Page 1 - Aerotech News and Review, February 4, 2022

Aerotech News
Aerotech News
Aerotech News

Journal of Aerospace, Defense Industry and Veteran News
and Review
and Review
Spark Tank ’22 finalist includes Edwards major

Lockheed Martin photograph by Chad Bellay
An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 411th Flight Test Squadron maneuvers over the Mojave Desert during a test mission.

As the Department of the Air Force’s Spark bring the trophy home to The Center of The Aero- needs an Air Force that can fly, fight, and win in improvement or innovation born of their subject
Tank program enters its fifth year, it is again space Testing Universe.” the air domain as a member of the joint team. matter expertise and ingenuity,” said Brou Gauti-
poised to highlight the creative and innovative “Project FOX has three core competencies; be- In recent years, faced with lesser adversaries, we er, Spark Tank director. “It also affords us occa-
spirit amongst our Airmen and Guardians. ing Fast, Open, and Cross Platform. Our project’s have taken air superiority for granted, and it is sion to celebrate those risk-takers, idea makers
The Air and Space Force vice chiefs, along with mission is to establish a government controlled easy to forget that the joint force loses without and intrapreneurs who refused to accept the status
other senior leaders across both services, selected software environment onboard fielded weapon access to the air and the ability to deny that access quo and developed solutions that advance our ca-
six ideas to advance. systems that enables sandboxed development for to our enemies.” pabilities or improve our return on investment in
The finals will be held at the Air Force Associa- rapid prototyping, iteration, and fielding of new Similarly, in “Spacepower, Doctrine for Space order to inspire more of the same.”
tion’s Aerospace Warfare Symposium as senior software; third-party applications to bring the Forces,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Co-produced by the Office of the Deputy Un-
leaders decide who will be declared winner of unrivaled collective capability of the U.S.’s most W. “Jay” Raymond stated, “As a lean, mission- der Secretary of the Air Force, Management Rich
Spark Tank ‘22 and take possession of the coveted advanced and innovative software developers to focused, digital service, the United States Space Lombardi, and AFWERX, this annual event is de-
3D printed Spark Tank trophy. the warfighter; and cross platform portability to Force values organizational agility, innovation, signed to unleash our total force innovation ca-
The 411th Flight Test Squadron’s Maj. Allen slash costs and time for capability development and boldness. Elevating these traits starts with em- pacity, reflecting leadership’s continued efforts to
Black, Assistant Director of Operations, was and fielding. Ultimately, we are working to deliver powering small teams and prizing measured risk- empower intrapreneurs, celebrate their problem-
named as one of the six finalists for his work with the warfighter better capabilities — cheaper and taking as opportunities to rapidly learn and adapt. solving skills and give them a stage to share their
the F-22 Raptor Fighter Optimization Experiment, faster,” Black explained. These principles apply equally to operations and ideas with fellow service members, the Depart-
or FOX. As the Department’s flagship innovation event, day-to-day tasks. The United States Space Force ment’s senior leaders, and the world. Only the top
“It is an honor to represent Edwards AFB at this Spark Tank plays a central role in establishing must draw upon these traits to relentlessly ad- 3 percent of ideas submitted to the Spark Tank
event and we would not have had this opportunity the Department’s strategic mindset for delivering vance military space power for the nation.” campaign were selected to compete as finalists.
if it was not for the tremendous support of our future capabilities. In his 2020 whitepaper titled “Spark Tank presents each Airman and Guard- The Spark Tank 2022 finalists are:
leadership as well as the phenomenal 412th Test “Accelerate Change or Lose,” Air Force Chief of ian with the opportunity to leave a mark of ex-
Wing Innovation team,” Black said. “We hope to Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. said, “The United States cellence on our core competencies through an See SPARK TANK, Page 2

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