IPS offers a Team of four (4) small and large businesses that offer the Navy Seaport-e the depth and breadth of experience and expertise needed to provide “best-in-class” support in three (3) out of the seven Seaport-e zones and in twelve (12) functional areas identified in the Statement of Work (SOW).
The IPS Team is currently comprised of the companies shown below. IPS continues to analyze synergies with other prospective teammates and will add additional partners in the future to support specific task orders as needed.
AbilSoft Incorporated
Applied Research and Engineering Services Corporation (ARES)
Stratom, Inc.
Summit Technologies & Solutions, Inc. (Summit TS)
Relevant Corporate Experience
Functional Areas: 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, Customer: DARPA targeting a Navy Use, Team Member: IPS, Inc.
Intelligent Payload Solutions developed a viable solution for the Spectrally-Tunable Light Engine for Enhanced Performance (SLEEP) System, providing programmable control of a solid-state lighting device (LED) with direct spectrum control. The main mission of the program was to develop a device, matching the form and fit of an existing Navy shipboard light, that allows researchers to modify the functions and user interface to perform controlled studies on device efficacy. This research needs to investigate the interface, programming, and efficacy of the SLEEP system in improving shift-type workers sleep and wakeful performance. The system design as bread-boarded and evaluated utilizes an advanced microcontroller that manages user interface, program functions, and power management. The centralization of these functions in a single device minimized part count, design complexity and reduced the bill of materials cost.
This exciting program to develop an LED based system to reset Navy shift-worker sleep rhythms utilized many of IPS’s core skills in R&D (3.1), Engineering Process (3.2), Prototyping(3.4), and Technical Documentation(3.5).
Functional Area:3.3, 3.6, 3.10, 3.11,3.12, 3.20, Customer: Missile Defense Agency, Team Members: IPS, Inc.
IPS is a subcontractor on the Joint National Integration Team Research and Development Contract (JRDC) at Schriever Air Force Base for the Missile Defense Agency. IPS employees work in the Modeling and Simulation Directorate on System Integration of the Digital Simulation Architecture – Performance Assessment (DSA-P), which is a complete digital representation of the Ballistic Missile Defense System including elements from Army, Navy, and Air Force integrated with a simulation framework that manages diverse communication, timing, and environmental characteristics. Numerous data-links, data formats, changing infrastructure, and dynamic environments are characteristic of systems that experience performance issues in the real-world, but could be verified and optimized through high fidelity modeling & simulation. IPS is also responsible for the development of the next generation architecture utilizing Virtualization, remote simulation access, and large increases in the scale of simulations. This effort is ongoing with an expected completion of February 2013.
This ongoing program concentrates on two functional areas, 3.3 Modeling & Simulation, and 3.12 Information System Development, IPS also provides 3.10 Configuration Management Support, 3.6 Software Engineering, 3.12 QA, and 3.20 Program Support acting as the Task Lead.
Functional Area: 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, 3.11, 3.14, Customer:Department of Homeland Security Team Member: IPS. Inc.
IPS completed a contract with DHS for a Coxswain’s Enhanced Vision System. The DHS is interested in a night/day image enhancement device for Coxswains. The need for Coxswains to enhance their vision in night and difficult weather with a user wearable (head mounted) optical system for operator enhanced vision is a continuing challenge. On-going research and development, mainly sponsored by the Army Night Vision Laboratory (NVL), has generated useful Image Intensifiers (I2) products, but there still exists crucial performance limitations such as: limited FOV (~40°); inability to utilize the “bright” portion of the night sky spectrum; analog systems; relatively high power; and bulkiness. The CEVS is a compact head mounted night/day imaging system that provides short wave infrared (SWIR) and low light level image viewing through an electronic display. The SWIR operating mode provides the user with both nighttime and daylight capability. The unit consumes less than two watts and can be powered from AA batteries that are readily available. Under this contract, key elements of the CEVS system were bread boarded and evaluated to ensure that range, power, configuration and operating goals were achievable with the Prototype system. The Prototype units were subjected to environmental, operational and performance testing to ensure that CEVS was sufficiently mature for field testing by operational personnel.
