American Systems Helps Develop Cloud-Based Emergency Notification Tech for Air Force

American Systems has partnered with Microsoft and F5 to deploy a cloud-based emergency notification platform designed to alert U.S. Air Force personnel in the event of severe weather conditions or shooting threats.

The Emergency Mass Notification System implements Microsoft’s Azure architecture and F5’s BIG-IP Virtual Edition security and application delivery technology to provide 24/7 mobile and desktop alerts to around 700K Air Force personnel and their families, F5 said in a press release.

As part of an Air Force task order awarded in 2017, American Systems developed the EMNS app that utilizes Blackberry's AtHoc Crisis Communications Software Suite and complies with the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Secure Cloud Computing Architecture guidelines.

Microsoft previously collaborated with F5 to develop the Azure-based Secure Azure Computing Architecture designed to meet DISA's cloud security requirements.

“Every SCCA requirement was already vetted by an existing F5 module or procedural set for Azure. With that handled, our team we free to focus on the technical challenges of systems integration,” said Richard Walsh, a lead engineer for American Systems.

The cloud-based EMNS is currently deployed by more than 170 Air Force bases and major command locations around the world.