Academy Center for Cyberspace Research

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:

• “‘Cutting Edge’: DoD official says cyber, computer science majors advance security for US”
• “Groundbreaking for new Cyber Innovation Center – a ‘gamechanger’ for USAFA”
• “USAFA grad leads tactical cyber operations for 688th Cyberspace Wing”
• “General Nakasone awards USAFA cadets 2022 cyber competition trophy”
• “USAFA hosts computing symposium celebrating women, minorities”
• “National Guard embraces new tech for 2030 Vision”
• “U.S. Air Force Academy’s Computer and Cyber Sciences Department recognized as ‘National Center of Academic Excellence'”
• “Cadet Joint Domain exercise incorporates cyber – proves successful”

Cyber News

• Cyber Security & Infrastructure Security Agency
• Department of Homeland Security – Cybersecurity
• FBI – Cyber Crime
• USCYBERCOM
• Air Force Cyber News

Additional Resources

• Online Cybersecurity Training and Education (Sponsored by NSF)
• Information Technology Services
• USAFA Cyber Competition Team (Open to all Cadets): Instagram  |  twitter
• USAFA Board of Visitors