DoD 2022.4 SBIR Annual BAA

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artifical Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials / Processes, Information Systems Technology OBJECTIVE: The objective of this Phase I topic is to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities that analyzes technical data information and assesses the candidacy of a component for additive manufacturing, automate manual processes in order to reduce the time of engineering analysis by up to 80%, increase the pool of Additive Manufacturing (AM) candidates which leads to new opportunities and program creation, optimize the “Can Print / Should Print” analysis for higher yield of impactful AM candidates, and improve logistics trails and increase readiness through increased usage of additive manufacturing. DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this Phase I topic is to develop an AI capability that greatly improves the method for identifying and analyzing AM candidate parts. Currently, there is a manual process in place performed by engineers who are AM Subject Matter Experts. AM SME engineers search through Army databases to pull technical and logistics data and analyze data to determine printability. The development of an AI system which can automate the technical data analysis process through critical factors will greatly benefit efforts. AM can be integrated in a multitude of DoD programs and supply chains will be greatly improved with the increase of AM candidate parts, saving time, money and resources. PHASE I: When completing the Phase I proposal, submission must demonstrate developed capability where technical data can be processed by an AI system to provide information and analysis on AM candidacy. Criteria may include the following: Material, Tolerance, Size, System, Supplier, and Item owner. PHASE II: When completing Phase II of this topic, submission must build upon and improve the AI system to increase efficiency and throughput and expand candidacy criteria. The effort should focus on the printability of the part and deviations against component requirements. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In order to successfully complete Phase III, submission must show the performance of scaling and integration of the AI system with current Army Digital Management Systems. REFERENCES: 1. http://www.ieomsociety.org/singapore2021/papers/476.pdf KEYWORDS: Artificial Intelligence, Additive Manufacturing, Database, Algorithms, Digital Management Systems

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artifical Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems Technology OBJECTIVE: The objective of this Phase I topic is to collect, enable real-time transmission and archival of armaments usage data across all platforms for current and future AI developments. Data, such as shock, vibration, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and other useful data. The data logger allows for off network data collection, ensuring 365/24/7 data collection. This data will allow AI algorithms to identify or predict critical operational use cases (round count, tube wear, blast over pressure). Usage areas include operational decisions, training, future R&D optimization, situational awareness, logistics & maintenance. DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this Phase I topic is to collect, transmit and archive data from armament systems (artillery, mortars, crew served, remote, squad) for use in AI/ML applications. Please see the objective for usage areas. The data collected can be used for many areas across the armaments lifecycle for current and future unknown application. The topic should eventually aid in the development of a robust AI data architecture and repository strategy and identify potential AI/ML development efforts based on data collection and architecture. Currently, there is limited data collected through log books and some SW usage logs. Battlefield networks limit the ability to transmit the data real time, but no limitations are in place to collect data for future use beyond SWAP concerns. Sensor integration and SWAP reductions allow for more sensors to be utilized without effecting armaments operations. Ability to conduct AI/ML on the edge will allow data consumption. This supports armaments operations both on the battlefield and off (Training, Situational Awareness, Battlefield Decisions, R&D optimization, Logistics and Maintenance), If successful, armament systems and their operators will be more effective and reduce the time to neutralize a threat. It will also greatly impact the logistics, maintenance and future R&D cycles by utilizing actual usage data rather than estimated. PHASE I: In order to be successful in your Phase I submission, the following must be demonstrated: Identify sensors and data criteria (resolution & sample rate), propose data architecture and strategy, including data storage and transfer methods, and identify potential AI/ML development efforts based on data collection and architecture PHASE II: In order to be successful in your Phase II submission, the following must be demonstrated: Develop base data logger module and data architecture with repository for armament systems and develop specific data logger module for extended range munitions applications PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In order to be successful in your Phase III submission, the following must be demonstrated: Develop Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) based data logger with on the edge AI/ML modules with collected data specific to armament application. REFERENCES: 1. Russell, Stephen, and Tarek Abdelzaher. "The internet of battlefield things: the next generation of command, control, communications and intelligence (C3I) decision-making." MILCOM 2018-2018 IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM). IEEE, 2018 2. “Utilizing Low Cost Sensors on Mortar Platforms for Fire Control Applications”, R. Tillinghast, G. Byrne, S. Sadowski, A. Yu, & M. Wright. Proceedings: NDIA Armaments Systems Forum, Scheduled for April 2016 3. Iyer, Brijesh, and Niket Patil. "IoT enabled tracking and monitoring sensor for military applications." International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management 9.6 (2018): 1294-1301. KEYWORDS: Armament, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Algorithms, Data logging

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Autonomy TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems Technology, Sensors, Electronics and Electronic Warfare OBJECTIVE: This is a Direct to Phase II. The purpose of this topic is to develop a self-contained system for autonomous vehicles that can be used to determine when people are around the vehicle and leverage this information to inform the actions of the autonomous system. RCV-L will be next to soldiers and enemy combatants in the operating environment, therefore necessitating a vehicle that can identify when people or objects are too close. Submissions must utilize and integrate a combination of Hardware and Software to inform the platform / operator of personnel approaching or near the platform. DESCRIPTION: This is a Direct to Phase II. The following are objectives of this topic: provide notice to the platform of unexpected personnel (threats), provide notice to the platform of expected personnel (friendly), provide additional safety controls to protect personnel in close to the vehicle, and develop a system that does not have to be confined to solely body-worn solutions. Currently, the unmanned vehicle operator is responsible for situational awareness of people around the vehicle. It is difficult to have full situational awareness via onboard cameras. Bandwidth limitations restrict video sent to the operator, the operator cannot monitor all video, and the operator’s information may not always be current. Therefore, if successful, the operator and the platform can use sensors and software to recognize people and inhibit the platform from injuring people. PHASE I: This is a direct to Phase II. Please see Phase II for complete instructions on what is necessary to be demonstrated in your Phase II proposal. To demonstrate Phase I success in your Phase II proposal, please utilize commercially available components and pre-existing efforts in your research. PHASE II: This is a direct to Phase II. Please submit a Phase II proposal for this topic, as Phase I efforts are not required. This is an integration effort of commercially available components and pre-existing efforts, rather than being the development of a new technology altogether. There is potential for Phase II efforts to integrate into Surrogate Prototype for testing and data collection; potential for effort to integrate into FSP solution; potential to align to the Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP). Success will be measured through preliminary and Critical Design Reviews; Performance of / improvement in Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) Curves; and Accuracy of tracks. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Further Phase III instructions will be established in detail in the future. There is potential for integration into future RCV-L platforms dependent on maturity and success of Phase II efforts. REFERENCES: 1. J. E. Naranjo, M. Clavijo, F. Jiménez, O. Gómez, J. L. Rivera and M. Anguita, "Autonomous vehicle for surveillance missions in off-road environment," 2016 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV), 2016, pp. 98-103, doi: 10.1109/IVS.2016.7535371. KEYWORDS: Autonomy, Unmanned vehicle, RCV-L

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials OBJECTIVE: Carbon Fiber Hoops will be embedded in the tire under the tread to tension the tire cords to reduce the air pressure required for full load capability and to better control the load distribution at low or zero air pressure. This reduces the load on the run-flat by about 50% and results in increased run-flat range and potentially speed with greater tire stability. With alternative light weight run-flats previously tested with reduced load capability, the expectation is that the overall weight will also be reduced by 20%. DESCRIPTION: The current state of the art tire/run-flat for military ground vehicles is a Michelin or Goodyear tire with a Hutchinson solid rubber inner wheel for run-flat capability with a top speed of 30 mph and a range of 30 miles. The purpose of this topic is to increase run-flat range from 30 miles to 350 miles to support autonomous operations. The overall goals are to increase top run-flat speed from 30 mph to 45 mph, provide the same ride quality and terrain capability as existing pneumatic tires used for the military, esnure tire/runflat cost approximately 10% less than current tire/run-flat, and reduce weight of new HMMWV tire/run-flat by 20% minimum. Previous efforts with industry, academia, and USG entities have focused on trying to solve the problem with either the tire itself (low sidewall tires or other technology that makes the tire stiffer) or a lighter run-flat that typically was also stiffer or overheated with the load capacity required for an up-armored HMMWV. It becomes too much for one technology to do alone. Combining technologies will enable the tire to carry and absorb RFI and mobility loads during X-country operations so a lighter RFI can operate at zero PSI. Proposer should show the development of a tire using carbon fiber hoop technology to reduce the loading on the run-flat by approximately 50%. Pneumatic tires also experience cupping at low tire pressures and this technology can be used to better control the footprint at lower air pressure to reduce ground pressure and improve stability. Additionally, other technology used for extended range runflat capability at lower loadings will be combined with the tire technology to increase range, speed and lower weight & cost. PHASE I: Successfully pass analytical and component testing for load carrying capability and durability. Simulate tire/runflat capability through DADS modeling. PHASE II: Successfully demonstrate ride quality on a HMMWV in GVSC physical simulation lab. Successfully demonstrate operational requirements by qualification testing. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete testing, document ad release for production. Potential Military Application: HMMWV/AMBULANCE and directly to another vehicle using same or similar size tire. Example: SOCOM GMV 1.1 or army variants; other military vehicles, depending on success and scalability. Potential Commercial Application: Logging trucks, construction trucks, mining trucks, power company trucks, oil exploration vehicles, recreational and off-road vehicles, maritime landing vehicles, Security/VIP vehicles, and special cargo vehicles (nuke haulers, etc). Again, especially for differently sized vehicles, depends on success and scalability. Passenger cars and light trucks are examples for regular over the road use. REFERENCES: 1. https://www.homelandsecurity-technology.com/projects/m997a3-tactical-humvee-ambulance/ KEYWORDS: Ground vehicles; tire/run-flat; tire; mobility

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this topic is to develop and implement chassis suspension improvement, especially in the front, to soften and smooth out the ride for patients, as well as attendant, driver, commander. It is equally important to improve initial response to shock loads and set stage for further improvements DESCRIPTION: The objective of this topic includes analyzing loads into ambulance and select/test suspension components, most notably shocks, to lessen loads and impacts of them upon the chassis as a whole. Another objective is to find or generate materials that can be used as padding in open areas to also reduce shock and vibe loads. Finally, proposer should obtain samples suitable for demo/testing in DT and OT settings as well as local command demos, assess any possible lessons from commercial/industrial ambulance experience and hardware setups and develop better understanding of any unique challenges along the way. Currently, the M997A3 uses the same suspension as the main system, but has a different mission actually requiring more sensitivity to terrain effects on “cargo”. The M997A3 currently rarely uses upper bunks and avoids certain required terrain. Other options are either more sensitive to terrain or are much more expensive systems. Intent of this topic is to look past regular HMMWV suspension approaches to see if different items totally, or simply augmented shocks/logic can be put to use, at least on rebound. It will become even more important with the advent of leader/follower for the ambulance or autonomous operation as the attendant will have no warning about obstacles and their shock effects on attendant and patients. PHASE I: Perform modeling/analysis on proposal. Obtain hardware, integrate into project. PHASE II: Improve design, batch with any other needed changes, test in lab, socialize to users, start vehicle testing PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete vehicle testing, decision point, document, release for production/kits. Potential Military Application: HMMV AMBULANCE; other military wheeled vehicle ambulances, assuming success and scalability. Also, perhaps niche application to security/VIP and special cargo vehicles (nuke haulers, etc) with special suspension rebound needs or desired characteristics. Potential Commercial Application: Other wheeled system ambulances, private and public, assuming success and scalability. Perhaps niche application to VIP and special cargo vehicles (nuke haulers, etc) with special suspension rebound needs or desired characteristics. Also, gurneys/people movers, and rail systems. Potentially passenger cars and light trucks for regular over the road use. REFERENCES: 1. https://hmmwvinscale.com/documents/M997A3%20Technical%20Overview%20Packet.pdf KEYWORDS: Suspension; ground vehicles; shock; chassis; autonomous; ambulance

