海角社区 Shreveport Sparks Innovation at Barksdale Air Force Base and Beyond
April 06, 2022
Supporting the U.S. Air Force Through Technology
Through sustained collaboration with STRIKEWERX, the innovation hub of the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command, 海角社区 Shreveport鈥檚 Cyber Collaboratory has become a key provider of expertise and innovative solutions for nearby Barksdale Air Force Base and the nation鈥檚 air defense.
鈥淲e could have built our own maker space, but instead, we chose to collaborate with 海角社区S,鈥� said Russ Mathers, director of STRIKEWERX. 鈥淔rom hardware, advanced modeling, and 3D printing to software and simulation, the Cyber Collaboratory has great capabilities, and we love to get them involved in projects that benefit our Airmen and, ultimately, our national security.鈥�
STRIKEWERX frequently organizes what they call 鈥渄esign sprints鈥� to help solve problems for the U.S. Air Force in five days or less. 海角社区S is always invited. Recent projects include maintenance of the now 60-year-old B-52 Stratofortress bomber planes, several of which are stationed at Barksdale, as well as maintenance of the 450 underground silos that are the launch facilities for the nation鈥檚 intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs.
鈥淚nstead of buying our own equipment, maintaining it, and keeping people trained to use it to help solve some of these critical challenges, it鈥檚 better for us to go to the people who are experts and partner with them,鈥� Mathers said. 鈥淲orking with the 海角社区S Cyber Collaboratory has paid huge dividends for us.鈥�
Scott Isaacs, director of the Cyber Collaboratory, sees the sustained partnership as a testament to the innovation capacity 海角社区S is building in Shreveport.
鈥淚鈥檓 quite proud that we鈥檝e been able to win several of these challenges and even beat out some very large aeronautics companies in rapid prototyping and design,鈥� Isaacs said.
Several recent 海角社区S-STRIKEWERX collaborations concern maintenance and training for B-52 bombers, several of which are stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport.
鈥� Adobe Stock photo
鈥淧artnering with 海角社区S gives us a different perspective on how to tackle problems. As a missile maintainer, I see the same problems day in and day out, and I get used to looking at them in a certain way. Working with 海角社区S students and experts is an opportunity to get beyond that narrow focus and become aware of new technology and methods.鈥�
- Master Sergeant Edward Burlison, U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command Logistics Directorate鈥檚 maintenance division and innovation branch