AEgis Technologies

AEgis Technologies

Industry	Aerospace & defense contractor, modeling & simulation (M&S)
Founders	William Waite, Steve Hill
Number of locations	USA, Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific
Key people	Steve Hill, CEO/President Rodney Kreps, CFO
Number of employees	325+
Website	http://aegistg.com/

AEgis Technologies is a privately held small business headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama that specializes in modeling and simulation (M&S) technology and emerging training solutions for both military and commercial applications.^[1] Mr. Bill Waite and Mr. Steve Hill founded AEgis in 1989, and AEgis has steadily grown with revenues increasing to $60+ million in sales and employment of 325+ professionals. More than 30% of its employees have military experience with 50+ employees as Certified Modeling and Simulation Professionals (CMSP). For over 25 years, AEgis has been in the forefront of efforts to establish M&S as a stand-alone science and engineering discipline in industry, government and academia. AEgis has been involved in the creation of M&S standards and professional certification across the international M&S professional community-of-practice. AEgis has received several awards and the company was nominated as one of the Top 20 Best Places to Work in 2012 by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce.^[2] Corporate headquarters are located in Huntsville, Alabama, with additional offices in Orlando, FL, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Boston, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., and Newport, Rhode Island.^[3]

AEgis Technologies capabilities include: Warfighter Training and Exercise Support; Test and Evaluation (T&E); Geospatial-3D Content; Gaming; Interactive Multimedia Instruction (IMI); Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) / Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) / Drone; Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV)-Robot Simulators; Custom Training Simulators; Cyber Security-Information Assurance; Directed Energy Sensors; Advanced Technologies; Systems Engineering and Analysis; System Development and Integration; Process Control Automation; Verification, Validation, and Accreditation (VV&A); Test Missiles-MAST-M; Information-Big Data Solutions; Visualization-LightINT; and Monarch Health Services.^[3]

Capabilities

• Warfighter Training and Exercise Support - AEgis integrates existing simulations and COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) products to develop simulation solutions. Work includes software delivery and integration providing support to battle command training facilities.
• Test and Evaluation (T&E) - AEgis provides Test and Evaluation support in the areas of test planning, test execution, data analysis and reporting, and the development of test instrumentation.
• Geospatial-3D Content - AEgis Elements includes an online e-commerce library of high-fidelity 3D models which include building models, ground vehicles, animated characters, aircraft, and others that can be integrated with geospatial datasets and 2D/3D viewing applications. AEgis creates high-resolution 3D models used in Simulation and Training applications, which include damage states, sensor representations, articulations, and multiple LODs (Level of Detail). Models can be tailored to individual needs and are designed to be compatible with Geospatial datasets, 2D/3D viewing application, and gaming engines. AEgis also has GIS feature extraction and compilation from high resolution imagery based on required level of detail to meet modeling and simulation requirements.
• Gaming - AEgis creates customized games for training for mobile gaming apps, PC gaming, and training environments. Features include game engine agnostic development, cross-platform development, serious games, augmented reality/virtual reality training, mobile games, avatar-based familiarity training, and serious games G-STEM/STEAM Games.
• Interactive Multimedia Instruction (IMI) - maintenance task training, game-based scenario training, and networked classroom training.
• Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) / Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) / Drone - VAMPIRE® is a fully embedded simulation that trains all operator functions and emergency procedures for family-of-systems small UAS (Raven®, Wasp™, Puma™). VAMPIRE® runs on fielded Panasonic Toughbook and Ground Control Station with no modification to fielded hardware and software.

• Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV)-Robot Simulators
• Custom Training Simulators - AEgis is a developer of simulation training systems, simulators, and advanced conceptual systems.
• Cyber Security-Information Assurance - AEgis provides Information Assurance (IA) and Security consultation services, training and support.
• Directed Energy Sensors - Directed Energy is part of a payload package that have been flown on a variety of platforms to support HEL weapons systems testing. Instrumentation provides HEL lethality measurements including irradiance, fluence, beam profile, spot size, and peak/average power at the target.
• Advanced Technologies - AEgis works in micro and nanoscale science and technology with projects that have applications ranging from defense to biotechnology. The advanced technologies team is co-located at AEgis corporate headquarters (Huntsville) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL).
• Systems Engineering and Analysis - AEgis provides systems engineering and support services to defense programs: strategic planning analysis, modeling and simulation support, resource management, schedule development and assessment, program integration and management, international program support, systems analysis, integration, and system design.
• Systems Development and Integration - AEgis is a developer and integrator of software and hardware solutions for a range of simulation and test applications. Development activities include micro-electronics, avionics, mechanical and optical designs on the hardware side and micro-controller, FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), real-time simulation, analysis and V&V applications on the software side. Integration and test activities also work with the MAST (Missile Airframe Simulation Testbed) missile system and real-time Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) ground testing of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) for the Missile Defense Agency.
• Process Control Automation - Provides hardware and software systems used for automatic control of sophisticated test systems and processes. Engineers use National Instruments LabVIEW and TestStand programming tools. The Data Acquisition and Process Control team programs with C, C++, and Python.
• Verification, Validation, and Accreditation (VV&A) - AEgis works with the DoD (Department of Defense) in the development of M&S VV&A strategies and execution of VV&A Plans. AEgis-View™ supports V&V data products, M&S Units Under Test (UUTs), associated V&V activities, agents, and resources for cost-effective VV&A program execution from concept to deployment.

