The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded Owl Cyber Defense a $150 million contract for a major tech upgrade in secure communications, the department announced.
The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract aims to enhance AFRL’s secure communications capabilities across classified and coalition networks.
Under the contract, Owl will provide AFRL with advanced cross-domain technologies –including Voice and Video Cross Domain Solution, XD Vision, and Cross Domain Full Motion Video — to support the lab’s mission to enable real-time, secure collaboration across multiple security domains.
According to Owl, AFRL played a key role in the development and certification of XD Vision, which serves as a secure central hub for cross-domain communication. Its support was “instrumental during critical phases of testing and evaluation as the solution advanced toward operational readiness,” the company said.
“The Air Force Research Laboratory continues to lead in securing next-generation communications infrastructure,” Scott Orton, CEO of Owl Cyber Defense, said in a statement. “Our collaboration ensures warfighters can share intelligence securely and seamlessly across all classification levels.”
The solutions are designed to enhance communication, data sharing, and mission coordination across joint and coalition military operations. They will allow AFRL to securely transmit voice, video, and full-motion video across multiple security domains, ensuring seamless collaboration without compromising mission security,” AFRL said.
These solutions include V2CDS for real-time video conferencing, XD Vision for consolidating communications across security domains, and CDFMV for bi-directional video and audio streaming between networks.
The contract also includes the procurement of computer software, technical documentation, and hardware, along with installation and maintenance support for existing systems at current AFRL customer sites.
Issued as a sole-source acquisition under the Small Business Innovation Research Program, the contract begins with an initial allocation of $10,000 from fiscal year 2025 research, development, test, and evaluation funds, managed by AFRL in Rome, N.Y.
Work for the contract will be performed in Columbia, Md., with final delivery scheduled for July 29, 2030.