Air Force issues last call for project to develop network technologies that enable swarming unmanned aircraft
ROME, N.Y. – U.S. defense companies have one more chance to participate in a U.S. Air Force project to develop affordable that provide tactical airborne networking to provide coordinated swarming capabilities for groups of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Officials of the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate in Rome, N.Y., made the final announcement Monday for the Elastic Tactical Networking for Autonomous Swarms project (FA8750-18-S-7004), which began in late 2017.
Air Force researchers want to develop technologies for future unmanned autonomous swarm applications with tactical beamforming, which will differ drastically from information exchange requirements for current applications.
This project investigates networking and communications technologies across all layers of the protocol stack to enable future autonomous manned and unmanned teaming. The project focuses primarily on protocols for the application, transport, and network layers.
The project seeks new networking paradigms for future swarm-based autonomous UAV missions, and new techniques to enable existing point-to-point data links for UAV swarm networking, which includes distributed beamforming techniques.
For example, the project seeks new communications capabilities to enable intra-agent collaboration in severely contested environments, something which existing military and commercial networking protocols are unable to achieve, Air Force researchers say.
This announcement is for a two-step process that will remain open until 30 Sept. 2021. Only white papers will be accepted as initial submissions; formal proposals will be accepted by invitation only. Air Force officials recommend that companies interested respond by 2 July 2021.
New networking paradigms are necessary before the Air Force can carry out future swarm-based autonomous missions, so the primary interest is in techniques that can use existing point-to-point data links using a combination of protocols at layer three and above, but also include distributed beamforming techniques.
Related: DARPA to develop swarming unmanned vehicles for better military reconnaissance
The Elastic Tactical Networking for Autonomous Swarms project has three focus areas: dynamic network management; network protocol design; and distributed airborne tactical beamforming.
Remaining funding for this project is about $6.9 million. This two-step announcement first asks for white papers, and those submitting promising ideas will be invited to submit formal proposals.
Companies interested should email white papers by 2 July 2021 to the Air Force's Scott Pudlewski at [email protected]. Email technical questions or concerns to Scott Pudlewski at [email protected].
Email contracting or business questions to the Air Force's Amber Buckley at [email protected]. More information is online at https://beta.sam.gov/opp/ec916d1242ca447a9e16540ac67de7d3/view.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
