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2023 Innovation Industry Days open for registration
January 20, 2023 — Registration is now open for the 2023 Innovation Industry Days in San Antonio... MORE

Innovation Industry Days event to educate small businesses, academia
December 21, 2022 — Small businesses, academics and government officials involved in emerging technologies will gather Jan. 24-26, 2023, at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, for Innovation Industry Days, a networking and educational event sponsored by AFWERX and the Air Force Installation Mission Support Center, or AFIMSC... MORE

AFWERX and the Air Force Installation Mission Support Center will host Innovation Industry Days 2023, a networking and educational event in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 24-26, 2023. Attendees from industry, academia and government will have the opportunity to discuss technologies and Department of the Air Force problem areas during the three-day event, which is open to the public. (Courtesy graphic)

2023 Innovation Industry Days open for registration
December 13, 2022 — Registration is now open for the 2023 Innovation Industry Days in San Antonio... MORE

AFWERX Refinery supports Airman, Guardian innovators
December 5, 2022 — The Refinery program, an initiative of AFWERX’s Spark division, will host its seventh cohort of Airmen and Guardians for a four-week, hybrid Accelerator program in February 2023 to target grassroots efforts within the Department of the Air Force and rapidly advance innovative projects that directly aid warfighters... MORE

Airmen and Guardians from the Refinery program meet virtually with Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass Oct. 13, 2022, to discuss their projects. The Refinery’s fifth cohort met with Bass to discuss innovative projects focused on improving systems, operations and processes. The Refinery, an initiative of AFWERX’s Spark Division, targets grassroots innovation efforts within the Department of the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo / Dennis Stewart).

Air, Space Forces transition to AFWERX 3.0
November 28, 2022 — AFWERX will release a series of new initiatives in support of its 3.0 evolution. Air and Space Force leaders will detail new opportunities for stakeholder engagement during a live broadcast Dec. 14... MORE

AFWERX will release a series of new initiatives in support of its 3.0 evolution during a live broadcast Dec. 14, 2022, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. EDT. Under this new approach, AFWERX 3.0 will add five key lines of effort aimed at expanding technology, talent, transition and capabilities while reducing economic barriers. (U.S. Air Force graphic).

Registration open through Dec. 17 for AllSpark’s ‘Design Warfare’ course - Powered by AFWERX
November 16, 2022 — Motivated, open-minded Airmen looking for the knowledge and experience to be an installation-level innovation leader are encouraged to register for the in-person ‘Design Warfare’ course at JBSA-Randolph Jan. 23 through Feb. 17, 2023... MORE

Air Force selects future aircrew helmet
June 28, 2022 — The helmet prototype was chosen after Air Combat Command initiated the search for a next-generation helmet to address issues with long-term neck and back injuries, optimize aircraft technology, improve pilot longevity, and provide better fitment to diverse aircrews... MORE

Photo of LIFT Airborne Technologies next-generation helmet.

Voting open for Spark Tank 2022 ideas
February 28, 2022 — Cast a vote for your favorite entry in the Department of the Air Force Spark Tank 2022 competition. Online polling is open through March 4... MORE

Cast a vote for your favorite entry in the Department of the Air Force Spark Tank 2022 competition. Online polling is open through March 4. Finalists will take the stage March 4 in Orlando, Florida, during the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium, to pitch their innovation ideas to Air Force and Space Force senior leadership and industry experts. The audience poll will select the Fan Favorite and be included in the panel’s votes to determine the Spark Tank winner. (Courtesy graphic)

AETC Det. 62 begins eVTOL training requirements research with simulator delivery
February 7, 2022 — Air Education and Training Command's Detachment 62 began its research into training requirements for emerging electric vertical takeoff/landing, or eVTOL, aircraft with the arrival of a Joby eVTOL aircraft simulator at Joint Base San Antonio-Kelly Field Feb. 4... MORE

picture of semi truck making delivery in hangar

AETC’s Detachment 62 leading Agility Prime’s training effort
November 30, 2021 — In collaboration with the AFWERX Agility Prime program, Air Education and Training Command recently stood up Detachment 62 to establish Agility Prime training and certification standards for emerging electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing aircraft, or eVTOL, vehicles... MORE

