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Resilient-Embedded GPS/INS (R-EGI) Architecture Takes Flight on Military C-12J Test Aircraft: Redefining the Future of Navigation Technology
Holloman AFB, NM – The Resilient-Embedded GPS/INS (R-EGI) architecture has achieved another major milestone with its successful flight testing on a military C-12J test aircraft. This breakthrough in Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technology promises to redefine precision and reliability in complex navigation environments.
“Navigating through challenging terrains or densely populated urban areas with unwavering accuracy is now a step closer to reality, thanks to the R-EGI system”, stated Dr. Mikel Miller, Integrated Solutions for Systems (IS4S) R-EGI Program Director. “By integrating advanced GPS positioning with sophisticated inertial sensors and other complementary PNT technologies, R-EGI offers continuous, precise navigation even when traditional GPS signals are compromised, obstructed, or denied. This capability is vital for a wide range of applications, including military operations, autonomous vehicles, and disaster response scenarios.”
The government-owned R-EGI open architecture demonstrated its exceptional potential during a series of rigorous flight tests from August 20-22, 2024, at Holloman AFB, NM. In less than eight months, the R-EGI Design Agent Rapid Prototype Flight Demonstration Industry and Government Team consisting of personnel from IS4S, Kearfott Corporation, General Dynamics-Mission Systems, Collins Aerospace, 746th Test Squadron (746 TS), and 586thFlight Test Squadron (586 FLTS) successfully conducted three flights on the 586 FLTS C-12J aircraft to support the core R-EGI program. Mounted aboard this specially equipped aircraft, the R-EGI system integrated into a modified F-16 Line Replaceable Unit on a 746 TS flight rack demonstrated its ability to maintain precise positioning and orientation throughout the flight duration. These flights included a demanding range of dynamic and aggressive flight operations on the White Sands Missile Range, with one cross-country flight specifically designed to evaluate Kearfott’s inertial measurement unit functional performance. According to Dr. Miller, “These milestone flights validated R-EGI's hardware and software architecture, showcasing its resilience and accuracy and will redefine navigation solutions for the modern era.”
“The successful demonstration of the R-EGI system is a testament to the dedication and innovation of the R-EGI Design Agent Rapid Prototype Flight Demonstration Team,” said Major Bernard Mutz, AFLCMC/WNX R-EGI Program Manager. “We not only met but exceeded all objectives ahead of schedule, showcasing the R-EGI architecture’s potential to revolutionize navigation technology.”
The R-EGI system’s success marks a significant advancement in ensuring precise and reliable PNT capabilities under even the most challenging conditions. As the technology progresses, it holds the promise of transforming how military, and potentially civilian applications, manage complex PNT tasks.
Glenn Rolader, IS4S President and CEO, concluded that, “Success in aerospace innovation is built on collaboration and shared vision. The R-EGI system’s groundbreaking achievement highlights the power of the System Design Agent concept, demonstrating that when industry and government partners unite their expertise and resources under this innovative model, we can overcome the most formidable challenges and redefine the future of technology.”
R-EGI Architecture Takes Flight, Pioneering the Future of Navigation
PINE BROOK, NJ - In a groundbreaking series of demonstrations conducted May 27-30, 2024, the Resilient-Embedded GPS/INS (R-EGI) architecture proved its potential to redefine navigation solutions for resiliency in the modern era. “R-EGI is designed to excel in the most challenging environments,” said Capt Ben Mutz, AFLCMC/WNX R-EGI Program Manager. “It integrates cutting-edge complementary positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) technologies with legacy GPS and inertial navigation systems (INS), promising unmatched accuracy and reliability under any operational condition.”
The journey of R-EGI commenced on May 27 with an extensive ground demonstration, where the system was rigorously exercised during a Kearfott van trip from Pine Brook, NJ to Stafford, VA.
On May 28, R-EGI completed its inaugural flight aboard a BE-55 aircraft located at Stafford Regional Airport, demonstrating positioning and orientation throughout the flight. Over the following days, from May 29-30, R-EGI underwent additional test flights, each contributing valuable data to further validate the architecture’s functionality. These flights underscored R-EGI's status as a cutting-edge navigation technology poised to set new standards in the industry.