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this topic include the following: develop software / controls / integration that will allow a Variable Speed Fan Drive (VSFD) to be managed to reduce noise from the largest cause of HMMWV noise – the engine cooling fan; manage the thermostat and fan clutch such that it lowers the fan average acoustic signature and lowers the average acoustic detection distance of the HMMWVs; provide for adaptation to other systems, especially those that have been shown to suffer from the same acoustic signature issue; and develop better understanding and remedy for any unique challenges revealed along the way DESCRIPTION: Currently, HMMWV doesn’t attempt to modulate its fan or vehicle noise in any way to prevent detection in any way. However, the new approach from this topic can mitigate the highest risk source of acoustic detection on Army ground combat vehicles. Engine cooling fan noise has been found to be the most significant acoustic detection event on multiple vehicles, like HMMWV. In addition, there is no way for the Warfighter to predict or control exactly when the HMMWV engine cooling fan will be activated and the current fleet controls for the engine cooling fan is either on or off. The HMMWV cooling fan is obviously designed for maximum cooling, so with this type of control logic the engine cooling fan may only be activated for a couple of seconds to reduce the engine coolant temperatures to an acceptable level. With the addition of a variable speed fan drive system the cooling fans in these situations could be activated at a reduced speed and a much lower acoustic detection risk allowing the Warfighter to remain unnoticed by the enemy in many scenarios. PHASE I: Obtain hardware, develop software, integrate, test out and assess impact on reducing noise PHASE II: Improve design, batch with any other needed changes (noise freed up by fixing fan noise), test on several different HMMWV models PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Resolve any issues, document, release for production/kits, export to other systems. Potential Military Application: HMMWV/AMBULANCE. With integration work, this type of technology could be applied to any military vehicle, construction equipment, generator set, or engine/fan-equipped systems. Planes and ships could also utilize it. Potential Commercial Application: With integration work, this type of technology could be applied to any commercial, private or public vehicle, construction equipment, generator set, or engine/fan-equipped systems, that needs to maintain a low noise signature for safety, legal or environmental reasons. Planes, ships, and rail systems could also utilize it. REFERENCES: 1. https://hmmwvinscale.com/documents/M997A3%20Technical%20Overview%20Packet.pdf KEYWORDS: Engine cooling; acoustic detection; Warfighter

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop a highly mobile Tactical Battlefield Recharger (TBR) that can be deployed into an austere battlefield environment to provide a recharge capability for plug-in and all-electric combat vehicles. The Army seeks modular solutions that can be scaled over time to support larger and increased numbers of electrified vehicles as they become more prevalent within the Army inventory. An ideal solution would also be able to provide export power to support forward operating base operations to reduce dependence on generators as well as be capable of accepting power from a host grid to reduce fuel consumption. DESCRIPTION: Currently the Army does not have the ability to recharge an all-electric or plug-in electric tactical or combat vehicle in an austere battlefield environment.  This lack of tactical recharge capability severely restricts the Army’s ability to exploit the advantages of highly electrified military vehicles including persistent silent watch, silent mobility, improved mobility and electrified weapon systems. While there is significant investment that is being made in the area of commercial Electric Vehicle (EV) charging that has applicability to the military market and can be leveraged (particularly with respect to standards and connectors), there does exist several key gaps that must be addressed to provide the Army with a recharge capability for military electric vehicles. • Challenge #1 – Mobility: Commercial battery chargers for the consumer EV and medium duty/heavy duty EV industry are primarily focused on large stationary chargers that leverage preexisting grid infrastructure/resources. The military has an urgent need to develop large chargers that are highly mobile and can be rapidly deployed to austere environments. • Challenge #2 – Reliance on Grid Power: Commercially available chargers for consumer and commercial purposes are almost exclusively hardwired to the grid. Given the austere environments that the military must operate in, the DOD will not be able to assume the existence of grid power and therefore will need to include multi-megawatt power generation within the highly mobile EV battery charger. • Challenge #3 – Charger Size: For the consumer EV market, the power for extreme fast charging is limited to 400kW while the commercial MD/HD chargers are targeting powers up to ~4MW. Given the size of our military vehicles and the desire to simultaneously charge multiple platforms off from a single charger, the DOD will eventually need much larger chargers (scalable to >6+ MW) than what commercial industry is investing in to facilitate widespread adoption of all-electric combat platforms. • Challenge #4 – Environmental Conditions: The environmental conditions (including operational temperature, exposure to salt/sand and shock/vibration) are much more extreme for military operations and are not fully addressed in commercial EV Battery Chargers. To overcome these deficiencies, there is an urgent need to develop an electric combat vehicle Tactical Battlefield recharger (hereafter referred to as TBR) that includes power generation, fuel storage, all associated subsystems, control electronics and vehicle chargers to support military electric vehicle recharge in remote locations. The TBR shall be a self-contained unit (packaged into a 20 foot ISO Container) that is highly mobile and tactical vehicle transportable (HEMTT 10T, PLS 16.5T). The TBR shall be military ruggedized, designed for operation from -46°C to +71°C and designed for ease of maintenance. The TBR shall be able to provide 700kW(T)/1MW(O) of power with designs/concepts provided to show a scalable architecture capable of providing >6MW of power needed to accommodate future power needs for larger military EV platforms or size of the Army inventory of EVs increases. The TBR shall be fueled with JP-8 and have capability with host electrical grid or microgrid connections. The TBR shall include at least two (2) commercial 50kW Level 3 DC Chargers (with the expansion capability of adding at least two (2) additional 50kW chargers) OR one (1) 350kW DC Fast Charger (with the expansion capability of adding two (2) additional 50kW chargers). The TBR shall be capable of providing export power of up to 480VAC, variable frequency to support base operations. The TBR shall have the capability of reduced thermal/acoustic signature operational modes. PHASE I: Identify and determine the engineering, technology, and hardware and software needed to develop this concept. Using the preliminary concept description, design a TBR system that could enable plug-in and all-electric platforms to Army users. This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described in above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Develop and deliver a TBR system (TRL 6) that can be provided as government furnished equipment (GFE) for Army demonstrations of future electric concept vehicles. This phase II effort will award one performer up to $1.7M for an 18 month period of performance. Over the 18 months, the contractor will mature the concepts described in the phase I and description sections to meet the Army requirements and validate the performance. Additional deliveries from this effort would include product documentation that would enable the government to generate a TBR specification for future procurement. In addition, the company will submit quarterly performance reports and a final report not later than (NLT) 30 days from the end of the period of performance (POP). PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This phase will begin to integrate solutions to increase the power output of the TBR and incorporate new/emerging vehicle recharge connections such as wireless power transfer. Furthermore, this phase could explore advancements toward commercialization of the TBR as well as project/funding transition to potential commercial/government partners. REFERENCES: 1. S. Afshar, P. Macedo, F. Mohamed and V. Disfani, “A Literature Review on Mobile Charging Station Technology for Electric Vehicles”, 2020 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference & Expo (ITEC), 2020, pp. 1184-1190, doi: 10.1109/ITEC48692.2020.9161499. 2. S. Hardman et al., “A review of consumer preferences of and interactions with electric vehicle charging infrastructure”, Transportation Research Part D, 62, 2018, 508–523 3. https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/medium-heavy-duty-vehicle-charging.html 4. “Driver’s Checklist: A Quick Guide to Fast Charging.” ChargePoint . Accessible from: https://www.chargepoint.com/files/Quick_Guide_to_Fast_Charging.pdf 5. “When and How to Use DC Fast Charging.” ChargePoint. 2019. https://www.chargepoint.com/blog/when-and-how-use-dc-fast-charging/ KEYWORDS: EV Charger, Tactical Battlefield Recharger, Mobile Chargers, Electric Vehicle (EV), Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PHEV), batteries, power, energy, maintenance

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics; Air Platform The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate a compact lightweight motor-generator system with a controller and a DC/DC converter for future electrified unmanned aircraft system. DESCRIPTION: A motor-generator (M-G) system is a system that can perform three different functions such as engine starting, power boost, and power generation. In the current Army’s unmanned aircraft system (UAS), engine starting is performed by a starter and power generation is achieved with an alternator(s). The M-G system can replace the conventional starter and generator(s) which can significantly reduce the UAS propulsion system weight, thus increase power density of the propulsion system. In addition, it will improve the reliability as the current generators have exhibited serious reliability concerns when it is used in the UAS applications. It also provides more on-board power which is critical for future UAS as it is equipped with more advanced electronics and optics that will require more power for operation. Furthermore, it can be used to boost power when the engine needs more power during take-off and climb. An M-G shall be interfaced with the existing engine in the current Army UAS via the engine crankshaft and/or the generator shafts on the gearbox. This requires axial flux design. The M-G will be powered through and controlled by a lightweight inverter/controller. Both the M-G and the inverter/controller shall be sized to fit into the space available in a target UAS aircraft. The M-G system(s) shall meet the Army requirements described in Phase I.\ PHASE I: Design a compact lightweight M-G system that includes an M-G, inverter/controller, DC/DC converter, electric cables, control cables, and other components to make a complete M-G system. It shall have the capabilities for starting, power boost and power generation. The new M-G system can have either an axial flux design to interface with an engine crankshaft or an axial flux design to interface with the shafts on a gearbox (formerly generator shafts). The axial flux design should be interfaced with the engine crankshaft with a dimension of 300 mm (11.8 inches) diameter by 80 mm (3.15 inches) length. The axial flux design that should be interfaced with the generator shaft on the gearbox should have a dimension of 127 mm (5 inches) diameter by 177 mm (7 inches) length by 177 mm (7 inches) height. The M-G should generate a maximum power of 7 kW to 10 kW, have an intermittent minimum power density of 6 kW/kg, the continuous minimum power density of 3 kW/kg, the maximum speed for the input shaft interface design is 20,000 rpm for generator shaft interface design, the minimum M-G efficiency of 95%, the inverter/controller weight less than or equal to 4 kg, a DC/DC converter with input/output nominal voltage of 28 VDC and the operating temperature of -48 to 49 degC, and the cooling by air, water or oil. Phase 1 deliverables include monthly progress reports describing challenges, technical risk, and progress against schedule, a final technical report, a complete design of the M-G system including control method, analysis data, and CAD models. The expected result is a thorough feasibility study and proof of concept of a compact lightweight M-G system. The results shall also include manufacturability and interface capability with an existing Army UAS. The success of the Phase I will be judged based on the afore-mentioned requirements. It is instructed to review the airworthiness qualification requirements as the compact lightweight M-G is designed (refer to References). This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described in above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate the compact lightweight M-G system selected in Phase 1 under controlled conditions in a laboratory environment. This process shall be required to refine the design as the components are being developed and prototyped. Assess and quantify the capabilities of the compact lightweight M-G system at the UAS relevant operating conditions for starting, power boost, and power generation. The system package shall be considered for the space available in a target UAS aircraft. Phase 2 deliverables include design and all necessary components (hardware and software) of the compact lightweight M-G system (2 sets of M-G systems including controllers and control software), raw/processed/analyzed technical data, monthly progress report, and a final report. The results shall include the performance metrics with respect to the Government requirements. The final design shall satisfy the airworthiness requirements of the Army Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria (AMACC) or operational risk shall be determined. TRL: TRL 4 – component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory environment PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integrate the compact lightweight M-G system into the target Army UAS engine, demonstrate and assess its performance capabilities at all engine and environmental conditions at altitudes up to 25,000 feet and temperatures as low as -40 degC. The M-G system will be integrated into the engine in the way that it will be installed in an aircraft. This will require the redesign of a gearbox both in the interface and the torque requirement to accommodate the newly designed M-G system. Phase III goals will include: ● Performance demonstration in the Government altitude facility. ● Performance and capability measurement in all engine operating conditions at altitudes up to 25,000 ft and temperatures as low as -40 degC. ● Compact design to fit into the space in the target aircraft. ● Acceptable system weight for efficient and effective use in the target UAS aircraft. ● Technical data and technical reports retaining the outcomes. ● Product documentation detailing the operation of the M-G system. ● Monthly progress reports describing all technical challenges, technical risks, and progress against the schedule. ● Final technical report. REFERENCES: 1. Honeywell Aerospace: https://aerospace.honeywell.com/us/en/learn/products/engines/starter-generators 2. Army Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria (AMACC), “Airworthiness qualification requirements – engine control system components and engine accessories (Appendix E),” Rev A, Change 2, April 9, 2021, US Army: https://www.avmc.army.mil/Directorates/SRD/TechDataMgmt/ KEYWORDS: Motor-generator, M-G, Inverters, unmanned aircraft system, UAS, Starting, Power boost, Power generation, altitude, aviation, performance

