Cyber Vision 2025: AF missions at risk in cyberspace

3/27/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- A recently released year-long study on cyberspace highlighted that missions are at risk from 'malicious insiders, insecure supply chains and increasingly sophisticated adversaries as well as growing systems interdependencies.'

The study, led by Air Force Chief Scientist Dr. Mark T. Maybury, combined an Air Force-wide team of experts from major commands, the Air Force Research Laboratory and Headquarters Air Force. The completed study is a science and technology blueprint for how the Air Force should advance in the near, mid and long term in cyberspace to ensure its secure use.

'It is cyberspace (science and technology) that can provide the assurance, reliance, affordability and empowerment to mitigate and defeat these risks,' Maybury said. 'However, this requires integration across authorities and domains, shaping of doctrine, policy, people and processes and intelligent partnering.'

Underscoring the need of cyberspace for operations, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley said 'our military depends on resilient, reliable and effective cyberspace assets to respond to crises, conduct operations, project power abroad and keep forces safe.'

The document, 'Cyber Vision 2025', discusses various methods and recommendations of how to protect our freedom in cyberspace for continued mission success for years to come. Overall, extracting value from the document will require adoption sustained effort across the science and technology, acquisition and operational communities, Maybury said.

(Courtesy of Air Force Public Affairs)