ABSTRACT

The risk of successful terrorist attacks on US Air Defense Systems by small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS)/UAS is growing because of increased commercial capabilities and accessibility of advanced small drones. Commercial and military UAS are integrally linked to payload, navigation, communications, and control linkages from ground, air, or satellite. UAS are being designed with increasingly advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and automation capabilities that can be both beneficial and harmful. The increased automation and AI capabilities can be used to complete dull, dangerous, and dirty missions in all weather conditions and are capable of longer flying times and endurance at more effective altitudes. The cyber risk analyst’s mission when flying a UAS against hostile forces is to determine the risk, threats, vulnerabilities, impact, and CMs that may apply in an attack/defense scenario. In the arena of cybersecurity and information, much depends on the correct evaluation of risk potentials.