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Autonomy TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors; Battlespace OBJECTIVE: This topic is a Direct to Phase II. The purpose of this topic is to improve the performance of perception used for the autonomous mobility of ground systems. As some solutions may improve one challenge area, and other solutions may improve several challenge areas, four topics were combined into one program. Companies have the option to choose any or all four challenge areas they have the capability to satisfy. The ideal sensing solutions are ones that can integrate as many of the four challenge areas as feasible (see description). DESCRIPTION: While current sensor technology is capable for basic autonomous mobility, there are many challenges that still exist. Sensors have difficultly with vegetation, light levels, negative obstacles, natural obscurants, and ranges that impact high speed travel. Improve one or more of the following autonomous mobility sensing challenges: Off Road Sensing; Adverse Weather Sensing; Long Range Sensing; Reduction in Processing Burden. The purpose of this topic is to investigate and identify sensor solutions to improve challenges to autonomous mobility. As we expect companies can solve several problems with one solution, the request has identified 4 areas of improvement. Current military autonomous ground mobility perception primarily uses LIDAR, and secondarily EO/IR cameras. Lighting conditions, classifying vegetation, negative obstacles (holes), fog/rain/dust/snow, long range resolution, and time to process images are all limitations. Improvement in any of these areas would improve autonomous ground mobility. The Army seeks commercial market solutions for on-road applications with the potential for modification for miliatry use to improve the data used in autonomous mobility software. PHASE I: This topic is a direct to phase II. The commercial market for these autonomous sensing enhancements is at a high enough TRL for this to be a Phase II. As part of the submission package, the proposing company will be mandated to include specific tangible metrics within each of the sub-areas (i.e. see “x” number of yards in foggy conditions”) they are proposing to. The company will be asked to hit or make tangible progress towards these metrics at the demonstration event with PdM RCV that will occur 11 months into the Direct-to-Phase II award. The company submissions package will also need to validate with data why the metrics they will hit are on par with or superior to what is currently commercially available (and thus why a Phase I is not necessary). PHASE II: The topic will be a Direct to Phase II, as it is an integration effort of commercially available components and pre-existing efforts, rather than being the development of a new technology. For this phase, companies are requited to provide a detailed plan for modification and implementation of the challenge areas chosen, define objectives for field testing, conduct testing, deliver integration plan along with final report and integrated prototype. As discussed above, at 11 months after receiving the initial Phase II award, a progress evaluation at the demonstration event will be conducted. At this point companies that demonstrate sufficient progress towards the technical requirements they initially proposed will receive an additional $300K per topic area (up to $1.2M for all four areas). At the end of the Phase II, the desired outcome will be to test these solutions at one of the RCV-L MTA-RP program’s multiple cycles of design, build, and test efforts with Surrogate Prototype platforms for FY23-FY25. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Potential for integration into future RCV(L) platforms enabling PEO GCS and other Army autonomous systems to function in a greater variety of environments, preparing them for warfighting in any environment (depends on maturity and success of Phase II efforts). Given the strong intersections with the commercial autonomous vehicle sector, leveraging the SBIR construct to bring in high-performing commercial sensing technologies and provide them the funding and the knowledge to properly integrate with pre-existing government work will significantly reduce the risk to the government working with these companies down the line as well as integration costs within the program for these sensing solutions. The results of the Phase III could also help augment the ability of commercial autonomous vehicles to navigate in adverse environments—a challenge the market is currently struggling with. REFERENCES: 1. Robotic Combat Vehicle Light, Robotic Combat Vehicle–Light (RCV-L), United States of America (army-technology.com) KEYWORDS: autonomy; sensors; mobility; lighting

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Biotechnology Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this topic are to (1) demonstrate a bio-based materials in fabric/ material applications that provide matching or exceeding performance in safety, fit, form and function, (2) achieve enhanced supportability for seat belts, seat covers, canvas covers, covers of all kinds, and (3) achieve longer time to detection by using natural materials for camouflage purposes instead of the standard synthetic glossy or reflective materials marketed as camouflage. DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this topic is to find or generate materials that can be used in target areas that are not just domestically grown, much less costly, and environment-renewing but are weavable or printable in CONUS, as opposed to having to source non Berry Amendment items from overseas, develop sources for development, processing and production between the raw growers and the US Army acquisition system, obtain samples suitable for demo/testing in target areas, such as seat belting, camouflage covers, and seat material, and to meet Berry Amendment requirements for critical materials; improve camo material to be less visible; revive American fabrics industry. Currently, DoD acquires various Fabric/Materials that are not manufactured in the US. Many woven products, seat belt webbing especially, is produced in countries that do not meet Berry Amendment requirements. Also, bio-based materials exist to address certain applications, however, items such as seat belts have not been woven or certified for safety use. Bio-based materials have not been woven into camouflage covers or seating material to determine their feasibility in use. Although they used to be used for everything back in the day. Working closely with Ford and others, we’ve learned that integration of Bio-Based materials is possible with little or no disruption to the customer, and improvement of products for users. Wide spread availability of various types of Bio-Based materials that would otherwise be disposed of or incinerated have the potential of being utilized. The 2018 Farm Bill has supported and spawned a huge growing base already. Taking novel materials and subjecting them through mature manufacturing processes will help bring the items to maturity faster The success of this topic will create a foundation for future bio-based material integration, reduced cost, and Berry Amendment adherence, in an uncertain age regarding foreign cooperation. The metrics will be equivalent or better safety performance, durability, user interface, manufacturability, ability to camouflage, revitalized American industry and farming, updated/replaced specs/TDPs, and any possible weight reduction for newer production systems. PHASE I: Develop sample of bio-based material to ensure feasibility of production; Receive representative material coupons/samples; Conduct testing against baseline materials PHASE II: Construct and test samples of completed assemblies (Seats, Seat Belts, Covers, Etc.); Conduct field, safety, performance, and durability testing vs. existing baseline systems. A midterm assessment will occur and consist of evaluation of component technologies in lab, maturity of production process and facility availability, and overall progress. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Manufacture Seats, Seat Belts, Covers, with new material; Integrate into other manufacturers of similar products. Potential Final Demonstration: System integration lab demonstration of bio-based material and vehicle integration/demonstration in vehicle testing and user evaluation and feedback compared to current hardware REFERENCES: 1. "Example of bio-based textile research: Warlin N, Nilsson E, Guo Z, et al. Synthesis and melt-spinning of partly bio-based thermoplastic poly(cycloacetal-urethane)s toward sustainable textiles. Polym Chem. 2021;12(34):4942-4953. doi:10.1039/d1py00450f 2. Argument to move towards more bio-based textiles: D’Itria E, Colombi C. Biobased Innovation as a Fashion and Textile Design Must: A European Perspective. Sustainability. 2022; 14(1):570. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010570" KEYWORDS: Bio-based; materials; manufacturing; textiles; clean technology