Kearfott Corporation led these collaborative demonstrations, bringing together expertise and resources from Integrated Solutions for Systems (IS4S), General Dynamics Mission Systems, and Collins Aerospace. “These initial ground and flight tests provided crucial insights into R-EGI’s functional performance across diverse terrains and environmental variables, setting the stage for subsequent USAF field and airborne trials,” said Kearfott president, John Stanfill.
The next pivotal phase for R-EGI is slated for August 2024, featuring demonstrations aboard the 586 Flight Test Squadron's C-12 aircraft at Holloman AFB, NM which aim to further validate the R-EGI architecture and verify its functional performance in new operational scenarios. According to Dennis Miller, IS4S R-EGI demo director, “excitement is palpable as R-EGI continues to push boundaries and establish itself as a benchmark in navigation technology.”
R-EGI represents not just a technological leap forward, but a paradigm shift in navigation capabilities. “Looking ahead, the successful series of inaugural flights mark a significant stride towards a future where navigation is synonymous with reliability and resilience in every journey,” added Dr. Mikel Miller, IS4S R-EGI program director. “As the Department of Defense continues to innovate and expand the horizons of navigation possibilities, R-EGI stands at the forefront where resilience meets reliability, and the future of navigation begins.”
As proven by these successful demonstrations, R-EGI provides a robust solution for navigating challenging environments where traditional GPS systems may falter. The integration of complementary PNT, GPS, and INS technologies in an open, agile, and digital government-owned environment is setting a new standard for developing and integrating reliability, robustness, and resiliency in navigation systems.
IS4S, Divergent Partner to Deliver Rapid Prototype Development, Testing, and Scalable Production Solutions
HUNTSVILLE, AL - The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), in partnership with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) at Eglin Air Force Base, awarded an Other Transaction (OT) agreement to Integrated Solutions for Systems (IS4S) for the design and testing of an Enterprise Test Vehicle (ETV). DIU awarded IS4S on 15 April 2024 for Design Cycle 1.
Through this program, IS4S will develop prototype ETV systems for flight testing on an accelerated timeline. Future design improvements will be rapidly generated through the integration of subsystems across an open systems architecture. This technology will serve as a foundation for affordable mass production moving forward and provide an overwhelming dilemma for defending adversaries.
As part of this effort, IS4S has partnered with Divergent Technologies, Inc. (Divergent) to design, build, and assemble the vehicle’s functionally integrated airframe. Divergent’s end-to-end software-hardware manufacturing solution called the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS™) provides for rapid iteration and low-cost production of the IS4S ETV airframe. Through this partnership, IS4S and Divergent can deliver fast, flexible design, with the ability to quickly scale production and meet warfighter needs.
The IS4S ETV vehicle is paired with an adaptable and scalable production system. The use of DAPS™ enables IS4S and Divergent to design, build, assemble, and test the vehicle cheaper, faster, and more flexibly than the traditional manufacturing process.
About IS4S
Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. (IS4S) is a small business that provides a wide range of engineering and management solutions to government, military, and commercial customers. Founded in 2008, IS4S is a trusted System Design Agent specializing in open systems architectures, software development, systems engineering and integration, computational physics, additive manufacturing, and production. IS4S is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama with office locations in Auburn and Opelika, Alabama; Orlando, Niceville, and Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Atlanta and Warner Robins, Georgia; Dayton, Ohio; Slidell, Louisiana; Aberdeen, Maryland; and Washington DC.
About Divergent
Divergent has created the world’s first end-to-end software-hardware production system for industrial digital manufacturing – the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS™) – allowing customers to design, additively manufacture, and automatically assemble complex structures for automotive, aerospace, and defense applications. With maturity equivalent to TRL 9 in automotive, DAPS transforms the economics, speed, and scalability of defense vehicle manufacturing by optimizing designs, dematerializing structures, and eliminating upfront capex. For more information, please visit www.divergent3d.com.
