Announcement Number: ACC-ADAIRUX-2022
Agency: Department of the Air Force
Office: Air Combat Command (ACC) Acquisition Management and Integration Center (AMIC)

The Commander, Air Combat Command (ACC), views ADAIR-UX as an opportunity to improve in-flight training for Combat Air Force fighter aircrew by increasing the quantity and quality of adversary air platforms. Simultaneously, this program will advance the technical maturation of ACPs while building aircrew trust in this class of vehicle. ADAIR-UX will also usher in an era of decreased fuel consumption and carbon emissions, as we seek to maximize credible high-end live-fly training while minimizing our impact on the budget and the environment.

ADAIR-UX is not just an air vehicle; it will be a synergy of six capability areas: the physical vehicle, missionized sensors and payloads, datalinks and computing, human-machine interface, autonomy, and “DOTmLPF-P” (Doctrine, Organization, Training, materiel, Leadership/Education, Personnel, Facilities, and Policy). To this end, ACC is requesting industry engagement to help government understand industry’s “art of the possible” in terms of an uncrewed, semi-autonomous, tactically-sized platform which can credibly replicate the capabilities of our pacing threats.

This announcement will establish an initial list of vendors who will be individually provided with a submission template to inform the government of their potential offerings in support of the technical areas described below. Upon receiving all the returned templates, ACC will convene a technical and security review to nominate a subset of vendors to receive a copy of the Rapid Prototyping Requirements Document (RPRD) for ADAIR-UX, which is meant to help those vendors refine their initial submission for a subsequent and more fully informed project concept. ACC will convene a second round of vetting, resulting in a set of invitations to present project concepts in-person to a government team at Langley AFB, VA currently planned for October 2022. The information provided to the government in this engagement will help inform our strategy for prototyping the ADAIR-UX capability in cooperation with the Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation Office.

This 2022 TIM engagement has broad goals to increase awareness, stimulate collaboration, and seek alignment between industry’s Independent Research & Development (IR&D) innovation investments and DAF’s high-priority science and technology needs and corresponding acquisition sustainment roadmaps. Senior-level, top-notch Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from the AF are expected to participate, representing the AF Futures team at Air Staff, Air Combat Command, the AF Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), the AF Research Lab (AFRL) and several other agencies.

Don’t miss the opportunity to meet with the Department of Defense’s Science and Technology (S&T) experts in Directed Energy and Non-Lethal Weapons technologies.

During the week of 24-28 October 2022, the Directed Energy and Non-Lethal Weapons (DE & NLW) Communities of Interest (CoIs) teams are staging their Independent Research & Development (IR&D) Technology Interchange Meetings (TIMs). This invitation is open to all industry with IR&D and corporate investments, including large and small businesses, academia, National Labs and FFRDCs. This engagement will be held at the Phillips Conference Center, Kirtland AFB NM.

Directed Energy is an umbrella term covering technologies that relate to the production of a beam of concentrated electromagnetic energy or atomic or subatomic particles. Examples include: high-efficiency laser sources and high-power RF systems, including pulsed power sources, micro-/millimeter wave sources, and antennas. Directed energy weapons use directed energy to incapacitate, damage, or destroy enemy equipment, facilities, and/or personnel.

Today, Directed Energy weapons are being developed by the US and its adversaries for land, sea, and air and space applications. On land, this includes base defense, where DE can provide a deep magazine, long-range engagement, and low cost-per-shot against proliferated threats. Other land-based applications include clandestine target engagement using the ability of high-power microwaves to penetrate structures, invisible to the naked-eye, and damage or interrupt electronics without harming humans. On the sea, in the air, and in space DE weapons can provide platform self-defense. In a world of expanding, potential, DE military capabilities, a determination of scenarios that bound potential futures is a key input to creation of a national strategy that will shape the future to the advantage of the US and prevent our rivals and adversaries from obtaining them.

WEPCON consists of classified forums introducing new technologies, discussing capability gaps, and highlighting opportunities for engagement between industry partners and the Department of Defense.

The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) is the world's largest modeling, simulation and training event. Held near the beginning of December in Orlando, Florida, USA, I/ITSEC consists of peer-reviewed paper presentations, tutorials, special events, professional workshops, a commercial exhibit hall, a serious games competition, and STEM events for teachers and secondary students. I/ITSEC is organized and sponsored by the National Training & Simulation Association (NTSA), which promotes international and interdisciplinary cooperation within the fields of modeling and simulation (M&S), training, education, analysis, and related disciplines at this annual meeting. The NTSA is an affiliate subsidiary of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). Hence, I/ITSEC also emphasizes themes related to defense and security.

