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  • AFWERX announces Reimagining Energy Challenge for Department of Defense

    AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation catalyst, announces the Reimagining Energy for the DOD Challenge, seeking solutions to create the future of resilient energy production, transmission, use and storage. The Department of Defense (DOD) is currently the largest energy consumer globally. By reducing

  • U-2 Federal Lab achieves flight with Kubernetes

    Kubernetes is an open-source container-orchestration system for automating computer application deployment, scaling, and management. Its container-centric management environment orchestrates computing, networking, and storage on behalf of user workloads and allows for the deployment of complex

  • Air Force deploys commercial IT capability

    Working with the EITaaS office through an Other Transaction Agreement, the Accenture Federal Services team passed commercial internet traffic from the Amazon Web Services and Azure Impact Level 5 cloud environments through the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Boundary Cloud Access Point, or

  • AFLCMC, Wichita State University creating digital copy of B-1

    In an effort to keep the aircraft flying and operational, the B-1 Program Office is sponsoring an initiative with Wichita State University’s National Institute of Aviation Research, or NIAR, to create a virtual or digital twin of the bomber, which will help identify maintenance and structural issues

  • ‘AFMC We Need’ campaign continues to drive change

    When Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., Air Force Materiel Command commander, launched the AFMC We Need campaign in 2019, many were skeptical if true change would result from the study. However, one year later, the initiative continues to drive success across the mission, bringing positive change and

  • Roper joins first Digital Campaign virtual industry day

    More than 1,500 people tuned in for the virtual event, co-hosted by Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, and Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., commander of Air Force Materiel Command.

  • Air Force Research Laboratory tracks Sporadic E

    Researchers at Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in New Mexico, have discovered a new way to track and characterize a phenomenon called “Sporadic E” naturally occurring in the upper atmosphere, where large structures of dense plasma form.

  • Digital Campaign virtual industry event slated for Sept. 21

    The event will be conducted via Microsoft Teams Live Event from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET and will be hosted by Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, and Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr., commander of Air Force Materiel Command.

  • AFIMSC seeks ideas for 2021 Innovation Rodeo

    The campaign, open through Dec. 1, gives military and civilian members of mission support groups around the world a chance to win part of $1 million in funding and resources to pursue their ideas.

  • Acquisition chief to host AFVentures-focused 'Ask Me Anything'

    Col. Nate Diller, AFWERX director, will moderate and co-host the live, virtual event that provides an opportunity for Airmen and Space Professionals, industry partners, the American public and members of the media to directly engage with Roper and Diller on all things AFVentures.

  • AFRL neurotechnology partnership aims to accelerate learning

    The Individualized Neural Learning System, or iNeuraLS, is a new augmented learning platform that will enable rapid learning by closed-loop modulation of cognitive states during skill acquisition. Essentially, the AFRL team seeks to develop a capability that will give Airmen the ability to rapidly

  • AF AI Accelerator brings future faster

    Mankind has often dreamed of what the future may hold. Every advancement in technology opens minds to dream bigger and better. Imagination is the only final frontier as the human race ventures deeper into what were previously only lightly treaded territories.

  • MacDill AFB beats the heat with innovation

    Aiming to allow military members to work hard in a more comfortable environment, the Personal Cooling System, or PCS, provided by Florida-based RINI Technologies keeps Airmen at a cool 72-degrees while being compact enough to wear beneath protective gear and clothing.

  • Tinker AFB units produce first 3D printed engine component

    The OC-ALC used additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, to create a component for the TF33-P103 engine, an innovation meant to save time and improve efficiency. A collaboration between the 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group, the Reverse Engineering and Critical Tooling Lab, and the Air

  • More companies enter ABMS innovation pipeline

    These companies will join 46 other companies on-boarded earlier this year to compete to develop new information and communications technologies to be evaluated in future onramp demonstration exercises for potential integration with the operational force.

  • Air Force hits key milestones with commercial IT

    In June, the Enterprise IT-as-a-Service Integrated Program Office, headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., began migrating users at a number of military installations to commercially available networks provided by both AT&T and Microsoft.

  • AFSEC full speed ahead with virtual return to teaching

    With in-resident courses cancelled, the Safety Center needed to implement some changes to the courseware and the platform used to facilitate Air Force safety training needs as quickly as possible. Accepting the challenges head on, the Training & Force Development Division adapted and overcame the

  • Revolutionizing Aircrew training through virtual reality

    The Virtual Reality Procedures Trainer, released during a milestone demonstration of its capabilities on July 7 at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, may even change the entire Air Force bomber community’s approach to training.

