an important milestone in the history of human activity in space: on July 11, the first generative AI tool in space began operation. The tool, a large language model (LLM), aims to assist astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as they perform certain maintenance and repair procedures. 

The project’s primary purpose was to prove that an LLM—and generative AI more broadly—can deploy and operate in the harsh environment of space. Here’s why that milestone is so significant and what it portends for the future.

The Challenge 

First, it must be said that deploying anything into space is enormously complicated and rife with uncompromising constraints. Weight, size, power, and bandwidth requirements must be minimized with ruthless discipline—and AI applications are no exception. They rely on large databases and consume lots of computing and power resources to do what they do, making their presence aboard any spacecraft a challenge. 

In this case, an LLM retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) application was re-architected and dramatically downsized—along with its computing and power needs—for practical use in the sparest of environments. 

It was proved that it could be done, but you may be asking about the why: what benefits are there to having generative AI in space?

Autonomy 

The main benefit is autonomy. Generative AI can enable spacecraft—and their onboard human operators, if they are manned—to be far more self-sufficient. Today, much of the information that spacecraft need to perform their missions is conveyed remotely, via communications links from ground stations or control centers.

Consider a maintenance manual. Enabling an onboard LLM to assist astronauts directly – without the need for directions to be transmitted to astronauts through communications links – delivers greater autonomy to that crew. 

Such autonomy becomes even more important when the information needed is highly sensitive or urgent for real-time operations. For example, what if a satellite is performing a national security mission and requires instructions on how to process certain signals or imagery data it has just collected or on how to act on that information? What if the communications between a satellite and ground station are vulnerable to compromise in a contested environment?

Speed

Space operators understand there are many cases where the latency of a satellite’s communications with a ground station—or even the critical dependency of a satellite’s mission on a communications link—is a serious risk to the mission. There may also be unacceptable cybersecurity vulnerabilities associated with transmitting sensitive information across those communications links. 

When rapid, secure operational performance is critical, a capable, onboard generative AI solution could bring enormous value to a mission. 

Generative AI can also deliver capabilities similar to those produced with predictive AI and machine learning solutions—such as anomaly detection or complex imagery analysis, for example—but with far greater speed and much less cost, size, and power requirements. If developed further, this capability could dramatically improve the ability of spacecraft to maneuver autonomously in orbit to avoid collisions with space debris or to assist dock-and-refuel missions. 

The Future of Generative AI in Space 

It was 120 years ago that the world witnessed the first flight of a powered, heavier-then-air aircraft at Kitty Hawk. The real significance of that event was not the 10 seconds and 120 feet that the Wright Flyer was aloft; it was the demonstration that powered flight is indeed possible and the inspiration that it provided to the Wright brothers and countless other innovators who worked hard to further develop our mastery of air and space in the decades that followed. 

We’ve now seen that generative AI can successfully deploy to space. There is an exciting future in realizing the possibilities that this unleashes. 

Dan Wald is an AI solutions architect for space applications at Booz Allen.

Karen Fields leads the NASA account at Booz Allen. 

US Air Force F-35s Touch Down on a Highway in Finland for ‘Historic’ Landing

US Air Force F-35s Touch Down on a Highway in Finland for ‘Historic’ Landing

Sept. 4, 2024 | By Chris Gordon

Two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighters landed on a Finnish highway on Sept. 4, the first time fifth-generation American aircraft have operated from a road—not a runway—in Europe. It is part of the service’s push to operate from more locations with less infrastructure in the face of increasing threats to U.S. bases across the globe.

Two F-35s assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing from RAF Lakenheath, U.K., touched down for a planned “austere landing,” U.S. Air Forces in Europe said in a release. The command said the operation was a demonstration of the U.S. Air Force’s and NATO’s aptitude for implementing Agile Combat Employment, in which air forces will have a greater ability to operate from non-traditional airfields.

The American jets, along with German fighters, are participating in the Finnish Air Force’s annual Baana exercise during which aircraft are using the Norvatie highway in Rovaniemi and the Hosio highway in Ranua as runways. The exercise started Aug. 31 and runs until Sept. 6.

“The successful first-ever landing of our fifth generation F-35 on a highway in Europe is a testament to the growing relationship and close interoperability we have with our Finnish Allies,” Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, said in a news release. “The opportunity to learn from our Finnish counterparts improves our ability to rapidly deploy and employ air power from unconventional locations and reflects the collective readiness and the agility of our forces.”   

Though operating from dispersed locations was commonplace in the Cold War, it fell out of favor as Russia receded as a threat. But Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has shown that air bases and other key military hubs are high-value targets. Russia has pummeled Ukraine with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and glide bombs to try to overwhelm Kyiv’s air defenses. Ukraine has responded by developing novel ways of attacking Russian air bases far beyond the front line with its own weaponized drones, as Western countries have not allowed the long-range missiles they have provided to attack targets in Russian territory.

