WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2019) - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Ranking Member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, announced that Tau Technologies of Albuquerque has been awarded an $8.9 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to conduct directed energy modeling for cross-domain analysis at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base. 

Tau Technologies is a New Mexico company of about 40 people and has been in Albuquerque for 14 years. This contract will advance directed energy technologies and weapon systems in engagement and mission-level analysis to enable data-driven wargaming and military utility assessments. 

“I'm excited to see another homegrown New Mexico company making significant contributions to this emerging field that will provide critical tools to our national defense in the years to come,” said Heinrich. “This contract continues the momentum we have built to make New Mexico the center of excellence for directed energy. In the coming years, that will mean more high-paying jobs and a new way for our state to continue leading the country in national defense.”

New Mexico is home to major assets for directed energy including the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Joint Directed Energy Transition Office, White Sands Missile Range, and many key industry players. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Heinrich has worked over the last several years to increase funding and support for the development of directed energy technology. 

In 2018, Senator Heinrich and Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.) established a $100 million directed energy prototyping program under Section 215 of the fiscal year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Senator Heinrich has focused on getting directed energy weapons like high-energy-lasers and high-powered-microwaves out of the laboratories and into the hands of the warfighters and has prioritized upgrading directed energy test and evaluation infrastructure.