Melbourne, Florida/6 November 2023 – Satcom Direct Government, Inc. (SDG) today announces it has been selected by AFWERX for two SBIR Phase II awards in the amount of $1,249,940.00 each to focus on Electronically Steered Antenna (ESA) development and modification of flight operations system SD Pro to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and on 26 September 2023, SDG started its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.
Head of SD Government, Hayden Olson, says, “Satcom Direct philosophy is to purpose-build products and services for our business aviation customers, and we’ve already developed a suite of impressive tools currently optimized by governments, captains of industry, Fortune 500 companies and more. With these SBIR awards, we are in an even stronger position to modify and adapt these systems to strengthen the warfighter’s operational capabilities. Our vision is to take the existing SD ecosystem of hardware, software and ground structure and enhance it for military operations. With our team comprising 40% veterans, we have the internal knowledge to understand what is needed and are equally proud and honored to create products that will support former and future colleagues.”
About Satcom Direct Government
SD Government is a leading operator of customized, secure end-to-end satellite connectivity services that deliver assured global access to networks, voice, data and video applications, and data on land, at sea, and in the air. Each solution is scalable from simple point-to-point links to complete end-to-end, global solutions that are fully interoperable and seamlessly integrated with government networks for enhanced situational awareness and a faster response.
The secure MILSATCOM of fixed satellite solutions includes C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band, L-band, X-band and UHF, as well as mobile satellite solutions Inmarsat, Thuraya and Iridium for aeronautical, land-mobile, and maritime users in multiple markets, including U.S. government and military, global governments, educational institutions and commercial maritime.
Government customers trust SD to deliver resilient, agnostic solutions at the highest quality of service and customer support provided by an expert team of US military veterans and technical experts familiar with handling complex communications requirements to support mission success.
SD Government is located at Satcom Direct World Headquarters in Melbourne, Florida.
About Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit www.afresearchlab.com.
About AFWERX
As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 325 military, civilian and contractor personnel at six hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed 4,697 contracts worth more than $2.6 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: www.afwerx.com.
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