AIAA SciTech Forum is the world’s largest event for aerospace research, development, and technology. The hybrid format will allow you to participate in person in National Harbor, Maryland, or virtually, based on your preference. There are many reasons why you should participate in the forum, but we’ve narrowed it down to the top five.

1. Innovation Starts Here

AIAA SciTech Forum and its predecessors have been delivering aerospace research and technology findings that have driven innovative developments for more than 50 years.

2. Monumental Technical Program

Your peers will present nearly 3,000 technical presentations on the latest innovations spanning 60 aerospace research topics that will drive advancements in the industry. Topics include aeroacoustics, fluid dynamics, applied aerodynamics, aircraft design, spacecraft structures, electric propulsion, and guidance, navigation and control.

3. Hear from Experts

The high-profile speakers and panelists participating in the plenary sessions, Forum 360s, and special sessions are proven business leaders and innovators. They are thought leaders with their fingers on the pulse of the aerospace industry.

4. Make Connections in Person & Online

The forum aims to bring together over 5,000 participants from across the globe in a hybrid setting representing hundreds of government, academic, and private institutions.

5. Flexibility

The 2023 forum will be a hybrid event which will include both in-person and virtual components, offering you the flexibility and choice of how to participate.

During the week of 2-6 May 2022, the Air Force’s Cyberspace Superiority Mission Area together with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s (AFLCMC’s) Crypto/Cyber Systems Division plan to co-sponsor the 2022 Cyberspace and Crypto Independent Research & Development (IR&D) Technology Interchange Meeting (TIM). This will be a classified event and will likely be held at Kelly Field, Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), TX.

This invitation is open to all industry IR&D participants, including large corporations, medium-sized, and small businesses, as well as, academia, National Labs and FFRDCs.

This engagement has broad goals to increase awareness, stimulate collaboration, and seek alignment between industry’s IR&D innovation investments and the Air Force’s high-priority science and technology needs and corresponding acquisition and sustainment roadmaps. Leading Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from Air Combat Command (ACC), AFLCMC, the 16th Air Force at JBSA, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Air Force Futures (formerly AF Warfighting Integrating Capability Office) and the Cyberspace Research Center at the AF Institute of Technology (AFIT) are expected to participate. This year we could also see SMEs from the National Security Agency and other non-DoD agencies, partnering to meet national cyberspace strategies in unison.

The Cyberspace and Crypto taxonomies are high priority areas of interest being looked at to enrich our S&T and acquisition roadmaps, as well as to expand our lenses in the related focus areas of your IR&D portfolios and corporate investments.

Please Note: This webpage supplements the event announcement SAM.gov https://sam.gov/. Future postings of changes and updates including final venue details will only be posted on this page. Therefore, companies are encouraged to check back

You are invited to attend next year's 2023 Air Force Contracting Summit in Florida on February 7-8, 2023.

SpaceCom, the Global Commercial Space Conference & Exposition, powers and cultivates the entire space ecosystem, helping space businesses thrive.

This unrivaled annual event attracts thousands of space professionals for an engaging conference program led by topic experts and a comprehensive expo showcasing the world’s leading solution providers.

Now in its second year of partnership with the 49th Space Congress — produced by the Canaveral Council of Technical Societies (CCTS) in partnership with NASA-Kennedy Space Center (KSC) — the collective mission of both organizations is to provide a forum for government and commercial companies to work together to further the science of space exploration, facilitate business and investment opportunities, cultivate on-planet solutions, and, ultimately, find new, sustainable ways to protect our planet and its global systems.

The Special Air Warfare Symposium (SAWS) will be held in Fort Walton Beach, the home of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) in Spring 2023.

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The AFA Warfare Symposium is the premier professional development event for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force and the aerospace and defense industry that supports them—focused on the critical concerns and challenges of joint warfare in every corner of the globe. Drawing speakers from combatant commands, as well as from the Air and Space forces, the symposium featured opportunities to network and dynamic exhibits, as well as the unique Spark Tank innovation competition. 

Click here for the latest information and updates!

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