WOODWORTH, LA, UNITED STATES, January 3, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ingalls Information Security, a cybersecurity risk management company, collaborated with HTX Labs to achieve an Authorization to Operate (ATO) from Air Education & Training Command (AETC) Force Development (FD) Authorizing Official (AO). With an ATO, HTX Labs’ EMPACT is now authorized to be used by the Air Force.

HTX Labs developed the EMPACT^® Immersive Learning Platform to address a growing need to modernize training, improve safety, maximize operational efficiency, and build resilience and readiness across the Department of Defense. EMPACT is an end-to-end XR platform that enables warfighters to rapidly create, learn, measure, and sustain cost-effective, mission-specific immersive training programs anytime, anywhere, on any device, with anyone, at scale.

“Adoption and normalization of immersive technology is growing at an increasing pace and HTX is elated to be the first provider of a VR training platform to receive authority to operate on NIPRNet within AETC," said HTX Labs President Chris Verret. "Our partnership with AETC and AFDT to modernize critical training and reduce the barrier to scaling and sustaining immersive content for Airmen across the USAF has been a huge success. The ability to deliver immersive learning capability through our secure, centralized EMPACT platform with an ATO is not just a massive milestone for HTX, but also a groundbreaking opportunity for Airmen to ‘own their future’ - allowing them to create and sustain immersive learning programs at scale. As most who attempt an ATO know, this has been a substantial effort and our success is in large part due to the dedication of our team for creating and delivering a game-changing immersive learning platform as well as key support from AFDT and Ingalls.”

HTX Labs used the Department of the Air Force Fast Track ATO process with the AETC FD AO staff to achieve an Authorization Decision within six months. Ingalls supported HTX Labs by performing the Information System Security Manager (ISSM) and Information System Security Officer (ISSO) role, creating an RMF Project Plan and core policies, providing guidance on Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and Security Requirements Guides (SRG), and working through the workflows in eMASS.

“Ingalls is proud to have helped HTX Labs achieve this milestone,” said Ingalls Government Programs Director Brandi Pickett. “The ATO process is daunting and exhaustive. It was a monumental effort between our two organizations to achieve an ATO in less than six months and demonstrates our expertise in this domain.”

Ingalls launched its Government Programs division in 2021 to better focus on supporting the DoD and DoD contractors. Navigating the RMF/ATO process is exhaustive, resource-intensive, and often not considered until the system or application is ready to deploy, significantly delaying timely delivery of today’s technology to the warfighter. Ingalls provides RMF/ATO Support throughout the RMF Lifecycle with a tailored approach for services. Ingalls can provide a wide variety of customizable solutions, programs, and tools.

“This milestone demonstrates what is possible when government and industry — partnered with an experienced team like the one at Ingalls — can accomplish to deliver and enhance the training to the USAF Airmen,” said Brad Schrack, Ingalls’ Senior Information Assurance Analyst, CISSP. “Our team with the experience, knowledge, and our ability to form strong relationships allowed HTX Labs to navigate the DoD RMF process with incredible speed.”

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ABOUT INGALLS INFORMATION SECURITY
Ingalls Information Security provides technology-enabled, integrated cybersecurity risk management services. Since 2010, Ingalls’ diverse experience across military/defense intelligence, network security, information technology, and cybersecurity solutions has honed a powerful edge in preventing and responding to cyberattacks. Ingalls’ expertise focuses on four business lines of service: Managed Detection and Response, Incident Response, Professional Services, and Government Programs. The company’s core focus is to establish Louisiana as a cybersecurity center of excellence, and bring 5,000 industry jobs into the state.

ABOUT HTX LABS
HTX Labs is a commercial software company on a mission to accelerate the future of learning, delivering immersive software training solutions and content development services to the aerospace and defense industry to elevate the level of proficiency and preparedness of today's warfighter. HTX's cloud-based end-to-end EMPACT^® Immersive Learning Platform empowers training modernization, improves safety, maximizes operational efficiency, and builds resilience and readiness.

HTX Labs is dedicated to driving learning innovation, providing the necessary digital infrastructure to enable users to easily create, deploy, measure, and sustain mission-specific, immersive training programs anytime, anywhere, on any device, with anyone, at scale.

Kim Buckley
Ingalls Information Security
kim.buckley@iinfosec.com