Army posts RFI for Assured PNT program

On April 18, the U.S. Army posted a request for information for Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing. Responses are due by 5:00pm EST on May 13.

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit industry feedback on the requirements and proposed acquisition strategy for the Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (A-PNT) program. This RFI is part of a set of industry engagements in support of enhancing the Industry-Government partnership critical to providing an effective and evolvable end-product for A-PNT operators and information consumers. The Government intends to consider all Industry inputs and initiatives as it prepares for and executes the solicitation process. In addition, this RFI requests respondents’ corporate overview information and basic qualifications in managing hardware and software development projects that are similar in scope and process to the A-PNT program. The Army plans to leverage industry recommendations on the delivery of A-PNT hardware and software to implement best practices, improve productivity, gain efficiencies, and realize cost savings.

A-PNT data is a critical enabler and a Cross-Cutting Capability (CCC) for Army forces to execute their mission. To maintain its GPS military advantage on the battlefield, Army Forces require unhindered access to trusted PNT information under all conditions, including where space-based PNT may be limited or denied. The current capability, GPS, is a fixed-frequency system that is vulnerable to current and emerging threats and field conditions, which means that PNT access and integrity to the Warfighter cannot be guaranteed. This situation degrades mission performance to an unacceptable level. Therefore, current Army systems cannot operate at the required PNT assurance levels with GPS alone.

A-PNT is a family of solutions that includes four distinct capabilities:

Pseudolite: Terrestrially-deployed systems that output a signal similar to that of Global Positioning System (GPS), enhancing the user’s ability to operate in a GPS-challenged environment
Dismounted: PNT receiver, with non-GPS augmentation, which distributes PNT to systems on dismounted soldiers.
Mounted: PNT receiver, with non-GPS augmentation, which distributes PNT to systems on mounted platforms.
Anti-Jam Antenna System (AJAS): Null-steering/beam-forming antennas that support GPS signal acquisition and tracking in a GPS-challenged environment.

The primary focus of the A-PNT program capability approach will be the alignment of A-PNT capability fielding to the planned upgrade cycle of systems requiring A-PNT. Compliance with the M-Code, VICTORY, FACE, IS-GPS-250/A standards will ensure that the Army delivers a capability that will endure across multiple platforms and continue the evolution of the A-PNT capabilities over time.

Capability growth will be implemented as part of the A-PNT program life cycle. A-PNT will continue to adapt and address technology advances, sensor upgrades, cybersecurity advances, cyber-electromagnetic capabilities, and other necessary system evolutions to remain current and maintain superior capabilities through system life. It will consist of providing new capabilities associated with emerging requirements and new sensor capability (i.e., inertial navigation, vision aided navigation, multi GNSS, and timing) technologies.

To assist in Industry’s understanding of the development, integration, and testing scope of the A-PNT effort and to give context to Industry’s RFI response, the figure below provides a general depiction of the A-PNT family of solutions and the overall mission as an A-PNT System of System Architecture. The Assured PNT objective is to go beyond using only a GPS signal from space for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT). The GPS signal from space can be jammed, spoofed, or denied by other means. Assured PNT seeks to use GPS plus other augmentation sensors and techniques to provide PNT service when GPS signals are denied or intermittently available. An overall objective is to create a PNT capability that can determine which of its sensors, including GPS, can be trusted and then provide assured positioning, navigation, and timing (A-PNT) for successful mission accomplishment.

Full information is available here.

Source: FedBizOpps