- The Department of the Air Force technology transfer program granted federal defense laboratory status to the 16th Air Force
- 16 AF will use the designation to further its collaborations with industry and academic innovators
- The command was established as a cryptology and cyberspace operations specialist for combatant commands and the NSA
The 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) announced that its Office of the Technical Director has been declared as a federal defense laboratory by the Technology Transfer and Transition Program Office of the Department of the Air Force.
The designation empowers Air Forces Cyber to collaborate further not only with the government but also the private and academic sectors on research and development.
“Granting this authority to 16th Air Force allows significant new opportunities and empowers our Numbered Air Force to advance our mission through innovation to outpace emerging threats,” 16th Air Force Technical Director Brian Cook remarked. “It also allows for the leveraging of external expertise and resources to solve complex challenges,” he added.
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What Is the 16th Air Force?
The 16th Air Force is a component Numbered Air Force specializing in cyberspace operations, ranging from weather forecasting to offensive and defensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support. It is a service component of the U.S. Cyber Command and it also performs cryptology services to the National Security Agency/Central Security Service and all combatant commands. Air Forces Cyber operates from 123 locations worldwide, employing 49,000 Total Force Airmen.
What Are the Benefits of the Federal Laboratory Designation?
As a federal defense laboratory, the 16th Air Force can formalize partnerships with the private sector and academic institutions to turn their research and innovations into real-world technologies. For instance, Air Forces Cyber entered into cooperative R&D agreements with the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas at El Paso. The collaboration will be overseen by the Department of the Air Force Technology Executive Office.
“The elevation to a federal laboratory fundamentally changes how we integrate academic brilliance into our mission,” said Dr. Lisa Bellamy, 16 AF academic engagement lead. “By working hand-in-hand with university scholars, we are directly applying advanced academic research to our cyberspace and ISR operations, turning theoretical concepts into operational realities for our Airmen,” she explained.
