ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA (AFNS) --
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) Zero Trust (ZT) Functional Management Office (FMO) presented a comprehensive status update of Zero Trust progress to several Senior Leaders across the DAF’s Cyber and IT community. This eight-hour Zero Trust “deep dive” session took place on April 1; discussion included progress since 2022 and the next steps to meet the DoD’s FY27 compliance mandate.
Capt Ryan Fraser, the DAF ZT FMO Lead, and team collaborated with more than 100 DAF stakeholders to ensure Zero Trust capabilities are progressing to meet the DoD’s FY27 target level compliance mandate. High-impact activities, such as Microsegmentation, Next Generation Gateway (NGG) stack installations, and Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) onboarding were prioritized in conversation during the deep dive. The goal of this session was to level-set the Senior Leaders and garner their support for increased advocacy in the corporate structure to ensure the DAF is successful at implementing the DoD Fan Chart’s 91 target level Zero Trust activities by 30 September 2027 as a service.
According to Colonel Chantel Booker, Air Combat Commands Deputy Director, Cyberspace Operations and Warfighting Communications, “As the FY27 deadline approaches, it is critical to highlight all roadblocks that could potentially impede solution deployment or hinder the Enterprise’s ability to successfully meet the DoD’s 2027 mandate”. Governance bottlenecks and undefined criteria for completion further complicates progress, highlighting the need for streamlined decision-making and clearer accountability. One result of this session was identifying and capturing 21 action items that were recorded and assigned an OPR and target due date to ensure completion and accountability.
“I want to empower the organizations to make decisions so that Headquarters is not a bottleneck and because they are closer to the problem,” stated Mrs. Venice Goodwine, DAF Chief Information Officer (CIO).
These updated policies are intended to help drive accountability. The DAF is defining what success looks like within DoD guidance and is committed to a way-forward which prioritizes warfighter needs, mission effectiveness, and light-touch governance to ensure comprehensive security beyond surface-level compliance.
“Words matter, and we need to ensure appropriate and clear language is used when writing policy,” stated Mrs. Venice Goodwine.
The DAF has outlined several strategic priorities to ensure successful Zero Trust implementation by FY27, to include finalizing key policies, addressing funding gaps, enhancing training programs, improving governance processes, and expanding collaboration with external agencies. The DAF ZT FMO will establish clear completion criteria to standardize progress tracking and compliance reporting within DoD standards.
Looking ahead, the DAF ZT FMO will continue to provide forums for brainstorming and collaboration across organizations by expanding Zero Trust into Weapon Systems (WS) and other Non-Enterprise IT (Non-EIT) infrastructure. Initial Operational Technology (OT) pilot programs have successfully tested Zero Trust principles, offering valuable insights for broader implementation.
The DAF is leading the way, ensuring that its mission-critical systems and data are protected in an increasingly complex digital environment. The DAF is committed to achieving Zero Trust and ensuring the security and readiness of its information systems for warfighters. While challenges remain, the successes to date demonstrate the DAF’s ability to adapt and innovate in the face of evolving threats.