• Test Missiles - MAST Missile Program: AEgis is the developer of the Missile Airframe Simulation Testbed – MANPADS (MAST-M) for the AMRDEC (U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center). MAST-M is a surrogate missile system to be used for the test and evaluation of installed Aircraft Survivability Equipment.^[4]
• Information-Big Data Solutions - Programs include both the Joint Embedding Messaging System (JEMS) and C4I Training & Exercise Support. JEMS - Joint Embedded Messaging System is the ability to generate, transmit, and visualize the battlefield for the U.S. Military. AEgis provides the U.S. Army Central Command’s (USARCENT) Exercise and Training Division a Model & Simulation support solution to prepare, execute, and stimulate organizational and multinational training exercises. In addition to providing simulation support to digitized command post events, AEgis also provides specific staff planning assistance with experience in combined operations, Army tactics, capabilities, and doctrine.
• Visualization - LightINT is a 3D visualization tool that provides the ability to interact with a high interest – high fidelity – Geo-Specific Area of Interest (AOI) terrain databases and 2D map. LightInt combines visualization capabilities along with analysis tools to inspect, plan, execute and replay a variety of mission objectives.
• Monarch Health Services - Monarch is a data translation, interface engine for enterprise and system owners.

History

In 1989, Mr. Bill Waite and Mr. Steve Hill founded the company, naming it AEgis Research Corporation. They hired their first two employees and opened an office in Huntsville, AL where AEgis developed Infrared and Laser Radar Scene Projector Technologies. AEgis was awarded its first prime contract and first international contract later that year which secured the company's spot in INC. Magazine's "INC 500" list of fastest growing privately held companies in the U.S.^[5]

By 1995, AEgis had won its first $1 million contract and reached 50 employees with $5 million in revenues. Offices soon opened in Alexandria, VA, Orlando, FL, and Albuquerque, NM. AEgis also released its first commercial software product (FedProxy) and established its continuous simulation product line (ACSL). Company growth continued with more than $10 million in revenues and more than 100 employees. Before long, the name of the company was changed to AEgis Technologies Group, Inc.^[5]

In 2000, AEgis received its first $5 million and $10 million contracts and its first major prime contract with PEO STRI STOC I. AEgis soon broke ground for a new corporate headquarters in Huntsville, AL. The company also acquired BattleStorm Software and assets of Digital Realms, Inc., built its first motion simulator training device, and became ISO 9001 certified.^[5]

By 2005, AEgis exceeded $25 million in revenues and was awarded its first $25 million contract with DBST/JLCCTC. AEgis also opened the Microsystems Laser Laboratory in Albuquerque, NM.^[6] The company created 3D terrains and high resolution cultural extraction for Super Bowl XLII and built 3D digital models and terrains for both security forces and media outlets including NBC during the Beijing Olympics, Vancouver Olympics, and London Olympics.^[7][8] In 2009, AEgis celebrated its 20th year with the opening of a new 50,000 square foot corporate headquarters in Huntsville, AL.^[9]

In 2010, AEgis won several contracts including AFMSTT Exercise Support ($74 million), SSDD BAA ($47 million), ARCENT Training & Exercise Support ($8 million), and USMC IMTS Training Simulator ($9 million). The company received many awards including 2012 Small Business of the Year award and Top 20 Best Places to Work 2012, and also became a sponsor of the Special Olympics. In 2014, AEgis celebrated its 25th anniversary.^[5]

By 2015, AEgis acquired EvaluMation, LLC, won the CACCTUS contract with Riptide Software, and subcontracted for VAMPIRE® Simulation Delivery to Spain. The company also made an unmanned aircraft simulation delivery to Detroit Airport and Sinclair College. A new e-commerce web site was launched for AEgis Elements 3D Models. Community involvement continued as AEgis became the North Alabama Special Olympics Track & Field Lead Sponsor. AEgis won more awards including 2016 Best Places to Work, Large Category, by the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce, the SMDC D3I (Design, Development, Demonstration & Integration) Domain 3 Prime Contract Award, and the OASIS Small Business Award: Pools 4, 5b, and 6. The company also received the NTSA M&S Lifetime Achievement Award in memory of AEgis co-founder and chairman Bill Waite.

In 2016, AEgis co-founder Bill Waite was inducted into National Center for Simulation Hall of Fame.

Awards

• 2012 Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award presented to Steve Hill, AEgis’ President & CEO^[10]
• Top 20 Best Places to Work in 2012 by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce^[2]

Contract Vehicles

• AMCOM Express
• Design, Development, Demonstration & Integration (D3I)^[11]
• DESP II
• GSA Schedule Contract
• OASIS Small Business (SB)
• OPTARSS II
• SIMAF
• SMDIS III
• STOC II^[12]

References