Army wants small, lightweight wireless communications module to connect warfighter wearable electronics
FORT BELVOIR, Va. – U.S. Army researchers are surveying industry for companies able to design a secure small, lightweight wireless communications module to tie together wearable electronics on the individual infantry warfighter without eavesdropping or interference from the enemy.
Officials of the Army Contracting Command at Fort Belvoir, Va., issued a source-sought notice on Tuesday (W909MY-19-R-0002) for the Secure Intra-Soldier Wireless Module with Reduced Size and Power (ICW Chipset) project.
Intra-soldier wireless (ICW) technology seeks to link pieces of the infantry warfighter's kit, such as wearable computers, radios, and electro-optical rifle sights without cumbersome cabling and connectors in a similar way that people today link their smart phones and smart watches.
The trick, however, is to provide wireless data links that are secure from enemy attempts to intercept or jam these wireless links among the soldier's field gear. The communications module, moreover, must be small and lightweight enough not to encumber the warfighter in the field.
Army researchers envision a wireless communications module able to support AES-256 bit encryption that can enable soldier systems developers to address emerging requirements for small low-power intra-soldier wireless systems.
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Researchers who need this capability most are involved with the Army Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Communications and Electronics Research and Development Engineering Center (CERDEC), Night Vision Electronics Sensors Directorate (NVESD) at Fort Belvoir, Va.
Army researchers want to demonstrate significant size and power reduction in prototype ISW modules to support integration with dismounted Soldier systems such as the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS).
This effort also will address emerging requirements for improved encryption to support certification for secure but unclassified (SBU) and secret and below (SAB) operation.
Researchers want to integrate such secure, small, low power ISW modules with existing or developmental sensor systems to improved situational awareness communications, and sensor processing capability to infantry warfighters.
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Army researchers say they expect to award a 20-month contract for this program. Specifications for this program will be for official use only (FOUO), available only to those with DD Form 2345 on file.
Companies interested should email responses no later than 31 Oct. 2018 to the Army's Lena Plummer-Milindez at [email protected].
For questions or concerns contact Lena Plummer-Milindez by email at [email protected], or by phone at 703-704-0863. Also contact Ashley Seffernick by email at [email protected], or by phone at 703-704-0830.
More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/b64404dfe8429b0582d5bf3f657e50cd.
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John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
