New AFRL commander to push lab forward
Air Force Research Laboratory
Leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies in air, space and cyber.
Welcome to the June edition of the LinkedIn to AFRL newsletter.?
The Air Force Research Laboratory welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony hosted by Air Force Materiel Commander Gen. Duke Richardson on Monday, June 5.?
During the ceremony Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle, who retired after 32 years of service, relinquished command to Brig. Gen. Scott Cain and assured him that the lab is ready for his guidance and leadership. As AFRL’s 13th commander, Cain expressed his commitment to accelerating technological advancements to meet Department of the Air Force priorities.?
“We’ll drive operationally relevant science and technology and provide dominant technology to the force,” Cain said. “We must continue to close gaps to achieve our operational imperatives, but we also need to lead discovery for technological advantage to win the future.”
One way AFRL can accomplish the goal our new commander laid out is by growing our world-class science and technology workforce. If you’re interested in working on a passionate team in state-of-the-art labs with the creative freedom to make a difference, then check out our career opportunities at afresearchlab.com/careers.?
Learn more about why Cain is the perfect fit to lead AFRL’s One Lab, Two Services mission into the future and keep scrolling to read about the latest game-changing innovations we’re working on and to see our highlighted job openings.
AFRL helps NASA test equipment for Artemis II mission
AFRL and NASA worked together over the last two weeks with industry partners, such as Lockheed Martin, to test the most current iteration of an astronaut crew seat and flight suit that will be used in the Orion spacecraft during future missions to space.
The Horizontal Impact Accelerator at AFRL’s Biomedical Impact of Flight Branch, within the 711th Human Performance Wing, tested multiple landing scenarios to gauge how the high-energy, low duration events inherent to the Orion spacecraft’s landings might affect the crew of the Artemis II mission. Using only parachutes to reduce speed, the Orion crew module will slow from nearly 25,000 miles per hour to around 20 during reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
NASA also worked with other AFRL technology directorates on sensors, materials and manufacturing and heat shield technology.
“There are a lot of the different technology directorates in AFRL that worked with NASA on multiple programs besides just what our biodynamics lab does — in terms of occupant protection and human injury, tolerance and how to provide the best seat in spacesuit and restraint configuration…” said Chris Perry, senior biomedical engineer, Biodynamics Section, 711th Human Performance Wing.?
Testing the first orbital space satellite in decades?
The Benefield Anechoic Facility at Edwards Air Force Base in California recently tested its first orbital satellite in decades. Anticipated to launch in late 2023, Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) will be the Department of Defense’s first experimental, integrated navigation satellite system in nearly 50 years.
“This is so important because we are testing one of the new satellites that will be going up into space to help with all of our GPS systems,” Amarachi Egbuziem-Ciolkosz, Engineer, 772nd Test Squadron said. “It’s probably going to affect so many lives; not just military but commercial alike.”
In 2019, the Department of the Air Force designed NTS-3 as one of the three Vanguard programs with the goal of delivering remarkable new capabilities that provide warfighters superior advantages in the battlefield. NTS-3, developed by L3Harris Technologies, builds on the legacy of NTS-1 and NTS-2, which were launched in the 1970s. The satellite is poised to push the boundary of today’s space-based position, navigation and timing technology to pave the way for a more robust, resilient and responsive architecture for satellite (SATNAV) technology.?
AFRL conducts swarm technology demonstration
AFRL conducted a demonstration of its high-power microwave counter drone weapon, the Tactical High-power Operational Responder (THOR) as it engaged a swarm of multiple targets at the Chestnut Test Site, Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.
“The team flew numerous drones at the THOR system to simulate a real-world swarm attack,” said Adrian Lucero, THOR program manager at AFRL’s Directed Energy Directorate. “THOR has never been tested against these types of drones before, but this did not stop the system from dropping the targets out of the sky with its non-kinetic, speed-of-light High-Power Microwave, or HPM pulses.”?
As the dangers from drone swarms evolve, leaders from across the Department of Defense are working closely to ensure the exploration of different technologies like directed energy to support the needs of the warfighter in the future against such threats.?
Meet AFRL’s 13th commander, Brig. Gen. Scott A. Cain.?
With a background in astronautical engineering, aerospace engineering and national resource strategy, Cain comes to AFRL after serving as the director for Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations, at Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he was responsible for shaping the workforce and cyber-infrastructure to test, field and sustain agile war-winning capabilities.
“We need to build our digital future and transform into the digital landscape to support digital material management,” Cain said during the change of command ceremony. “We're One Lab, Two services, but we have to remember we're one lab in one fight.”
Be part of an organization that makes positive changes in the world through cutting-edge science and technology. We have highlighted five in-demand jobs below — click on a position that interests you to learn more and apply or visit afrl.com/careers to see all of our openings.
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Imagery Analyst
1 年--
1 年I hold an associates degree in industrial engineering and over 25 yrs experience with polarized light microscopy. is AFRL hiring?
Faculty at National Defense University
1 年Congrats to MG Pringle and BG Cain! Looking forward to cross paths at some point. Also - very proud of the 772nd and their outstanding support to the very unique/non-standard NTS-3 satellite program in the BAF!! Innovation at its finest. Cheers!