The Air Force awarded Ostendo Technologies of Carlsbad, Calif., a $58.3 million contract to build a prototype “synthetic-holographic 3-D workstation.” The period of performance for this contract runs through October 2016, according to the award notice, which is included in the Pentagon’s list of major contracts for Aug. 15. The Air Force Research Lab is pursuing this technology with the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. IARPA released a solicitation in July 2011 calling for bidders. The two organizations seek a “dynamic, high-performance” 3-D display that is “simultaneously viewable by multiple people with the unaided eye,” states the solicitation. Current displays are unable to convey the massive amounts of data available to geographical intelligence analysts and lead to “strain and discomfort” for the analysts, according to IARPA.
While the Pentagon has signaled its intent to scale technology, field new systems faster, and work more with nontraditional vendors, a new report identifies persistent manufacturing capacity, resourcing, workforce, and modernization challenges that could hinder its ability to deliver on those goals.