San Antonio Innovation Summit takes on ‘accelerating change’
August 5, 2021 — With the theme of Accelerate Change, the Department of the Air Force pushed innovation forward during the inaugural San Antonio Innovation Summit Aug. 3-4 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center... MORE

Wanted: Innovative ideas for Spark Tank 2022
August 3, 2021 — Spark Tank 2022, a Department of the Air Force annual competition in which Airmen and Guardians pitch innovative solutions to operational problems, will accept submissions in early August 2021... MORE

Master Sgt. Justin Bauer from the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., was awarded the Spark Tank 2021 trophy for his idea, “Innovative Approach to C-130 Wheel Repair.” Spark Tank 2022, a Department of the Air Force annual competition in which Airmen and Guardians pitch innovative solutions to operational problems, will accept submissions in early August 2021.

Air Force awards airworthiness approval to Kitty Hawk through AFWERX Agility Prime electric aircraft program
July 30, 2021 — AFWERX Agility Prime partner Kitty Hawk has been awarded an airworthiness approval by the U.S. Air Force. With this award, the Heaviside aircraft is able to enter its next phase of flight testing under Air Force direction... MORE

Kitty Hawk demonstrates the eVTOL aircraft Heaviside’s automated and remote flight capabilities. (Courtesy photo/Kitty Hawk)

San Antonio Innovation Summit open for registration
July 15, 2021 — Registration is now open for the inaugural San Antonio Innovation Summit. With the theme of Accelerate Change, the summit takes place Aug. 3-4 at the Henry B. González Convention Center... MORE

149th Fighter Wing uses innovative new jet washing robot
May 5, 2021 — A new Gunfighter has arrived at the 149th Fighter Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland … a jet washing robot. The new robot was programmed and tested at the 149th Fighter Wing under the AFWERX innovation initiative and was designed and built as a proof of concept to potentially be rolled out Air Force-wide. ... MORE

LiDAR part of digital foundation for installations of future
September 9, 2020 — Airborne imagery and light detecting and ranging, or LiDAR, data collected under an Air Force enterprise installations contract began in 2016 continues to build and fortify the digital foundation for installations of the future, including hurricane-stricken Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. ... MORE

Thermal imagery supporting roofing system assessments at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in 2017.

Spark Tank 2021 encourages leadership to support Airmen ideas
July 6, 2020 — Spark Tank, a collaboration between AFWERX and Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, Management, is now accepting submissions for the 2021 campaign from July 1 to October 16... MORE

Child care app wins AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo
February 10, 2020 — An idea to centralize and streamline the subletting of short-term slots at military child development centers won the 2020 Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Innovation Rodeo Feb. 7 in San Antonio... MORE

From left, 2020 AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo panel members Chief Master Sgt. Edwin Ludwigsen, Brig. Gen. Stewart Hammons, Maj. Gen. Tom Wilcox, Lorna Estep and Brig. Gen. Alice Trevino deliberate following a presentation Feb. 7, 2020.

DOD innovation units join forces to engage small business
January 27, 2020 — In the collaborative nature of innovation efforts in the Department of Defense, five agencies came together to present the first-ever Joint Small Business Innovation Research Open Topic for the first application period of 2020... MORE

Senior Airman Alzara Kimalova, Air Force Sustainment Center contract specialist, is walked through power-off procedures for C-130H aircraft through virtual reality technology at the Inaugural Pitch Day hosted by the Robins Spark Cell and AFSC Contracting located at Robins Air Force Base, Sept. 20, 2019, at the Advanced Technology and Training Center in Warner Robins, Georgia. The event is an initial prototype effort to assess the capabilities of current commercially available virtual reality training systems when used in a military environment, particularly within the 461st and 116th Air Control Wings at Robins.

AFMC seeks innovative ideas with new campaign
January 17, 2020 — Submit innovative ideas and solutions to improve the AFMC mission through the U.S Air Force Ideation Platform, or Ideascale, now through September 2020... MORE