EL SEGUNDO, Calif. Pacific Defense signed at Phase II contract worth $9.4 million with the Space Control Technology Branch of the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to complete development of a low-size, weight, and power (SWaP) sensor built using modular open systems approach (MOSA) principles in an effort to address the rapidly expanding challenge of space situational awareness (SSA) in the cislunar region (the space between the earth and the moon).

BOZEMAN, Mont. Defense-technology company Reveal Technology won a U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant totaling $749,000 for research, development, testing, and evaluation of Reveal's Farsight platform.

LOWELL, Mass. MACOM Technology Solutions has won a contract worth $4 million with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop advanced semiconductor-process technology related to gallium nitride-on-silicon carbide (GaN-on-SiC) 

A team of researchers at the Air Force Research Labs (AFRL) and the Massa­chusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) reported a successful demonstration of the capabilities of an aircraft outfitted with artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced magnetic navigation, known as MagNav.

AUSTIN, Texas. Defense and national-security contractor SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS) hs won a $4.2 million multiyear contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to deploy SGS's AI-powered readiness solution, Digital Maintenance Advisor (DMA), across additional maintenance, supply, and logistics use cases to support of the Air Force's F-16 fleet and its operators. 

COLUMBIA, Md. Secure-systems provider Owl Cyber Defense Solutions has won an increase totaling $35 million to a previously awarded contract with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to produce and install secure collaborative technology software and hardware for the Air Force.

Walk around any defense-industry trade show floor in the last several years, or talk to defense-industry company officials, and one of the most pressing topics is the “gray-hair” issue. Even though new crops of engineers certainly enter the profession every year, statistics do bear out the anecdotal evidence of the aging of the defense-industry workforce. The National Science Foundation (NSF) found in 2021 that nearly 30% of all engineering and science degree holders in the labor force were 50 or over and expected to retire in the following 15 years.