Air Force to create continuity of operations system

Alion Science and Technology Corp. will help the Air Force create a continuity of operations system under a contract worth $1.7 million.

The Air Force Central Command task order calls for Alion to provide continuity of operations for the Combined Air and Space Operations Center Weapon System.

The work will help the Air Force establish the CAOC in southwest Asia, enabling the continued operation of mission-critical command-and-control functions to support joint, allied and coalition warfare.

Under the auspices of the Alion-operated Weapon Systems Technology Information Analysis Center, the company will research, develop and assess COOP procedures, including COOP structure, products, tools, training programs and satellite operations for command and control functions, company officials said.

In addition, Alion will assess whether COOP procedures meet Air Force Central Command requirements. The period of performance runs through Sept. 21, 2011, they said.

“Alion’s priority is to establish the Air Force’s COOP program for the CAOC and access how well the program operates to maintain CAOC’s command-and-control operations for a weapons system known as the Falconer," said Dick Brooks, Alion senior vice president and manager of the Distributed Simulation Group. “In addition, this work is planned to establish standards for COOP to help the four other Falconers and potentially for other Air Force Air and Space Operational Centers.”