Aaron Kline

My most valuable advice for people prepping for the Air Force Academy? Work on your communication skills. I’m talking about getting good at speaking, nailing interviews, and being able to share your thoughts clearly and concisely. With all the tech around us, it’s easy to lose touch with how to have a real convo. That ability to chat well and give spot-on answers isn’t just important for acing academy interviews. It’s gold for any path you’re on—school, jobs, you name it. Sharpen those communication skills. Trust me, being able to express yourself well can set you apart in any competitive scene. #airforceacademy #airforce #students #studenttips #collegetips #aviation #pilotlife #viraltips

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Opportunities for Industry w/ CRG's Advisory on Key Differentiators: The current hesitancy in committing to the NGAD program opens up significant opportunities for industry to demonstrate their capabilities in emerging technologies and cost-effective solutions. CRG advises clients to focus on the following high-level differentiators to secure work in this evolving landscape: 1. Innovative Cost Management: --Technical Approach: Develop advanced financial modeling and cost-reduction strategies to offer more budget-friendly solutions for defense projects. Emphasize modular designs and scalable systems that can adapt to evolving requirements without substantial cost overruns. --Operational Methods: Implement agile project management and continuous improvement processes to enhance efficiency and reduce delays, thereby building trust with the Department of Defense (DoD). 2. Advanced Technology Integration: --Technical Approach: Invest in R&D for next-generation technologies, such as AI-driven systems, autonomous platforms, and advanced materials. Ensure these innovations can be seamlessly integrated into existing defense ecosystems to enhance operational capabilities. --Operational Methods: Collaborate with tech startups and research institutions to stay at the forefront of technological advancements, ensuring the delivery of cutting-edge solutions that meet the DoD's stringent requirements. 3. Enhanced Supplier Network Resilience: --Technical Approach: Strengthen supply chain resilience by diversifying suppliers and incorporating robust risk management frameworks. Focus on localizing critical supply chains to reduce dependence on foreign sources and mitigate geopolitical risks. --Operational Methods: Develop strategic partnerships and alliances to create a more resilient and responsive supply network, capable of withstanding disruptions and ensuring continuous delivery of essential components. CRG’s Expertise & Client Support: Leverage CRG’s expertise in defense technology, cost management, and supply chain optimization to navigate the complexities of modern defense contracting. Our proven strategies in winning and managing defense projects ensure that clients can effectively meet the DoD’s needs while staying ahead of technological and operational challenges. #CRG #DefenseInnovation #AirForce #NGAD #DefenseContracting #DoD #MilitaryTech #SupplyChainResilience #CostManagement #DIB #USAF #AdvancedTechnology #CRGExpertise #Aerospace #NextGenAircraft #RandD #TechIntegration #BudgetEfficiency #AircraftDesign #Engineering #USMIL #Aviation #AircraftEngineering

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Defense aviation is expected to soar as it rides the coattails of global military spending which has hit an all-time high according to recent reports. World military expenditures have increased for nine straight years. ✈️ Read More Here: https://hubs.la/Q02y_s7f0 #SourceOneSpares #Aviation #MilitarySpending

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Attention industry leaders! The USAF is seeking input for a potential 10-year contract for operation & maintenance services at Eglin Air Force Base. Responses to the RFI are due May 20. CRG stands ready to support the right firm in providing valuable feedback, crafting a winning strategy, and developing a competitive proposal. Let CRG be your trusted partner in navigating this opportunity. Learn more at https://crgroupinc.com/ - contact@crgroupinc.com. The Eglin Operation and Maintenance Services II Program will support research and development, training missions and test and evaluation of military weapons and military aerospace equipment, according to a request for information published Friday. EOMS II covers five major areas: general support services; range support services; range instrumentation; explosive test facilities; and major ground test facilities. Work on the recompete contract is expected to kick off in April 2026. #AirForceContracting #EglinAFB #OperationAndMaintenance #GovernmentContracts #ContractingOpportunity #CRGExpertise #WinningSolutions #CaptureToCloseOut

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The U.S. Department of Defenses' accelerating demand for Operations and Maintenance components signals a growing opportunity for companies performing sustainment activities in the defense industrial base. While the U.S. Department of Defense's budget is only projected to increase by 2%, the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) budget looks to increase by ~10% during the same period. To seize this opportunity, defense contractors must proactively invest in supply chain and logistics operations to ensure availability of the right workforce, systems, supporting tools, and parts. My colleagues Brian Jones, Olivia A. White, & Rodion Kaplounov outlined how defense contractors should secure these key elements to maximize the most of the coming windfall:

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𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 Seattle’s space sector is often overlooked — not by the people who would have the strongest reaction to that statement, but rather by those who don’t regularly interact directly with space tech. The space sector is a force, employing about 12,000 people across Washington’s aerospace supply chain and generating an estimated $5 billion in economic activity for the state. But it’s also isolated, partly by design. The sprawling manufacturing facilities and labs are not found in downtowns. Instead, many are located in far-flung areas of the region. Out of sight, out of mind. https://lnkd.in/gShku98Y Puget Sound Business Journal | #Manufacturing | #Space

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Curious about the differences between Subsonic .308 and .300 Blackout? 🤔 Dive into our latest blog post for a comprehensive comparison! Check out the HOP Munitions .308: https://bit.ly/3WfKgNd Check out the HOP Munitions .300: https://bit.ly/3LLS3fI #ammo #ammunition #comparison #blog