Hecker has pushed for more integration among the U.S. and its partners, particularly as many NATO members are switching to the F-35. While the Agile Combat Employment model is often thought of as a Pacific concept, U.S. forces in Europe are highly concentrated at major bases, and USAFE is preparing to operate from alternate locations should a base be threatened.

NATO’s two newest members, Sweden and Finland, are used to operating from bare-bones locations. Sweden’s Gripen fighters are specifically designed to have a small logistical footprint, and the Swedish Air Force practices landing on highways. For Finland, being able to turn a road into a runway is a standard part of training for Finnish fighter pilots.

“Since Finland’s accession to NATO in 2023, it has provided U.S. Airmen significant opportunities to learn from Finnish counterparts,” USAFE said in its release.

The Finnish Air Force currently operates the F/A-18 but is scheduled to buy 64 F-35s to replace its aging Hornet fleet. Finland’s government announced on Sept. 3 that it plans to up its defense budget next year, in part to pay for the F-35s.

“In this age, we spend a lot of resources and time to guarantee and build security for our citizens and our home country,” Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters.

In April, Norwegian maintainers serviced American F-35s for the first time, and the U.S. returned the favor during a one-on-one NATO fighter competition exercise in June. Finland was among the nine NATO allies that participated in that one-day exercise, which was held at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

It is not the first time an F-35A—the conventional take-off and landing variant—has landed on a runway. In 2023, a Norwegian F-35A operated from a highway in Finland. The Marines have also operated F-35Bs, the short takeoff and vertical landing version of the fighter, from a closed U.S. highway, and in 2016, USAF A-10s landed on a highway in Estonia.

But now, the U.S. Air Force has taken a major step in its push to be more agile with its most advanced aircraft in Europe.

Two U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, U.K., demonstrate landing and takeoff operations during exercise BAANA 2024, Sept. 4, on Hosio Highway Strip, Ranua, Finland. During the exercise the aircraft landed on a highway strip in Finland to practice Agile Combat Employment which increases the ability of our collective partners to collaborate and operate in a joint, high-intensity environment, improve readiness, responsiveness and interoperability. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Scyrrus Corregidor

“These are the things we have to be able to do, and it takes practice,” Finnish Air Force Col. Saku Joukas, the exercise director and commander of the Lapland Air Wing, said in a news release before the exercise. “Now, the exercise will also have a stronger international element. We will demonstrate our top expertise to our allies, and provide them with an opportunity to learn. In this way, we will also send out a message about the strength of our own defense.”

The watchword for for the Air Force, NATO, and allied officials in Europe is “integration.” The alliance also faces the challenge of attempting to be able to operate with a limited footprint. Leaders across the alliance say they are taking working hard at operating from non-traditional environments, breaking down classification and information-sharing barriers, and cross-servicing each other’s aircraft.

“It’s almost back to the future. If you go back 35 years ago, a lot of the ACE concepts were alive and well here in Europe,” Hecker told Air & Space Forces Magazine in an interview in late July. “That’s what we’re building to try to get back to that construct.”

New USSF Officer Training Program Aims to Make ‘Guardians First, Specialists Second’

New USSF Officer Training Program Aims to Make ‘Guardians First, Specialists Second’

Sept. 3, 2024 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

The Space Force started its inaugural Officer Training Course (OTC) at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., on Sept. 3, a major overhaul in the service’s approach to building a well-rounded officer corps.

Instead of sending Guardians to specialized technical schools or field training, from now on, all newly commissioned officers of the service—including those fresh from the Air Force Academy—will undergo this 12-month, full-time program. The curriculum immerses them in the three core pillars of the service—intelligence, space, and cyber operations—ensuring that all officers emerge as “Guardians first, specialists second.”

“In order to lead effectively, our officers must have a comprehensive understanding of all elements of space power,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman said in a release. “The establishment of OTC gives every officer the baseline knowledge necessary to successfully lead operations in our technically demanding and highly contested environment.”

The first cohort of about 80 Guardians will experience a blend of classroom learning and hands-on field instruction, Ethan Johnson, Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) spokesperson, told Air & Space Forces Magazine. The officers will face regular tests and exams to ensure a solid grasp of the material. The curriculum focuses on ensuring that everyone is accessed into the service with the same common training code and develops a shared joint warfighter mindset and culture.

Upon graduation, all officers will be qualified to serve in all three career fields of the Space Force but will receive an initial specialty vector based on their aptitude, preferences, and the needs of the service. They will then relocate to their first operational assignment based on that initial vector, but “have the opportunity for new vectors in future assignments,” added Johnson.

