Air Force Eyes Space-Centered Cyber Training

Air Force Space Systems Command wants outside entities to weigh in on its plans to produce live, virtual and on-orbit space cybersecurity test and training events—and technology that will enable cyber officials to operate in simulated environments as they prepare to combat real-world threats.

Approaches requested need to involve “software-only solutions that can run on cloud infrastructure to hardware-delivered solutions,” according to a request for information published on Thursday.

Specifically, the unit wants to hear from contractors that have the ability to provide an environment that can be customized on-demand to match intel-driven requirements. Among a range of other capabilities, the chosen vendor also needs to demonstrate that they can enable blue and red cyber teams to simultaneously engage in scenarios, offer multiple scenarios catered to a range of different users and operate environments at different classification levels.

“The Secretary of the Air Force has established seven new operational imperatives, major focus areas for the [department] in 2022,” officials wrote in the RFI. 

They include, as worded in the notice:

1. Defining Resilient Space Order of Battle and Architectures (defensive and offensive)
2. Achieving Operationally-Optimized Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) / Air Force Joint All Domain Command and Control
3. Defining the Next Generation Air Dominance System of Systems (sensors, communications, command & control, weapon and uncrewed aerial vehicles)
4. Achieving Moving Target Engagement at Scale (air, sea surface and ground mobile targets)
5. Defining Optimized Resilient Basing, Sustainment and Communications in a Contested Environment
6. Defining the B-21 Long Range Strike Family of Systems
7. Evaluating Readiness of the DAF to Transition to a Wartime Posture Against a Peer Competitor

Of those, this document supports the analysis of the seventh.

“Additional separate RFIs may be issued in support of other imperatives,” officials wrote. “Where possible, the Air Force would like to understand within your responses how your technology and operational concepts for this imperative could enable, connect and contribute across all 7 imperatives.”

Responses to the request are due March 19.