AFWERX: Hub for bases of future

AFWERX, the Air Force’s technology innovation hub, wants to help bring the “base of the future” to life as its flagship effort in 2020. At its core is Tyndall AFB, Fla., which was largely destroyed by Hurricane Michael in 2018. The AF has seized an opportunity to modernize the installation with wireless connectivity on the flightline, multipurpose facilities for aircraft maintenance to family time, and sensors that track a building’s health, and more. The timeline is tight: The NW Florida base wants to begin hosting F-35s within three years. Rebuilding Tyndall is slated to cost about $5B – almost 200 percent of the AF’s entire annual yearly military construction budget. Base modernization isn’t new, but Tyndall, costly backlog in maintenance projects, and a National Defense Strategy that charges a new approach to installations are adding that urgency. AFWERX is taking on that challenge. It’s trying to grow the AF’s ties with small businesses, cultivate new technology, and speed up the timelines to get unique products to the field. The “base of the future” concept will focus of its 2020 Fusion event. … And it doesn’t just include Tyndall, but bases everywhere. Any installation can take its own steps toward becoming better equipped for the 21st century. (Source: AF Magazine 01/24/20) https://www.airforcemag.com/afwerx-sets-sights-on-base-of-the-future/