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors, Battlespace, Weapons The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this SBIR is to advance the state-of the-art of counter directed energy weapons technologies and develop countermeasures for high energy lasers and/or high power microwave weapons systems in the future with specific application to aircraft through the application of coatings technologies. Specifically, this SBIR seeks to develop specific items for any U.S. weapon system, or systems, to improve the survivability characteristics of aircraft, to provide protection and maintain established performance capabilities when attacked by High Energy, Directed Energy Weapons (DEW), with minimal time to employ, apply, conduct maintenance on, or avoid cost or have significant performance system impacts. DESCRIPTION: With improved performance in both high energy lasers (HEL) and High Power Microwaves (HPM), the susceptibility of aircraft, their stores, weapons systems and their sensors used in seekers or targeting system could be seen as degraded in a war fighting environment when they encountering high power DEW effects. Recent interest in protection of both Manned Air Platforms and Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAV) and their sensor suites is of particular interest. Existing protection solutions are often taken on a case by case basis, and not cost effective or easily replicated/produced. Recently, a focus on quick reaction, “fat fieldable” solutions that utilize paints, “stick on” coverings, or other applied coating methods have been growing in interest. In fact, a limited capability that could be extended may provide services an immediate solution – while enhancements are co-developed and tested with the government resources. Many military requirements as well as commercial protection requirements for electromagnetic radiofrequency interference (EMI/RfI) shielding – such as electrical conductive tapes or electromagnetic paints used in reproduction industries. Therefore, innovations in thin, easy to apply, small, low-density (kg/cm3), with efficient “in field” application for aircraft protection that has a commercial analog or that leverages similar EMI/RfI applications trade space is highly desirable. Specifications for such an application are as follows: • Low cost to manufacture in small quantities: (goal) Less than $10,000 per application/unit or aircraft (e.g. JSF/F-35 or Blackhawk/H-60) in lots of tens (maximum) or less than $100,000 per unit in lots of one hundred. • Low time to install: (goal) None, (maximum) Less than 1 day/unit • Ease of application (Goal: in field by untrained or minimally trained staff, in hangar/protected bay) • Operating Environment: (goal) >100 deg. C, (minimum) -40 deg. C, 100% humidity • Cooling: (goal) none, (possibly) conductively cooled by air • Power Consumption: (goal) environmentally powered or none PHASE I: In Phase I of this effort the contractor shall assess the various approaches identified for their specific proposal on Counter DEW Techniques. They will provide a trade analysis on the costs and benefits of these approaches relative to size, weight, efficiency, cooling requirements, production potential and cost. Based upon the findings of the trade study, a detailed design for such a device with performance projections shall be developed. For example, a sample device or test panel (60cm x 60cm x 5cm thick) could be submitted to the government for testing at the end of Phase I. The test item or section shall be designed to meet expected air platform operational performance requirements after being tested for HPM & Rf protective properties. The government will use MIL-STD-464 applicable field levels and HPM pulse characteristics for testing, which shall be determined by the government testing activity based on operational scenarios, tactics, and mission profiles using authenticated threat and source data such as Capstone Threat Assessment Reports. Classified threat information shall not be shared in Phase I. Further, testing is not a requirement, and may be applicable only if specifically invoked by the interested service or procuring activity, and only then will be coordinated after Phase I is completed and the submission of the deliverable test article or panel. Compliance shall be verified by system, subsystem, and equipment level tests, analysis, or a combination thereof. The phase I design descriptive will be a deliverable that shall describe the techniques used to mate or install the proposed system into the platform or test article and document expectations (e.g. reduction of dB of shielding vs. frequency) for performance, as well as the cost impact of the solution when compared to the baseline "all up round production cost" (AURPC) for an unimproved aircraft or platform. In general, documented cost goal increases of less than 1.5% are encouraged per AURPC in order to enable transition to an acquisition program office. Trend analysis and projections shall be presented against generic commercially available systems whenever available. Unique characteristics of the protection scheme may outweigh some systems performance expectations, and are encouraged for submission for consideration under service Science and Technology (S&T) program funding. Leveraging of other SBIR products is also encouraged. The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in their statement of work in Phase I. Considerations for future collaborations with the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and/or New Zealand in the Phase I is a potential, but may, depending on the technology, not be possible. PHASE II: In Phase II of this effort the contractor shall build a suitable number of prototype devices or unit amounts (e.g. liters) to allow for experimentation, testing and demonstration. A demonstration of the developed units/devices/coatings must show that the specified minimum requirements, specifically for spectral and spatial properties, are either met or exceeded. Application method testing to multiple government specified or provided test articles is expected. Depending on the application, the effort may make several, or only a few prototypes to prove and test the effectiveness of various techniques used. In some cases, the development of a material countermeasure or counter-technique may require access to classified information, and therefore may become classified in Phase II. In those cases, an establishment of a "need to know" and a suitable Department of Defense, Contract Security Classification Specification, Form DD254, will be executed. This may not be required in every case, but is expected for most circumstances and implementation discussions. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In Phase III, the contractor shall work with the government to conduct a low rate initial production (LRIP) study on a specific design or designs resulting from the developed solution sets in Phase I & II, possibly using representative DEW systems intended to defeat air platforms or weapons systems at kilometers of distance. In some cases, the development of a material countermeasure or counter-technique may require access to classified information, and therefore the Phase III effort may also become classified. In those cases, an establishment of a "need to know" and a suitable Department of Defense, Contract Security Classification Specification, Form DD254, shall be executed. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Laser eye safety and HPM protection systems are required for numerous civil and commercial applications including telecommunications. This work is currently performed with Rf, EM and eye hazardous laser sources, which force systems to be protected or operators to fly at altitudes that keep the eye hazard to a minimum, or use other bulky and expensive protection for electronics, such as EMI faraday cages in flight avionic bays. A simple, easy to apply protection capability for safely working around high power microwaves or high energy laser sources would positively impact this business area. REFERENCES: 1. Journal of Aircraft Survivability, published by the Joint Aircraft Survivability Program Office (https://www.jasp-online.org/asjournal/ ) 2. Journal of Directed Energy, available from the Directed Energy Professional Society, (http://www.deps.org/DEPSpages/DEjournal.html ) 3. Mil-STD-464 “DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INTERFACE STANDARD: ELECTROMAGNETIC ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS, REQUIREMENTS FOR SYSTEMS” 4. "Laser Illumination in the Cockpit: prank or terrorism?" Connor, C. W. , Aviation Security International 11, no. 1 (February 2005): 8-12 5. Jane’s Unconventional Weapons Response Handbook. Sullivan, John P. et al. 6. High Energy Laser (HEL) Lethality Data Collection Standards; Jorge Beraun, Charles LaMar, J. Thomas Schriempf, Robert Cozzens, William Laughlin, David Loomis, Barry Price, Ralph Rudder, and Craig Walters; Directed Energy Professional Society, Albuquerque, New Mexico (2007) 7. High Power Microwaves, Second Edition ; James Benford, Edl Schamiloglu; CRC Press, New York (2007), ISBN-13: 9780750307062 8. Proceedings, Seventh Annual Directed Energy Test and Evaluation Conference, available from the Directed Energy Professional Society, (http://www.deps.org/DEPSpages/DEjournal.html ) Albuquerque, NM, 2008 KEYWORDS: Aircraft, Survivability, Protection, Elecromagnetics, High Power Microwave; HPM; Directed Energy, Weapons (DEW); Counter Directed Energy (CDEW), Weapons, Lasers; High Energy Lasers; HEL; Laser Protection

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Autonomy TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems, Human Systems OBJECTIVE: Develop a solution that passively uploads wearable data from assigned commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) wearables on DoD personnel to a human performance data management system that replaces a traditional intermediary device (i.e. mobile phone, tablet, etc.) with a hotspot (or designated location/base station). Solution may be hardware and software based. Primary concern is service members with wearable sensors not syncing their devices to personal phones or direct connection via USB. Providing a proximity-based solution that pulls the associated data within its range allows for consistent data ingest and reduces human error. Potentially, solution should eliminate the need for personal-use device (i.e. mobile phone, tablet, etc.) or manual USB upload for future commercial wearables needed in a training environment. DESCRIPTION: Key capabilities of this system could include but are not limited to: 1. Physical solution, hub, or hotspot that is mobile and has a maximum range through Bluetooth or other acceptable connection for a wide range of COTS wearables 2. Hub capable of identifying assigned wearables, connects & pulls cached information from the device, and pushes the collected information to a human performance data management system or designated storage mechanism (local/remote) on associated CSP. 3. Data push likely from associated APIs to assigned COTS wearables 4. Able to extract data from the wearable sensor without the human activating the device, thereby removing the human element from the loop to upload information. PHASE I: Design proof of concept solution for a physical hub that passively collects & uploads wearable data from assigned commercial off-the-shelf wearables on DoD personnel to a human performance data management system that replaces a traditional intermediary device (i.e. mobile phone, tablet, etc.). Design should include hardware and software integration, communication solution to commercial cloud services with potential to move to military networks. Solution should eliminate the need for personal-use devices (i.e. mobile phone, tablet, etc.) or manual USB upload for current & future commercial wearables needed in a training environment. Final deliverable will be a concept design presentation, proof of technology demonstration inclusive of compatibility with assigned commercial COTS wearables provided by the Army, and plans for follow-on Phase 2 work. This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described in above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Demonstrate a prototype physical hub that passively collects & uploads wearable data from assigned commercial off-the-shelf wearables on DoD personnel to a human performance data management system that replaces a traditional intermediary device (i.e. mobile phone, tablet, etc.). Vendor will embed and develop said prototype to conform to listed parameters throughout a 12 month process. It is incumbent on the vendor to provide proposed, iterative deliverables over 12 months (or sooner) to complete the identified solution. Vendors will incur payment over time based on known deliverable checkpoints. Deliverables can include discovery work with the unit up to 60 days into the scope. Vendors will interact with a battalion size unit (~600 soldiers) in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY that are equipped with an Oura Ring, Polar Grit X, and Readiband. All of these assigned wearables need to have information pulled via hub and transferred to the associated human performance data management system, Smartabase. Potential solutions can iterate and the ability to test potential solutions with the unit is available free of charge. Solutions will be evaluated on ease of setup, security, consistency of capture, adaptability to wearable devices, and potential for military network accessibility. Access to Soldiers during the touchpoints for feedback is free of charge, and companies should include the estimated cost of travel (assume monthly multi day trips to Fort Drum, NY for set-up, iterative prototyping, final product delivery & testing) to these touchpoints in their budget. Companies should also include a two-day trip for an in-person outbrief to Natick, MA. In addition, virtual touch points with other relevant Army stakeholders will occur throughout the period of performance. In addition to the Phase II deliverable of a prototype for extended Soldier touch points, companies will provide deliverable and final reports detailing performance and associated deliverables, any iterative adjustments based on user feedback, and final product details. The final report should also include plans to adopt solution onto a military network with associated security protocols and logical access points. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The objective of Phase III, where appropriate, is for the small business to pursue commercialization objectives through the effort. Companies will iterate on the physical prototype as needed, make modifications to adapt to the required COTS wearables as identified through extended Soldier touch points and create a usable hub for transfer of COTS wearable data to the data management system without personal-use devices. Phase III deliverables include a demonstrable prototype of a physical hub that passively collects & uploads wearable data from assigned commercial off-the-shelf wearables on DoD personnel to a human performance data management system that replaces a traditional intermediary device (i.e. mobile phone, tablet, etc.). REFERENCES: 1. AI and the Future of Retail - https://corporate.walmart.com/IRL/ o Walmart Unveils New AI-Powered Store to Monitor Inventory (But No Cashierless Checkout) https://thespoon.tech/walmart-unveils-new-ai-powered-store-to-monitor-inventory-but-no-cashierless-checkout/ 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3274182/ 3. Leveraging Cognitive Services to simplify inventory tracking | Azure Blog and Updates - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/leveraging-cognitive-services-to-simplify-inventory-tracking/ (ID different drills on construction sites) KEYWORDS: Human performance optimization, HPO, Team sync, wearables, sensors, sensor synchronization, data upload, data sync

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: AI/ML TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials; Electronics OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this topic is to utilize Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) in conjunction with an in-line process control systems in order to identify defects in energetic fills of munitions including, but not limited to: cracks, voids, gaps, foreign material and chemical agent leakage. Proposal should leverage existing vision and process control system technology and energetic defect characterization studies to detect, define and decide in real time to eliminate defective parts leaving a production floor. The objective is to develop a high accuracy vision system capable of being scaled to images ranging from primers to small caliber to artillery sized energetic billets, with adaptable power to penetrate various packaging materials. DESCRIPTION: In current times, energetic filled parts are inspected for defects during manufacturing processes utilizing x-ray equipment. Critical defects are inspected 100%, especially for items such as Excalibur, in support of the LRPF CFT using a pass/fail criteria. Each load plant has at least basic x ray capability, and Armaments Center has lab scale X ray and CT capability but neither meet the required need to find, identify and mark for culling any critical defects. AI/ML paired with a visual processing system will allow for efficient, correct identification of defects in energetic fills and assembly. AI/ML which builds upon energetic defect modeling will allow production plants to properly identify critical defects which cannot be sent to the field. Rejected parts will be culled from manufactured lots, reducing potential for incidents in the field due to undetected defects Overall, a Visual system paired with a trained AI/ML model can be inserted as an in-line step in all energetic manufacturing without adding significant delay to manufacturing. Proposal should integrate a scalable visual processing control system, capable of correctly and repeatedly identifying defects in energetic fills, ranging in size from primers up to a 155mm energetic billet, with an AI/ML algorithm which identifies defect type and severity for culling from production lots. Defects presently include, but are not limited to: cracks, voids, gaps, foreign material and chemical agent leakage. PHASE I: Provide feasibility study to ensure all safety and material handling requirements have been addressed for utilizing a vision system in conjunction with energetic materials. PHASE II: Develop lab scale visual processing system capable of consistent and repeatable energetic defect detection at correct position to adequately capture defect (up to 50 mm energetic fills); Develop database of defects correlated to imaging data for several energetic items; Create and train lab scale models to identify defects for several end items. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Scale up lab scale system to pilot (up to 105mm) and then production scale (up to 155mm) for in-line defect detection in manufacturing scale processes while maintaining high resolution at necessary speed and scale. While the explosive nature of this topic makes it niche, the visual inspection of primers allows for applications in mining, food packaging, and microelectronics.   REFERENCES: 1. Engel, W., Herrmann, M., 2001. Lattice Imperfections of Energetic Materials Measured by X Ray Diffraction. Defense Technical Information Center Technical Report from Fraunhofer Institut fur Chemische Technologie 2. Baker, E., Sharp, M., 2018. Gun Launch and Setback Actuators, 2018 Insensitive Munitions & Energetic Materials Technology Symposium Portland, OR; Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (NATO), Brussels, Belgium 3. Trujillo, D., Guziewski, M, Coleman, S., 2019. Machine Learning for Predicting Properties of Silicon Carbide Grain Boundaries; Defense Technical Information Center Technical Report from Army Research Laboratory KEYWORDS: Energy; Defects; AI/ML; Assembly

