Starting in 2021, the National Spectrum Consortium (NSC) launched working groups that serve as a collaborative platform between industry, academia, and government, to leverage expertise to inform national policy and commercial standards.
Al Abramson, former head of the U.S. Army’s armaments and ammunition joint program office, has been appointed as vice president of customer engagement by the National Armaments Consortium.
RPED harnesses the Navy’s industry consortiums, such as the Information Warfare Research Project (IWRP), which is pursuing its second round of transitioning technology. “NAVWAR’s IWRP was the first prototyping OTA for the Navy,” he says. “But now there’s five other consortiums across the Navy in other technology areas.”
Recently, NSTIC awarded a project for a Containerized Littoral Launch System, which provides surface-to-surface missile capability to littoral combat ships. This launcher technology supports the Navy’s efforts to help increase survivability and lethality of its ships, and help protect and defend against enemy warships.
When the Maritime Sustainment Technology and Innovation Consortium (MSTIC) award was announced in June 2021, the collaboration already had a head start atypical of other new consortia.
Across the country, the organizations are relieving stressed-out critical-care teams and filling in where necessary to fight COVID-19. The telehealth system is ready for other disasters, as well.
In September 2021, the Naval Energetic Systems and Technologies (NEST), a partnership between the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division and the National Armaments Consortium, released 56 statements of need for prototype munition technologies, including hypersonic weapons, different kinds of propellants, warheads, logistical equipment, and propulsion systems. More rounds of solicitations are planned every six months.
The Defense Department is slowly chipping away at 117 different tasks to implement the October 2020 Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy.
In February 2021, ATI worked with the U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics to create the Defense Electronics Consortium (DEC). This DoD-sponsored consortium is helping the government identify challenges, needs and opportunities in defense electronics, which have been impacted by the contraction of U.S. electronics manufacturing and other factors.
The 2021 Naval Surface Technology & Innovation Consortium (NSTIC) Industry Day event included NSTIC members, and briefings from NSWCDD provided by Contracting Department Head Mike Busansky, Technical Director Dale Sisson, SES and Chief Technology Officer Jennifer Clift.
