WASHINGTON –
The OSD Manufacturing Technology Program hosted representatives from five Department of Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institutes and their member companies for an Organic Industrial Base Modernization Challenge pitch event at the MxD MII facility in Chicago on February 7, 2023. Following an October workshop to identify crucial technological needs, OSD ManTech initiated the OIB Modernization project call through the MIIs set to offer up to $2.5 million in OSD-sponsored government funding to five MII-member winners. This resulted in 104 proposal submissions from member companies. Nine projects delivered their proposals to a panel of OIB experts, industry leadership and the OSD ManTech Director, Tracy Frost based on their projected positive impact across the 47 DoD-owned OIB sites.
OSD ManTech is pleased to announce the winners of the challenge:
ARM Institute, Aris Technology:
Robotic Non-Contact 3D Inspection Replacing Tank Ammunition Hard Gaging
ARM Institute, Grid Raster Inc.:
Extended Reality and AI-Assisted Paint Masking
ARM, Figure Engineering, Siemens, Lockheed Martin:
Maskless Robotic Painting with Realtime Control
MxD, Anark:
A Closed-loop Technical Data Exchange that Meets the OIB Where They Work
NextFlex, Aptima Inc.:
Cybersecure Data Compliance for Integrated Sensors and Shop Floor Digitization
The DoD OIB, comprised of depots, arsenals, and shipyards, is a critical part of our national security apparatus. Its mission is to maintain, reset, and repair the platforms, equipment, and supplies of our Armed Forces. Each service is pursuing unprecedented modernization efforts, with plans to invest tens of billions of dollars in modernization, which includes incremental 5-, 10- and 15-year plans to overhaul and upgrade operations, technologies, processes and infrastructure.
“The Organic Industrial Base is undergoing a historic modernization the scale of which has not been seen since the buildup to World War II,” said Eugene Connor, JPEO Armaments and Ammunition Director of Integration at Picatinney Arsenal, New Jersey. “Collaboration with ManTech and the Manufacturing Innovation Institutes is allowing the government to make targeted investments in innovative technologies which could serve as important enablers to that modernization as we ramp up to support the warfighter and our allies at the speed of war.”
Expressing enthusiasm for four of the ARM Institute member companies' participation in the event, Ira Moskowitz, ARM Institute CEO, highlighted the crucial role played by the private-public partnership with ManTech in leading defense manufacturing innovation.
Frost also underscored the importance of the technologies presented in the pitch session. She emphasized their applicability across all 47 OIB sites, emphasizing the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to innovate and accelerate capabilities, to share best practices and stay updated on crucial topics such as cybersecurity, engineering, and advanced manufacturing.
"Our industry partners are key to accomplishing modernization goals and ensuring that the services have the equipment they need to succeed," she said.
Frost is confident that these companies will effectively apply their technologies, leading to substantial and lasting improvements in the production, efficiency, and quality of life at various OIB sites and among their valued team members. The pitch event and subsequent initiatives are crucial steps toward improving the U.S. supply chain and enhancing national security readiness through cutting-edge technological advancements in manufacturing. Notably, there is a determination to continue efforts to bolster and follow up with the proposals that didn't make it to this stage, ensuring that valuable ideas are not overlooked.
The DoD ManTech enterprise uses advanced manufacturing to execute the National Defense Strategy priorities – defending the homeland, deterring strategic attacks, deterring aggression, and building a resilient Joint Force and defense ecosystem. The mission of the ManTech program is to reduce the acquisition and support costs of defense weapon systems and improve manufacturing and repair timelines throughout the lifecycles of these systems. The enterprise strives to leverage advanced manufacturing to ensure a more potent force, reinforce alliances and public-private partnership and accelerate adoption for enhanced performance and affordability. For more information about ManTech, visit dodmantech.mil or follow us on LinkedIn.