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Biotechnology, Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this topic is to demonstrate engineered hardwoods capability to replace critically endangered Asian Apitong species that are currently being utilized as trailer decking. This prototype/testing effort will proactively manage the obsolescence of Apitong as it nears extinction, by; • Exploring sustainable engineered domestic hardwood product sourcing • Revitalizing American small business forest industries/workforce • Resulting in trailer fleet lifecycle cost savings. The replacement shall be capable of providing the same or improved benefits over the existing decking in terms of life, service, structural properties, durability and reliability. Further objectives for this project include: utilizing industry established American Wood Protection Assoc. (AWPA) lab and environmental field exposure test protocols; conducting Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association (TTMA) based cyclic load testing on test beds at set accelerated environmental exposure intervals; and avoiding obsolescence of Apitong decking due to it becoming extinct (classified as critically-endangered by IUCN 1998). In the end, success in this project will provide a domestic alternative and monetary cost savings. DESCRIPTION: Currently, Apitong decking requires replacement up to 5 times over a 40 year lifecycle, resulting in downtime, steel structural damage, and an estimated lifecycle cost of $20,000 per trailer (in today’s dollars, at $4,000 each to re-deck every 8 years). Today’s alternatives to Apitong are being researched. Upon testing, a replacement can be developed that will be capable of providing equivalent or better performance over Apitong. This prototype effort will proactively manage the obsolescence of Apitong as it nears extinction, by: exploring sustainable panelized laminated/engineered domestic hardwood product sourcing, revitalizing American small business forest industries/workforce, and result in trailer fleet lifecycle cost savings. Among all currently available options for Tactical Trailer decking, including metals/plastics, US hardwood products are the most: environmentally friendly (negative carbon footprint), sustainable, robust, tractive, and cost-effective material that can perform well in a wide range of; temperature, relative humidity, anti-spark, and salinity conditions. Vehicle readiness will increase by avoiding future potential non-mission-capable dead-line situations. Additionally, ‘Buy American’ and Trade Agreements Act compliance achieved. The project will result in an increased understanding of materials and potential industrial base production-implementation challenges. PHASE I: Design, Develop, and Evaluate Domestic Hardwood Replacement prototypes, in scaled form, IAW the following protocols: a. Industry established American Wood Protection Assoc. (AWPA) lab and environmental field exposure test protocols. b. Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association (TTMA) based cyclic load testing will be conducted on test beds at set accelerated environmental exposure intervals. c. The offeror shall demonstrate the capabilities of the prototype in simulated operational environments that demonstrate loading, unloading, cribbing, and abuse (examples: track vehicle turning, tracked vehicle sudden stop, overloading events, and other events consistent with trailer usage). In addition to technical merit, feasibility, commercial potential and performance quality will be determined at this time based on the results. PHASE II: Offeror shall demonstrate the down selected Domestic Hardwood Replacement on a military trailer platform IAW the following protocols: a. Industry established American Wood Protection Assoc. (AWPA) lab and environmental field exposure test protocols. b. Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association (TTMA) based cyclic load testing will be conducted on test beds at set accelerated environmental exposure intervals. c. The offeror shall demonstrate the capabilities in an operational environment that demonstrates loading, unloading, cribbing, and abuse (examples: track vehicle turning, tracked vehicle sudden stop, overloading events, and other events consistent with trailer usage). Upon successful completion and review by ESAs/SMEs the offer shall have created detailed drawings, manufacturing plans, to support Phase III implementation PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Pursue small business commercialization objectives from the above efforts, including supply chain establishment and formalization of competitive DoD decking specification. This topic is mainly geared towards truck and trailer decking, which will have a significant impact on both military and commercial use cases. As this species of hardwood nears extinction, this engineered hardwood could also be used in more applications that currently utilize Apitong. REFERENCES: Hardwood Review Weekly; 2020, October 2; Volume 36, Issue 2; Hardwood Publishing, Charlotte, NC. Hardwood Review eGlobal Asia; 2020, September; Hardwood Publishing, Charlotte, NC. Kukachka, B. F. 1970. Properties of imported tropical woods. Conference of Tropical Hardwoods held at the State University College of Forestry, Syracuse University, August 18-21, 1969. U.S. Dep. Agric. For. Serv. Res. Pap. FPL 125. For. Prod. Lab., Madison, Wis. National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA). 2019. RULES FOR THE MEASUREMENT & INSPECTION OF HARDWOOD & CYPRESS. Memphis, Tennessee. USDA Forest Service. Forest Products Laboratory. Tropical timbers of the world, by Martin Chudnoff. Madison, Wis., Forest Prod. Lab., For. Serv., USDA, 1979. 831 p. USDA Forest Service. Forest Products Laboratory. 2010. Wood handbook—Wood as an engineering material. General Technical Report FPL-GTR-190. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 508 p. USDA Forest Service. 2020. Forests of New York, 2019. Resource Update FS-250. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 2 p. https://doi.org/10.2737/FS-RU-250 KEYWORDS: Sustainability; Materials; Hardwood; Decking; Truck/Trailer

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: Future fleet and hybrid propulsion aircraft will need advanced power management systems that can monitor and adjust loads throughout the power system to accommodate mission requirements. Such a system must be capable of rapid load shed for emergency operations. This topic is considered an open source/publicly available model basis. Please follow GPR rights to optimized architecture using MOSA and FACE standards. DESCRIPTION: Currently, power management on board rotorcraft is basic with loads controlled by individual breakers in series. These limitations prevent optimal use of the available power and have limited capacity for robust control algorithms. These inefficiencies result in wasted fuel and increased emissions. The purpose of this topic is to develop advanced power management technology applicable to future fleet and hybrid/electric propulsion aircraft resulting in significant fuel savings. A 1% increase in fuel efficiency can result in millions of gallons of fuel savings for the fleet over the course of a year. Proposer must be able to demonstrate the following: • Develop advanced power management modeling capability • Develop an optimized power management system architecture for the UH-60 platform with scalable architecture for FVL platform applications • Build and validate component level hardware & software in laboratory testing • Demonstrate power management system in systems integration laboratory and vehicle integration demonstration Upon success, electrical power systems will become more efficient and lightweight reducing the fuel burn needed to supply them while providing increased electrical power capability. Success will be measured through efficiency improvements (fuel burn, electrical efficiency), weight reductions, and reduced pilot workload (Bedford Scale) through power system automation. PHASE I: Develop power management architecture framework for UH-60 to form basis for further electrical power system advancements. PHASE II: Conceptual design of advanced architecture(s) for UH-60 that is applicable to FVL. Architecture(s) will include advanced components and software concepts culminating in a down-select to an optimized architecture. Advanced software development to FACE standards based on optimized architecture design; Software and hardware integration compatibility bench demonstration, leading to UH-60 architecture software and component integration for validation testing in a systems integration laboratory. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integration of software/hardware into UH-60 platform for limited ground and flight demonstration While this topic was originally geared towards aviation use cases, this technology can be strongly applicable to electric vehicle use cases. With the proliferation of this tech, there is a higher chance of commercial EV adoption. REFERENCES: Ali AM, Söffker D. Towards Optimal Power Management of Hybrid Electric Vehicles in Real-Time: A Review on Methods, Challenges, and State-Of-The-Art Solutions. Energies. 2018; 11(3):476. https://doi.org/10.3390/en11030476 KEYWORDS: Power management; Energy efficiency; Software Integration; Power system

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials; Battlespace; Human Systems; Information systems; Air platform; Ground Sea OBJECTIVE: The xTech/SBIR Clean Tech competition aims to accelerate the integration of technology solutions for crucial Army capability gaps within the clean tech focus areas. The competition is an opportunity for eligible entities to pitch their transformative technology solutions directly to the U.S. Army. In addition to cash prizes, participants will receive operationally-relevant and technical feedback from Army and Department of Defense experts on proposed ideas submitted to this competition, direct exposure to key stakeholders, and the potential for SBIR contracts. This competition is sponsored by the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology). As the Army aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, by 2030, ASA(ALT) is committed to that mission through supporting technological innovation and utilizing the Army xTech and Army SBIR programs to help in achieving the Army’s overarching goals. The ASA(ALT) recognizes that the U.S. Army must enhance engagements with small businesses by (1) understanding the spectrum of ‘world-class’ technologies being developed commercially within the clean tech realm, that may benefit the Army, (2) integrating the sector of commercial innovators into the Army’s Science and Technology ecosystems, and (3) providing mentorship and expertise to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies of interest to the Army. DESCRIPTION: The xTech/SBIR Clean Tech competition is seeking novel, disruptive concepts and technology solutions that have both civilian and military applications (dual use capabilities) that can assist in tackling the Army’s current needs and be applied to current Army concepts. The intent is to provide the Army with transformative technology solutions while enabling cost savings throughout the Army systems life-cycle. Participants can submit applications on any solution related to clean tech that might apply to the Army’s current needs. Below is a list of key focus areas for this competition, but eligible entities can submit on solutions outside of these areas that are related to clean tech. • Clean Energy Generation: The U.S. Army is looking for reliable and affordable ways to generate energy from renewable, zero-emission, non-polluting sources. This includes solar, wind, water, nuclear, thermal, and waste-to-energy based energy solutions or a combination of these alone or with legacy DOD power generation systems. • Clean Energy Storage: Clean Energy Storage focuses around energy storage systems (batteries, capacitors, hybrid devices, and DC/DC converters) and the technology solutions to optimize single cell, modules, and vehicle-packaged cost, performance, safety, life, abuse tolerance, recycling, and sustainability within production, use, and disposal processes. • Clean Micro Grid: Clean micro grids focuses on devices and controlling digital information systems that optimize the efficiency, reliability, and security of grid-delivered power. This includes management, energy storage, metering & monitoring, AI grid optimization, sensors, diagnostics/prognostics, and analytics. • Electric Transportation: Electric transportation focuses on software and hardware solutions for electric and hybrid-electric systems for vehicles and aviation. This includes the supporting infrastructure for operational energy availability and sustainment. Components may include platform rechargers with our without power generation sources, range extenders, and battery technologies. • Clean Industry Tech. Clean Industry Tech puts focus on overall sustainability of industrial processes and associated supply chains. This area emphasizes emissions minimization and efficiency maximization. Solutions sought includes altering manufacturing processes to decrease resource consumption, generate sustainable power and fuels, and develop alternatives for environmentally harmful or scarce materials. PHASE I: Companies will complete a feasibility study that demonstrates the firm’s competitive technical advantage relative to other commercial products (if other products exist) and develop concept plans for how the company’s technology can be applied to Army modernization priority areas. Studies should clearly detail and identify a firm’s technology at both the individual component and system levels, provide supporting literature for technical feasibility, highlight existing performance data, showcase the technology’s application opportunities to a broad base of customers outside the defense space, a market strategy for the commercial space, how the technology directly addresses the Army’s modernization area as well as include a technology development roadmap to demonstrate scientific and engineering viability. At the end of Phase I, the company will be required to provide a concept demonstration of their technology to demonstrate a high probability that continued design and development will result in a Phase II mature product. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential military and/or commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Produce prototype solutions that will be easy to operate by a Soldier. These products will be provided to select Army units for further evaluation by the soldiers. In addition, companies will provide a technology transition and commercialization plan for DOD and commercial markets. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete the maturation of the company’s technology developed in Phase II to TRL 6/7 and produce prototypes to support further development and commercialization. The Army will evaluate each product in a realistic field environment and provide small solutions to stakeholders for further evaluation. Based on soldier evaluations in the field, companies will be requested to update the previously delivered prototypes to meet final design configuration. REFERENCES: https://www.arl.army.mil/xtechsearch/competitions/xtechsbircleantech.html KEYWORDS: Clean Energy; renewable energy; energy storage; micro-grid; electric transportation; hybrid-electric; clean industry; sustainability; emissions

