Beavercreek contractor wins $49M photonic energy contract

A Beavercreek company has been awarded a contract valued at nearly $50 million for photonic energy research for the Air Force.

UES Inc has been awarded a $49,057,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development in the “flash and laser airborne protection system” (FLAPS) program, the Department of Defense said in an announcement Friday.

The goal is to understand better how to control and defend against photonic energy.

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“This contract complements and continues our research work in these areas at the AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory),” Nina Joshi, chief executive of UES, said in a statement from the company. “We’re honored to be a trusted partner in this effort.”

“This is an exciting win for UES allowing us to continue our work in protection technology development and provide us with the opportunity for transition of critical protection solutions directly to the warfighter,” Rob Hull, division director at UES, said in the same statement.

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“This contract is for exploratory and advanced research and development of materials and technologies to control, manipulate and protect against photonic energy,” the DoD said.

The goal of the work is to increase aircrew survivability to flash-blindness and directed energy threats, and to advance the state-of-the-art in photonic materials technologies, interactions and applications.

Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and is expected to be completed by Nov. 10, 2024.

This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received, the DoD said. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,072,134 are being obligated at the time of award.

AFRL at Wright Patterson is the contracting activity.

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