  • Optimize aviation fuel? The Air Force wants your ideas

    In partnership with AFWERX, Air Force Operational Energy has launched an Airmen Powered by Innovation Challenge to solicit ideas on how to optimize aviation fuel for the Air Force, enabling greater combat capability, range and more efficient operations.

  • Air Force Chief Data Office announces first Datathon

    For the first Datathon, the Chief Data Office is teaming with AFWERX and the USAF-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Accelerator to focus on C-17 Globemaster III aircrew scheduling optimization.

  • ABMS moves ahead with second round of contract awards

    The goal of ABMS is to enable the Air Force and Space Force to operate together and as part of a joint team – connecting sensors, decision makers and weapons through a secure data network enabling rapid decision making and all-domain command and control

  • Tanker Directorate team installs ADS-B Out on KC-135 fleet

    The ADS-B Out program was established to upgrade the KC-135 fleet with the next-generation transponder system that is critical for air traffic control’s visibility into their respective airspace. The system broadcasts the precise position and location of aircraft in real time, giving air traffic

  • AFRS releases Aim High mobile app

    The Aim High app is a comprehensive, intuitive recruiting tool powered by a data-rich, enterprise solution that helps the Air Force find elite Airmen, as well as guides recruits to discover their passions through intuitive, interactive means.

  • AFCEC study gives new life to old chemical defense decon kits

    The Air Force Civil Engineer’s Readiness Lab recently determined more than 75,000 expired M295 decontamination kits used in chemical defense ensembles are still effective and can be used, saving the Air Force more than $2.3 million over a four-year period.

  • Energy project powers Hill AFB resiliency

    AFCEC, in collaboration with the Defense Logistics Agency–Energy, awarded the contract to Energy Systems Group, the energy service company, in April 2018, for upgrades to 258 buildings, totaling six million square feet by incorporating seven energy conservation measure upgrades.

  • Altus AFB innovation team design shared across service

    Due to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid response actions were required to mitigate the spread of the virus to ensure safe mission contributions. AFWERX, a community of Air Force innovators who strive to connect Airmen to solutions, requested Spark Cell centers across the Air Force to

  • AFMC digital campaign aims to modernize, streamline life cycle process

    The goal of the campaign is to leverage modern digital capabilities to decrease the time it takes to move a weapon system from a concept into the hands of a warfighter, while providing the ability to adapt capabilities at speed to meet the requirements of today’s dynamic warfighting domain.

  • Black box sheds light on night vision challenges for aircrew students

    A collaborative effort of the 502nd Trainer Development Squadron and Air Education and Training Command Aerospace Physiology Lead Command, the unaided night vision trainer, also known as an NV light bar, demonstrates how dark adaptation and various types of lighting enhance unaided night vision.

  • AFIMSC analytics tool expands, helps leaders prioritize investments

    Developed and launched by the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in August 2018, the Installation Health Assessment analytics platform was initially designed to forecast facility and infrastructure funding requirements for Air Force bases. By April

  • BLUE: Cyber in Contested Domain

    As America's adversaries evolve, the Air Force has to be ready to withstand a digital 'sucker punch'. To mitigate this threat, cybersecurity is being integrated into the development of all new programs from the start.

  • Travis AFB hosts virtual CSO event

    A CSO is a strategy used by the Department of Defense to acquire innovative commercial items, technologies or services that directly fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, or provide potential technological advances, according to a memorandum from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense.

  • World-unique tire testing capability saves millions for warfighters

    Predicting aircraft tire wear is a complex, time-intensive phenomenon, highly dependent on multiple variables. Historically, testers focused on the structural integrity of a tire prior to fielding and use. However, the ability to quickly and accurately predict tire wear remained a challenge across

  • Magellan mobility allocation planning app gets an upgrade

    Hosted on the Kessel Run platform, Magellan provides an electronic interface for operational planners to allocate mobility aircraft and their associated crews over several months, providing greater visibility and enabling them to de-conflict recurring missions and high-demand periods.

