U.S. Air Force awards $17M warfighter health protection contract to Battelle

The U.S. Air Force has awarded a five-year, $17 million contract to Battelle to conduct research that advances health protection for the warfighter in present and near-future operational environments, the company announced Wednesday.

Awarded under the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Airman Readiness Medical Research(ARMR) program, the contract will allow Battelle to leverage science and technology to improve the Air Force’s understanding of occupational and environmental exposures facing Airmen and to deliver operationally relevant decision support to planners, commanders, team leaders, and healthcare providers.

“Battelle brings a rare combination of world-class military force health protection experts, research, development, test and evaluation experts, and specialized facilities to tackle this important work,” said Dr. Nicole Brennan, who leads Battelle’s Public and Military Health Division. “We are eager to continue working with the Air Force on this contract, knowing the positive impact we can have on warfighters’ health and, by extension, on the health of their families and communities.”

The contract will address Airman Exposure Health, Cognitive and Physiologic Performance, and Space Exploration Research.

“For more than 15 years, Battelle has been a trusted force health protection research partner of the 711th Human Performance Wing, bolstering readiness, enhancing combat lethality, and protecting the health of forces that project airpower,” said Paul Pirkle, Force Health Protection Solutions Architect and S&T Integrator. “Over the next five years, Battelle will build on this legacy and help actualize RHB’s research vision by delivering operationally relevant solutions that support aeromedical aspects of Agile Combat Employment.”