Van Le Receives Inaugural IS4S Employee Award
The IS4S Board of Directors established the Employee Ownership Initiative Award to recognize IS4S employees who go above and beyond in exemplifying IS4S values. This award will be made, as deemed warranted, to deserving employees who stand out among their peers for personifying the principles and values of employee ownership.
The first Employee Ownership Initiative Award recipient is Mr. Van Le, who was recognized during the most recent Board meeting for his investment in developing employee equity management software. During the holiday season, when many of us were taking time off to enjoy being with family, Van used his time off to develop software that allows individual employees and the corporate stock administrator to keep track of IS4S stock ownership.
Employees can use this software to access their ownership records and vesting schedules individually and submit buy and sell requests during the notification period. The corporate stock administrator can use the software to approve and execute purchases and sales and to issue shares as various forms of stock compensation (e.g., performance bonuses, execution bonuses, etc.). The software will also enable employees to access historical stock price data, the company’s current market capitalization, and other valuable data.
This software application will be rolled out to IS4S employees later this year and may become a product offering to other similarly structured companies. Congratulations to Van Le on being the recipient of the inaugural IS4S Employee Ownership Initiative Award.
IS4S Awarded SBIR Phase III from AFLCMC
NICEVILLE, FL — The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Eglin AFB awarded IS4S a Phase 3 SBIR to develop a Long Range Kill Chain model.
Contract number FA8658-24-C-B003 was awarded on 04 April 2024 in the amount of $1,480,626.
IS4S Delivers on Resilient Software Defined Radio in GNSS-Challenged Environments
HUNTSVILLE, AL — Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. (IS4S), an employee-owned small business, was awarded a Phase II SBIR contract by the Armament Directorate of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) to develop a Resilient Software Defined Radio (R-SDR) that integrates a variety of complementary positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) solutions, including signals of opportunity, with onboard sensors to enable dependable operations in contested, degraded, and denied environments. This effort follows other such contract awards from AFLCMC; most notably, their selection of IS4S to lead the Resilient-Embedded Global Positioning/Inertial Navigation System (R-EGI) program.
“We’ve been able to leverage significant advances in R-EGI, as well as our previously developed Vector Tracking Receiver (VTRx) to meet aggressive schedule and cost requirements,” said Dr. Mikel Miller, VP for PNT, IS4S. “The open-source plugin architecture we developed for the US Government has also positioned us with a robust sensor fusion capability.”
Work began this month to integrate the IS4S-developed R-EGI/pntOS architecture with the company’s second generation VTRx SDR to fit inside a VNX+ small form factor and meet the size, weight, and power requirements of Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA) 2.0, the latest industry standard for embedded computing. This form factor will enable the R-SDR to give the warfighter needed technology to gain a tactical advantage.
“Since VNX+ is an emerging standard with many of its governing documents still in draft, we partnered with Antara Teknik to ensure access to the latest standards and requirements trends,” said Dr. Nate Smith, VP for Air Force Programs, IS4S. “Antara Teknik is an industry leader in the VNX+ form factor, ideally suited to develop the backplane of the R-SDR and ensure VNX+/VITA 90.0 system compliance.”
To reduce size and enhance navigation capability, the R-SDR features pntOS and the VTRx SDR on the same system-in-package (SiP), with pntOS being the key access and integration point for complementary, organic, and onboard PNT data. Additionally, the R-SDR enables robust communication, sending signals while the VTRx receives PNT signals from the same SiP without disruption of the PNT solution.
R-SDR was successfully demonstrated in July 2023, just 11 short months after IS4S received the Phase II SBIR award. This proof of concept may lead to other efforts that build on this small-form-factor technology.
IS4S and ICS Awarded Navy Contract to Design 11 New Maintenance and Repair Shipping Container Variants
The US Navy awarded a new contract to IS4S and its wholly owned subsidiary, Integrated Container Solutions (ICS), to design 11 new custom ISO shipping container evolutions. As part of the US Navy’s Expeditionary Maintenance and Repair Facility (EMRF) portable capability suite, these containers will further enable on-site logistics and repair capabilities in remote and austere environments.
