23 Feb 2019

‘Spark Tank’ competition ignites innovative ideas

Tinker Air Force Base’s Spark Tank Competition on Feb. 1 at the Tinker Club featured four individuals or groups, known as “sparkers,” who vied for $110,000 in 72nd Air Base Wing Innovation Funds for the best idea to help the Air Force become more innovative as it addresses its mission to “Fly, Fight and Win.”

22 Feb 2019

Air Force Pitch Day leans on Hanscom

On March 6, C3I&N, Digital and ISR/SOF experts will evaluate in-person pitches. Up to $9.5 million in Phase I contracts may be awarded in small chunks, and the event could eventually generate up to $40 million in contracts.

21 Feb 2019

AFWERX, Techstars announce 10 companies to participate in tech accelerator

The 10 companies the Air Force and Techstars selected to participate in an in-residence technology accelerator program during the AFWERX 2019 Techstars Autonomous Technology Accelerator in Boston last month began the program Feb. 18.

15 Feb 2019

Financial Operations workshop features innovation

Tech Sgt. Samuel Spaethe used to spend hours upon hours completing work as a financial services technician, often working weeknights until 7 p.m. and then on Saturdays just to get the job done. But he knew that effort was not sustainable. So he did something innovative about it. Spaethe developed an Excel macro tool that pulls four reports and two rosters from the Defense Travel System, compares the information, and determines what needs to be done on a member’s pay record. The macro saves technicians hours in research time.

12 Feb 2019

AFRL Senior Scientist Emeritus elected to National Academy

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions afforded to an engineer. For one Air Force engineer, it’s the culmination of a long and storied career. Dr. Sheldon (Lee) Semiatin, from the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate

8 Feb 2019

AFIMSC’s innovation campaign selects eight ideas for ‘Spark Tank’ competition

Eleven finalists from across the Air Force enterprise are ready to make their innovative ideas reality. The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Innovation Office’s “Call for Innovation” campaign ended Jan. 31 and received 122 submissions and more than 2,000 online votes. The office selected eight ideas to advance to AFIMSC’s “Spark Tank” event March 1, where competitors with the top three ideas will receive $200,000 to get their ideas to prototype via AFWERX and tech accelerators.

7 Feb 2019

ICS Innovation Lab aids engineers in infrastructure management

A new Innovation Lab for Industrial Control Systems at the 412th Civil Engineering Squadron has reached full operational capability, bringing emerging technologies from industry directly to the technicians that use them.  “Our aim is to bridge the gap between the electronic controls present in everything we do to our technicians that service them

6 Feb 2019

Rapid Sustainment Office installs 3D parts on C-5

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. – A C-5 Super Galaxy with the tail number 70035 is the latest recipient of hardware produced by the next generation of manufacturing technologies, known as 3D printing or additive manufacturing.After several weeks of printing, inspections, and component testing, the Rapid Sustainment Office recently installed 17 parts in

4 Feb 2019

Stealth pilots, high school students create innovative part for $2.2 billion aircraft

Across the Air Force, changes to equipment, policies and procedures have been made to save money, to save time and to save lives. From the highest levels, Airmen across the service are being encouraged to innovate. It’s this innovation that will deliver lethality to outpace adversaries, says Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, and maintain the U.S. position as the world’s strongest, most powerful military.

1 Feb 2019

KC-135 beam replacement expedited by Tinker units

The recent discovery and repair of corrosion on a structurally-crucial part in 15 KC-135 Stratotankers, accomplished jointly by several units at Tinker Air Force Base, has increased the safety of the fleet and gained recognition by high-ranking Air Force officials.