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors; Air platform OBJECTIVE: NVESD through MANTECH has matured a high dynamic range, Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) 3K X 3K Focal Plane Array (FPA). The Apache pilots desire a staring pilotage sensor in place of the current gimballed design to reduce latency and cockpit workload while increasing safety. This project would re-package the Integrated Detector Cooler Assembly (IDCA) to be more suitable for aircraft integration and stitch together three of the cameras to produce a seamless forward looking hemispherical image. DESCRIPTION: Currently the AH-64E helicopter uses the Lockheed Martin Pilot Night Vision Sensor (PNVS) which is a mechanically gimbaled sensor that rotates and pivots. The IDCA is a second generation scanned 480 x 4 detector array which has the potential for becoming unsupported in the future. The purpose of this topic is to repackage the IDCA and lens developed to support the LWIR 3Kx3K FPA into an integratable camera design. Stitch the camera imagery together to produce a staring sensor system. Conduct performance testing. Produce test reports. Deliver prototype miniaturized camera. This large FPA and staring design configuration will increase sensor range as well as reduce the need for replacement or repair of the existing mechanically gimbaled PNVS system. The staring sensor configuration has no moving parts which will decrease any mechanical wear or breakage. A staring approach will eliminate latency and provide 2 simultaneous video streams to each pilot which will increase safety. PHASE I: Integrate and design the 3Kx3K FPA into a miniaturized camera assembly. Deliver miniaturized Camera Design Documentation. PHASE II: Design interfaces and integrate the miniaturized camera on to an AH-64E Army helicopter. Design must fit into same volume as the existing LM PNVS system. The design shall be a staring, non-gimbaled configuration. Deliver integration and Interface Design Documentation. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This technology has commercial helicopter and maritime applications, enabling pilots and unmanned systems to see in dark and adverse weather conditions REFERENCES: Industry Growth Insight, Mordor Intelligence, Allied Market Research KEYWORDS: Sensor; night vision; camera; imagery; latency

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Biotechnology Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics; Materials OBJECTIVE: This SBIR Direct to Phase II project will design and develop a 1 kW Enzyme based Fuel Cell capable of silent power generation and very high efficiency. An enzyme fuel cell is an excellent power source for electric vehicle range extension, auxiliary power, or robotic power for payloads. The technology is based on the use of enzymes to “digest” hydrocarbons successfully demonstrated on the clean up of oil spills and on lab scale demonstrations of JP-8 fuel to generate Hydrogen for use in fuel cells producing electrical power. A proof of concept 1 kW fully developed fuel cell is needed to verify the >70% JP-8 fuel to electric power efficiency as well as to determine the acoustic and thermal characteristics of this system. DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this Direct to Phase 2 topic is to develop an enzyme fuel cell power generation system that uses JP-8 fuel to produce electrical power at high efficiency (>70%). Currently, Large engines can get in the 40-50% efficiency range, but this is not likely using JP-8 fuel. Small engines can get in the 20-25% efficiency range but are very loud. Current JP-8 fuel cells utilizing fuel reformer technology is large and heavy, with 30% efficiency. However, leveraging enzyme technology, JP-8 fuel cells can eliminate the need for the fuel reformer, leading to efficiencies over 70%. This concept will be successful because it leverages demonstrated technology utilizing enzyme hydrocarbon digestion. Engineering challenges, integration, and system scale up remain and will be the focus of this effort. PHASE I: This Direct to Phase II will require demonstration of a 1 kW JP-8 fuel cell system with an enzyme hydrocarbon digester. A Lab-scale prototype with an electrode area of at least 1 cm2 is encouraged. Companies must show the following technical feasibility to show proof of concept in Phase I: (1) enzyme activity already digests hydrocarbon fuels at a wide range of temperatures; (2) JP-8 fuel cell must have been evaluated in a lab-scale prototype with an electrode area of at least 1 cm2; and (3) must provide initial design concepts, start-up time estimations, scaling calculations and energy loss models. PHASE II: Continue enzyme development to improve system performance. Develop a small-scale system and test the system to demonstrate high efficiency (>70%). Scale up the size of cells and design the mechanical structure for both larger cells and stack-level components. Design, build, and demonstrate a 1 kW JP-8 fuel cell system with an enzyme hydrocarbon digester. Perform a feasibility study on scaling up the power of the system to future customer power requirements. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Scale up to customer designed power range (5 kW, 10 kW, 25 kW). While this topic is mainly geared towards aviation use cases, the creation and adoption of this technology has the potential to significant contribute to the commercial adoption and success of electric vehicles. REFERENCES: Svoboda, Vojtech and Atanassov, Plamen, “Enzymatic Fuel Cell Design, Operation, and Application”, May 2014 KEYWORDS: Enzyme; Fuel cell; power generation; hydrocarbon digestion

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Soldier Platform; Materials; Power Systems OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this Direct to Phase II is to develop a safe Carbon-Free 50W Soldier-worn fuel cell power generator (C-SPG) that uses Alane (Aluminum Hydride – AlH3) an environmentally safe, high energy density solid fuel to provide users with a light weight power generator (delivered energy density that is ~ 3 times that of rechargeable batteries) to recharge batteries “on-the-move” or “at-the-halt”. Additional objectives of the project include 1) Examining the feasibility of making affordable Alane with green Hydrogen generated from renewable sources and 2) Enabling a US based supply chain for Power Generation systems and Alane Fuel. An Alane fuel based power generation system enables completely environmentally green – both energy source (fuel) and power generation (electricity) that is affordable, mobile, and safe for use and the environment. DESCRIPTION: This is a Direct to Phase II topic. Dismounted Soldiers on extended missions lack the capability to recharge batteries “on-the-move.” Dismounted squads and platoons need to either carry additional batteries or rely on battery resupply to meet their power and energy demands. C5ISR is developing Soldier Wearable Power Generation technology that can facilitate battery recharging “on-the-move”. This enhances the Function Concept for Movement and Maneuver by enabling operation with fewer battery swaps and eliminating the need to carry additional batteries. Soldiers on extended missions equipped with the power generator experience a significant reduction in load since they need to carry only additional fuel for their energy needs. Previously, the US Army developed a thin form factor 20W SPG that reached TRL-7 following the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiments (AEWE) in 2016. SPG requirements increased due to new Soldier electronics with increased capabilities and power at 50 Watts. The Objective is to develop a 50W Alane SPG. Proposer will leverage the prior work on a 20 W SPG type system to demonstrate the following: • Develop a 50 W Alane- SPG with a system weight of 6lbs (T) and 4lbs (O) including 250 Wh of Fuel • The System shall have a charge controller capable of providing Level II SMBus adjustable voltage and current output to support BB-2525 and CWB battery charging • System shall be capable of operating indoors and while worn by the Soldier on his back or in his ruck-sack • The System shall have a volume of less than 60 cubic inches including fuel and with a length and width not exceeding 7 inches and a depth not to exceed 3 inches, with an objective of less than 45 cubic inches including a 3 times startup hybrid battery • System design and implementation shall allow for Soldier operation between -20°C to +55°C • System shall be ruggedized (IAW MIL-STD-810 & MIL-STD-1472) Upon success this C-SPG based on Alane fuel will enable environmentally green power generation, that is affordable, mobile, and safe for use by the Soldier and safe for the environment. The C-SPG is expected to meet the increased energy demand from Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team (SL CFT) initiatives for Nett Warrior (NW) and Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS). It will provide a lightweight power system to autonomously recharge batteries “on-the-move” and eliminate the need to either carry additional batteries or rely on battery resupply to meet their energy demands on extended missions. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a "Phase I-like" effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of an Alane-based fuel cell system to have commercial potential. Technical Feasibility and Proof of Concept may reference the Army reports on Alane SPGs from AEWE 2016. PHASE II: Develop a Soldier Power Generator (C-SPG) system that provides a power output of 50 Watts; Update the size of Alane fuel cartridge to provide 250 Wh of energy; Participate in Soldier Touch Point exercises like AEWE and refine SPG design based on feedback from Soldier Touch Point exercise and for Tech Eval.. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Ruggedization and refinement of C-SPG from Tech Eval; Perform Operational Eval at the squad level; Establish initial LRIP manufacturing capability. Acquisition of SPG systems based on Alane as a fuel is expected to set the stage for a wider adoption by DOD for power generation needs for UUVs, UAVs and UGVs. This technology is also applicable for urban mobility solutions like “electric scooters” leading to a significant reduction in carbon emissions. REFERENCES: 1. Thampan and S. Shah; “Development of a Soldier Wearable Power System (WPS)”, Proceedings of the 47th Power Sources Conference, Orlando, 2016. 2. T. Thampan, S. Shah, D. Shah, J. Novoa, and C. Cook; “Development and Evaluation of Portable and Wearable Fuel Cells for Soldier Use”, Journal of Power Sources, Vol 259, pp 276-281, 2014. KEYWORDS: Fuel Cell; Power System; Power Generation; Wearable; Renewable Hydrogen; Alane; Green Hydrogen; Battery Charging; On-the-Move.

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this Direct to Phase II topic is to develop and demonstrate an advanced solid-state circuit breaker that is Army Aviation qualifiable. Advanced solid-state circuit breakers can improve the capability of the Electrical Power System to intelligently manage the loads on the aircraft and reduce pilot workloads. DESCRIPTION: This is a Direct to Phase II topic. Advanced power management systems will be needed to handle the increase in demands and complexity of platform and payload electrical loads. These power management systems will require the capability to turn loads quickly and reliably on and off without requiring pilot input. Applicants should apply developments in industry of solid-state circuit breakers to develop software configurable circuit breakers and to allow the development of smart power management systems. Current Army Aviation platforms (enduring fleet) use electromechanical relays and thermal circuit breakers to control distribution of electrical power to the various on-board loads and maintain safe operation of the aircraft in the event of overloads or other failures. Today’s aircraft apply limited automated switching implemented through analog relay logic inherent in the electrical distribution system design of the aircraft. Some additional capability is provided through manual crew intervention in order to provide backup power in certain failure mode situations. Solid-State circuit breakers are currently qualified in accordance with DO-160, the solid-state circuit breakers demonstrated in this effort are required to qualifiable to Army safety standards. Application of modern electronic circuit breaker technology will provide: 1. Flexibility in setting current limits for individual loads. 2. FACE conformant and controllable software interface 3. Measurement of key load parameters (current, voltage, power factor) 4. Improved monitoring of the EPS to allow anticipation and averting of problems/failures These technologies are well-understood and applied in domains other than Army aircraft, so there is a high probability that they can be made to operate successfully on Army aviation platforms. PHASE I: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Feasibility documentation must show detailed designs or prototypes of solid-state circuit breakers for other applications. PHASE II: Demonstrate Army qualifiable electronic circuit breaker prototypes; Qualify circuit breakers for aviation platforms PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: While this topic was originally geared towards aviation use cases, this technology can be strongly applicable to electric vehicle use cases. With the proliferation of this tech, there is a higher chance of commercial EV adoption. REFERENCES: Pilvelait, Bruce Gold, Calman Marcel, Mike. A High Power Solid State Circuit Breaker for Military Hybrid Electric Vehicle Applications. 2012. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA566841.pdf KEYWORDS: Power management; solid-state; pilot workloads; circuit breakers

