Special Victim Accountability and Investigation

The Special Victim Accountability and Investigation program, designated as Program Element (PE) 0808736F in the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget, is focused on enhancing the Air Force's ability to prevent, investigate, and respond to sexual assault and interpersonal violence. This initiative is a direct response to recommendations from a Presidentially-directed Independent Review Committee (IRC) on Sexual Assaults within the Department of Defense (DoD). The program aims to implement advanced technological solutions and process improvements to support the Secretary of Defense's directives for increased accountability and data-driven prevention efforts.

A primary objective of this program is the development and deployment of the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Records, Investigations and Operations Network (ORION) information system. ORION is designed to serve as a cloud-based, next-generation case management platform for documenting, managing, storing, and reporting criminal investigative and counterintelligence information. The system will be used by OSI personnel, including federally-credentialed Special Agents operating across global locations. ORION will replace legacy systems and provide centralized oversight for the criminal indexing process, supporting investigations into sexual assaults, intimate partner violence, violent extremism, service-member deaths, and other serious offenses.

The goals for ORION include increasing the DAF's ability to collect, analyze, and integrate data related to sexual offenses and interpersonal violence, as mandated by IRC recommendations. By leveraging cloud computing, ORION will offer scalability, security, and mobile accessibility, allowing agents to securely access and update investigative data from any location. The system's low-code/no-code enterprise platform will facilitate rapid development, deployment, and sustainment, enabling future expansion to other case management and business process requirements within the Air Force.

In addition to application development, the program includes efforts in cloud hosting, cybersecurity, and management services. Contracts have been awarded for application development and cloud implementation, cloud hosting, and cybersecurity implementation and maintenance. These activities ensure robust system security, compliance with the Risk Management Framework (RMF), and continuous support for the global user community through help desk operations and technical support. Iterative software development cycles using agile methodologies are planned to optimize, test, and sustain ORION's capabilities, including integration with other Air Force, DoD, and criminal justice systems.

The program also supports the establishment of an IL6 cloud environment and the development of classified components of ORION. The classified and unclassified versions of ORION will share limited data through an automated, bi-directional, cross-domain solution, ensuring comprehensive access to both criminal and counterintelligence information. This approach is intended to modernize operational processes, reduce redundancy, standardize workflows, and decrease administrative burdens associated with compliance and program management.

Funding for the program in FY 2025 and FY 2026 is allocated primarily to ongoing development, optimization, and sustainment of ORION, with a decrease in FY 2026 reflecting the projected completion of the classified platform development. The acquisition strategy emphasizes an agile, phased approach, with collaboration between experienced Special Agents, functional experts, and software developers. The DAF is also considering leveraging the ORION platform for broader case management needs, which could yield cost savings, operational enhancements, and technical efficiencies across the enterprise.