Enabling Technologies for Electronic Warfare and Surveillance

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has issued a special announcement under its Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) N0001424SBC10, titled "Enabling Technologies for Electronic Warfare and Surveillance." This call for proposals seeks innovative technologies in areas such as Electronic Warfare (EW) and Radio Frequency (RF) Surveillance, designed to enhance the Navy and Marine Corps’ capabilities in controlling the electromagnetic spectrum and improving Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) in contested environments. The ONR aims to counter the growing capabilities of adversaries in utilizing advanced technologies like software-defined radios and ISR systems. The call emphasizes the development of advanced signal processing algorithms, RF countermeasures, ISR technology, and emerging EW capabilities. Submissions to this BAA will target seven primary technical areas, each addressing a critical capability gap in naval operations. These areas include: 1. Signal Processing Algorithms for Radar Systems: Development of low-SWAP (Size, Weight, and Power) real-time processing algorithms for radar systems, particularly for unmanned platforms like UAVs, to improve target detection and tracking. 2. Innovative EW Techniques Against Modern Emitters: Focuses on scalable data representation for RF spectrum knowledge sharing, advanced distributed EW systems, and dynamic electronic attack (EA) techniques to counter agile threats. 3. Generative AI for Complex M&S Scenarios: Use of generative AI to create realistic mission-level simulation scenarios for training and analysis of platform behaviors in electromagnetic environments. 4. Repairing and Restoring Signals After Frequency-Selective Limiting: Proposes methods to adaptively correct signal distortions caused by Frequency Selective Limiters (FSL) to ensure signal integrity in EW systems. 5. Innovative Counter Electro-Optic/Infrared (EO/IR) Concepts: Seeking non-traditional approaches to counter EO/IR imaging sensors without resorting to high-power countermeasures. 6. Composable Architecture for Rapid Technology Insertion: Focuses on developing a flexible, scalable architecture to integrate emerging ISR and EW technologies more rapidly into naval platforms. 7. Truly Innovative EW/ISR Applications: An open call for groundbreaking technologies that significantly advance Navy ISR and EW capabilities, aiming for a 1000x improvement in operational performance over current systems. Interested parties are encouraged to submit white papers by September 26, 2024, with full proposals due by December 20, 2024. White papers should be no longer than five pages and should clearly describe the proposed technology, its naval relevance, and potential operational utility. Selected white papers may lead to an invitation for oral presentations, scheduled for November 4-8, 2024, with evaluations and proposal selections completed by January 2, 2025. ONR plans to allocate between $10-15 million per year across multiple projects related to these technical areas, with expected periods of performance ranging from one to three years. Proposals can be submitted as either grants or contracts, and both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate, with subcontracting plans required for large businesses. Proposals are expected to offer clear milestones and demonstrate operational effectiveness, with the ultimate goal of transitioning successful technologies to Navy operations. For more detailed submission guidelines, proposers should review the full BAA and related resources on the ONR, SAM.gov, or Grants.gov websites.