The instructors at the school form a diverse team; the 319th Combat Training Squadron (CTS), responsible for training the new officers, includes active-duty military, civilian contractors, and support from the reserve component in the 42nd CTS.

“Collectively, their trainers bring a combination of recent operational experience and decades of military and professional expertise,” said Johnson.

The service first hinted at this initiative back in February as part of a push to fundamentally revamp how Guardians are trained. Previewing changes to re-optimize for great power competition, Saltzman stressed that leaders must master the full range of operations beyond their own areas of expertise, due to the interconnected nature of space. This new method aims to equip Guardians to tackle “the range of complex operational and technical problems central to Great Power Competition,” Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in a statement.

“OTC’s fusion of the most critical officer skillsets into one comprehensive program reinforces our commitment to re-optimizing for Great Power Competition,” Maj. Gen. Timothy Sejba, commander of STARCOM, said in a release. “I’m proud and excited to continue training our world-class Guardians in delivering superior space capabilities.”

The service noted that the OTC establishment was accomplished using existing resources, with any additional costs planned to be included in the fiscal 2026 budget or later years.

The OTC is part of the Space Force’s effort to revamp its professional military education as the youngest military branch nears its fifth anniversary. Back in October 2022, the service announced it was partnering with Johns Hopkins University for officer intermediate- and senior-level developmental education instead of establishing a War College.

And starting in 2025, the service plans to expand development opportunities and industry engagement for enlisted and civilian personnel. Last week, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna stated that the service is refining its ‘Noncommissioned Officer Academy,’ a new fellowship program for its enlisted leaders. The new model will replace the traditional Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, which was deemed too “Airman-centric” and not adequately tailored to Space Force needs. While the start date is still pending, the fellowship program is expected to focus on “foundational Space Force competencies” and dynamic, hands-on learning for enlisted leaders.

Air Force Investigates 7,000-Gallon PFAS Spill at Cannon

Air Force Investigates 7,000-Gallon PFAS Spill at Cannon

Sept. 3, 2024 | By David Roza

The Air Force is investigating a spill of about 7,000 gallons of water containing firefighting chemicals at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.

The chemicals are per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS. They’ve been used in consumer products around the world since the 1950s and the Air Force has used it in firefighting foam since the 1970s. PFAS do not degrade easily in the environment. 

Though U.S. government agencies are still figuring out exactly how harmful PFAS are to humans, the World Health Organization classified a type of PFAS called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as carcinogenic to humans and classified a second type, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), as possibly carcinogenic to humans. 

In 2023, the Department of Defense issued specifications for fluorine-free foam (F3), and Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., became the first Air Force base to transition to it earlier this year. At Cannon, the 7,000 gallons of rinsate, the term for water containing PFAS, had been removed from emergency vehicles as part of that larger effort when the spill happened. 

For scale, a 14-by-28-foot swimming pool contains about 15,000 gallons of water, according to Home Depot, while an Olympic swimming pool has about 660,000 gallons. 

The rinsate wound up in a lined retention pond at the base’s fire training area some time between July 9 and July 15, according to an Aug. 30 press release, but base leadership did not find out about it until early August. The base removed the water from the pond and put it in storage containers, then hired an independent third party to inspect the liner for holes on Aug. 23. 

The third party found the liner “was compromised in several areas with tears of various lengths,” and the base notified the New Mexico Environment Department the next day, the press release states. The base’s drinking water wells “are upstream of the deposit area” and are not affected by the spill, while the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center does not anticipate any off-base wells to be affected either.

Base commander Col. Robert Johnston ordered an investigation into the incident and appointed a task force to “examine and review all current environmental compliance training, policy and procedural guidance to ensure strict adherence to applicable requirements moving forward,” according to the press release.

“We understand the concerns of our community, our Airmen, and their families,” the colonel said in a statement.  “Please know that we are working expeditiously to address the affected area. We are committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure such incidents do not happen again in the future.”

Firefighters with the 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron test hose water pressure before an exercise Aug. 14, 2015, at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Alexx Mercer)

In the meantime, samples will be taken from the affected area and studied, and the press release said if any PFAS chemicals do make it into the groundwater, it would be captured by an existing pump and treat system set up at the base’s southeast boundary. 

Cannon’s public affairs office referred to its press release when asked by Air & Space Forces Magazine why the rinsate wound up in the pond; why it took several weeks for base leadership to find out; how much of the rinsate was recovered; and what agency is conducting the investigation.

“Col. Johnston, 27th Special Operations Wing and Cannon AFB commander, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the improper deposit, and it is underway,” a base spokesperson said. “We have released all the information we have at this time and we will provide updates as additional information becomes available.”

The spill is the most recent episode in a long-running PFAS saga at Cannon. According to the New Mexico Environment Department, PFAS used at firefighting training areas and other Cannon sites percolated into the underlying Ogallala Aquifer, where it left a plume of contaminated groundwater extending at least 2.5 miles off base.

