Under the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Advanced Electromagnetic Technology (AET) family of programs, Verus Research has been awarded a 4-year, $4.1M award for “High Power Electromagnetic (HPEM) Material and Plasma Science and Technology.”

This technical area represents much of the cutting-edge technologies being studied at AFRL to advance the state-of-the-art in new HPEM capabilities.  It includes fundamental physical understanding of the interaction of millimeter-wave radiation with high-temperature materials and the atmosphere.  The resulting knowledge will aid in developing an essential understanding of the initiation and sustainment of low-pressure plasmas using HPEM, as well as the design, fabrication, and test of a wide range of related HPEM components.

In addition to its collaboration with leading University teammates possessing complementary capabilities in materials interaction, modeling, and experimentation, Verus Research will leverage its unrivaled expertise and deep domain knowledge in the physics-based theoretical development of predictive modeling frameworks.  The end result will describe the interaction of HPEM and millimeter-wave with semiconductor and composite materials for power beaming applications and plasma interaction studies.

According to Verus Research’s Chief Technology Officer, Dr. J. Mark DelGrande, “the HPEM Material and Plasma Science and Technology effort will be a great way to study HPEM regimes that have yet to be explored and is a perfect fit for Verus Research as it continues to create solutions that matter.”

Verus Research has recently been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research contract supporting the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Patuxent River, MD.  The program will study “Electromagnetic (EM) Interactions Between Cables, Antennas, and Their Environments.” The objective is to create a simulation tool for analyzing Navy aircraft to ensure they have sufficient electromagnetic compatibility as well as resilience in the face of electromagnetic interference and external EM radiation, including electromagnetic pulse, high-intensity radiated fields, and lightning.

To meet these requirements, Verus Research has teamed with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) to develop a set of software tools that will analyze these interactions, from a simple multi-conductor transmission line to complex cable networks and exchanges with antennas in complex aircraft environments.

Chief Technology Officer Dr. J. Mark DelGrande cited the award as another example of how “Verus Research’s world-class EM modeling and simulation capabilities can transition smoothly into adjacent technical domains, producing high-value outcomes for our customers.”

Verus Research has been awarded a 4-year, $7.2M contract from the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation.  This effort, known as “Electronic Warfare and Electromagnetic Spectrum” or EWAMS, will support various electronic warfare (EW) projects for the Army Reprogramming Analysis Team (ARAT), part of the Army Communications-Electronics Command.

Specific efforts will include developing specialized software support packages and EW modeling and simulation suites to validate the performance of EWAMS systems in threat-representative environments.  Other work will develop EWAMS capabilities to characterize and evaluate actual and surrogate EW systems for assessment, test, and evaluation support relevant to simulators, survivability equipment, and mission platforms.

Verus Research’s Chief Technology Officer Dr. J. Mark DelGrande, noted how this new EW effort expands on an earlier collaboration with the ARAT and is “testimony to having customers return for more of the excellent services the Verus Research team provides as we continue to create solutions that matter.”

Verus Research announces Victor Garcia as its new director of human resources.  In his new role, Garcia will support the organization with corporate governance, compensation planning, employee relations, organizational design, team member development, and performance measurement.

“I am honored to join the talented team at Verus Research,” said Garcia. “I have had many exciting opportunities in the human resources field and am looking forward to working in research and development with this incredible company.”

Garcia joins Verus Research with more than 25 years of experience in human resources specializing in talent acquisition, performance management, benefits administration, and succession planning.  He has extensive experience in a variety of industries ranging from banking to healthcare to home improvement.  Prior to his work in human resources which began nearly three decades ago, Garcia spent five years with two internationally known financial firms.

“We are thrilled to welcome Victor as our new director of human resources at Verus Research,” said Hank Andrews, managing director of Verus Research.  “As a fast-growing company, one of our top goals is to provide an exceptional work environment and a talented staff.  We are excited for Victor’s leadership in supporting our team and providing a welcoming environment. With his proven track record and outstanding leadership skills, Victor is the perfect addition at just the right time in our history.”

Garcia holds a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (BBA) from the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Business.

Albuquerque Business First has again recognized Verus Research as a New Mexico “top private company” on the publication’s 2022 list.

To make this prestigious list, a company must have a minimum of $5 million in New Mexico revenue for 2021 and be privately owned and for-profit, including wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Actual rankings will be revealed in an event planned for July 29, 2022.  Verus Research ranked #26 in 2021.

Coverage can be seen at this location.

