US Air Force,
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas: When today's Airmen use one of the many cutting edge technology tools at their disposal, they can thank a small group of scientists and engineers for helping make it a reality.
The Air Force Scientific Advisory Board continued their long tradition of helping the Air Force bring new ideas to reality at their spring board meeting April 9-12 at the Air Intelligence Agency headquarters.
During that meeting, the board's chair, Ms. Heidi Shyu, gave some insight into how the group of scientists, engineers and retired Air Force officers take topics identified by senior Air Force leaders and determine how they can be developed to help tomorrow's warfighters in the war on terrorism.
“To win the Global War on Terror, the Air Force must have access to the most advanced technological solutions to meet current and future needs,” Ms. Shyu said.
This year, this includes both ground-based and airborne systems. Discussion topics at a recent conference included small satellites, thermal management issues and theater ballistic missiles.
“We are assessing the threat of these missiles to forward-deployed forces as well as how to protect our cyberspace systems from attack,” she said.
Ms. Shyu, the vice president and technical director of space and airborne systems at Raytheon Company, said the board reviews important solutions.
“While the concepts may seem wide-ranging in their scope, the solutions reviewed by the board can also involve the very elements of how weapons are designed and built,” she said. “We are looking into advances in composite material to improve performance in our strike and support aircraft, as well as how to better manage the heat these weapons produce and how that heat affects their electronic systems.”
As part of their mission, the 50 members and two senior mentors of the SAB work to provide objective and relevant recommendations on how best to use technology to improve Air Force capabilities. While not involved in making policy decisions, many examples of their work have directly resulted in changing the way the Air Force performs its mission.
“In 1996, the SAB's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technologies and Combat Operations study identified capabilities for surveillance and suppression of enemy air defenses missions, as well as how to weaponize the UAVs with a family of warheads. That study spurred light-weight sensors, autonomous command and control technology and new missions for today's UAVs,” she said.
The 1996 study also spawned programs in other Department of Defense agencies.
The UAV study lead to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle program, she said. The result was the X-45 UCAV technology demonstration aircraft, which first flew in 2002.
“The SAB looks into the future and tries to assess what critical technologies are needed for future Air Force capabilities,” she said. “The board has also posed technical challenges to Air Force Research Laboratory directorates that spurred the development of technologies at a faster pace. In several instances, AFRL has stepped up to the plate and impressed us by exceeding our challenges.”
One previous study by the SAB resulted in a 10-year road map for Air Force science and technology programs.
“In 1995, the SAB conducted a New World Vistas study. It provided a 10-year forecast of how technological change would affect the Air Force,” she said. “It became the standard reference for defining future technology directions, including remote control technologies, composite materials, high-power lasers, a jam-resistant global positioning system and tied information warfare to conventional warfare.”
While most of the board's research is purely military in nature, some of the research has wide-ranging applications, such as its work in identifying cyber threats and how to counter them.
“The defense aspect of cyber warfare could also end up helping average Americans, from protecting financial and medical records to preventing people from being robbed electronically,” said Ms. Shyu. “As we head toward an ever-increasing networked society, cyber protection will definitely increase in importance.”
The board regularly meets in various locations in order to learn more about the missions and units of the Air Force. While visiting AIA, the group was briefed on several AIA key missions, met with senior staff and toured the facilities.
“Our visits to AIA and the Air Force Network Operations Security Center have given our members the opportunity to see first-hand how Airmen use today's technology to meet their mission requirements,” said Ms. Shyu.
The SAB is a Federal Advisory Committee that was founded in 1944 by Gen. Hap Arnold and Dr. Theodore von Karman. It was formed to provide a critical link between the Air Force and the civilian science and engineering community.
Potential members come from numerous sources and are recommended to serve on the board by major commands, the Air Staff, national academies, federally funded research and development centers, other government organizations and other SAB members.
After a lengthy and detailed selection process, members of the board are selected to serve a four-year term on the board. The new members are selected based upon their technical expertise and approved by the Secretary of Defense and the White House liaison.
The group conducts independent studies and provides technical assessments approved by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff. They assist, strengthen and supplement the work of Air Force organizations that deal with science and technology.