“PFAS have polluted several off-site wells used for irrigation, dairy, and domestic water supply, sometimes at concentrations that greatly exceed the federal lifetime Health Advisory of 70 ng/L,” the department wrote. “PFAS also have been detected in milk produced by one dairy near [Cannon] causing severe economic impact to that dairy.”

One dairy farmer had to euthanize several thousand cows as a result, according to New Mexico news outlet Source NM. While public drinking water wells supplying the nearby city of Clovis showed no detectable PFAS contamination, in 2018 the department issued a Notice of Violation to the Air Force for failing to take timely action to correct the damage.

As of July, the state of New Mexico was still in court requesting the federal government pay for PFAS clean-up efforts, including $850,000 spent removing thousands of PFAS-contaminated cow corpses, Source NM reported. 

Leaders from the 27th Special Operations Wing, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, and Clean Water Partnership Cannon discuss ongoing PFAS remedial investigation and mitigation efforts with Rajen Dairy owners, Dec. 13, 2021, at Rajen Dairy in Clovis, New Mexico. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Peter Reft)
SDA More than Doubles GD’s Contract for Ground Ops, Integration

SDA More than Doubles GD’s Contract for Ground Ops, Integration

Sept. 3, 2024 | By Greg Hadley

The Space Development Agency has contracts for more than 250 satellites in “Tranche 2” of its proliferated low-Earth orbit constellation. Now it’s got a $491 million deal with General Dynamics to develop the ground systems and integration needed to capture all the data pouring down from those satellites. 

General Dynamics, which previously won a $324 million contract in 2022 for Tranche 1 of its ground systems, will earn up to $887 million in operations and sustainment through fiscal 2029—making GD one of SDA’s biggest and most important contractors.

Having an effective ground architecture that can connect to all the other contractors’ satellites “really is the most critical element of Tranche 1,” an SDA official told reporters in 2022.

That is even more so today, as the satellite architecture expands from five suppliers of 161 data transport and missile warning/tracking satellites in Tranche 1 to seven contractors providing 264 satellites in Tranche 2. 

“Without a ground segment, our space vehicles orbiting around the Earth can’t really do what we need them to do,” the SDA official said in 2022. “They can do things autonomously, but in order to make things work as a complete network, as a complete enterprise, you really do need the ground segments to manage the enterprise and the mesh and the control of the space layer.” 

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition Frank Calvelli listed among his nine “tenets for space acquisition” the need to ensure ground systems are complete and ready for operations prior to launch so that users can employ satellite data as soon as the spacecraft reach orbit. 

Last summer, SDA announced its intent to award a sole-source contract to General Dynamics for ground segment operations.

SDA now has two ground control operations facilities, one at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., and a second at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. Officials cut the ribbon on the Redstone facility in May and started operations at Grand Forks late last month. 

Concern expressed in the past about “vendor lock” concerns seem to have faded. In April, DefenseScoop reported that Col. Kalliroi Landry, SDA’s support cell chief, had said “SDA does not want to build a proliferated ground segment to support a proliferated space segment.”

Smaller, Better Battle Management Gets a Workout

Smaller, Better Battle Management Gets a Workout

Sept. 3, 2024 | By Greg Hadley

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla.—In a potential future conflict in the Pacific, the Air Force wants to operate as leanly as possible from far-flung expeditionary airfields. So the Air Force is trying to squeeze a command-and-control package that used to require six C-17s down to something small enough to fit on a single C-130.

The new Tactical Operations Center-Light (TOC-L) is among the first fruits of the Air Force’s ambitious drive to modernize the management enterprise. The system is “the basic building block for where we’re going for infrastructure for C2,” said Brig. Gen. Luke C.G. Cropsey, director of all things command, control, communications, and battle management, in February. The Air Force has already fielded 16 prototype kits. 

“We’re giving the operator an opportunity to go muck around with it and figure out what works, what doesn’t work, what we need to modify,” he said then.  

It has been a busy several months for the Airmen of the 752nd Operational Support Squadron here at Tinker. The unit is Air Combat Command’s “pathfinder” testing out the new battle management kit. 

From major exercises like Project Convergence and Bamboo Eagle to training in an abandoned neighborhood just off base, Airmen have been doing just that, said Maj. Cody Martin, 752nd assistant director of operations, in an interview with Air & Space Forces Magazine. 

“We practice packing it up into a truck, moving it, taking it out of the truck, documenting, like, ‘Hey, we packed it, this way works well.’ Or, ‘Hey, when we pack it this way, this thing doesn’t work correctly. It broke,’” Martin said. “It’s pathfinding, from a sense of, yes, we want to find the things that work … but you also [discover] the negative things too. So you find like, this specific piece is going to be an issue for everyone that’s going to use this kit.” 

