Maj. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot, 24th Air Force commander, called on members of industry to consider cyber needs and requirements as they design new platforms and weapon systems. Speaking at AFA’s CyberFutures Conference outside of Washington, D.C., on March 23, Vautrinot said if cyber defense is not factored into the design, this would almost inevitably lead to denial-of-service issues that could prevent or misdirect the transfer of vital information. “If you don’t define that end, you don’t build defense on the front end,” she said. “It’s like a hospital gown. You’re covered in the front, but hanging out in the back. We need to get proactive in how you use the defensive structure.”
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
