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Attn Airmen & Guardians – Want to Go to Ranger School?

Saturday, January 6th, 2024

Want to go to Ranger School?

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) —

It’s been called “a laboratory of human endurance,” testing the physical, mental and spiritual grit of the officer and enlisted leaders who undertake it. It’s the Army Ranger School and the Department of the Air Force is looking for Airmen and Guardians who are ready for the challenge.

Through the Air Force Security Forces Center’s Ranger Assessment Course, DAF candidates are taught, coached, tested and evaluated for nomination to the grueling 62-day Ranger School experience.

“The Air Force RAC delivers dynamic leadership evaluation and training, mirroring what a candidate will face at Ranger School, which helps drive increased success rates at Army Ranger School. Attendance to both courses ties directly into the Air Force chief of staff’s priority of strengthening joint leaders and teams by directly placing them in joint leadership school and roles which have proven to build military leaders,” said Gabriel Rodriguez, readiness training and RAC program manager at the AFSFC.

The next RAC, about a third of the length of Ranger School, is set for early spring at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis. Anyone from any Air Force or Space Force career field can attend.

“While the majority of Ranger School attendees come from combat arms career fields, individuals from other Air Force specialty codes can also attend if they meet the necessary prerequisites and requirements,” Rodriguez said. “Ranger School can provide valuable leadership and tactical skills, regardless of the individual’s primary AFSC.”

One of the many misconceptions of the RAC and Ranger School is “that you must be 100% ready before you even attend the course – but that’s where most people are wrong,” said Master Sgt. Keegan Donnelly, RAC instructor with the AFSFC.

The RAC curriculum has undergone an intense review and rewrite to craft a leadership laboratory, he said, designed to teach and coach students before assessing their abilities.

Capt. Daniel Reynolds, assistant director of operations for the 4th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, is the only Space Force Ranger School graduate to date. In his position, he interacts with tactical joint force warfighters on a daily basis to develop more resilient satellite communications toolkits. That warfighter-centric focus in his day-to-day job is what led him to the RAC and ultimately Ranger School.

“Ranger School, as the world’s premiere combat leadership course, expertly teaches resilience, grit and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds,” Reynolds said. “It teaches leaders how to break down complex problems and craft decisive solutions to dynamic combat scenarios. This is incredibly relevant to any career field in any branch of military service.”

According to its website, Ranger School is a small unit tactics and leadership course that develops functional skills directly related to missions that engage the enemy in close combat and direct fire battles. It’s held at various locations in Georgia and Florida and is open to U.S. military members from all branches, as well as selected students from U.S. allied nations.

With less than 40% of those who attempt Ranger School succeeding, the Air Force developed a form of RAC, or pre-Ranger training, in the mid-1980s to send more competitive candidates forward to increase the odds of success.

Ranger students train to exhaustion, pushing the limits of their minds and bodies during three phases – Darby, Mountain and Swamp – which follow the crawl, walk, run training methodology, Rodriguez said.

With the punishing nature of Ranger School, preparation and an understanding of what attendees will encounter before they get to both the RAC and Ranger School is extremely important, he said.

“Candidates can increase their success at both RAC and Ranger School by focusing pre-training on being successful during the weeklong Ranger Assessment Phase,” Rodriguez said. “At RAC, we hone in on tasks that could hinder a candidate from being successful at Ranger School. This includes strictly executing push-ups, sustaining the mental and physical toughness to meet the time standard on the 12-mile foot march, and honing the basic navigation skills required to pass the land navigation test on the first attempt.

“A proven method to increase success at Ranger School is to take advantage of local training and attending RAC, then followed by Ranger School,” he added.

“The bar to gain acceptance to Ranger School is high, and rightfully so,” Reynolds said. “RAC allows prospective students to understand what will be expected of them if they accept the challenge to attend Ranger School. It also provides them with the tactical skillset necessary to be successful there, both in the assessment phase and in the course’s three patrolling phases.

“Developing Ranger-qualified leaders within the Space Force is critical to our continued defense of the contested warfighting regime of space,” Reynolds said.

“Every career field has a need for decisive, brave, tough and purpose-driven leaders of character. To put it simply, learning how to lead is something that Ranger School does on a world-class level. This is an invaluable resource to have for any service member in any career field,” Reynolds said.

