Parsons secures sole source deal to equip U.S. Air Force with biometric kits

The U.S. Air Force Air has issued a notice of intent to award a sole-source contract to Parsons Corporation for the procurement of two Javelin+ Mobile Biometric Collection Kits, reinforcing the Air Force Office of Special Investigations’ (AFOSI) biometric capabilities in support of criminal and counterintelligence missions.

The announcement states that only Parsons can meet the specific operational and technical requirements necessary for integration with AFOSI’s existing biometric infrastructure. While not a request for competitive quotes, the government indicated that it would consider capability statements or quotes received by May 22 before making its final award determination.

The Javelin+ is part of Parsons’ broader Javelin mobile biometric product line and is uniquely tailored for field-based identity operations requiring rapid, multimodal biometric capture. Each system offers fingerprint, iris, and facial recognition capability in a lightweight, Android-based, modular format.

The model being procured by AFOSI includes a two-finger Sherlock fingerprint sensor, a single iris capture module, and a facial capture function via the onboard smartphone camera. These kits are engineered for deployment in austere or mobile environments and come housed in Pelican cases with custom-cut foam to protect the sensitive hardware.

What distinguishes the Javelin+ system and its software ecosystem is the tight integration with Parsons’ ARES Mobile Biometric Application (AMBA) and the Ares Gateway Transaction Manager (AGTM). AMBA enables near-real-time biometric capture, validation, and matching onboard the device itself, without the need for continuous connectivity. This is critical for AFOSI operations that often take place in environments where network access is intermittent or unavailable.

AMBA’s offline capability ensures that biometric data can still be collected and later synchronized with national or local biometric repositories once the device reconnects to a secure network.

The AGTM serves as the centralized transaction manager for configuring, routing, and managing all biometric submissions. It not only streamlines data exchange across agencies but it also allows for centralized control over device settings, transaction compliance with Electronic Biometric Transmission Specification formats, and auditability.

Integration with AGTM ensures that AFOSI’s field operatives can securely transmit biometric data to entities like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other Department of Defense databases.

Parsons software also incorporates Samsung Knox mobile device management, further hardening the devices against potential compromise.

From a logistics and sustainment perspective, the contract outlines full-service warranty coverage and access to Parsons’ service desk portal for issue ticketing, returns, software patches, and technical support. Each biometric kit will be supported through the operations and maintenance lifecycle, ensuring continuity of functionality and integration with the rest of AFOSI’s identity systems.

Parsons is also required to provide training for local OSI Detachment personnel, including virtual modules on using the Javelin+ system and the ARES software suite in field operations.

The hardware provisioned under the contract includes a Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphone (or a superior alternative), sensor modules for iris and fingerprint capture, a dedicated operator phone case, USB-C fast charger, international wall charger, vehicle-mounted inductive charging cradle, and other accessories such as microfiber cloths for maintaining optical clarity.

The full system is designed to be self-contained, rugged, and immediately operational upon deployment.

Software licenses for AMBA and FABIS Facial Identification are bundled with the kits. The AMBA suite, which is on the FBI’s approved list for mobile identification, mobile booking, and live scan applications, can collect EBTS-compliant biometric records. It allows operatives to send and receive biometric records over Wi-Fi or cellular networks, submit queries to multiple agencies, and store transactions locally until connectivity resumes.

Its onboard matching algorithms enable fast identity resolution without relying solely on backend systems. FABIS adds facial recognition capability tailored for watch listing and investigative applications.

The integration of AMBA and AGTM with the Javelin+ system gives AFOSI a tactical edge by delivering a fully networked, field-deployable identity verification solution.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometric matching  |  biometrics  |  Javelin  |  military  |  mobile biometrics  |  multimodal biometrics  |  Parsons Corporation  |  U.S. Air Force  |  U.S. Government