CHANTILLY, Va., Sept. 14, 2020 — (PRNewswire) —   AFWERX , the catalyst for fostering innovation within the U.S. Air Force, announced Hexagon US Federal as one of the  top 92 participating teams selected from across the globe competing to build the Base of the Future Challenge.

The AFWERX Challenge is centered around six topics - Base Security, Installation Resilience, Leveraging Technology for Operational Effectiveness, Reverse Engineering, Culture of Innovation, and Airman and Family Wellbeing. The proposals selected to advance represent innovative solutions ranging from new base security technology and VR training modules to virtual assistants and apps designed for wellness and leadership development.

Located in Chantilly, VA, Hexagon US Federal is competing in the Leveraging Technology for Operational Effectiveness Challenge alongside a diverse group of teams - originating from the vast regions of North America, Europe, Australia and other allied countries – that represent entrepreneurial startups, small businesses, large enterprises, academic institutions and research labs all vying to build the Base of the Future and modernize the Department of Defense.

"The AFWERX Base of the Future Challenge is critical to our mission of increasing collaboration between large businesses and entrepreneurs to accelerate solutions for the Air Force," stated Mark Rowland of AFWERX. "On behalf of AFWERX and the Department of Defense, we congratulate the teams advancing to the next phase. Their contributions are invaluable and have the potential to create game-changing results across the Air Force enterprise."

The Leveraging Technology for Operational Effectiveness Challenge strives to leverage artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing and machine learning to build an Air Force base that becomes a leader in innovation. With the rebuild of the Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, the U.S. Air Force has the potential to create an installation that will be a model for Air Force bases of tomorrow by implementing state-of-the-art operational technology, automation, artificial intelligence, digital integration, and cybersecurity to build the newest installation and ensure it becomes a premier innovation hub for industry and government.

Hexagon US Federal submitted the solution, "Digital Reality, Digital Twin," that enables the U.S. Air Force to develop richly detailed 3D models of its bases. This scalable digital reality solution integrates a variety of Hexagon sensor technologies - including the Leica RTC360 3D laser scanner, Leica BLK2GO handheld imaging laser scanner and Leica CityMapper-2 hybrid airborne sensor - to create a digital twin of Air Force base facilities, inside and out. Hexagon US Federal's digital reality solution improves decision-making for on-base emergency management, maintenance, construction and other critical activities.

"It's an honor to be among the solutions selected to move forward," said Tammer Olibah, Hexagon US Federal CEO. "We are proud of our ongoing support of the Air Force through our work, and we are excited for the opportunity to take our support to a new level with our innovative digital reality solutions." 

The AFWERX Fusion 2020 Showcase recently featured 370 of the participating teams selected from a record breaking 1,500+ submissions received for the Base of the Future Challenge . Throughout the event teams pitched their solutions to a panel of subject matter experts from the relevant sectors of the Air Force. The top 92 selections were identified and invited to further engage with the Air Force during the week of August 31 with the hope of obtaining contracts. For a complete list of participating teams visit fusion.afwerxshowcase.com/.

The Base of the Future theme was inspired by Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, which was decimated by Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm that occurred in 2018. For decades, Tyndall had been home to many generations of Airmen and their families. In the storm's aftermath, nearly 500 buildings were destroyed or damaged beyond repair. Fortunately, Congress approved a $3 billion military construction rebuild program, sparking hope that Tyndall would re-emerge stronger than ever before. The aspirational initiative seeks to create a robust installation that will become a universal symbol of innovation and excellence that can scale across the U.S. Air Force. To learn more about the Base of the Future Challenges, click here.

ABOUT Hexagon US Federal
Hexagon US Federal is part of Hexagon serving the U.S. federal market. Hexagon is a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions. We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, and quality across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, safety, and mobility applications.

Our technologies are shaping urban and production ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous – ensuring a scalable, sustainable future. Learn more at  hexagonusfederal.com.

ABOUT AFWERX
Established in 2017, AFWERX is a product of the U.S. Air Force, directly envisioned by former Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. Her vision of AFWERX — to solve some of the toughest challenges that the Air Force faces through innovation and collaboration amongst our nation's top subject matter experts. AFWERX serves as a catalyst to unleash new approaches for the warfighter through a growing ecosystem of innovators. AFWERX and the U.S. Air Force are committed to exploring viable solutions and partnerships to further strengthen the Air Force, which could lead to additional prototyping, R&D, and follow-on production contracts.

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SOURCE Hexagon US Federal