Navy asks industry for network-centric warfare technologies to enhance military communications on the battlefield
ARLINGTON, Va., 11 June 2010. Scientists at the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Arlington, Va., are asking industry to develop new military network communications technologies involving self-organizing military networks and assured information exchange to enhance tactical edge military communications networks.
Of primary interest are military communications network technologies that will improve systems such as the Navy Automated Digital Network System (ADNS) Future Capabilities; Marine Air-Ground Task Force C24ISR, Marine Corps Warfighter Information Network-Expeditionary (WIN-X) and U.S. Army Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T), and the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS).
ONR issued a broad agency announcement (BAA 10-020) Wednesday for the Dynamic Tactical Communications Networks (DTCN) program to improve information flow between higher headquarters and executing units.
Naval network-centric warfare is unique because it includes aspects of the other servicesâ aircraft, ground forces, and unmanned vehicles, with the added dimension of surface warships, submarines, and amphibious vessels, Navy officials point out.
Navy and Marine Corps networks must be closely integrated to support each other's power projection capabilities. Marine Corps networks, for example, have many nodes for rifle squads, platoons, companies, and battalions with armored vehicles, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft that limited access to satellite and beyond-line-of-sight communications.
These units must remain in contact with the Marine Corps commanders ashore or aboard Navy surface ships to exchange command, control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data, as well as coordinate fire from ships, aircraft, and land forces.
The self-organizing networks thrust of the Dynamic Tactical Communications Networks program seeks integrated solutions that address tactical edge intra- and inter- domain routing and auto-configuration to ensure the flow of critical data for tactical operations.
Capabilities sought include tools to help manage and rank the communications priorities of different missions ocurring at the same time. Network resource allocation mechanisms must satisfy the most critical mission needs, even as missions change phase and network resource availability changes.
These tools should address communication requirements collection, and aggregation of concurrent mission requirements into one actionable traffic management policy that incorporates commander's intent.
The assured information exchange thrust of the DTCN program seeks solutions that use current and near-future communication systems to enable the timely exchange of command and control, situational awareness information, as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
Of particular interest is quality of service for communications that involve chat, situational awareness, e-mail, web-based services, and file transfer.
Companies interested should send proposals no later than 23 July by post to Office of Naval Research Attn: John Moniz ONR Department Code: 30 875 North Randolph St., Arlington, VA 22203-1995. Proposals sent by fax or e-mail will not be considered.
ONR officials have scheduled an industry day to brief interested companies for Friday, 25 June, at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington.
For questions or concerns, contact Dr. Santanu Das by e-mail at [email protected], or John Moniz by e-mail at [email protected].
More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/ONR/ONR/10-020/listing.html.
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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.