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: AI/ML TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Causality and Inference Discovery, Machine Learning, Complex and Dynamic Graph Theory, Information Systems OBJECTIVE: Applicants are to propose methodologies to analyze and describe operational environment (OE) complexity in terms of the above definition through development pathways to elevate the cognitive ability of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), and convergence of cognitive diversity into technology applications. The three levels cognitive ability is defined as follows: the lowest as ‘seeing and observing’ - detection of regularities in environments; the next level up as ‘doing’ - predicting effects of deliberate alterations to produce a desired outcome; the highest as ‘knowing’ - understanding the (causal inference) of why something works and what to do when it does not. Cognitive diversity is defined as different manners of thought, generating ideas, problem-solving methods and perspectives. DESCRIPTION: Military commanders and key leaders are seeking and continually ask their staffs for the operational ‘so what?’ Conflict, social disruption, disease, strain on resources, climate change, and economic instability are formed upon obscured, complex and dynamic factors and make the identification of meaningful and actionable ‘so what’s’ extremely difficult. Understanding such complexity requires in-depth cognitive ability and cognitive diversity. Leaders, planning staff, analysts, operators must possess extensive expertise and pour through enormous data sets and information to understand what the ‘so what’ is and know how to present the ‘so what’ in a manner that commanders and leaders can make decisions from. Barriers to better understand the OE and plan for operations include: a lack of qualitative analytic outputs that provide multiple perspectives understanding; a lack of analytic capabilities to describe OE conditions in terms of system’s behavior and causation; and the inability to accurately and dynamically describe the attributes of edges within the system. To overcome these barriers, the Army should not simply build better “analytic mouse traps.” Current technology applications focus on ‘big data’ with limited means to provide meaningful interpretations and expressions of causation. Although ‘big data’ is in fashion, it is no panacea. It is neither an end state nor is it a way for gaining higher levels of cognitive capabilities. Rather, meaningful outputs are comprised of contextual descriptions of OE conditions and the progress towards or regress from specified objectives. This research proposal seeks to support the generation of means for creating technologic methodologies to make such determinations. Enablement of cognitive ability and cognitive diversity offers pathways of discovery beyond identification of system nodes and their attributes. The vision behind this form of research is the generation of greater understanding of system behaviors (in context of operational variables) through exploration of system edges. The research seeks to support the development of methodologies for collectively identifying, examining, and systematically integrating edge attributes (e.g. relationship strategies, motivations, and expected outcomes) into a collaborative analytic platform for operational and strategic staffs to determine patterns of system behaviors within OEs. Central to this development is a novel integration of artist into the design and development process for this effort. As critical as the development of an analysis capability that can capture complex and dynamic system behavior that reveals actionable levers of control within that system with a focus on edge attributes, is the development of a visualization capability that both captures the richness and complexity of the system behavior in the OE, while, making it readily understandable what the levers of control are in the multi-domain environment and providing the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of these levers by providing a human understandable causal links to these levers. The key here is both to reduce the cognitive burden and training requirement for the tool, while providing the warfighter a capability that answers the critical “so what” question for the commander. PHASE I: The objective of this phase will be to accomplish two primary tasks: a) develop technical approach that is capable of ingesting and analyzing a combination of warfighter gathered, open source and publicly available information and data to support the situational understanding required to identify the gap between a commander’s current state in the mission space and their goal state, along multiple interrelated and interacting lines of effort. The second task, b) is to concurrently collaborate with artists and other researchers skilled in innovative interpretations and novel visualizations to collectively develop analytical visual outputs for this capability that is intuitive, minimizes cognitive burden and training, while providing actionable insights to the commander in a complex and dynamic environment. The goal would be to create a study that would include and assessment of alternative approaches, along with the risks of each approach and risk mitigation strategies for each alternative. Although not required, a simple prototype that demonstrates the offeror’s best of breed approach for Phase 2, with a focus on novel visualization to reduce cognitive burden would be beneficial. PHASE II: The objective of phase 2 would be to create a fully functional prototype of the capability design to support a small selection of use cases for operational warfighters that will be significantly impacted by the human element of the operational environment. By providing an operational use case to focus this effort, we provide a more realistic opportunity for the offeror to be able to deliver a practical capability that will meet the needs of operational users while also being able to demonstrate the power of this approach to analyze edge attributes and demonstrate levers of control or actionable information to the warfighter in a human explainable way. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The goal of this topic is to upgrade the cognitive ability of AI/ML when scanning the information environment. More intelligent, context-aware AI is in-demand for multiple industries. Therefore, in phase 3, the goal would be to expand this development into non-military domains that would include logistics, marketing campaigns, emergency response management and on-line information/disinformation campaigns, just to name a few non-military examples. REFERENCES: Page, Scott E. 2018. The Model Thinker: What You Need to Know to Make Data Work for You. Basic Books, Inc. New York, NY. Pearl, Judea, and Dana Mackenzie. 2019. The Book of Why: The New Science of Cause and Effect. Harlow, England: Penguin Books. Instride.com. “Cognitive diversity: The diversity your company isn't thinking about.” September 6, 2021. Accessed from: https://www.instride.com/insights/cognitive-diversity/#:~:text=What%20is%20cognitive%20diversity%3F,solving%20methods%20and%20mental%20perspectives. KEYWORDS: Geospatial; data analysis; visualization; risk mitigation

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements; 5G TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors OBJECTIVE: This is a Direct to Phase II topic. The objective of this topic is to develop a data capture and recording of telemetry and system data in support of tactical platforms during Live Training Events. Capture/Record: • Trigger Pull, Hull Orientation, and platform telemetry data o Modular interface to support data capture from platform 1553, Ethernet, and/or Victory ports o Audio/Video capture and record from platform intercoms and tactical sights o Video capture and record from cameras installed in crew/driver compartments o Modular interface to support data Data Links: • Modular radio agnostic approach to transfer captured data to a central/cloud data center o Open system approach support to LTE, 5G and/or STE communication protocols The development of this technology will greatly support the live fire community and replace obsolete and costly systems. This topic currently aligns with the FASIT and DRTS Program of Record Requirements as well as Live Fire Training systems to future Live STE requirements. The success of this topic will ultimately provide enhanced data collection and training feedback. DESCRIPTION: The current practice for this type of technology includes: • Analog systems/cameras continuous recording • Closed system architecture • High Cyber Security issues • Multiple solutions for multiple programs The purpose of this topic is to develop a Tactical Vehicle ‘Black Box’ for capture of training data with modular architecture to support real time streaming of data for assessment; grow to bi-directional to support AR insertion into platforms in support of STE. This topic aligns to next generation platforms and standards. Key areas to keep in mind: • Development of a multi-stream video source ingest, recording and broadcasting in multiple formats w/o multiple encoders/decoders predicated on training event data (AI/ML) • Development of Interface protocols to support Ethernet and Victory Ports • MOSA approach to support modular radio implementations (radio agnostic) • Command structure to support bi-directional communication and injection of data to the platform • Alignment to Software already developed under the Live Training Transformation Product Line • Integration with existing training software to improve tagging and to optimize data ingest time and reduce complexity Future Growth Areas post-success of topic technology includes: • Support for Remote Combat Vehicle, MPF, etc. • Support Dismounted Soldiers • Bi-directional STE data transfer (engagement pairing, AR, etc.) PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 topic. Based on current commercial technology and commercial market potential, this topic can move forward to a DP2. Commercial market for this data capture enhancements is already at a high enough TRL for this to be a Phase II. Please see reference for further background. PHASE II: This is a Direct to Phase 2 topic. It will be a 2-year effort to design and develop hardened capture technology. This phase will include the development of open interfaces. Mid-term assessment includes planned bread-board brass-board prototypes; measured on vehicles at Fort Benning MCoE PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: While this topic is mainly geared towards aviation use cases, the creation and adoption of this technology has the potential to significant contribute to the commercial adoption and success of electric vehicles. This technology is applicable in situations where vehicle event data recorders (EDRs, also called “black boxes”) are required such as vehicle fleet management, robotic platforms and systems, and in aviation and maritime vehicles. Other applications for tactical and impact resistant EDRs include search and rescue vehicles and security vehicles and robots. For Phase III of this topic, the following will be required: • Production and deployment within the DRTS POR o Linked to the Instrumentation System • Fulfill immediate requirements from PM Abrams and PM Bradley o Fulfills Stand-Alone Home station Training REFERENCES: • Training Circular (TC) 25-8, Training Ranges • TC 3-20.0 Integrated Weapons Training Strategy • TC 3-20.31 Crew Training and Qualification • Field Manual (FM) 7-1, Battle Focused Training; CEHNC 1110-1-23 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Design Guide for the Sustainable Range Program • PRF-PT-00468 Performance Specification for the Future Army System of Integrated Targets (FASIT) Wiese, Darren; Box, Phillip; “DIGISTAR III Data Recorders Characteristics, Modifications and Performance”; Defense Science and Technology Organization · Niven, W A; Jaroska, M F; “On-board data recorder for hard-target weapons”; Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA) KEYWORDS: data record; black box; event data recorder; electric vehicle; aviation; search and rescue

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this topic is to develop structural armor floor system that can be used as a lightweight, reconfigurable floor for the UH-60 fleet that meets the following requirements: • Replaces current OEM floor; • Provides similar configurational flexibility • Compatible with commercially available, load rated, seat track hardware • Adaptable to other DoD legacy airframes; and • Provides ability to add integrated armor/mission equipment without compromising airframe strength, floor armor function, or decreasing cabin volume. • Saves weight and is economical to produce DESCRIPTION: Today we use multiple floor systems and pallets. The legacy aircraft floor is not ballistic protected and does not have seat tracks for the medical interior. The medical interior is a new floor overlayed onto the existing floor. Ballistic Armor Protection System (BAPS) becomes a third overlay, further increasing overall aircraft weight. The current limits are in structural armor material that also saves weight and can be made economically. The purpose of this topic is to develop and qualify structural armor floor system. R&D work for suitable structural armor material as well as packaging the flooring in way to save weight is a challenge. Currently medical interior is a palletized floor overlay that addresses capability gaps and design deficiencies of the current floor and allows for simplified configurability to support the aircraft’s multiple mission sets. The proposed floor replacement solution replaces both the OEM floor and the MIU, providing additional functionality to all UH-60 variants at a reduced weight and allows ballistic armor/mission kits to be installed without compromising floor functionality. The development and qualification will require an integrated engineering effort, combining structural/mechanical design with several novel materials technologies that are new to the H-60 platform including: • Novel para-aramid structural/ballistic material • Next-generation Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE)/Polyolefin ballistic composite material • Boron-carbide (B4C)-based ceramics, including those produced by 3D printing. The replacement of the legacy UH-60 floor with the anticipated lightweight floor will not only reduce the overall weight of the fully outfitted aircraft (mission equipment and armor), thus extending mission duration, but modernizing the floor will also extend the service life of the aircraft allowing simplified integration of new capabilities and a smoother transition to FVL in the future. Success will be measured by system weight reduction as other qualitative metrics have already been demonstrated by the MIU. PHASE I: Develop and demonstrate a replacement floor for the UH-60 that provides the mission configuration flexibility of the MIU but is permanently installed on the airframe. Provide the conceptual design or model for the floor including optional armor. Develop a test plan to demonstrate the floor can meet all structural, vibrational and impact loads. The deliverable for this phase will be a report detailing the new design and test plans to demonstrate its functionality. PHASE II: Refine the system design and produce a technology demonstration system and test coupons per the test plan. Demonstrate that the system can meet the requirements as detailed in the test plan. Develop install procedures and install the test article system. Deliverables include one (1) prototype system and all test reports, design review repots and high-level drawings. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Finalize the development of the design solution at production level quantities. Complete EMD and MRR. Prepare to enter LRIP. Note: Lightweight armor will mostly be a government / defense technology, but there are potential commercial applications such as armored vehicles. Body armor and ruggedized drones, while still mostly government markets, are other adjacent use cases. Aerospace armor is another largely government market, although the proliferation of commercial space players could add a private revenue stream. REFERENCES: Robeson, M. E. (2014). Lightweight Integrally Armored Helicopter Floor. Aircraft Survivability Journal, 14(Spring), 25–28. https://www.jasp-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2014_spring-1.pdf Bird, C., Robeson, M., & Goodworth, A. (2011). Integrally Armored Helicopter Floor. Aircraft Survivability Journal, 2011(Spring), 9–12. https://www.jasp-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2011_spring.pdf KEYWORDS: floor; reflooring; helicopters; armor; fabrication; reconfigurable

