Air Force issues RFI for Battlefield Airmen Operations – Machine to Machine software suite

By Loren Blinde March 18, 2015

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On March 17, the United States (US) Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces (ISR & SOF) Division posted an RFI seeking sources capable of supporting the Battlefield Airmen Operations – Machine to Machine software (BAO – M2M) suite (solicitation number: FA8629-15-C-2410).

The goal of the Battlefield Air Operations—Human-Machine Interface (BAO-M2M) III Software Suite effort is to improve the performance of fielded Special Tactics (ST) and Personnel Recovery operators during target acquisition and control, combat search and rescue, and personnel recovery operations—reducing potential for errors, enhancing the safety and security of friendly forces, increasing situational awareness and, ultimately, reducing the risks of fratricide.

The BAO-M2M III effort is a continuation of related projects previously or currently under contract with the Battlefield Airmen System Program Office (AFLCMC/WISN). The BAO-M2M III effort should, to the greatest extent possible, leverage previous and current efforts related to the design, development, and testing of software applications as specified within this SOO, and in integrating with existing and emerging technologies and software applications to enhance the human-machine interface and enable machine-to-machine (M2M) operations.

The BAO M2M III software suite shall support the overall BAO Kit, which is a compilation of patrol portable combat equipment that enables faster targeting and digital collaboration with supporting Close Air Support (CAS) aircraft as well as enhanced situational awareness and integration for the operator. The software shall support digital integration of this equipment, which consists of but is not limited to radios, computing device, power manager, data manager, Selective Availability Anti Spoofing Module (SAASM) GPS, handheld laser range finder, integrated targeting device, Video Data Link (VDL), and other associated peripherals. The software suite assists with Command and Control (C2), training, Assault Zone Survey and additional implied tasks. The software shall provide capability to the BAO Kit sister program, Guardian Angel (GA), which supports a similar kit and mission with the added focus of rescue and recovery. This is currently accomplished with additional software modules.

Specifically, the objectives of the BAO-M2M Software Suite project are:

1.1.1 Maintain and support the currently fielded BAO-M2M software suite (BAO Kit and Guardian Angel). This suite consists of approximately 65 applications.

1.1.2 Design, develop, and test the BAO Kit and Guardian Angel software suites.

1.1.3 Design, develop, and test new capabilities within the BAO-M2M software suite.

1.1.4 Design, develop, and test new capabilities to support the Guardian Angel community.

1.1.5 Support research and development of software that augments or supports the capabilities of the BAO Kit and the BAO-M2M software suite.

1.16 Integrate disparate, segregated capabilities into a single software user interface.

1.1.7 Provide the necessary support for formal testing, demonstrations, and fielding events.

1.1.8 Provide support for the Information Assurance requirements of the BAO-M2M software suite (BAO Kit and Guardian Angel).

1.1.9 Provide system, test, and user documentation.

1.1.10 Acquire materials.

1.1.11 Establish and maintain Configuration Control.

1.1.12 Conduct Technical Meetings up to SECRET NOFORN classification.