  • Vertical wiper blades reduce aircraft drag, tests show

    Across the KC-135 fleet, blades are positioned horizontally on the windshield as part of the aircraft’s original 1950s design. However, as the understanding of aviation aerodynamics advanced, research indicated placing the wipers vertically when not in use could improve aerodynamic efficiency and

  • AFIMSC geospatial tools help commanders manage COVID-19 risk

    Geospatial tools developed by the detachment’s GeoBase team are providing commanders with near real-time data detailing the spread of the disease in their areas of responsibility. Commanders are using this capability to make decisions to sustain mission readiness and help mitigate the threat of

  • Agility Prime to hold virtual launch event

    During the week of 27 April, Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, will officially launch Agility Prime, the Air Force program to accelerate the growth of the transformative vertical flight market for subsequent government use.

  • Travis AFB innovates PPE, helps DGMC fight spread of coronavirus

    David Grant U.S. Air Force Medical Center medics at Travis AFB contacted the base’s 60th Air Mobility Wing Phoenix Spark innovation cell, which quickly sprang into action prototyping and developing N95 mask covers and face shields for 3D printing to prolong the life cycle of certified N95 masks.

  • Airmen, volunteers at Altus AFB unite to create masks to fight COVID-19

    ​After Secretary of Defense Mark Esper released new guidance on the use of cloth face coverings on April 5, more than 45 Airmen and dependents from the 97th Air Mobility Wing volunteered to quickly create and distribute face masks throughout the wing April 6 at Altus Air Force Base.

  • 419th Fighter Wing hosts F-35 virtual field trip

    During the virtual field trip, Silkey provided an overview of the aircraft’s capabilities to his online audience to include details on its stealth technology and how it gives pilots a significant advantage on the battlefield.

  • AFRL team selected for Excellence in Tech Transfer Award

    Dr. Brian Simpson, 711 HPW sensory psychologist and one of the inventors of MMC along with Dr. James Kearns, 711 HPW program manager were selected for the successful technology transfer of MMC, which is a system invented to manage complex communication environments.

  • Keesler AFB ensures cyber training continues online

    With the threat of COVID-19 impacting the health and well-being of the technical school students in training on Keesler Air Force Base, leadership has had to develop creative solutions to a unique problem.

  • Scheduling training is about to get easier for C-17 crews

    The digital interface, which will start using live data March 20, enables planners to visualize flight schedules and generates recommended schedules for each crew member while taking into consideration required qualifications, crew rest and conflicting events.

  • Fairchild AFB Airmen create maintenance vehicle of the future

    The base leases utility vans to service aircraft on the flightline, which get replaced every 20 years once they have reached their end of life. These vans, however, have a stripped interior, with the exception of the driver and passenger seats, and come without insulation.

  • AFIMSC innovation project receives $3 million award

    The project uses drones and machine learning to revolutionize how the Air Force Civil Engineer Center collects data for its environmental mission. The initiative is powered by a partnership between AFIMSC, Air Force Innovation Hub Network (AFWERX) and Aerial Applications, a small business providing

  • Kessel Run brings new software to Vermont ANG aircraft maintainers

    In the course of two weeks, Kessel Run personnel started with zero Mad Hatter users from the Vermont ANG and grew to 78 user accounts at the 158th Maintenance Group. Airmen were able to recover, service and launch aircraft entirely using Mad Hatter applications, resulting in 10 successful sorties

  • Patriot Express to begin routine flights to and from Guam

    The Patriot Express, also known as the “Rotator” or “Cat B flight”, is a Department of Defense contracted commercial charter flight which provides international support to travelers on official duty and their families.

  • Two teams tie to win Spark Tank 2020

    For the first time, two teams tied to as winners of the Spark Tank 2020 competition at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Feb. 28.

  • AFMC recognizes 2019 Small Business annual award winners

    Air Force Materiel Command has announced the 2019 AFMC Small Business annual award winners. All of the winners and nominees evidenced a strong commitment to achieving mission needs with innovative small business solutions.

  • Voting for Spark Tank 2020 opens

    Spark Tank is an annual event in which Airmen pitch innovative ideas that build upon senior leader priorities to restore readiness, cost-effectively modernize and drive innovation.

  • AFLCMC Gunsmith Shop creates rifle for aircrew

    Known as the Aircrew Self Defense Weapon (GAU-5A), the 7-pound, 5.56 mm caliber rifle is based on the M4 carbine and was designed by the Gunsmith Shop in close coordination with the small-arms engineer to provide downed aircrew with additional firepower while they wait for rescue.

  • AFIMSC holds world-wide finance conference

    Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center's Financial Operations Division hosted their third annual Air Force Financial Operations Conference Feb. 11-13.