The Texas A&M University RELLIS Campus (RELLIS) recently hosted a dedication and grand opening ceremony for the new George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex (BCDC). The BCDC is the result of a partnership between RELLIS and the Army Futures Command, and it will support national security initiatives related to military modernization.
Courtesy of The RELLIS Campus
TAMU System leadership gathered alongside state officials; research leaders; and representatives from the Department of Defense, the tech sector, and the defense industry to celebrate the grand opening. Key members of our Vaughn Construction project team were also in attendance. These guests from across the nation participated in tours of the complex, watched testing demonstrations, and heard presentations on ongoing research and projects.
Among the attendees was vice chairman of the TAMU System Board of Regents Bill Mahomes, who spoke to the guests about the purpose of the BCDC. “At the end of the day, [the BCDC] is about our shared goal of serving the men and women who serve this great nation,” he explained. “If they must go in harm’s way, we want our fighters to have the best equipment, every possible advantage.”
Obstacles at the Innovation Proving Ground
The BCDC includes the Research Integration Center (RIC) and the Innovation Proving Ground (IPG), for both of which Vaughn Construction served as the construction manager-at-risk. The RIC collects data from autonomous aerial, ground, and subterranean vehicle testing; supports hypersonic and directed energy research; and manages and transfers intellectual property and technology for commercial applications. The IPG includes autonomous vehicle prototype development, testing, and evaluation spaces.
The Bush Combat Development Complex will help accelerate the development, integration, and transfer of critical national security technologies. Through this project, Vaughn is proud to support discoveries that will protect our communities.