SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS) has been awarded a $4.2 million multiyear contract with the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to deploy its AI-powered readiness solution across additional maintenance, supply, and logistics use cases in support of the F-16 fleet and its operators.
The contract continues initial efforts to address critical shortfalls in skilled maintainers while extending the Digital Maintenance Advisor (DMA)’s capability and value to present a full spectrum readiness solution operators can use from the flightline to headquarters.
Having proved DMA’s value on a targeted subset of the F-16 subsystems, the new contract broadens DMA’s implementation to the full aircraft and will enable prescriptive maintenance features through the use of additional data sets. The contract expansion will also develop DMA’s capacity to track, inform, and predict supply and demand planning for the F-16 fleet.
“This contract expansion is a testament to the incredible work that SGS has done in developing DMA, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership with AFRL to further enhance our AI-powered solutions for defense and national security,” said Logan Jones, President and General Manager of SGS.
DMA leverages cutting-edge AI, machine learning, and natural language processing to upskill maintainers with prescriptive, predictive, dashboarding, and supply and inventory capabilities.
As a full spectrum readiness platform delivering efficiency and proficiency gains across maintenance, supply, and logistics, DMA focuses on critical challenges facing warfighters and planners today, including:
- Skilled labor shortages and high operational tempo compounding maintenance issues and delays
- Parts shortages, obsolescence, and poor supply planning increasing lifecycle costs and decreasing aircraft availability rates
- Increased maintenance spending crowding out investments in personnel and new capabilities
“AFRL is excited about expanding our work with SparkCognition Government Systems to bring innovative AI technology to our warfighters and impact the readiness of our aviation assets,” said Elizabeth Loiacono, Industrial Engineer at AFRL. “We eagerly anticipate the powerful impact this collaboration will have on the F-16 fleet and beyond.”
“DMA helps junior maintainers know what to fix and how to fix it. It also helps program leaders spot trends across the fleet to improve forecasting and planning of maintenance activities aligned to supply availability,” said Jones. “At SGS, we believe our country’s ability to win the next conflict depends on its capacity to sustain, maintain, and supply its warfighters. This award moves DMA toward the scale that empowers people and assets to be more organized, equipped, prepared, and available to meet mission requirements at the moment of need.”
