Notice2026-08933
Renewal of Department of War Federal Advisory Committee-Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 6, 2026
Issuing agencies
Defense Department
Abstract
The Department of War (DoW) is publishing this notice to announce that it is renewing the Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (DAF SAB) as a discretionary Federal advisory committee.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24532-24534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08933]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Renewal of Department of War Federal Advisory Committee--
Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board
AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.
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SUMMARY: The Department of War (DoW) is publishing this notice to
announce that it is renewing the Department of the Air Force Scientific
Advisory Board (DAF SAB) as a discretionary Federal advisory committee.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee
Management Officer for the Department of War, 703-692-5952.
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'')
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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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6310170615060d4d0a0d0411020b020e2316104d02054d0e0a0f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b7c4c3d2c1d2d999ded9d0c5d6dfd6daf7c2c499d6d199dadedb">[email protected]</span></a>.
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: <a href="https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/s/account/001t000000DCAooAAH/department-of-defense">https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/s/account/001t000000DCAooAAH/department-of-defense</a>.
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
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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.
Dated: May 4, 2026.
Stephanie J. Bost,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2026-08933 Filed 5-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
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