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A few of the Innovation Hub's partners received some well-deserved recognition in a new report from Frank Calvelli, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration. As directed by Congress in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, Mr. Calvelli wrote a report to Congress and the public detailing the Space Force's process to "identify and evaluate commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) capabilities" and "integrate the Unified Data Library (UDL) into the USSF's operational systems." Mr. Calvelli highlighted three organizations responsible for integrating commercial capabilities into the Space Force, including the Joint Commercial Operations (JCO) cell. The Innovation Hub welcomed the JCO to the boardroom this week for an industry day event. The report also highlighted the SDA TAP Lab, which utilizes the Innovation Hub daily as its home base. "Having Mr. Calvelli formalizing the role of the SDA TAP Lab as a centerpiece in his plan and reporting on us to Congress is empowering. It gives us the authority to accomplish our mission," said Major Sean Allen, chief of the SDA TAP Lab. "We're very grateful to see leadership take this level of interest." The UDL will remain an essential component of the strategy USSF to integrate operational systems. This cloud-based system provides a centralized location for accessing and managing data that supports USSF operational systems. According to the SSC/BCCD team -- who manages the UDL on the government side -- Mr. Calvelli's report has positive impacts on their organization. "This shows positive progress for rapidly improving the USSF Warfighting Infrastructure and pushing the integration of commercial data into operations," said Sage Andorka, Deputy Branch Chief and Chief Engineer with the Cross Mission Data team. "This places BCCD at the epicenter of all activities happening across Space Force," Sage continued. "We have been improving our onboarding process and updating the human interfaces to support rapid responses to increasing demands. We have been supporting key interactions and exercises across the force to facilitate the integration into operations and prove our capabilities. This also identifies UDL as critical infrastructure for USSF, ensuring continued financial support and oversight from our leadership." The Innovation Hub is thrilled to host three of the main teams that play a pivotal role in the Space Force's SDA mission. You can learn more about the report here: https://lnkd.in/gnQSuTft #Innovation #SpaceForce #USSF #SpaceDomainAwareness #UDL Daniel Kimmich Charles Ericson - Ericson Strategies LLC Samantha Louque Mark Natale Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation

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The Software in Defense Coalition is excited to partner again with the Pacific Northwest Mission Acceleration Center - a DIU On-Ramp Hub and NATO DIANA Accelerator site - to bring this powerhouse panel led by the Honorable Ellen Lord, former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, to discuss recent initiatives to draw and sustain private investment to US and NATO national security missions, talent and defense tech companies. Panelists: JR Gibbens, Chief Investment Officer, Office of Strategic Capital Tom Dallas McSorley, General Counsel, NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA)  Nick Sinai, Senior Advisor, Insight Partners and Former U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer  Paul Kwan, Managing Director, General Catalyst A few days out from the NATO Summit, this timely roundtable with key officials from DoD's Office of Strategic Capital, NATO DIANA, and top venture leaders will highlight how the defense ecosystem can best engage to boost mission outcomes and transition rates for promising technology. Limited spaces so please register. This event is closed press and Chatham House rules. Register below:  https://lnkd.in/d4BGbb_g #sbir #sba #research #deeptech #startups #venturecapital #defenseinnovation #nato

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AST SpaceMobile AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) has gained significant traction by securing agreements with AT&T and Verizon due to its advanced technology and strong regulatory position. ASTS has been working with AT&T since 2018, culminating in a definitive commercial agreement in May 2024. This partnership leverages ASTS's successful demonstrations of space-based cellular broadband capabilities, such as making calls and video calls directly via satellites to unmodified smartphones [oai_citation:1,AT&T, AST SpaceMobile Announce Commercial Agreement](https://lnkd.in/en8-zkFd). On the other hand, SpaceX SpaceX's Starlink, while having the advantage of vertical integration, extensive regulatory experience, and a robust manufacturing and launch infrastructure, seems to be taking a more cautious approach. It appears that SpaceX may be waiting to finalize its technology and increase its satellite capacity before entering into similar deals. This strategy might be driven by a desire to ensure high reliability and scalability before committing to large-scale commercial partnerships. ASTS’s current lead in both technology readiness and regulatory approvals allows it to capitalize on immediate market opportunities, potentially posing a competitive threat to Starlink. However, as SpaceX continues to develop and deploy its direct-to-cell capabilities, it could leverage its extensive resources and infrastructure to quickly catch up and possibly surpass ASTS in the long run. The future competition between ASTS and Starlink will likely hinge on their respective abilities to scale operations and meet market demands efficiently.

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Airrow, Inc. announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Phase I contract in the amount of $74,616.00 focused on Airrow’s Autonomous Dronehub to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now, on May, 14, 2024, Airrow will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. #military #defense #defence #militaryleak https://lnkd.in/gjHGmM3H

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Removing the siloed approach to aircraft modifications and creating an integration installation has improved warfighter capabilities for our U.S. military client. Learn more about Guidehouse's work optimizing aircraft availability. https://lnkd.in/evATT_JJ #StrategicPlan

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As the Pentagon wonders whether United Launch Alliance (ULA) will keep its launch schedule, co-owners Lockheed Martin and Boeing have formed an “independent review team” to help keep things on track. Last month, United States Space Force acquisition czar Frank Calvelli laid out his concerns about ULA’s Vulcan heavy-lift rocket, which first flew in January and is slated to launch 25 national-security missions by the end of 2027. In a May 10 letter, Calvelli noted that ULA has yet to prove it can build Vulcans fast enough to handle the 70 total launches that the company has on order—and that the company has recently averaged fewer than a half-dozen launches a year. Read more from Defense One https://lnkd.in/gTEfKUJK

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"Acquisition innovation arises not always from making sweeping changes but from understanding project end goals and applying a daily, solutions-based mindset that project success does not have to suffer at the hands of regulatory and policy compliance." This is part of a winning submission for the 2024 Defense Acquisition Workforce Writing Awards, "Going Down the Rabbit Hole to Crush a Post-Award Yellow Brick Roadblock," by Courtney Severino, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command. Read the full submission: https://lnkd.in/eET_Eg5n

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