“The RAC and Ranger School were the catalysts for some of my life’s greatest transformations,” the captain said. “The experience transformed me into a much more confident, capable and purpose-driven human being and that has affected every aspect of my leadership development for the better.”

Airmen and Guardians who qualify to attend RAC, and ultimately the Army’s Ranger Course, should be prepared for the monumental experience, Reynolds added, with “feeling drawn to attend” being the most important component to possess in preparation for it.

“A significant proportion of people who fail the course do so because they arrived without deciding that the experience was something that their life needed,” the captain said. “Take the time to decide for yourself what your reasons for Ranger School are, and how important joining the community is to you. When you’re more cold, wet, tired and hungry than you’ve ever been in your life, those reasons will be what you will lean on to carry you through.”

“Regardless of their recommendation to move onto Ranger School or not, [RAC attendees] are still returning to their units better trained, more lethal and adaptable leaders in the joint arena,” Donnelly said.

To apply for RAC attendance or more information on the program, go to the Air Force Portal under Air Force Forces Generation Connect or email AFSFC.S3T.AFSFC_RAC_Program@us.af.mil.

By Debbie Aragon, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Training | Comments Off on Attn Airmen & Guardians – Want to Go to Ranger School?

Air Force Doctrine Publication 3-85, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024

The US Air Force has published Doctrine Publication 3-85, “Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations.”

Under development since last year, this new doctrine sees the transition of AFDP 3-51, Electromagnetic Warfare and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations, to AFDP 3-85, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations.

The document’s forward offers this description of the contents:

“The joint force requires an overmatching, offensive approach to electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) to enhance competitive advantage and create multiple dilemmas for adversaries in all domains. Airmen should develop EMS awareness, engagement, and maneuver capabilities that span and connect all domains and enable successful friendly operations. Dominant EMS expertise and capabilities can render adversary sensors, situational awareness, command and control, networks, and decision processes ineffective, preventing adversaries from attaining their objectives.”

Download at www.doctrine.af.mil.

Posted in Air Force, EW, Profession of Arms | Comments Off on Air Force Doctrine Publication 3-85, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations

Airman of GUNDAM 22 Posthumously Promoted

Sunday, December 31st, 2023

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

The Secretary of the Air Force posthumously promoted Captain Terrell “Terry” K. Brayman to the rank of Major, with an effective date of December 15, 2022 reflecting when Terry was selected for Major following the conclusion of the Air Force promotion board.

The posthumous promotion is in recognition of Terry’s outstanding service and in acknowledgment of the ultimate sacrifice he made in the line of duty.

Terry was one of the eight Airmen of GUNDAM 22 that died in a CV-22 mishap off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan on Nov. 29, 2023.

“Major Brayman’s legacy will forever endure in the hearts and minds of those who served alongside him, as his commitment to his country will continue to inspire current and future generations of Air Commandos,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, AFSOC commander. “The AFSOC community continues to stand with the families, friends, and teammates affected by this devastating loss.”

By Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, SOF | 1 Comment »

Robot Dogs Protect Lives Through Innovation

Saturday, December 30th, 2023

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. —

“These robot dogs not only have the potential to save Airmen’s lives, but they also serve as a reminder of how valuable your voice is, regardless of rank.”

Master Sgt. Dominic Garcia, the emergency management flight chief from the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, devised the concept of robot dogs and while he advanced his idea into building and testing the robots, he learned some valuable lessons along the way.

Garcia is originally from Denver, enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 and spent most of his career working under Air Force Global Strike Command.

In 2017, Garcia deployed to Syria from his home station at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. After returning from his deployment Garcia reflected on his time in Syria.

“I had a really hard time adjusting back, and when you’re trying to adjust back, you replay a lot of things in your head,” said Garcia. “You replay certain situations, you think; what could I have done better? What could I have done differently?”

While reflecting on his deployment he remembered seeing canine teams on some of the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear missions. He said while he considered the things he would improve; he wondered if there was a way to arm the dogs with detectors instead of sending an entire team into a potentially hazardous environment.

In 2019, Garcia was one of six AFGSC Airmen of the Year award recipients and met people from across AFGSC. His networking led to the opportunity to bring the concept of robot dogs to life through the Air Force Work Project.

AFWERX is an Air Force innovation program that connects Airmen with technology developers to turn creative ideas into a reality. While Garcia worked on his concept with AFWERX, he connected with the company Ghost Robotics who agreed to build the robot dogs.

