This article is based on an official press release from Boeing.

Boeing and Shift5 Partner to Bring Real-Time Cyber and Maintenance Intelligence to USAF Fleets

Boeing has announced a strategic partnership with Shift5, a technology company specializing in onboard data capture and cybersecurity, to integrate near real-time monitoring capabilities into military aircraft. Announced on January 21, 2026, the collaboration aims to enhance fleet readiness for the United States Air Force (USAF) by combining predictive maintenance with active cyber threat detection.

According to the company’s announcement, the initiative will initially focus on two critical mobility platforms: the C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and the KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueler. By deploying Shift5’s hardware and software alongside Boeing’s platform analytics, the partnership seeks to identify mechanical faults and digital anomalies at “mission speed,” significantly reducing the time between detection and resolution.

Converging Maintenance and Cybersecurity

The core of this partnership lies in the dual use of onboard data. Modern military aircraft generate vast amounts of information through their Operational Technology (OT) networks, the internal “nervous systems” that control flight surfaces, engines, and navigation. Historically, accessing this data for real-time analysis has been difficult, particularly on legacy airframes.

Under the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Shift5 will provide the hardware necessary to capture high-frequency data directly from the aircraft’s internal buses. This data stream will serve two distinct but complementary purposes:

• Predictive Maintenance: Data will be fed into Boeing’s analytics tools to monitor the mechanical health of the aircraft, identifying wear and potential system failures before they ground the plane.
• Cyber Threat Detection: Shift5’s software will simultaneously analyze the same data for anomalies that could indicate a cybersecurity breach or electronic interference.

Travis Williams, Vice President of USAF Mobility & Training Services at Boeing, emphasized the operational necessity of this speed. In the press release, Williams highlighted the importance of outpacing potential threats.

“When data moves faster than threats and insights outpace failures, our aircrews get their best chance to succeed. This partnership marries Boeing’s deep aircraft intuition with Shift5’s edge-speed cyber defense, that’s force protection and fleet performance in one.”

, Travis Williams, VP of USAF Mobility & Training Services, Boeing

Accelerating the OODA Loop

A primary goal of the collaboration is to shorten the “OODA loop” (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) for maintenance crews and cyber defenders. Traditional maintenance models often rely on downloading flight logs after an aircraft has landed, a process that can delay repairs and reduce fleet availability. By moving to a “near real-time” model, Boeing and Shift5 aim to provide insights while the mission is still ongoing or immediately upon landing.

Ronak Shah, Chief Technology Officer at Shift5, noted that the partnership leverages Boeing’s OEM expertise to maximize the utility of the data Shift5 captures.

“Boeing knows these aircraft better than anyone, they built them, they maintain them, and they understand what keeps fleets mission-ready. Shift5 brings the hardware and cybersecurity layer that these platforms need.”

, Ronak Shah, CTO, Shift5

AirPro News Analysis

The Rise of the “Flying Data Center”

This partnership underscores a critical shift in military aviation: the treatment of aircraft as cyber-physical systems. As airframes like the KC-46 become more connected, and legacy workhorses like the C-17 are modernized, the distinction between mechanical safety and cybersecurity is blurring. A compromised data bus can be just as dangerous as a failing hydraulic pump.

We observe that integrating third-party “observability” tools like Shift5 into proprietary OEM ecosystems represents a significant step forward for open architecture in defense. Historically, extracting granular data from legacy protocols (such as MIL-STD-1553 buses) has been a technical bottleneck. By officially partnering with Shift5, Boeing is acknowledging that specialized, agile tech firms are essential for securing the “edge” of the battlefield network.

Furthermore, this move aligns with the Department of Defense’s broader push for “predictive logistics.” In a high-intensity conflict, the ability to diagnose a jet’s health before it lands, allowing ground crews to prep parts and tools in advance, could be the deciding factor in sortie generation rates.

Future Implications

While the initial rollout is targeted at the USAF’s C-17 and KC-46 fleets, the technology has potential applications across other Boeing defense platforms. The ability to monitor OT networks for cyber intrusions is becoming a standard requirement for airworthiness in an era of electronic warfare.

The partnership builds upon Boeing’s existing Airplane Health Management (AHM) capabilities, which have been widely used in the commercial sector (such as on the 787 Dreamliner) to minimize delays. Adapting this commercial best practice for the contested environments of military aviation represents a logical evolution of Boeing’s Global Services strategy.

Sources:

• Boeing News Now (BNN)