AFIT’s School of Strategic Force Studies, or AFIT/EX, located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, updated their in-resident Cyberspace 200 class in 2024.  Pictured are AFIT EX’s FY24D Team 5 students that completed an analysis of the operational environment during the fundamentals block of the Cyberspace 200 course. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Dana Charles)

The Air Force Institute of Technology’s students, faculty and staff celebrated many significant milestones throughout 2024.  After more than a century of educational excellence, AFIT’s vision of leading defense-focused education, research and consultation to accelerate military superiority across all domains continues to be accomplished through its five schools:  the Civil Engineer School, the Graduate School of Engineering and Management, the School of Strategic Force Studies, and the School of Systems and Logistics and the Civilian Institution Programs Office.

In 2024, AFIT’s School of Strategic Force Studies, or EX, graduated an all-time record 2,176 nuclear professional continuing education students. To facilitate growth in nuclear certification knowledge by means of practical exercises and to deliver discussion-based nuclear education to junior and mid-tier leaders, EX innovated new courses, Nuclear 014 and Nuclear 275, over the past year. 

In addition to meet the increasing demand for nuclear expertise and education, AFIT EX expanded Nuclear 250 and 252 student capacity by a not insignificant 10 percent and executed AFIT/AU/AETC’s first-ever micro-credential program offering, Nuclear 399, graduating 19 students across 4 classes by year’s end.

AFIT/EX celebrated key milestones for the Department of Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) Studies in 2024. The school led construction of the very first AFIT classroom at Barksdale AFB, LA.  This classroom is dedicated to the AF NC3 Orientation Course (NC3 150), AF NC3 Fundamentals Course (NC3 200) and AF NC3 Advanced Course (NC3 300) via command-sponsored education activity that directly supports the Air Force’s top priority of nuclear deterrence and assurance.  The department also established a virtual classified venue allowing for the AF NC3 Orientation Course to be more accessible to newly appointed NC3 and/or nuclear enterprise workforce members.

One major course update for AFIT/EX in 2024 was their in-resident Cyberspace 200 course. The updated course is designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s U.S. Air Force Cyberspace Warfare Operations 17X officers and other cyberspace professionals. The inaugural class of the updated Cyberspace 200 course welcomed 62 students, including 51 officers, 4 enlisted personnel and 7 civilians. 

“The new Cyberspace 200 curriculum is designed to not only educate, but also push our 17X officers out of their comfort zones,” said Lt. Col. Jason Fields, director of AFIT’s Department of Cyberspace Studies. “Great Power Competition demands our cyberspace professionals not just be excellent, but be the absolute best at what they do, and to understand their role in the mission of the United States Air Force.” 

The primary objective of Cyberspace 200 is to enhance the operational mindsets of warfighter communications and cyberspace effects company grade officers, enabling them to plan, operate and execute capabilities across a full spectrum of operations within joint multi-domain environments. This officer career development is crucial as cyberspace operations become more complex and further integrated into military operations and strategies. 

Additional course updates for AFIT/EX in 2024 included the NC3 150 virtual course, which was fully established in 2024 and captures those new to the NC3 discipline. The Nuclear 399 course that was micro-credentialed and matured across FY24 and FY25, graduated 27 students.

Overall, for year 2024, AFIT/EX accepted its first USSF member into the Academic Partnerships in Nuclear Education, or APNE program, in collaboration with Air Force Global Strike Command, to build nuclear thought leaders across the nuclear enterprise. The department completed the year, awarding 8 Master of Arts, 3 Masters of Science, 1 Doctorate and 1 post-doctoral degree through our educational partners at Missouri State University, Portland State University, Cornell, Harvard ES and King’s College London.

The Air Force Institute of Technology, or AFIT, located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the Department of the Air Force’s leader for advanced, multi-disciplinary academic education, as well as its institution for initial technical and professional continuing education.  AFIT is committed to providing defense-focused graduate education and related research, and operationally-relevant initial skills training and professional continuing education to sustain the technological supremacy of America's air, space, and cyber forces. 

The School of Strategic Force Studies, or AFIT EX is responsible for delivering professional continuing education, or PCE, in nuclear deterrence, assurance, surety and policy, nuclear command, control and communications, and cyberspace operations.  The school’s mission is to develop Airmen, joint service members and international partners to deter and if necessary, prevail in current and future conflicts by providing relevant and responsible nuclear and cyberspace PCE.  For more information, please visit their webpage https://www.afit.edu/EX/index.cfm.

For more information about AFIT degree programs, research collaborations or continuing education courses, please visit the AFIT webpage https://www.afit.edu/ or contact Ms. Jaclyn Knapp at Jaclyn.Knapp.2@us.af.mil