Morgantown, WV (February 6, 2025) – NextGen Federal Systems (NextGen) is advancing cloud monitoring and nowcasting capabilities for the Department of Defense (DoD) with its development of the Learning Architecture for Short-Term Forecasts of Cloud Characteristics Using Satellites (LAST FOCUS). Funded by a Navy Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II contract and in partnership with the University of Alabama in Huntsville, LAST FOCUS will provide the U.S. Navy with comprehensive tools for assessing previous, current, and short-term (0-24 hours) atmospheric cloud characteristics.
LAST FOCUS uses machine learning (ML) models and satellite-based observations to produce global nowcasts of cloud properties, including cloud top height, mask, water phase, and optical depth. LAST FOCUS promises significant advancements in cloud visibility forecasting for DoD, civil, and private aviation sectors, delivering actionable insights across all phases of flight operations. Naval applications stand to gain particularly from the enriched environmental data tailored for operational readiness at any location on Earth. Additionally, LAST FOCUS can be used to support and augment the DoD’s critical Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Theater Weather Imagery and Cloud Characterization requirement gaps.
The integration of improved cloud characterization nowcasting into aviation and Command & Control systems enhances situational awareness, increases predictability in weather forecasting, and opens new possibilities for civil and commercial remote sensing operations. By filling a key data gap in meteorological analysis, LAST FOCUS not only strengthens aviation safety and planning but also provides a foundation for additional data fusion opportunities, setting new benchmarks for accuracy in weather intelligence.
“A successful LAST FOCUS technology development will be met with an effective transition of capability to DoD operations based on the MLOps technologies, processes, and methodologies we have worked on with the Air Force, Navy, and Army,” said Alec Engell, Technical Director for Environmental Machine Learning Programs at NextGen.
LAST FOCUS adds to NextGen’s extensive portfolio of weather R&D and operational solutions, supporting critical DoD mission operations. NextGen’s endeavors, such as aviation contrail, icing, and turbulence prediction, and synthetic weather radar forecasting, are already integrated into the Air Force’s Machine Learning Operational Platform (MLOps). Its Weather Operational Effects (WxOE) technology and Enterprise Environmental Portal (E2P, named BIFROST) support military and intelligence planning and distribution of weather data for the Army, Air Force, and DoD. With LAST FOCUS, NextGen strengthens its environmental mission focus to extend strategic support for Navy operations, marking a new milestone in cross-service weather and environmental intelligence.
For more information about NextGen Federal Systems, please visit www.nextgenfed.com.
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NextGen is an innovative information technology and technology solutions provider specializing in agile software solutions as well as comprehensive mission and business support services. We design, develop, implement, and manage information technology (IT) solutions that measurably improve our customer’s organizational performance. Our core areas of expertise include C5ISR Software Development, Modern IT Systems Engineering, Modeling and Simulation, Cyber Security & Data Management. NextGen adheres to industry standard practices and processes, including CMMI, ISO, and PMBOK.
For more information on NextGen, contact Joe Robertson at 304-906-9468.