“The components in each container variant will be chosen to create a suite of equipment that enables a specific mode of maintenance and repair capability, such as pump repair, electronics repair, or additive manufacturing,” said Robert Henderson, head of ICS operations. “Each equipment suite will then be integrated into one holistic containerized system designed to be rapidly deployed to almost any remote location.”
One or more of the 11 EMRF customized capability containers will be powered by a heavy fuel 30 kW electric power generator integrated into a 10 ft. custom ISO shipping container. These power containers also have an intelligent power management system that enables seamless switchable operation from the generator, or from shore or shipboard power sources.
All EMRF custom container designs will retain their CSC certifications, enabling transport by commercial and military air, land, and sea assets.
IS4S is Incredibly Grateful to Win First-ever “Hat Trick” at Air Force Weapons Pitch Day 2022
At the 2022 Air Force Weapons Pitch Day, IS4S “Pitched” and won an unprecedented 3 awards! No other company has ever accomplished this before. The three direct to Phase 2 SBIR awards totaled $5.5M and covered the following topic areas: Long Range Kill Chain Digital Model, Low-Cost Decoy, and Resilient Software Defined Radio for PNT. The Air Force Weapons Pitch Day consisted of a 5-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A period. This year, the Air Force received over 70 pitch topic proposals and down selected to 21 topics from 18 companies across the United States. In total, 14 companies won awards totally up to $1.83M each. IS4S was the only company to win multiple awards.
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division
Photo by Dana Rene White
IS4S employees, Jacob Martin (left) and John Kendrick (Right) demo IS4S 3D-printed cover on the Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera cable area aboard the Self Defense Test Ship during the Aug. 25 Repair Technology Exercise, or REPTX, at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division. IS4S was one of several companies on site for the event to design a cable protection solution.
IS4S selected by AFLCMC to continue leading the Resilient-EGI program
HUNTSVILLE, AL – The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) recently awarded Integrated Solutions for Systems (IS4S) with a $95M Phase 2 Other Transaction Agreement for the Resilient-Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (R-EGI) development and prototype program.
IS4S successfully completed R-EGI Phase 1, pioneering a Continuous Competition Design Agent (CC-DA) approach that brought together the best of the industry from Booz Allen Hamilton, Strategic Technology Consulting, Honeywell, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, Draper, Raytheon, Kearfott, GE Aviation Systems, and other companies to develop a vendor-neutral open architecture for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) solutions. With the agile CC-DA in place, IS4S will iteratively converge the best elements from Phase 1 candidate designs and government insights to produce best-of-breed prototypes.
“We’re designing R-EGI to be more than a single system,” said IS4S vice president John Larson. “We’re defining an entire ecosystem for PNT and creating a design process that AFLCMC will own. The entire Phase 2 team is using modern MBSE—Model-Based System Engineering—to develop a digital engineering toolchain in an open design which is both modular and reusable across multiple platforms.”
“This approach widens the aperture and brings the technical baseline back into the government,” added Dr. Mikel Miller, IS4S vice president for PNT. “R-EGI gives the warfighter the technology needed for tactical advantage, including the latest in alternate navigation and GPS receiver technology with M code. As threats change, our PNT capability must also change. R-EGI enables us to outpace the threat.”
The R-EGI open architecture provides a clear framework to allow integration of new, adaptable technology and algorithms from across the Department of Defense, industry, and academia. When this open architecture is coupled with the novel CC-DA R-EGI development process, rapid adjustments can be made while achieving significant sustainability benefits over traditional acquisition approaches.
The convergence of Phase 1 best-of-breed designs will produce a final Government Reference Architecture with unlimited data rights for the government. IS4S also aims to deliver a production-ready, government-owned technical data package suitable for full and open competition, as well as production representative prototypes that demonstrate completeness and manufacturing readiness.
“This is what makes R-EGI different,” said Air Force R-EGI chief engineer, Jacob Campbell. “We’re not just building a new EGI; we build EGIs for aircraft today. We’re leveraging the best ideas, modern architectural and design approaches, open standards, digital engineering methods and tools, and cloud-based development. We are doing all this together with IS4S so we can build a dynamic, Resilient-EGI.”