In a string of consecutive honors reaching back to 2016, Verus Research is again on the Flying 40 list of New Mexico’s fastest growing technology companies.

In this 25th anniversary year for the Flying 40, Verus Research checked in at number 4 for fastest growing companies with revenue over $10 million, posting 208 percent growth since the 2017 base year in the study.

Additionally, Verus Research came in at number 9 for total revenue.

Of note, Verus Research is the youngest company on both lists.

The awards celebrate the success of the homegrown firms included on the annual list, while also drawing the state’s attention to the critical role New Mexico’s technology sector plays in diversifying the local economy.

Flying 40 awards are sponsored by the Sandia Science and Technology Park Development Corp.  You can find complete coverage of this year’s honorees in the Albuquerque Journal by visiting this link.

Verus Research announces the award of a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract in support of Department of Defense Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office (JIFCO). This program focuses on an emerging need to provide a “Broadband Counter-Electronics Weapon (BCEW) for Long-Range Non-Lethal Vehicle/Vessel Stopping.”

In this work, Verus Research will develop a more compact and lightweight long-range counter-electronic vehicle/vessel stopping system to employ non-lethal means to stop relevant vehicles and vessels, thereby mitigating a codified joint non-lethal weapon capability gap. The U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S. Marine Corprs are all interested in the outcome of this research, especially if a solution can be presented with significantly reduced overall system size, weight, power consumption, and thermal cooling needs, as well as lower system costs. Existing radio frequency (RF) vehicle and vessel stopping systems have known range and system size and weight limitations and could be replaced by the outcome of this important effort.

Dr. J. Mark DelGrande, Verus Research Chief Technology Officer, noted the Company’s pride in “continuing our relationship with the JIFCO by bringing cutting edge directed energy solutions this important defense requirement.”

Verus Research has won a Phase I small business innovative research (SBIR) contract to support the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).  Leveraging multiple machine learning and algorithm development efforts at Verus Research, the program will employ efficient machine learning algorithms to facilitate information fusion of radiation detector data.

The objective of the project is to improve radiation detection capabilities by developing networked radiation detection algorithms based on the fusion of multiple and varied raw outputs from detectors deployed across a complex, one square kilometer scene.  In this phase, Verus Research will identify algorithms that can support the fusion of raw detector outputs into usable information and demonstrate the potential of these algorithms to improve the localization, identification, and characterization of radioactive sources.  When successful, this will allow the evaluation of multiple candidate algorithms for eventual down-selection to the most promising ones for further development in an eventual Phase II program.

Verus Research has won a Phase II Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract to support the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate.  The $750,000, 2-year effort builds on prior Verus Research work and focuses on spacecraft fault detection, identification, and causation using machine learning.  This new program will seek to develop the ability for a spacecraft to self-diagnose the root causes of on-board anomalies and develop potential mitigation paths.

To meet this need, Verus Research will deliver AFMaR, (Autonomous Fault Monitoring and Recovery) software that can be installed on board a spacecraft and connected to the vehicle’s telemetry systems to process faults and identify recovery strategies.  AFMaR will increase spacecraft resilience and responsiveness while reducing the manpower required for mission operations and monitoring.  It is also structured to provide “trusted autonomy,” enabling independent spacecraft action that is reliably conducted in a safe manner.

Verus Research is proud to note the recent award of a $1.8 million contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate.  The 3-year effort is PANTHER:  Position And Navigation Threats Heuristic Engagement simulator.

The effort connects three Verus Research technical domains:  electronic warfare (EW), space and autonomy, and software development and applications with the goal of maintaining U.S. electromagnetic spectrum superiority in space by assessing potential threats to satellite position, navigation, and timing (PNT) signals.

This program is the Company’s first direct effort with the Distributed Mission Operations Center (DMOC) which is located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is operated by Air Combat Command’s 705th Combat Training Squadron.  In the DMOC, large-scale, virtual environments allow the Air Force to run wargame campaigns and learn how friendly and adversary units will act and respond during high-stakes operations.

Verus Research will develop PANTHER to help the Air Force better understand the EW environment, how PNT is affected by adversaries, the implications of PNT-denial on multi-agent mission/engagement-level scenarios, how to mitigate such effects, how to offensively counter our adversaries, and finally how to develop and test less vulnerable PNT technologies.

The multi-disciplinary approach being used on this program is a testament to the Verus Research “one team” culture, bringing together the best solutions from across the Company to solve our customers’ most difficult technical problems.