Modernization and Engineering Support - III (MES III)

The Air National Guard (ANG) Air Force Reserve Command Test Center (AATC) is a unit of the ANG stationed at Tucson Air National Guard Base (ANGB), AZ with operating locations at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB), AZ; Eglin AFB, FL; Little Rock AFB, AR; Roland R. Wright ANGB, UT; and Hancock Field ANGB, NY. AATC conducts operational test and evaluation (OT&E) for the Air Reserve Component (ARC) and other Major Commands (MAJCOMs) exercising lead command authority over a variety of ARC possessed Mission Design Series (MDS) systems and associated weapons, sensors, and support equipment.

These ARC aircraft and systems are older and require low cost, off-the-shelf modernization updates to maintain combat capabilities. AATC has engineering and test responsibility for the National Guard Bureau (NGB) and Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). In this role, AATC is responsible for working with Air Force Material Command (AFMC), system program offices (SPOs), and other related engineering offices to conduct research, development, test, and evaluation to determine the operational suitability and effectiveness of candidate developmental sensors and systems that address the modernization requirements identified in the annual Air National Guard Weapons System Modernization Priorities Book, and Air Force Reserve Modernization Book as well as requirements provided to AATC by the MAJCOMs.

There are currently over 100 active projects at AATC supporting A-10, C-130, F-15, F-35, F-16, C-17, KC-135, KC-46, HH-60, HC/MC-130, MQ-9, Special Warfare (SW), Cyber, and multiple cross-platform logistics and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities. The average lifetime of most projects is six months to three years from concept approval to final report and initial fielding, but complexity may shorten or extend the amount of time required to complete the project. Expertise for each of these platforms and capability areas is required to ensure successful testing of modernization capabilities.

Skill set requirements may be transferable or adjusted as projects are completed and new projects are started. Required technical expertise includes but is not limited to: operational and maintenance experience on specific platforms, expertise or familiarization with platform systems, integration and modification experience, developmental and operational test experience, airworthiness and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approvals, assisting the Government with technical requirements definition, cost assessment and control, executing aircraft avionics integration, systems engineering, design engineering, creating integrated logistics support such as technical orders, flight manuals, job guides, and software manuals, and program engineering coordination necessary to support ANG and AFRC modification programs. New projects may need additional expertise as they are approved in the annual United States Air Force Reserve Modernization Book and ANG Weapons Systems Modernization Priorities Book.

These books are available online and identify modernization priorities and projects this PWS will support. As modernization priorities and projects are approved and funded, AATC will conduct OT&E activities to determine the validity of solutions and make fielding recommendations, as required. The contractor will support this process through all phases from concept development, test planning, test execution, and final report delivery.

The ability to develop briefings, write test plans, conduct tests, and deliver comprehensive final reports is required. The contractor shall perform test planning, test execution, data analysis, test reporting, test logistics and studies/analysis for modernization installations and integration on ARC platforms which are composed of the ANG and AFRC weapons systems. In addition, the contractor shall perform specialized System Under Test (SUT) acquisition, program management, integration engineering, engineering liaison, and technology insertion to assist AATC and NGB/A5 with modernization of ARC weapons systems to include but not limited to aircraft, Joint Terminal Area Controller (JTAC) and Special Warfare, Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), domestic operations, cyber security, logistics programs software support, and test process training support.

ARC modernization efforts require avionics, mechanical, and structural modifications to include but not limited to technical requirements definition, avionics integration, systems engineering, design engineering, test support, integrated logistics engineering, studies and analyses, cybersecurity approval, prototype installations, program engineering coordination, test equipment, and technical documentation. Participation in integrated product teams (IPTs) within the Department of Defense (DoD) communities will be required to accomplish the assigned tasks. The products and support will be provided to several customers including AATC, MAJCOMs, Air Force and other DoD stakeholders to include the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) supported programs, Air Force Life Cycle Management Centers (AFLCM) program offices, and Joint Program Offices (JPO).