AFRL releases Cyber Asymmetric Force Applications for UAS BAA

On November 2, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory posted a broad agency announcement (BAA) entitled Cyber Asymmetric Force Applications for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (FA8750-17-S-7001). For best FY18 funding consideration, the agency recommends that white papers be submitted by January 31, 2018.

The Air Force Research Laboratory is soliciting white papers under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for research, development, integration, test and evaluation of technologies/techniques to advance the technology and/or increase the knowledge, understanding and capability of cyber operations technologies that can address current Department of Defense (DoD) gaps in operational asymmetric campaigns and force protection capabilities through rapid prototyping efforts. This includes integration research into technology and approaches to better equip the warfighter. Concepts at the intersection of the areas of Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Electronic Warfare (EW) and Cyber Operations technologies are sought in this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Development proposals, specifically as applies to new ideas/concepts for practical application, are of interest.

Research efforts under this program are expected to result in experimental capabilities, concepts, theory, and applications addressing cyber operations problems and asymmetric threats to support the future needs of units including 1st Air Force – AFNORTH, 24th Air Force, 25th Air Force, Air Force Global Strike Command, Air Force Security Forces Center, and other government agencies.

Projects specializing in highly novel, interesting, and applicable techniques will also be considered if deemed to be of “breakthrough” quality and importance. The effectiveness of the developed technologies for potential operational use will be assessed through preplanned testing and evaluation activities. Rapid prototyping of technologies that can be transitioned for operational use are of high interest, and will be assessed for transition through other contract vehicles; this BAA is for the research and development phases. Offerors are encouraged to describe the pre-conditions and assumptions that are necessary for the proposed techniques to work effectively.

Broad topics of interest include: maturing, integrating, and testing C2 and detection capabilities of unmanned aircraft systems; developing new and applying currently available cyber operations technologies for use in airborne and ground platforms; developing technologies to better equip the warfighter for force and materiel protection operations; automatic decision making and enabling autonomy in cyberspace operations; developing concepts and capabilities that intersect the areas of SIGINT, EW and Cyber for asymmetric force applications; and developing big data analytics methods for asymmetric for non-traditional technologies and weapon systems. As stated above, breakthrough research will be considered outside these focus areas if compatible with BAA goals.

Full information is available here.

Source: FedBizOpps