In 2022, Garcia and his team applied for the Silver Award Grant and they were awarded 1.25 million dollars for the project. Garcia said he was delightfully surprised as he discovered opportunities and programs as he progressed in his journey to make his robot dog idea possible.

“All I knew up until 2018 and 2019 was, if you want something done, you have to wait for policy or requirements,” said Garcia. “I didn’t know that there’s this whole other side of the Air Force that allows you to fast track and get what you need, kind of at the speed of relevancy to the tactical edge.”

Once the robot parts were ready and delivered Garcia and his team assembled the parts into two user-friendly robotic canines.

The team tested the functionality of the newly assembled robot dogs before advancing to test their capabilities to tackle Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear materials incidents. The team tested the dogs’ CBRN readiness by putting them through radioactive sites at the Defense Nuclear Weapons School at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

While it might seem odd to build expensive equipment and then immediately expose it to extreme situations, this testing is necessary. Garcia created the robot dogs to replace Airmen in life-threatening situations and withstand dangerous environments. He also armed the robotic canines with detectors capable of simultaneously detecting various threats.

Garcia and his team went to the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah to test the detectors, sensor data feedback, communication, and terrain performance.

Garcia’s focus while developing the dogs was to design equipment that could save Airmen’s lives both here in the United States and when deployed overseas. He said in addition to preventing Airmen from risking their lives, the robots could fill operational gaps and increase the manpower in hazardous specialties.

Persistent to meet these goals, Garcia and his flight continue to test the robotic canines through further research and development.

Throughout the development of his robot dog concept, Garcia discovered a new passion for empowering Airmen to share their perspectives.
He emphasized the importance of listening to and encouraging different perspectives of his teammates.

“We need to be able to say yes more and listen more,” said Garcia. “We need to be able to allow our Airmen, our sergeants, our lieutenants, whoever, to be able to give those ideas and support them because if you say no you’ll never know the return on investment. But a simple yes can have so many positive effects that we don’t even see sometimes.”

Prior to his innovative journey Garcia said he didn’t know he could come up with a concept and receive the support to make it a reality.

Going through this process opened his eyes to the value of involving Airmen at every level, encouraging them, and supporting their ideas. Garcia said that is the reason he wanted to involve his teammates in the testing and evaluation of the robot dogs.

“This is one of the few times that we get to build by the end user, for the end user. Yes, end users test certain pieces of equipment, but very rarely do they get to build it out for an entire career flow for an entire mission,” said Garcia. “That’s why I wanted to create an exposure for these guys to show them that it doesn’t matter what rank you are, it doesn’t matter how much experience you have in the Air Force, we all bring something to the table.”

One of Garcia’s flight members, Airman 1st Class Daisy Slater, an emergency management specialist from the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, has been learning from Garcia while they work with the robot
dogs.

She said she is grateful for the opportunity to work with Garcia and learn about the dog’s performance
and capabilities.

“I feel like getting to this flight, I’ve been given the opportunity to hit the ground running, so to speak,” said Slater. “There are so many NCOs and especially Airmen coming out of this flight that are making waves in the career field. And when you situate yourself next to people doing great things, it opens a door for you to also do great things.”

Garcia said he is inspired by the adaptability and eagerness displayed by the newer generation of Airmen and he hopes he has paved a path for the many Airmen who have innovative ideas.

“The robot dogs are amazing. I love them, and I believe they’re going to save lives,” said Garcia. “What we’re doing for the career field, I think is awesome because we’re the first ones in the whole emergency management career field doing this, but the more important message is, we need to be able to be more open.”

By Airman Rhea Beil & Master Sgt. Delia Martinez, 2nd Bomb Wing

Posted in Air Force, CBRNE, Guest Post, Robotics | Comments Off on Robot Dogs Protect Lives Through Innovation

Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to Host Hackathon in Hawaii

Friday, December 29th, 2023

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —

The Office of the Secretary of Defense Chief Digital and AI Office, Defense Innovation Unit, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Army Pacific Command and the U.S. Air Force will host a multi-classification hackathon open to all U.S. citizens, Feb. 5-9, 2024.

