Wild Blue Yonder

March 15, 2024
How to Combat Cryptocurrency's Use within the Illicit Drug Trade

With criminals finding the traditional ways of handling and exchanging their funds being easily blocked in the digital age, cryptocurrency has become their primary means to move and launder money in exchange for illegal activities, particularly the illegal drug trade. Given a nationwide opioid
Feb. 22, 2024
USAF Role in the Electromagnetic Pulse Vulnerability of the United States Critical Infrastructure

The nuclear capabilities of Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs) are of substantial concern and are highlighted throughout the 2022 National Defense Strategy of the United States.[1] Along with these nuclear abilities comes the threat to the U.S. Homeland in
Feb. 15, 2024
A Dynamic Targeting Solution to Respond to Destructive Leaders

As most leadership literature has focused on the characteristics of ‘good’ or effective leadership, leaders are often perceived as heroic saviors of organizations in crisis.[1] A ‘good’ leader is seen as someone who is inspirational, has integrity, sets a good example, and is supportive and
Feb. 8, 2024
We Are the Cat: How Schrödinger Can Teach Us to Hatelove the Bomb

With the movie Oppenheimer bringing the Bomb back into our casual conversations, it is a good time to rethink how you feel about the Bomb. Its abstract but existential implications are especially present today as a driver of both conversation and human behavior in an unprecedented way. Will the
Feb. 1, 2024
From Air to Ground: Introducing SOF SEAD Using DRFM Jamming

The United States military has historically sought to nullify the effects of adversary radars and radar-guided weapons systems through airborne suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) tactics, including high-speed anti-radiation missile (HARM) employment and electronic attack (EA).[1] While the US
Jan. 25, 2024
Persistence in Airpower

While a great deal of focus has been placed on the kinetic and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), their ability to remain present in the battlespace is their most important attribute. As manned
Jan. 18, 2024
New Kid on the Block: An Analysis of How the Advent of Cyber Has Influenced Electronic Warfare

“There’s no going back. You’ve changed things, forever.” In Christopher Nolan’s 2008 film, The Dark Knight, the Joker explains to Batman how the hero’s presence and attempts to defend Gotham City against organized crime have forever altered the landscape of order and chaos. He further claims
Jan. 4, 2024
Winning in the Information Environment: Recent Successes in Combating Adversary Disinformation and Recommendations for the Future

Before invading Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russian officials were planning a false-flag operation, which called for a staged video depicting the aftermath of a Ukrainian attack against Russian-backed separatists or Russia itself, with Russian-speaking actors posing as mourners and corpses. This
Dec. 28, 2023
Impeding Terrorism by Impeding Funding of Terrorism Through Fentanyl Sales on the Dark / Deep Web

As a USAF Cyber Officer, I acted as the J6 (Cyber/IT lead) for the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force, CJIATF-Nexus, deployed in Afghanistan during the 2012-2013 timeframe. In this role, I was supposed to ensure the combined unit had its systems and network requirements met, but instead, I was
Dec. 21, 2023
Automating OIE with Large Language Models

Whether you call it non-kinetics, information warfare, information operations, or operations in the information environment (OIE), planning and executing these activities is extraordinarily difficult. A standard operation takes months, and the bureaucracy of OIE makes Before we discuss how to