By Sean Green | STRIKEWERX Marketing and Communications Director
BOSSIER CITY, La. — STRIKEWERX is uncovering the latest technology that will provide ultramodern training for Air Force Global Strike Command.
STRIKEWERX, the command’s innovation hub, is aiding the AFGSC Office of the Chief Scientist’s effort to create effective, modern technologies and training methods for better trained, more competent, proficient, and skilled Airmen via the Advanced Training Concepts Challenge.
“A new understanding of psychology and how people learn is providing opportunities to speed up training and improve retention,” said Dr. Donna Senft, AFGSC chief scientist. “This challenge will identify modern, agile, and sustainable training tools to improve the overall effectiveness of training throughout the command.”
Three areas have been identified by subject matter experts that could be significantly improved by this Challenge:
- B-52 Communications Training – A formal training unit for students, which doesn’t currently exist, at the individual and collective level.
- Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) – A high-fidelity, enjoyable, immersive training experience at the individual and collective level on how best to respond to an aircraft accident scenario.
- E-4B Communications Maintenance Trainer – A trainer that overcomes a lack of aircraft for hands-on training so Airmen can perform standardized, communications system repairs.
To accomplish this goal, STRIKEWERX selected 25 finalists from more than 100 submissions in March and will hold a virtual showcase of solutions this April and an in-person event in May at the Cyber Innovation Center.
The vendors chosen to potentially provide solutions for the three focus areas are:
- C2 technologies
- Capitol Interactive
- Radiance Technologies, Inc.
- Vertex Solutions, LLC
- VINCIVR, Inc.
- Charles River Analytics
- HTX Labs, LLC
- JANUS Research Group LLC
- CAE USA
- Long Wave Incorporated
- Lumen (formerly CenturyLink)
- NextGen Interactions
- Quantum Interface, LLC
- Silicon Arts
- VR Training
- Beast-Code
- Spectral Labs
- Learn to Win
- Scope AR
- Ocupath
- Technifex XR
- 3D Media
- XR2LEAD LLC
- Aries Security
- Adaptive Immersion Technologies
“Our job is to be the market research for our government partners,” explained Russ Mathers, STRIKEWERX director. “The 25 companies we have invited to provide solutions were chosen from an extremely competitive group of more than 100 proposals. These companies represent the latest and greatest technology available.”
AFGSC evaluators will evaluate solution submissions with the intent of funding the best ideas for further development into prototypes. If the prototypes prove beneficial, they could be scaled for operational use.