FMA and Mission Defense Team (MDT) capabilities are vital means of success in enabling active cyber defense of Air Force missions and algorithmic responses to intrusions and other breaches endangering information dominance.

This sprint set out to focus on this shortcoming and ways to accelerate the needed transformation, uncover lessons learned, and distill a plan to revector or to harden the CSI support structure.

The design project tapped over 40 people from the Air Force, joint cyber protection team members, CSI pathfinder units, as well as industry partners.

Participants held a Q&A session with the former CTO of Google as part of the design research phase. Key insights from industry leaders helped shape the team’s design effort.

The design sprint participants spent significant time developing personas (users) who would have existing stories within the #FMA4CSI framework and whose stories could be improved through proposed advances. Teams identified four key themes, divided into two groups based on current issues and future sustainment needs:

• Solving current issues our CSI pathfinders are facing
• Creating future CSI/FMA Leaders

FMA Data Standardization and Collaboration: Collaborative social environment serves as a social repository for MDT information sharing, TTPs, and baseline templates.

Top Cover through Formalized FMA Program: FMA is formally tasked to wings based on MAJCOM priorities. Cyber key terrain and defense actions must become commander business in the digital age AF.

Talent Management: MDT talent management starts with recognition of skills in tech school.

Training: FMA training will be enhanced via the Mobile Tiger Teams to provide OJT and life-support/expertise to existing and new MDTs that are encountering difficulties.