A hackathon is an innovation event commonly employed by technology companies in which teams develop prototypes in response to enterprise challenges associated with data. The BRAVO 11 Bits2Effects hackathon will occur at one of the DOD AI Battle Labs on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Any American citizen is eligible to apply, regardless of whether they currently work for the federal government or possess a security clearance. Applications, available online here, will be accepted on a rolling first-come-first-serve basis with the first group of acceptances taking place in mid-December. Due to past events exceeding 400 participants, BRAVO has secured an over-flow room, although organizers still expect demand to exceed supply.

Attendees are not required to hold a security clearance. However, certain spaces, use-cases and datasets may require a U.S. secret security clearance or higher. Applicants may apply as an employee for the U.S. government, a U.S. government contractor working on behalf of a federal contract or as U.S. citizen either affiliated or unaffiliated with a company. Any U.S. federal employees or federal contractors are eligible to submit potential use-cases and proposed collaborations within the application process. Sourcing a use-case to these hackathons often results in an operational prototype and feedback for the sourcing organization.

Starting in 2021, the U.S. Air Force began organizing multi-service prototyping events, known as BRAVO hackathons, to expedite learning and capability development from classified and protected operational data. This year’s BRAVO 11 Bits2Effects, the fourth BRAVO hackathon and first-held inside a combatant command, is seeking to produce solutions to combatant command challenges utilizing Indo-Pacific operational theater data. BRAVO utilizes a permissive software development environment that permits the co-mingling of classified and protected data with untrusted open-source and commercial software otherwise not approved for production systems within minutes.

Prior hackathons have produced prototypes influencing major Defense Department programs in areas including large language models, space launch, flight telemetry and biometrics, unmanned systems, personnel recovery, security classification, sensing and targeting and battle damage assessment among others.

“In the early 1920s, Army Col. Billy Mitchell assessed battleships, a top military funding priority of the Department of War, could be sunk by bombers just 1/80th the cost,” said Stuart Wagner, Chief Digital Transformation Officer for the Department of the Air Force and BRAVO AI Battle Labs Executive Agent. “To disprove widely held resourcing beliefs of senators, four-star generals and the Secretary of War, Mitchell organized the Project B exercises where bombers repeatedly sunk German-captured battleships, changing warfare by turning investments to airpower in the leadup of World War II.

The BRAVO DoD AI Battle Labs are again seeking to change how warfare is conducted by enabling innovators to develop and employ data driven effects during competition and conflict.”

Applicants looking to participate may do so in one of three roles:

The “Hacker” role is open to all applicants and expects project builders with varying skill sets and experience, including operational and warfighter expertise, software development, data science, machine learning, design and user interface/user design, data visualization and product management. Hackers may optionally supply a use case during the application process.

The “Hacker Subject Matter Expert” role is open to government and government contractors who lead one or more teams with specific expertise about a use case or dataset or supplies and administers infrastructure utilized at the hackathon. HackerSMEs will be required to supply a use case during the application process.

The “Supporter” role, open to government and government contractors, provides administrative support to the event by running security, facilitating supplies delivery, organizing social events and facilitating the delivery of science fair materials and attendee check-in.

Any federal government organization (contractor or government) is eligible to submit a use case, dataset, infrastructure or potential collaboration with the hackathon by submitting a Hacker/HackerSME application to the event. Further clarification can be obtained via saf.cn.bravo@us.af.mil. U.S. citizens and industry not leveraging an existing DoD contract for their proposed collaboration are encouraged to contact the Defense Innovation Unit at onramp-hack-bravo@diu.mil.

Story by U.S. Department of Defense

Posted in Air Force, Cyber, Guest Post | Comments Off on Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to Host Hackathon in Hawaii

820th BDG Tactical Leader, Battle Staff Courses Shape Future Leaders

Thursday, December 28th, 2023

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – The 820th Base Defense Group plays a pivotal role in ensuring safe operations by securing air base infrastructure, safeguarding personnel and providing a strong defense posture to enable Air Force, Joint and Coalition missions.

In a joint environment with unpredictable challenges, dispersed execution and mission command becomes imperative for operational success and maintaining a lethal edge.

To create a more cohesive unit, the 820th BDG created a two-week Battle Staff Course for its unit leadership and merged its execution with the Group’s existing Tactical Leader course for squad leaders. The first iteration of this combined training occurred Dec. 1-18, 2023, at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

A Battle Staff consists of officers and non-commissioned officers working together to support command decision-making processes, manage resources, plan and direct subordinate missions, analyze intelligence, and oversee communications and logistics during military operations. Tactical leaders are senior airmen and NCOs appointed as leaders within their unit entrusted to make decisions at the ground level.

