SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The DAF SAB is being renewed in accordance with chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as “the Federal Advisory Committee Act” or “FACA”) ( printed page 24533) and 41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 102-3.50(d). The public or interested organizations may submit written statements about the DAC-MPT mission and functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of planned meetings of the DAC-MPT. All written statements shall be submitted to the DAF SAB's Designated Federal Officer (DFO), and this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to the membership for their consideration. The DAF SAB'S DFO Lieutenant Colonel Steven Ingraham, and he can be reached at 240-612-5643, or steven.ingraham@us.af.mil.

Consistent with 41 CFR 102-3.65(a), the DoW is publishing the DAF SAB's Public Interest Determination.

Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.60(a), to establish, renew, reestablish, or merge a discretionary (agency discretion) advisory committee, an agency must first consult with the General Services Administration's Committee Management Secretariat (the Secretariat) and, as part of the consultation, provide a written public interest determination approved by the head of the agency to the Secretariat with a copy to the Office of Management and Budget. In addition, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.35, an agency shall follow the same consultation process and document in writing the same determination of need before creating a subcommittee under a discretionary committee that is not made up entirely of members of a parent advisory committee.

Information on the following factors for the DAF SAB Board is provided to the Secretariat to demonstrate that reestablishing the DAF SAB is in the public interest:

1. Annual budget.

The DoW estimates annual operating costs to support the DAF SAB are $3,873,592, which includes personnel travel, meetings, and contract support.

a. Federal personnel on a full-time equivalent basis.

The estimated annual personnel costs to the DoW are 5.0 full-time equivalent at $780,640, which includes basic pay with cost-of-living allowance.

b. Other Federal internal costs.

Program element to support DAF SAB contract costs is $2,181,252 and supplies costs are $17,000.

c. Proposed payments to members.

Consistent with 10 U.S.C. 173, members of the DAF SAB are not compensated for their services, except for travel and per diem reimbursement for official DAF SAB related business.

d. Proposed number of members.

As authorized by the Secretary of War (SecWar), the DAF SAB will be composed of not more than 20 members.

e. Reimbursable costs.

The estimated reimbursement costs, to include travel, for DAF SAB staff and members are $894,700.

2. If applicable, the total dollar value of grants expected to be recommended during the fiscal year: N/A.

3. Criteria for selecting members to ensure the committee has the necessary expertise and fairly balanced membership.

As described in its proposed charter and membership balance plan, the DAF SAB is composed of members who are eminent authorities in the fields of science, technology, manufacturing, acquisition processes, and other matters of special interest to the DoW and the DAF. Unless otherwise stated, the acroynm DAF means the DAF and the U.S. Space Force.

In selecting members, the DoW seeks to capitalize on recognized talented, innovative private and public sector leaders to provide the broadest knowledge and expertise based on a balanced DAF SAB membership composition. The DAF SAB membership is not static, and the SecWar and Deputy Secretary of War (“the DoW Appointing Authority”), independently or upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Air Force, as the DAF SAB's DoW Sponsor, may change the membership based upon work assigned to the DAF SAB.

4. List of all other DoW Federal Advisory Committees: A complete listing of DoW Federal advisory committees can be located at: https://www.facadatabase.gov/​FACA/​s/​account/​001t000000DCAooAAH/​department-of-defense.

5. Justification that the information or advice provided by the Federal advisory committee or subcommittee is not available from another Federal advisory committee, another Federal Government source, or any other more cost-effective and less burdensome source.

The DAF SAB provides an unparalleled contribution to the DAF through its unwavering commitment to advancing technological superiority for both the U.S. Air Force and, more recently, the U.S. Space Force. Comprised of recognized, talented, innovative private and public sector leaders the DAF SAB provides independent technical advice on DAF issues that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. Furthermore, DAF SAB has a proven record and inherent ability to adapt and evolve in parallel with the DAF's mission to ensure its recommendations remain acutely relevant, empowering the DoW to address emerging technological challenges with both speed and agility.

6. If the consultation is a committee renewal, a summary of the previous accomplishments of the committee and the reasons it needs to continue (If not applicable, enter “N/A.”)

The studies and technical reviews by the DAF SAB have had strong impacts on the science and technology (S&T) programs conducted by the DAF, and on the resulting capabilities that have emerged from these programs to support the DAF mission.

The DAF SAB's significance within the DAF is demonstrably evident in its execution of two key functions:

(1) S&T Decision Support for Senior-Leader-Directed Topics: The DAF SAB conducts rigorous and impartial evaluations of DAF operational needs in the context of advanced threats and emerging technologies that may yield solutions. These evaluations provide the DAF (including the Secretary of the Air Force) with objective insight into potential S&T applications and limitations, informing acquisition and operations.

(2) Periodic Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) S&T Reviews: By meticulously assessing the maturity and utility of developing technologies, the DAF SAB advises the DAF on suitability of advanced S&T concepts for operational deployment, thereby mitigating risks and maximizing effectiveness. Additionally, DAF SAB's findings and recommendations assist the DAF in strategically allocating resources and prioritizing S&T investments in technologies specifically tailored to meet the DAF's unique requirements.

The DAF SAB's mandate is to evaluate technologies—not for technologies' sake but for technologies' contributions to DAF warfighting effectiveness. In many instances, the DAF SAB contributes directly to the DAF leadership's decisions to increase the lethality of the force. Examples include:

(1) Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) Study—delivering more weapons more affordably to the air fight.

(2) Air and Ground Moving Target Indication Study—supporting long range kill chains.

(3) War-Winning Weapons Study—exquisite weapons to penetrate the most capable defenses and affordable cruise missiles to overwhelm the threat and to support a prolonged war.

(4) Developmental & Operation Test study—where the DAF SAB recommended test organizations have an alternative plan, in addition to their ( printed page 24534) exhaustive baseline test plans, to pivot to quickly testing key weapons systems upon strategic warning of war.

(5) Enhancing Operational Cybersecurity Study—where the DAF SAB advocated for identifying the most critical cyber systems for fighting a war in the Pacific and hardening those systems, on timeline compatible with the danger of war, in preference to other systems.

Additionally, DAF SAB's recommendations promote that economics is essential to warfighting and that technology can be used to reduce the cost of weapon systems. Many DAF SAB studies recommend innovative ways to enhance system performance at low cost. A specific example includes the SAB advocating for AFRL programs to produce low-cost mission systems for CCAs and even lower cost systems for Low-Cost Cruise Missiles (LCCMs) which ultimately lead to AFRL taking up the challenge.

7. Explanation of why the committee/subcommittee is essential to the conduct of agency business.

Since its establishment in 1944, the DAF SAB has continuously served as the principal external advisory body to the Secretary of the Air Force and to senior leaders in Headquarters Air Force, Air Force Major Commands, and more recently U.S. Space Force Field Commands, for S&T matters relating to the DAF mission. The DAF SAB renewal is essential to the DAF, the broader DoW mission, and the Nation.

91 FR 24532