This contract exercised almost an entire engineering lifecycle encompassing 3.1 R&D, 3.2 System Engineering, 3.4 Prototype Development, 3.6 Software Development, 3.11 Quality Assurance of the product, and 3.14 Test and Evaluation. In this program we took cutting edge technology and developed a next generation night vision system to improve Coast Guard efficiency.
Functional Area:3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.20, Customer: AFRL-RXQ, Team Member: Stratom, Inc.
Stratom was selected by AFRL-RXQ to support the Robotic Refueling effort for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (RR-JSF), which will provide 21st century refueling capability for a 21st century aircraft. This program will design, develop, and implement a robotic system to increase the speed, safety, and repeatability of refueling the JSF. Initially, the program will support the prototype demonstration at Edwards AFB. The technology will be used to develop a complete robotic refueling system for the AETC Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) bed down (DLA/EGL0024) at Eglin AFB.
Technology developed for the RR-JSF will meet interoperability requirements of JAUS. The US Navy is developing a prototype robotic refueling system for USN EA-6B and F/A-18 (FY 08/09). Results of the development and testing will be directly applicable to the robotic refueling of the Navy’s carrier variant (CV) or the Marines short take-off, vertical-landing (STOVL) version of the JSF. The Navy’s prototype will be analyzed to refine the concept and equipment for the USAF JSF robotic refueling. At a minimum, some physical and sensory modifications will be required. JAUS compatibility will be maintained and/or incorporated. Based upon Stratom Inc’s experience and continued development in the area of manipulator automation and standardization, Stratom will provide programmatic and professional engineering support to assist AFRL in the development of an adaptable and integrated robotic refueler.
Serving as Prime, this contract serves as experience for Functional Areas:
3.1 R&D Support
3.2 Engineering Support
3.4 Prototyping
3.20 Program Support
Functional Area: 3.7, 3.10, 3.11, Customer: Missile Defense Agency, Team Member: ARES Corp.
Missile Defense Agency selected ARES Corporation on the JNIC Research and Development (JRDC) Contract. ARES provided business management, configuration management, boards and review support, as well as management of lessons learned.
Performing extensive risk management tasks for clients throughout the defense industry, ARES Corporation is equipped to support every aspect from simple studies to defining and operating risk management programs for large companies and government agencies.
• Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) services to assess the risk of dispersal of nuclear materials
• Risk Management and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS)
• Prepare senior military leaders to understand and evaluate and conduct cost benefit analysis to mitigate risks
ARES support to the JRDC contract covers 3.7 RM&A support, 3.10 Configuration Management Support, and 3.11 Quality Assurance Support.
Functional Area: 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, 3.11, 3.14Customer: AFRL, Team Member: IPS, Inc.
IPS completed a contract with Air Force Research Laboratory for a wide field of view helmet mounted system that incorporated a visible & short wave infrared (Vis/SWIR) camera technology with dual imaging lenses placed just above the operator’s eyes, and fused with a thermal long wave infrared sensor (LWIR). The Digital Enhanced Vision System (DEVS) was designed to provide high resolution multi-spectral imagery to CSAR-X operational personnel. The design provided the combination of wide field of view and personnel signature enhancement that will allow for more efficient search and rescue operations. The team used recent developments in SWIR digital FPA technology, and combined that with LWIR micro-bolometer advances, a programmable image processor chip, and a high resolution OLED (organic light emitting diode) display. The result will be a small binocular device that is expected to provide about 105° by 50° FOV with resolution roughly comparable to the GEN IV NVGs. while providing sensitivity for 24/7 vision enhancement capability. The system is fully digital providing image enhancement, fusion potential with SWIR & LWIR, extended FOV, lower power, greater redundancy, and lower weight. Also, covert rescue operations can be implemented by the use of powerful SWIR illuminators not visible to the human eye or conventional IR/I2 devices.
This contract again exercised almost an entire engineering lifecycle encompassing 3.1 R&D, 3.2 System Engineering, 3.4 Prototype Development, 3.6 Software Development, 3.11 Quality Assurance of the product, and 3.14 Test and Evaluation. In this program we took cutting edge technology and developed a next generation night vision system to improve Air Force Combat Search and Rescue.