Airmen are taking note of the time, effort, and space it takes to move at each major exercise. That includes “the operator workstations, the radio sets, the data link terminals, how the equipment is packed up and transported and moved around the different theaters,” said squadron commander Lt. Col. Brian Hamilton. They also have to make sure the system does “the things that we’re used to doing from a battle management perspective, from what an air tasking order would have us do throughout a theater to actually control aircraft and manage the airspace.” 

The Air Force has for years used its Control and Reporting Centers (CRC)—which include the AN/TPS-75 radar, AN/TYQ-23 operations module, communications terminals, and more. A full CRC unit includes roughly 350 personnel, 170 vehicles, 22 power generators, and more. It is a mobile capability that can forward deploy—but it takes a major effort. 

“Legacy is heavy. … Just to do battle management, command and control on the legacy side, we’re looking at upwards of six C-17 just to get folks out somewhere,” said Hamilton. 

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jacob Pastor, left, and Senior Airman Carmen Mitchum, of the 752nd Operations Support Squadron, demonstrate how to install the Tactical Operations Center–Light for Airmen of the 134th Air Control Squadron during a training collaboration at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., earlier this year. U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Matt McCoy

Meanwhile, TOC-L is, well, light. 

“Basically TOC-Light is roughly 4,500 pounds of equipment that approximately fits into 35 transit cases, … on a single … pallet position,” Hamilton said. It’s ideally suited to the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept (ACE).

“This kit is the Air Force’s answer to ACE-ing ground battle management,” said Martin. “If a battle management function is needed in an area, we’re not last in line in the order because we’re so big. We’re pretty easy to take care of, and therefore pretty easy to get out there quickly.” 

TOC-L uses Cloud-Based Command and Control (CBC2), fusing data from 750 radar feeds into a single interface, and using artificial intelligence to help battle managers prioritize and execute a path of action. 

“That software that is a part of those kits, is the biggest advancement,” Martin said. “Yes, the footprint is small, but a lot of what that kit can do internally is better than the legacy gear as well.” 

The system will be all the more crucial as the Air Force phases out its E-3 fleet and awaits new E-7 Wedgetail jets to come.  

Col. James Combs, deputy commander of the 552nd Air Control Wing, noted that air- and ground-based battle management are meant to complement each other, each providing its own benefits. But he acknowledged that “we’re naturally just going to lean on whatever tools we can to get the mission done.”   

Airmen configure the Tactical Operations Center-Light, or TOC-L, servers at Project Convergence Capstone 4 experimentation at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Courtesy photo

“We’re instilling in our Airmen more of that expeditionary mindset,” Combs said. “The CRC may not have as constant an ability to talk to every airplane out there because of the distance, because of the ranges they’re working with, or because the line of sight, whatever the case may be, but we’ve developed tactics, techniques and procedures to mitigate that.” 

TOC-L will be a big part of that, Combs suggested. 

“I can get the people and the basic kit over there, set up, start making connections, and begin to give them some level of command and control, and then that is scalable,” he said. 

Figuring out the intricacies of what that looks like is still a work in progress. 

“What they’re doing is literally writing the book,” Combs said of the 752nd. “They are writing the task lists of how best to use this. They’re working with industry to go, ‘We need it to do this. I want it to do that, if only you could make it fit into this.’ They’ve got that responsiveness. And so they’re literally innovating the best way that we can use this.” 

Next up is “Major Release 2” for TOC-L, coming in the next year or so, said Hamilton. In the meantime, Airmen are pushing the system as hard as they can. 

“When we step out the door, identifying hiccups isn’t a failure,” Martin said. “It’s really kind of the opposite. That’s the whole point.” 

Editor’s Note: This story was updated Sept. 4 to clarify the source of some quotes as 752nd OSS commander Lt. Col. Brian Hamilton.

Navigating the Future: Leveraging Multi-Cloud/Hybrid Cloud and SAP for the Department of the Air Force 

Navigating the Future: Leveraging Multi-Cloud/Hybrid Cloud and SAP for the Department of the Air Force 

Sept. 3, 2024

Read on Applied Insight.

In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) faces numerous challenges that demand innovative solutions. With a focus on data management, security, operational efficiency, and mission readiness, the DAF requires a robust, flexible, and secure IT infrastructure. Applied Insight, a leader in advanced cloud, cyber security and analytics solutions, utilizes leverages cutting-edge products like Altitude™ and SHIFT™ to deliver secure multi-cloud/hybrid cloud architectures that provide the agility and resilience necessary for modern defense operations. 

The Need for Advanced Cloud Solutions 

Data is a strategic asset for the DAF, and the ability to process, analyze, and act on vast amounts of information in real-time is crucial. Traditional IT infrastructures often fall short of meeting modern data processing demands due to their inflexibility, high costs, and complex security management. 

