AFWERX In the News

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Luke Air Force Base is accelerating the future of warfare through an expanding suite of small unmanned aircraft system programs developed by the 56th Fighter Wing Spark Cell. The team of innovators is reshaping how Airmen train, think, and operate in different environments.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Offutt Air Force Base is introducing the mobile application JetDash in hopes to innovate and simplify Aerospace Ground Equipment operations on the flightline. Developed by Technergetics and championed by the Offutt Spark Cell, JetDash is transforming how airmen request and track AGE equipment, with the goal of making their work more efficient and streamlined.

LAS VEGAS — Defenders from the 99th Security Force Squadron are using a newly fielded personal cooling system device to help combat the heat of the Southern Nevada desert at Nellis Air Force Base.

ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England — A new system called the Integrated Respirator Information System (IRIS) is changing how aircraft maintainers work in confined and hazardous spaces.

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- The 90th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight was given the opportunity to exhibit a project after four years of development at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference in Washington D.C., Sept. 23-24, 2025.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Representatives from 17 commercial space companies joined officials from Space Systems Command on Aug. 19, 2025 for a National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Industry Day to assist commercial launch service and space capability providers in planning for NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 on-ramp opportunities.

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFRL) — AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, partnered with Joby Aviation to demonstrate autonomous aircraft capabilities with a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan during Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC), July 24-30, 2025. REFORPAC was part of the Department-Level Exercise (DLE) series, a month-long set of exercises across the Indo-Pacific that enhanced readiness and interoperability with allies and partners while providing critical lessons learned for future operations.

What started as a school project has developed into a promising innovation for explosive ordnance disposal operations across the Defense Department. While completing his degree in electronics engineering technology at the University of Arkansas Grantham, former Air Force Master Sgt. Daniel Trombone was challenged to solve a real-world problem within just two months. Despite limited time and resources, he turned the assignment into a functional prototype, marking the beginning of the EOD robot depth-perception system.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) SpaceWERX, in support of U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command's (SSC) Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (OTTI) Program Executive Office, has announced the launch of its Hyperspace Challenge 2025 program. The initiative is calling for companies with a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II award to participate in helping advance modeling and simulation capabilities.