Aircraft Cyber Combat Survivability
by
The aircraft combat survivability (ACS) design discipline has proven effective in producing survivable combat aircraft for over fifty years. Currently, the discipline only focuses on kinetic threats; however, an emerging class of cyber weapons has brought forth a new challenge in the endless fight between attackers and defenders. Cyber is a legitimate anti-aircraft threat, and the recent rise in cyber-related incidents raises major concern for our military and its ability to carry out mission objectives. While the attack vectors and damage mechanisms of cyber weapons are fundamentally different from those of traditional kinetic threats, modifying the fundamental ACS concepts can help produce cyber-survivable combat aircraft. This research lays the groundwork for expanding the ACS design discipline fundamentals to include emerging anti-aircraft cyber threats.
Analysis of Artillery Survivability in Distributed Operations
by
This thesis analyzes the capabilities of a defense system, the M777A2 Lightweight Towed 155mm Howitzer, through the lens of survivability in a near-peer adversarial conflict. M777A2 technological upgrades enhanced digital communications creating a disconnect between doctrinal employment methods and new-found capabilities of the weapon system. This thesis argues that fully exploiting the capabilities of the Digital Fire Control System (DFCS) through distributed operations will result in a higher chance of victory and survivability against a near-peer adversary.
A Computational Framework for Optimization-Based Interdependent Infrastructure Analysis and Vulnerability
by
Civilian communities and military installations operate numerous critical infrastructure systems to deliver services like power, water, mobility, and communications to people and missions. The vulnerability of these systems can be measured by considering the robustness of each infrastructure network on its own or by considering the interdependencies between different networks. Diverse infrastructure network models are available to analyze system vulnerability, yet a standard architecture for linking pre-existing models for interdependent analysis does not exist. We develop a computational framework to generate combined models that link multiple network-flow optimization models together for interdependent analysis. We validate our methods and implementation in the Python programming language with well-studied interdependent energy networks.
Department of Defense Cybersecurity Test and Evaluation Guidebook
by
The purpose of this updated guidebook is to promote data-driven mission-impact-based analysis and assessment methods for cybersecurity test and evaluation (T&E) and to support assessment of cybersecurity, system cyber survivability, and operational resilience within a mission context by encouraging planning for tighter integration with traditional system T&E. Cybersecurity T&E starts at acquisition initiation and continues throughout the entire life cycle.
Integrating Resilience into Military Infrastructure Assurance Assessments and Decision Making
by
This research created the Mission Assurance Resilience Matrix, a decision framework that integrates existing infrastructure assessment methods with emerging resilience research to model resilience under uncertainty as part of a detailed infrastructure management system. This framework enables military decision makers to easily visualize deficiencies in infrastructure resilience and assess where to most efficiently allocate resources. This research further extends results by including modules on training and education as a component of the scope of work.
Vulnerabilities to U.S. Waterway Infrastructure Impacting the Ability to Project Naval Power
by
This thesis answers the question: What are the core domestic maritime transportation system waterway vulnerabilities for the Carrier Strike Group power projection capabilities of the United States? There is a multitude of threats that the United States Navy faces in today’s world, such as terrorism, great power competition, and contention for freedom of the seas. Some of these originate in the homeland, such as threats to U.S. waterways that are home to surface naval vessels. This thesis describes and analyzes three regions where carriers are homeported in the United States and assesses the maritime transportation system through risk assessment, reliability engineering, worst-case planning, and surprise adaptation.