Public Cloud providers like AWS and Azure enable customers to rapidly scale resources and leverage cutting edge capabilities such as High-Performance Computing (HPC) and AI/ML. However, with the fast rate of innovation among cloud service providers and constantly evolving mission requirements, achieving decisive cloud dominance in great power competition often requires the use of more sophisticated network topologies.

Leveraging multiple cloud providers enhances mission agility by providing access to the best capabilities for each mission. Utilizing cloud technologies in conjunction with on-premises infrastructure can strengthen data security at rest while taking advantage of the scalability and advanced computation services of the cloud. Advanced cloud solutions that integrate multi-cloud and hybrid cloud architectures offer the best of both worlds by combining scalability, cost-efficiency, and flexibility with enhanced security and control, making them essential for the DAF’s operations.

Understanding Single, Multi, and Hybrid Cloud 

Cloud architectures can be implemented using three different network configurations: 

• Single Cloud: Relies exclusively on a single public cloud service provider. 

• Multi-Cloud: Utilizes multiple public cloud services from different providers. 

• Hybrid Cloud: Integrates on-premises infrastructure with public cloud services for a cohesive and flexible environment.

Strategic Advantages of Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud 

These architectures provide the DAF with several key benefits: 

Scalability and Flexibility

Leveraging both multi-cloud and hybrid cloud enables the DAF to rapidly scale resources up and down to meet mission requirements. 

• Use-Case: Dynamic Mission Support. 

• Solution: Altitude™ and SHIFT™ provide centralized control, automated scaling, efficient migration, and post-migration support to adapt quickly to changing mission requirements, ensuring resource availability without over-provisioning. 

Cost Optimization

Leveraging both multi-cloud and hybrid cloud enable the DAF to optimize costs by transferring mission workloads as needed, dynamically optimizing between performance and cost, and reducing waste from unutilized resources. 

• Use-Case: Budget-Conscious Cloud Operations. 

• Solution: Altitude™ offers centralized cost monitoring, automated workflows, compliance management, efficient migration, and risk mitigation to optimize cloud spending and ensure cost-effective operations.

Example: Choosing Multi-Cloud vs. Hybrid Cloud 

Scenario: The Department of the Air Force is considering the best approach to modernize its IT infrastructure to support a wide range of mission-critical applications, including communications, intelligence, and command and control systems. The decision hinges on choosing between a multi-cloud strategy and a hybrid cloud strategy. 

Multi-Cloud Approach

Reason: The Department of the Air Force operates globally, requiring high availability and redundancy for its IT systems to ensure mission success in various operational theaters. Utilizing a multi-cloud approach allows the Air Force to distribute workloads and data across multiple cloud service providers, mitigating the risk of service disruption due to vendor-specific outages or failures. 

Strategic Advantage: A multi-cloud architecture enhances resilience and operational continuity by enabling the Air Force to leverage the strengths of different cloud providers. In the event of a service interruption with one provider, the department can rapidly shift workloads to another provider without impacting critical operations. Additionally, a multi-cloud approach allows the Air Force to meet diverse compliance and security requirements across different jurisdictions, including NATO and allied nations, by utilizing local cloud providers where necessary. 

Hybrid Cloud Approach

Reason: The Department of Defense (DoD) has issued guidance emphasizing the need for flexibility, security, and control in cloud adoption. A hybrid cloud strategy aligns with the DoD’s emphasis on maintaining control over sensitive data and mission-critical applications while leveraging the scalability and cost benefits of the public cloud. 

Strategic Advantage: A hybrid cloud strategy allows the Air Force to extend its existing on-premises infrastructure to the cloud, maintaining control over highly sensitive data and systems that are crucial to national security. This approach also provides the flexibility to use public cloud resources for non-sensitive workloads, enabling the department to scale operations as needed. Furthermore, a hybrid cloud environment supports the integration of legacy systems with modern cloud-native applications, ensuring continuity of operations during the transition to a more modern IT infrastructure. 

Conclusion: The Department of the Air Force must carefully weigh the benefits of multi-cloud resilience and global reach against the control and flexibility offered by a hybrid cloud strategy. The decision will likely depend on the specific operational needs, security requirements, and long-term strategic goals of the department.

Applied Insight’s Support for Special Access Programs (SAPs)

A SAP is a classified U.S. government initiative that protects highly sensitive information with strict access controls and enhanced security measures. SAPs follow rigorous protocols and regulations to safeguard national security interests. 

Altitude™ is a flexible, scalable and rapidly deployable infrastructure platform that supports Special Access Programs (SAPs) by providing stringent security and compliance. It offers robust governance and adheres to standards like NIST, CMMC, and Zero Trust, all while maintaining a seamless user experience.

