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Collaborative environment drives rapid solutions for global strike, warfighters

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Air Force Global Strike Command’s goal of continuing to serve as the nation’s innovative, ever-evolving global strike force requires a quick and efficient way to problem solve.

An important catalyst for the command’s ability to find those solutions is provided by a Partnership Intermediary Agreement between the Cyber Innovation Center and Air Force Global Strike Command.

This PIA, known in practice as the Collaborative Environment serves to accelerate the transition of new technologies and provide access to expertise to solve AFGSC’s needs.

Essentially, the CE works hand in hand with the command to rapidly create solutions that directly benefit the warfighter and aid in revitalizing the Air Force nuclear enterprise.

“Our role is to further Air Force Global Strike Command’s mission by fostering innovation and collaboration between academia, business, industry, and government that meet the command’s challenges,” said Jeff Beene, CE director. “We are proud to help solve the command’s current and future challenges by delivering a cost-effective, scalable, and agile approach.”

Since 2017, the CE has supported AFGSC by convening experts on nuclear deterrence and global strike operations. These include examining difficult technical challenges such as modeling and simulation, nuclear command, control, and communications modernization, workforce development, and innovation services.

“The Collaborative Environment plays a vital role in the command’s focus on innovation,” said Dr. Donna Senft, chief scientist at AFGSC. “It provides a mechanism to target new ideas and processes that we can then leverage through partnerships within our communities.”

The CE achieves this by hosting government and non-government project teams to learn about innovation and collaboration tools, techniques, and processes and apply them in a space that fosters intense collaborations with state-of-the-art capabilities.

To date, the CE has supported nearly 900 organizations and hosted almost 5,000 attendees across 75 collaborative events.

“Our vision from a decade ago is becoming more and more of a reality with each passing achievement,” said Craig Spohn, executive director of the CIC. “The CIC and its collaborative efforts to support Air Force Global Strike Command and diversify the local economy are something of which our region can be very proud.”

However, this effort to provide solutions can’t be done in a vacuum. The CE has established an ecosystem that accelerates innovative solutions to both the warfighter and industry sector. Some of their partners include Louisiana Tech University, Louisiana Tech Research Institute, and LSUS among others.

“This growing ecosystem helps evaluate Air Force Global Strike Command needs and links the right experts across industry, small business, academia, and defense to create successful outcomes for the warfighter,” Beene said.

The CE’s mission and ecosystem will only strengthen with its latest effort — AFGSC’s Innovation Hub, branded as STRIKEWERX. This public storefront, located in the CIC, will connect the region to AFGSC and feature cutting-edge resources for entrepreneurs and AFGSC teams that will accelerate concepts and technologies that become tomorrow’s global strike advantage.

“The STRIKEWERX Innovation Hub provides fast, non-traditional pathways for Air Force Global Strike Command stakeholders to scout the best solutions from industry and academia for its most challenging problems. STRIKEWERX events, workshops, meetups, and industry challenges will enable access to a network of experienced facilitators and other subject matter experts,” Beene added.