The Battle Staff course teaches Air Base Defense Doctrine and how to implement it into mission planning for tactical leaders to employ. The tactical leader course empowers Airmen to interpret, execute and conduct lower-level planning to support the commander’s intent in the Battle Staff’s operational orders.

“By immersing students in this intensive training regimen, the (Tactical Leader) course empowers Airmen with ample leadership opportunities, allowing them to make critical decisions throughout the entirety of the program,” said Senior Airman Garrett Montilla, 820th Combat Operations Squadron training instructor.

These courses culminated with a five-day field training exercise immersing tactical leaders and battle staff in real-world scenarios where they had the freedom to experiment, make mistakes, and most importantly, learn from them.

“They’re working through very realistic problems in an environment where failure is totally fine because everything is executed in a controlled environment,” said Lt. Col. Justin Bateman, 822d Base Defense Squadron commander and course creator. “We have a chance to play it back and show them the decisions they made and let them reflect on it and figure out how to learn from it during the debriefing process.”

During the training exercise, students in the Battle Staff course produced an operational order for their squadron driving a series of tasks for tactical leaders in the field to execute.

“These orders guide the squads during missions, conducting area reconnaissance and gathering crucial intel from ground forces,” Montilla said. “They ultimately inform strategic decisions by shaping future operations and their dynamic scenarios.”

To initiate the exercise, the squad leader faced the challenge of maneuvering a squad through an enemy-contested area. Upon reaching the designated operating location with low visibility, they efficiently established a base in four hours which included digging 4-foot trenches for defensive positions and setting up communications with the Battle Staff.

Operating on minimal sleep, tactical leader students underwent frequent rotations as squad leaders and team leaders. Instructors evaluated them from the moment they received patrol orders to the end of each mission. These operations focused on denying adversarial access to key terrain and enemy movement as well as eliminating adversaries in proximity to bases, decreasing enemies’ capability and willingness to fight.

“I hope that they take away a better understanding of their role and what is required of them in an airbase defense environment,” Bateman said. “I also hope that they take away the realization that we all have a lot to learn and must stay growth-minded no matter our rank. Regardless, the students are growing and you can see that in their execution.”

Story by Senior Airman Deanna Muir, 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing

Posted in Air Force, Forces Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on 820th BDG Tactical Leader, Battle Staff Courses Shape Future Leaders

Air Force Global Strike Command Establishes Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Modernization Directorate

Wednesday, December 20th, 2023

MBARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) —

Air Force Global Strike Command recently stood up a new directorate, AFGSC/A10, the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Modernization Directorate, at Barksdale Air Force Base.

This directorate is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the activities of the Air Force in support of the deployment of the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM weapon system and the retirement of the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM weapon system.

“Section 1638 of the [Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act] directed the establishment of the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Site Activation Task Force within Air Force Global Strike Command,” said Gen. Thomas Bussiere, AFGSC commander. “Brig. Gen. Colin Connor will lead the ICBM Modernization Directorate [AFGSC/A10], which organizationally consists of a Sentinel Operating Location team, a Sentinel Requirements Division, and a Sentinel Operations Division. I have absolute confidence that he and the entire A10 team will prepare the command for one of the most critical upgrades to our nation’s deterrence capabilities in history.”

Connor stepped into his role in August of this year and says he is excited about his new position, leading the new organization and the Sentinel project.

“The Sentinel project is a monumental one for the United States,” Connor said. “It aims to field 400 missiles, modernize 450 silos and more than 600 facilities across almost 40,000 square miles of U.S. territory over six states, three operational wings and a test location, to replace the Minuteman III ICBM weapon system. I am honored to be part of the team that shapes the ICBM enterprise for the future nuclear community.”

The weapon system overhaul will take place in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, California, Colorado and Nebraska over the next 20 years. All components of the previous weapon system will be replaced, including the motors, interstages, propulsion system rocket engine, and missile guidance set. The number, size, configuration and design of the nuclear warheads provided by the Department of Energy will remain unchanged.

With nuclear deterrence as the Department of Defense’s top priority mission, the standup of the A10 directorate represents one of the first steps in ensuring the United States’ nuclear capability is strong enough to withstand any threat to the United States and its allies. The work the directorate accomplishes over the coming years will ensure the Sentinel weapon system is the most cost-effective option for maintaining a safe, secure, and effective land-based leg of the nuclear triad and would extend its capabilities through 2075.

