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Academy Center for Cyberspace Research

Cadets lookig at robothead

The Academy Center for Cyberspace Research (ACCR) conducts basic and applied cybersecurity research with partners, faculty and cadets to advance warfighting and industry capabilities within the field of Computer and Cyber Sciences in support of the Air Force, Department of Defense (DoD) and other government and commercial sponsors.

PROJECTS        CYBER MAJOR        CYBER FACULTY

Cyber Research and Development Triad

Academy Center for Cyberspace Research (ACCR): Long term research and development
Center of Innovation: Industry scouting
AF CyberWorx: Rapid design, technology transfer and delivery

 

RESEARCH Focus Areas

System Security Analysis

Network/Platform Red Team Assessments, Provably Secure Software, Objective Network Security Stack Security/Availability Measurement

Immersive Environments

Education Command and Control Directed Engagements

Artificial intelligence & Autonomy

Multi-vehicle Cooperation Swarm Area Defense/ISR

Business Process Automation

Workflow Analysis and Encoding

DIRECT SUPPORT TO CSAF FOCUS AREAS

System
Security
Immersive Environments
AI and
Autonomy
Process Automation
Revitalizing Squadrons
Strengthening Joint Leaders and Teams
Advancing Multi-Domain,
Multi-Functional C2

 

CAPABILITIES

  • Ready access to next generation of tech-savvy leaders
  • Resourcing based on projects (~$300K-$400K per year total)
  • Cyber Range ($2M+ isolated network, ICS lab)
  • Multiple airspaces for UAV engagements
  • Augmented/virtual reality technology
  • Linkages to other U.S. Air Force Academy assets:
    • RPA and Space Ops

 

WHY RESEARCH @ ACCR?

Military/Civilian Faculty with war-fighter mentality
  • Research dove-tails with previous efforts/experience
  • Direct impact to warfighting and industry capabilities
  • Very low institutional overhead
Cadet (Future of Officer Corps) Research
  • Capstone – year-long research programs that are inter-departmental
  • Cadet Summer Research Program – cadets visit industry and government sites and conduct research
  • Cadet Courses: 499 – Semester-long independent research; 495 – Semester long group research
Direct Partnerships with Industry
  • Industry values academic stamp of legitimacy
  • Leverages in-USAFA (gov’t and industry) researchers
Agile and Interdisciplinary
  • Able to engage in open source/crowd-sourcing for inputs
  • Able to conduct R&D in house with direct access to 100+ PhDs in numerous disciplines
  • Active cadet engagement brings ideas and builds warfighter mindset
  • Access to 20+ state of art USAFA research centers
FAA approved airspace to fly autonomous swarms, etc
  • UAS center
  • Procedures in place to conduct operations year round
  • Agreement with local Ft Carson to use Restricted Airspace to conduct ops up to kinetic effects
Close partnership with CyberWorx for rapid ideation/tech transfer
Institutional Review Board for Protection of Human Subjects
  • Streamlined and Local
ACCR in the News:
Cyber News
Additional Resources
CONTACT US

Lt Col Justin Wilson, ACCR Research Director
justin.wilson@afacademy.af.edu
(719) 333-3590

Col Judson Dressler, Department Head, DFCS
judson.dressler@afacademy.af.edu
(719) 333-9798