Customer Use Case

Scenario: A defense customer wants to share information and resources across classified regions for a SAP Program for Large-scale real time AI/ML Processing. 

Solution: Using Altitude™, the customer has a true multi-tenant platform that provides logical segmentation of tenant workloads while leveraging and advanced Zero Trust architecture that meets the enhanced security measures required by the Program. 

Benefit: Accelerated ATO attainment for mission workloads and increased operational freedom and agility for mission teams all while providing stringent security compliance, increased financial governance and transparency 

Applied Insight’s support of Special Access Programs, leveraging Altitude™ and SHIFT™, provides the DAF solutions to enhance operational efficiency, ensure data security, and maintain mission readiness. 

Leveraging Altitude™ and SHIFT™, Applied Insight can provide the DAF with a secure compliant infrastructure and tools to support SAP programs in the cloud.

Conclusion

The DAF’s complex challenges necessitate innovative, flexible, and secure solutions. Applied Insight’s multi-cloud/hybrid cloud architectures, powered by Altitude™ and SHIFT™, provide the DAF with the necessary tools to enhance operational efficiency, ensure data security, and maintain mission readiness while meeting the most stringent SAP requirements. Leveraging these advanced technologies, the DAF can confidently navigate the future, staying ahead of evolving threats and maintaining its strategic advantage.

Kendall Tours Seven Eastern European Countries, Praising NATO Air Defense

Kendall Tours Seven Eastern European Countries, Praising NATO Air Defense

Aug. 30, 2024 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.

“As threats have evolved, NATO remains as unified as ever,” Kendall said in a release.

Wrapping up his tour in Poland earlier this week, Kendall visited Łask Air Base’s 52nd Operations Group, Detachment 1 to spotlight the unit’s role in securing NATO’s eastern flank and deterring threats. Part of the 52nd Fighter Wing stationed in Germany, the detachment manages U.S. Air Force aircraft rotations to Poland, boosting joint operations with the Polish Air Force. The unit represents the first permanent presence of U.S. forces in the nation, a move made last year in response to escalating regional tensions related to Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall meets with U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 52nd Operations Group, Detachment 1, at Łask Air Base, Poland, Aug. 24, 2024. During his visit, Kendall expressed appreciation for members assigned to Det. 1 for their efforts to foster bilateral defense ties, enhance regional security and increase interoperability among NATO allies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jessica Sanchez-Chen)

Poland frequently collaborates with U.S. fighters for joint training and hosts exercises over its airspace. Earlier this month, Poland hosted a U.S. Air Force F-35 exercise involving the 48th Fighter Wing from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, U.K., along with KC-135 Stratotankers.

Poland is also set to be the first Eastern European country to receive F-35A fighters in 2026. Earlier this week, the country’s first Lightning II was unveiled to defense leaders at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Texas.

Poland’s First F-35 revealed at Lockheed Martin’s F-35 production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, on Aug 28, photo by Lockheed Martin

“We are joining a strong coalition of fifth generation fighters across Europe, bolstering air superiority through allied deterrence,” Maj. Gen. Ireneusz Nowak, Inspector of Polish Air Force, said in a release.

Poland’s first F-35 aircraft, AZ-01, named “Husarz” in honor of the country’s historic cavalry unit, will be delivered in December. This aircraft will be stationed at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas, for pilot training until 2026.

Kendall’s itinerary also included a stop in Lithuania, where he met with the Minister of National Defense and the country’s military leaders.

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall meets with key officials as he begins with his engagements through the U.S. European Command area of responsibility Aug. 19, 2024, to strengthen international partnerships. (Courtesy photo)

At last month’s NATO summit in Washington, leaders unveiled plans to enhance the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) system by rotating the model across the Eastern Flank, aimed at fortifying defense across land, air, maritime, cyber in Poland, Lithuania, Romania, and Bulgaria.

“The NATO alliance is the rock-solid cornerstone to security, not only in Lithuania, but also the Baltics and across all of NATO,” Kendall said in a release. “It is crucial to peace and stability that we continue to work together to deter our adversaries in the region.”

NATO’s air policing mission has been ongoing for the Baltic nations—Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia—since they joined the alliance in 2004. This effort has intensified since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the U.S. deploying fourth and fifth-generation fighters to the region. During his trip, Kendall visited the three nations to emphasize regional defense cooperation.

“The Baltic Air Policing mission is an essential activity to maintain peace and security not only for Estonia, but throughout NATO,” said Kendall.

During his trip, Kendall also visited Finland and Sweden, relatively new NATO members. NATO is working to establish a presence in Finland and fully integrate both Finland and Sweden into NATO plans, forces, and command structures to leverage their capabilities.