For more information regarding the Sentinel Program, click here.

By Lt. Col. Alysia Harvey, Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

Photo of BG Connor by Senior Airman Breanna Christopher Volkmar

Posted in Air Force, Forces Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on Air Force Global Strike Command Establishes Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Modernization Directorate

U.S. Air Force Selects Somewear Labs to Maximize Interoperability and Ensure Critical Situational Awareness

Tuesday, December 19th, 2023

Somewear Labs provides a secure, agile network that can be used for communication, location tracking, and other tactical applications across multi-domain operations

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Today, Somewear Labs, the technology company enabling critical communications for defense, public safety, and commercial frontline teams, announced it has received a $1.8 million contract from the U.S. Air Force. This award builds on the company’s AFWERX SBIR Phase II contract through the Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) program. This initiative integrates Somewear’s existing commercial capabilities across USAF mounted and dismounted communications and networking systems, enhancing the full spectrum of Special Tactics (ST), Personnel Recovery (PR), and Terminal Attack Control (TAC) operations. The award comes in collaboration with the Special Warfare community across the National Guard and active duty units.

New missions and threats will require units to deploy faster, identify threats quicker, and survey areas further. Incorporating Somewear’s advanced technologies into the Department of Defense (DOD) will improve required operational capabilities and enhance integration with coalition forces and foreign partners.

Supporting customers across every branch of the DOD, Somewear Labs is accelerating military modernization through unified, secure communication solutions, guaranteeing resilient and reliable communications when traditional networks are lost. Through this contract with the U.S. Air Force, Somewear Labs will deliver enhanced capabilities to further integrate into the TAK ecosystem and other government systems providing critical interoperability between dismounted personnel and Air Support Operations Centers.

Somewear’s critical communication platform, Somewear Grid, and accompanying network enabling hardware, enhance operators’ capabilities by increasing network resiliency and situational awareness across multiple domains, even in denied, degraded, intermittent, and limited-bandwidth (DDIL) environments:

• The company’s existing commercial technology enables beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) satellite communication through the Somewear Global Hotspot and Somewear suite of apps across Android, iOS, Web, and ATAK, ensuring strategic interoperability.

• Earlier this year, Somewear introduced Node, a pocket-sized multi-network device that features novel automation to route data via the efficiency of mesh radio technology or the resilience of satellite connectivity, empowering teams to maintain agile, resilient communication regardless of mission needs or operating environment.

• Additionally, the Somewear Grid platform integrates with tactical systems like ATAK and provides a low SWaP (size, weight, and power) solution for the last tactical mile of Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

“Partnering with companies like Somewear Labs enables new innovative solutions to solve some of the hardest problems faced by the 147th ASOS, the U.S. Air Force, and beyond,” said Major Kris Bartels, 147th ASOS, Director of Operations. “Ensuring communications are survivable in bandwidth constrained environments is critical for the safety of our operators and the effectiveness of our operations. The interoperability of the Somewear platform, across civilian and military responders, and its ability to integrate into existing systems extends communication capabilities, providing a reliable, resilient network for teams on the move.”

During military operations, real-time communication and situational awareness is paramount to ensuring the warfighter can make strategic, informed decisions at the right time — in any environment. Mission advantage will go to military forces who can coordinate and act together across all domains, rapidly. This is especially important for missions that are conducted in cell-denied terrain and in contested environments. When traditional networks are lost, communication barriers and unreliable systems put the mission and operators at risk.

“It is a privilege to grow our partnership with the U.S. Air Force and adapt our platform to the evolving needs of the DOD as we look to the future,” said James Kubik, Co-Founder and CEO at Somewear Labs. “With this contract, we are able to build on our interoperable solutions to break down communication barriers, redefine interagency collaboration, and ensure operators always maintain situational awareness, communications, and operational effectiveness.”

The TACFI effort is the epitome of strong collaboration from small businesses and government in order to advance cutting-edge technology at the intersection of commercial and national security interests.

For more information, please visit somewearlabs.com.

Posted in Air Force, Comms, Contracts, Press Release | Comments Off on U.S. Air Force Selects Somewear Labs to Maximize Interoperability and Ensure Critical Situational Awareness