The Air Force Institute of Technology, or AFIT, is the Air Force's graduate school of engineering, management, and institution for technical professional continuing education. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command, AFIT is committed to providing defense-focused graduate and professional continuing education and research to sustain the technological supremacy of America's air, space, and cyber forces.
AFIT accomplishes this mission through four schools: the Graduate School of Engineering and Management, the School of Systems and Logistics, the Civil Engineer School, and the School of Strategic Force Studies. Through its Civilian Institution Programs, AFIT also manages the educational programs of officers enrolled in civilian universities, research centers, hospitals, and industrial organizations. Since graduate degrees were first granted in 1955, more than 18,760 master's and 795 doctors of philosophy degrees have been awarded. Air Force students attending civilian institutions have earned more than 12,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees in the past twenty years.
Provide Airmen with world-class defense-focused and research-enabled advanced academic education, and career-long professional continuing education on-command and on-demand. Through four schools and a non-resident civilian institution program, delivers: graduate education to the Medical, Line, Legal and Chaplain Corps professional continuing education to Civil Engineers, Space, Nuclear, Acquisition, and Logistics professionals cutting-edge research in many areas, including cyber, directed energy, hypersonics, stealth, navigation and space and consultation and analysis support services.
Our vision is to be the internationally recognized leader for defense-focused technical graduate and continuing education, research, and consultation.
On 10 November 1919, Colonel Thurman Bane received authorization to begin instruction at the Air School of Application. The following year, the first class of nine students graduated from the newly named Air Services Engineering School. Ninety-eight years later, the Air Force Institute of Technology has awarded over 21,300 degrees, and more than 400,000 people have gone through our continuing education courses. What started as a school for select officers has grown into a premier educational institution for both officer and enlisted students, international students, Department of Defense civilians, and members of all branches of the armed services. However, some things never change. We continue to stress excellence in education and research to move AFIT through the twenty-first century, retaining its flexibility and resourcefulness in accomplishing its mission just as it had done since its inception 95 years ago.
AFIT's research programs complement our graduate education programs, allowing students to develop an enhanced understanding of their disciplines' fundamental principles and an appreciation of the most pressing unanswered questions. Consistent with the AFIT mission, our primary and applied research projects primarily focus on problems related to current or anticipated Air Force and Department of Defense needs.
Our research accomplishments are highlighted on each department's webpage and in the AFIT Graduate School of Engineering and Management Annual Report. Comprehensive listings of our publications, external funding, and faculty credentials appear in the school's Research Report. The Center for Cyberspace Research, established in March 2002, conducts cybersecurity and cyber operations research at the Master's and Ph. D. levels. CCR affiliated faculty teach and direct graduate research focusing on understanding and developing advanced cyber-related theories and technologies, such as critical infrastructure protection, cyber-physical systems, network intrusion detection and avoidance, insider threat mitigation, cyberspace situational awareness, malicious software detection and analysis, software protection, and anti-tamper technologies.
CCR is forward-looking and responsive to the Air Force's changing educational and research needs, the Department of Defense, and the federal government. CCR faculty's research and teaching establish AFIT as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research, designated by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency (NSA).
In addition to its regional accreditation, the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET accredits the following master's degree programs in the Graduate School of Engineering and Management: Aeronautical Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Science, Engineering Management, and Systems Engineering. Also, the Industrial Hygiene master's degree program is accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET. The AFIT Foundation initiated, commissioned, and funded, through contributions, the memorial to graduates of the Air Force Institute of Technology from the US Air Force and US Army Air Corps. They lost their lives while in service to our country. Upon completion, the monument was offered as a gift to the Department of the Air Force and, under the provisions of Title 10, United States Code, Section 2601, accepted. While initially planned for the circle at the center of the AFIT complex, the Foundation board determined that having the statue installed in the atrium of the National Museum of the Air Force at Wright-Patterson would be appropriate, and would enable the statue to be viewed by more significant numbers.
In 2010, the Icarus statue was moved from the National Museum of the Air Force to its originally intended location in front of the AFIT complex. A rededication ceremony was held on 21 September 2010, with Mr. Eleftherios Karkadoulias, who designed and crafted the Icarus statue.
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