Finland shares more than 800 miles of border with Russia. Last month, two Russian fighters intercepted two B-52 Stratofortresses over the Barents Sea in the Arctic. The bombers flew through Finnish airspace for the first time before landing in Romania to start their first-ever operational deployment from that country. The strategic bombers crossed Norway before flying over Lapland, Finland’s northernmost region that borders Russia, Sweden, and Norway.

Northrop Touts Value of Digital Engineering as It Announces First Flight of Model 437

Northrop Touts Value of Digital Engineering as It Announces First Flight of Model 437

Aug. 30, 2024 | By John A. Tirpak

Northrop Grumman’s Model 437 “Vanguard,” a potential demonstrator for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program from subsidiary Scaled Composites, made its first flight from the company’s Palmdale, Calif., plant on Aug. 29. The company said the aircraft demonstrates the effectiveness of Northrop’s “digital ecosystem.”  

Northrop first introduced Model 437 as a concept three years ago, touting it as a possible answer to the Air Force’s “loyal wingman” program—now called CCA—as well as a U.K. requirement for an attritable escort for F-35s. Since then, however, it has been tight-lipped about the project, and in announcing the aircraft’s first flight made no mention of CCA.

“The Model 437 began as a conceptual design, based on the Model 401, exploring a multi-mission, low-cost, attritable aircraft,” Northrop said in its release. The Model 437 is “a crewed variant of the original concept, powered by a single Pratt & Whitney 535 engine, with approximately 3,400 pounds of thrust.” After envelope expansion, it will have a range of approximately 3,000 nautical miles and endurance of six hours, Northrop said.

The company added that the aircraft can carry a payload of up to 2,000 pounds “in multiple locations” including two AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs).

In its own release, Scaled said the Model 437 “leveraged extensive experience in rapid design, fabrication, and test of experimental aircraft.” In this case, it involved a “clean-sheet aircraft design, aerodynamic and structural analysis, fuselage and empennage fabrication, aircraft assembly, systems integration, and ground and flight test execution.” It described the first flight as “uneventful.”

Northrop also touted the digital framework underlying the Model 437—which carried a pilot on its first flight—as a product of collaboration between “the customer and supplier users.” Together, they developed, analyzed, built, and tested the wings of the aircraft, the company said. Northrop was not immediately able to explain why the aircraft is crewed, although industry officials have suggested the pilot could be there to be a hands-off safety supervisor as the jet tests out various autonomous flight programs.

“The Digital Pathfinder project demonstrated how the company’s fully digital engineering ecosystem reduces engineering rework, accelerates schedule and reduces costs, offering advantages to customers on future aircraft programs,” Northrop said. It employs “real world experience gained on programs like the B-21 Raider,” the Air Force’s new stealth bomber.

Colin Miller, vice president of Northrop’s aeronautics systems, said the company is working to “continuously improve” its digital tools and capabilities.

“This project demonstrates how high-fidelity models within our digital ecosystem serve as a single source of truth to streamline testing and certification on future aircraft, significantly saving cost and time for our customer,” Miller said.

Presumably referring to the Model 437, the company said digital methods “cut engineering rework and redesign to less than one percent, compared to the 15-20 percent experienced using traditional methods.” In the future, these methods could “significantly reduce the workload required to determine airworthiness, offering further cost and schedule savings opportunities.”

Northrop says Model 437 measures 41 feet by 41 feet and has a 10,000 pound maximum takeoff weight. It can accommodate a single pilot and fly at 25,000 feet.

Northrop said the aircraft also pioneers a new additive manufacturing process which produced “a titanium structural bracket using plasma arc energy deposition.” Northrop said it believes this method of forming a titanium part is a first in the defense industry. The method reduces the need for hard tooling, accelerating the prototyping process, while “improving first-time quality.”

The digital ecosystem used for the Vanguard “connected engineers, customers, and stakeholders in a virtual environment, allowing them to proactively foresee and solve the types of problems that typically plague acquisition programs up front and early—greatly improving program performance,” Northrop said.

In a press conference in 2021, Northrop officials posited a cost for the Model 437 of $5 million to $6 million per copy if it was put into series production. Company officials said the aircraft could achieve a speed of .85 Mach, making it capable of keeping up with F-35s enroute to a target, and said it would need less than 3,000 feet to take off.

The Air Force has adjusted its thinking on the CCA in the last few years, and now envisions the aircraft as performing escort functions for fighters but also carrying out independent missions. The first mission the Air Force plans for CCAs is as an air-to-air combat platform, likely carrying additional missiles that can be targeted by crewed fighters, but also able to select and fire air-to-air missiles autonomously.  

Northrop was not chosen for the first increment of CCA—which went to Anduril, with its “Fury” aircraft, and General Atomics, with a variant of its XQ-67A Off Board Sensor System—but the company is competing for the CCA Increment 2, for which a downselect could come as early as 2026.