IS4S Huntsville Achieves AS9100 Quality Management Certification from NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR)
AS9100 certification for aviation, space and defense organizations demonstrates IS4S’ commitment to aerospace industry expectations.
HUNTSVILLE, AL – The IS4S Huntsville location has achieved AS9100 aerospace management systems certification from NSF-ISR, an NSF International company with a scope to provide product design and development and manufacturing services to the Federal Government and other commercial companies in the aerospace and defense industry. Certification to AS9100, a widely adopted quality management system for the aerospace industry, ensures a framework for continual improvement and access to best practices from across the aerospace industry, while serving as a precursor for IS4S to qualify as a supplier in the aviation, space and defense supply chain.
The AS9100 standard is based on ISO 9001 but encompasses additional requirements specific to the unique needs of aerospace industry prime organizations and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). These manufacturers/OEMs and their global supply base often endorse or require certification as assurance that certain base principals have been implemented. The standard also incorporates requirements of relevant industry stakeholders (e.g., product safety awareness, counterfeit controls, risk-based thinking, process validation, etc.). In addition, it is compatible with other management systems, such as ISO 14001).
"IS4S Huntsville is committed to delivering the highest quality products and services to our Federal Government and commercial customers through continual improvement and review of our Quality Management System and compliance with AS9100 and ISO 9001 along with customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements."
Auburn Location
Yuma Proving Grounds announced an intent to award IS4S with a follow-on Phase II SBIR contract to enhance the Convoy Driver Assistance Systems. IS4S has developed, tested, and delivered a novel, self-contained GPS-based hardware unit that reliably displays the relative position between vehicles in a convoy with centimeter-level accuracy. The hardware units can be used as a valuable safety tool when executing convoy and following operations in low-visibility conditions. They also provide a means for operators to maintain precise formations during tests. IS4S will expand upon this hardware platform to provide a new navigation algorithm to perform in GPS challenged environments, enabling testing when signals are present that interfere with the GPS signal. IS4S will also expand the system to provide real-time data visualization, more extensive data logging, route planning, and an improved visual interface.
Auburn Location
TARDEC awarded IS4S a Phase I SBIR to produce a Cruise Control Enhancement (CCE) for Tactical Wheeled Vehicles or commercial heavy trucks. This CCE will improve the fuel efficiency of either single vehicles within a convoy, or the convoy as a whole by between 3 to 5%. The CCE parameters will be tunable to adapt to a variety of vehicle types and tactical environments. This technology has applications on commercial trucks in addition to Army Tactical Wheeled Vehicles. The CCE algorithms are applicable in commercial or DoD scenarios. In addition, this technology works equally well on human-operated vehicles or various levels of autonomous ground vehicles.
Huntsville Location
IS4S was awarded a Phase I SBIR contract to improve inertial navigation on high dynamic flight systems. This effort will produce enhanced navigation algorithms for un-aided IMUs. These algorithms will allow missiles to more effectively navigate through the severe dynamics of a missile flight. The navigators will be generic and applicable to a wide range of missiles. The algorithm parameters will be tunable to adjust to particular missile and IMU systems. This technology has potential commercial applications on many missiles and other guided munitions. The algorithms will be demonstrated interfacing with hardware IMUs to show the feasibility of incorporating them into existing product lines. The enhanced navigators would also allow lower-cost IMUs to be used in systems while still maintaining the required navigation performance.
Huntsville Location
The US Office of Naval Research (ONR) awarded IS4S an SBIR Phase I contract to research and design an Autonomous Cargo Handling System (ACHS). The ACHS is a fully autonomous robot capable of carrying cargo on and off of the US Navy/USMC Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS), as well as other military aircraft. The ACHS will enable the rapid delivery of mission-critical cargo to austere landing zones and beyond by a variety of manual, pre-planned, and fully autonomous modes. Much of the ACHS technology is leveraged from IS4S robots developed on other Government programs, which significantly reduces technical risk and development cost. When employed, the ACHS will reduce risk to our warfighters, increase the efficiency of vital resupply operations and reduce overall operational cost.
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