AEXA Aerospace, STRIKEWERX deliver new B-52 equipment to Global Strike Command
AEXA Aerospace delivered a modernized version of the Electronic Warfare Pressurizing Test Set during a special event Aug. 13 at STRIKEWERX in the Cyber Innovation Center, Bossier City, Louisiana. (Sean Green/STRIKEWERX)
By Sean Green | Communications Manager
BOSSIER CITY, La. — The next evolution of equipment that sustains America’s deterrence is being delivered to Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC).
AEXA Aerospace, a company that provides solutions for training and operational support, has collaborated with STRIKEWERX, the innovation partner AFGSC and a division of the Cyber Innovation Center (CIC), to create new capabilities and increase efficiency for the Electronic Warfare Pressurizing Test Set (EWPTS).
The EWPTS is used to test the defense system of the B-52 aircraft. The command is seeking to update the current equipment, as its underperformance affects crew safety and mission fleet availability.
The current EWPTS increases maintenance time by 200–300% since repairing faulty test sets require up to six hours with a less-than 40% success rate. This new portable design is easier to repair, easier to use in diagnosing equipment failure, and allows for greater availability in extreme weather.
“Due to the age and parts availability of the older equipment, we have a shortage of old testers, and this new device will help fill that stop gap and enhance our mission capability,” said Master Sgt. Justin Countryman, AFGSC project champion.
This equipment provides an updated and modernized piece of test equipment that should improve reliability and parts availability, increase speed of testing, and reduce equipment and power needs.
“This innovative device achieves unparalleled reliability through the integration of Commercial Off-The-Shelf components, ensuring the Air Force's ability to easily source replacements globally both today and for the next 25 years,” said Dr. Fernando De La Peña Llaca, CEO and president of AEXA Aerospace. “This amalgamation empowers the Air Force with state-of-the-art tools, advancing their mission capabilities with the latest technological prowess.”
Additionally, it incorporates portable holographic technologies and augmented reality (AR) technology to create an AR maintenance tutorial.
Dr. De La Peña Llaca said that collaborating with the government on the project fostered a collaborative environment where business and government came together to collectively defined the requirements for a revolutionary new device.
“Through the synergy of AEXA, AFGSC, and STRIKEWERX, we navigated the development of the next generation EWPTS with unprecedented efficiency, sidestepping traditional bureaucratic hurdles,” he said. “This endeavor exemplifies one of the United States Air Force's most commendable traits — innovation.”
Countryman was also complementary about collaborating with industry to develop this new tester, noting the result will be a definite upgrade.
“The STRIKEWERX process helped us find a good industry partner, which allowed us to focus on other priorities,” he said. “It was very nice that we as the customer didn’t need to be managing the overall project, instead providing information to a responsive industry partner in AEXA who could enable agile and rapid prototyping.”
About the Cyber Innovation Center
Cyber Innovation Center (CIC), located in Bossier City, Louisiana, is the anchor of the 3,000-acre National Cyber Research Park and serves as the catalyst for the development and expansion of a knowledge-based workforce throughout the region. As a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation, CIC fosters collaboration among its partners and accelerates technology, research, and development. One of its primary missions is to develop a sustainable knowledge-based workforce that can support the growing needs of government, industry, and academic partners.