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Microelectronics, FNC3, Cyber ARMY MODERINATION PRIORITY: Soldier Lethality TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials; Electronics TOPIC OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this topic is to demonstrate a wearable device that senses, collects and monitors real-time physiological data to assess aspects of Soldier operational health and readiness. This includes, but is not limited to: human performance, cognitive resilience, illness prediction, disease detection and behavioral health across all training and operational environments. The objective is to identify new wearable technologies to address current and future Army needs. Devices with purely medical use cases will not be considered. TOPIC DESCRIPTION: Wearable technology innovation in the private sector is outpacing research and development investments across the Army Wearables ecosystem. The Army seeks to leverage new and innovative wearable technologies and capabilities to enhance Soldier operational readiness and sustainability. Wearable sensors unlock new insights to improve human performance and well-being. Innovations in physiological sensing typically diffuse across commercial use cases, such as athletics, workplace safety, and personal everyday use. High quality physiological data informs better decision making for holistic wellness, which is of interest for several populations outside the Army. PHASE I: Demonstrate the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and feasibility of the selected technology, participate in capability pitches to Army stakeholders and develop a technology transition plan.  PHASE I Summary: 1. Phase I: $150,000 2. Phase I Duration: 90 days 3. Required Phase I deliverables will include a. A feasibility study to demonstrate or determine the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and feasibility of a selected concept b. Capability pitches to Army stakeholders c. Technology transition plan PHASE II: Develop a prototype wearable device capable of reliable, real-time physiological data collection. The prototype must have a modular open system architecture that can be integrated into existing and future Army systems for demonstration, testing and evaluation across a range of training and operational environments. PHASE III and DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Complete the maturation of the technology developed in Phase II and produce prototypes to support further development and commercialization. KEYWORDS: wearable; monitoring; physiological data; human performance, cognition. REFERENCES: 1. “Military applications of soldier physiological monitoring”, Karl E. Friedl, Jour of Sci and Med in Sport, 2018 Nov; 21(11): 1147. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S144024401830255X#! 2. “Non-Invasive Physiological Monitoring for Physical Exertion and Fatigue Assessment in Military Personnel: A Systematic Review “, Bustos, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 Aug; 18(16): 8815. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8393315/ 3. “Real Time Physiological Status Monitoring (RT-PSM): Accomplishments, Requirements, and Research Roadmap” Friedl, et al, 2016 Mar. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA630142

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML); Autonomy; Nuclear TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems; Materials / Processes; Sensors OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate successful seismic geophysical assessment solution to enable non-destructive subterranean assessment of void and pile locations and dimensions (seeking up to 80 feet of penetration) for piers, wharfs, relieving-platforms, and other shipyard-type structures) for initial load restriction or load capacity planning during Port Damage Repair and Port/Harbor/Shipyard assessment scenarios, when electromagnetic contract methods fail due to salt-saturated soils and water. DESCRIPTION: Facility Inspection, Sustainment, and Resilience via Geophysical Assessment Methods, Via Seismic Geophones: Currently, those inspecting waterfront facilities (such as piers, wharfs, relieving-platforms, and other shipyard-type structures) for structural and soil voids or support-pile details cannot assess the subterranean structural components or defects which they cannot see. Also, many geophysical assessment methods, which are applicable inland, are impeded in part or whole by typical waterfront facilities site conditions such as soil types, geology, construction materials, construction configurations, onsite electrical interference, etc. Methods thus eliminated include those which rely on magnetics, electromagnetics, electrical methods, gravity, and nuclear [Ref 1]. Geophysical methods not eliminated include seismic methods [Ref 1]. This SBIR topic is therefore limited to this class of technically feasible methods. The Sensors (Geophones): The geophysical assessment sensors which receive the seismic energy are geophones (hydrophones in waterborne surveys) or commonly referred to as “phones”, and are typically configured for the geological site conditions of the average inland geophysicist rather than for the needs of those working on the waterfront and littoral regions. Therefore, there is a need and room for innovation within the materials, dimensions, and configuration for prototyping specialized geophone devices; and for evaluating within salt-saturated sediments and other structural configurations typical of waterfront and shipyard facilities. Interpretation of Geophone (Seismograph) Data; Improvements via Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML): The equipment that records input geophone voltages in a timed sequence is the seismograph. In general, the subsurface characterization provided by geophysical exploration methods (to the seismograph data) is valuable for waterfront facilities evaluations for the following reasons: 1. They allow nondestructive investigation below the surface of the ground, pavement, pier deck, or other structure. 2. They allow collection of data over large areas in very much shorter times than most destructive methods. 3. They cost less per data point than most invasive methods. 4. They can offer accurate and timely information for design quality and performance. Although geophysical methods provide the above advantages, it is important to remember that the information obtained in geophysical surveys is often subject to more than one reasonable interpretation. Therefore, there is room for innovation in applying AI/ML to traditional geophysical assessment seismograph data. Combined Need/Opportunity: The needs expressed herein includes improvements in both the prototyping of specialized geophone devices and the accompanying AI/ML software improvements to the seismograph data. The related technical challenges include limited access to real-world facilities and limited (yet available) real-world subterranean defect data. Therefore, there is an opportunity to simulate the subterranean geophysics of the subject scenarios; however, any proposed simulation should be field verified or otherwise calibrated to relevant real-world data. Capability Requirements: Proposals shall address or otherwise exhibit the ability to address the 1.) Specialized design and manufacturing of the requisite specialized sensors, and 2.) The AI/ML aspects of improving (interpreting) seismograph data. Proposals shall also address 3.) The teams experience with: • The typical geophysics and construction of piers, wharfs, relieving-platforms, and other shipyard-type structures; • The design and prototyping of geophysics sensors; and • AI/ML relevant to the subject opportunity. Performance Parameters: This research seeks an overall 30% improvement in a user’s ability to correctly determine subterranean void and pile locations and dimensions, up to a depth of 80 feet of soil penetration. The improvements can come from any combination of improving either the sensors or the AI/ML interpretation of seismograph data or any other aspect of the demonstrated prototype. Note: This SBIR topic does not specify nor limit the innovation of the class of waves, nor the sub-class of waves (i.e., body wave class, surface wave class nor the sub-classes of waves within each of the classes). PHASE I: Determine the technical feasibility of improving and prototyping specialized geophone device(s) for geophysical evaluation within salt-saturated sediments and other structural configurations typical of waterfront and shipyard facilities; for finding: void location(s) and dimensions, subterranean pile location(s) and dimensions, to include driven pile depth; and for proposing the targeted level of improvement in just the geophone sensors. Apply innovative AI/ML to the traditional geophysical assessment seismograph data. Propose the targeted level of improvement in just the AI/ML interpretation/clarification of the seismograph data. Address if improvements are to come from other aspect(s) of the prototype to be demonstrated. Address if and to what extent the AI/ML training data will rely on simulation versus real-world training data. (Note: During the Phase I period of performance, the Navy can make some representative as-built drawings and inspection data available for all subject facility types. The Navy will not provide seismograph data.) Propose how the prototyped sensors will be adapted for underwater use, with a maximum operating depth of 90 feet of seawater (fsw). Propose how the prototyped sensor wave-source will be adapted for underwater use, with a maximum operating depth of 90 fsw. Suggest to what extent the above improvements could reduce the required users’ level of training, the recency of training, and the overall level of experience in order to correctly employ the prototyped device in either routine field application or expeditionary (communications denied) environments. Beginning with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) options is acceptable in Phase I. Limited proof of concept for custom integration is also acceptable in Phase I, but is not required. PHASE II: Prototype development of: 1. Specialized Geophysics sensors for use in the salt-saturated soils of waterfront facilities (such as piers, wharfs, relieving-platforms, and other shipyard-type structures), or integration to enable improved data input, when performing data collection via geophones. 2. AI/ML application to automate the clarification and classification of subterranean (seismograph) data for the same site conditions and structures. While not required at this point, possible steps for the above might include: • Development, procurement, and/or manufacture specialized sensors, such as geophones • Gather or simulate relevant AI/ML training data (Government will provide traditional as-built drawings of representative structures, but not seismograph data) • Determining or establishing situ/constructed pattern recognition (while allowing for constructed variability), either via pattern recognition methods, AI/ML, convenient parametric user interface for identification, or other diverse void or pile identification techniques • Locate and classify subterranean void and structure detail, down to UNIFORMAT-II component level [Ref 3], i.e., delineate piles (pile depth), pile-caps, beams, deck, voids (size), etc. • Determining or establishing the construction pattern, while allowing for constructed variability • Conduct field validation of any formerly simulated or approximated training data used in developing the AI/ML neural network • Tabulate or map the prototyped outputs, including voids, piles, and possibly other structural details The Government will provide traditional as-built drawings of representative structures. The Government will also make demonstration facilities available to the Phase II awardee. However, the Phase II awardee will be required to meet all site access requirements; i.e., the Government will not be at fault for the Phase II awardee’s failure to complete the typical site access requirements, either in forms/submittals or in the eligibility of its personnel. The idealized data(s) for structure(s) and defect scenario(s) shall be provided by the awardee, but shall be of typical waterfront and shipyard facilities, and shall include subterranean voids, piles, and other relevant structural details. Single construction type for timber relieving platform is acceptable for Phase II; additionally, conventional concrete pile supported pier is acceptable as a minimum addition. Validation of the following: • Location(s) and dimension(s) of subterranean voids in timber-constructed relieving platform structures • Location(s) and approximate dimension(s) of subterranean piles of timber-constructed relieving platform structures • Location(s) and approximate dimension(s) of other subterranean structural details of timber-constructed relieving platform structures • Constructed structural pattern (i.e., bent/row grid, or similar) • Identification of missing element(s) from pattern or other provision for enhanced user understanding • Increased user correct interpretation of subterranean details by at least 30% overall, compared to current terrestrial geophones and non-AI/ML aided interface, when the same are applied to waterfront and shipyard-type structures • Likelihood that the solution will work by users with low-level training in either routine applications or communications-denied expeditionary applications. Deliver working prototype sensors with integrated elements of the AI/ML application by the end of the full Phase II. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The expected transition of the product within the Government will include field demonstration of the Phase II solution for one actual timber-constructed relieving platform shipyard wharf/berth (for void location and classification) and one concrete-constructed convention pier (for driven pile depths); where actual gross defects may or may not exist, and where some aspect of the process may be simulation-based, with either simulated or real-world replicated voids, defects, debris, rubble, and/or other realistic anomalies. The Phase III solution will conclude as a Government off the shelf (GOTS) product that the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), the Underwater Construction Team (UCT), or the Navy Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) may employ during PDR exercises. There is great commercial value in automating the interpretation of seismograph data for waterfront facilities, namely shipyard and port/harbor infrastructure. Therefore, the awardee could transition a non-military tool to industry, possibly in the form of licensing or selling the solution to major vendor(s) of related sensor systems, or computer aided design and modelling tools and software. REFERENCES: 1. Wightman, W et al. “Application of Geophysical Methods to Highway Related Problems.” Report Number: FHWA-IF-04-021, September 1, 2003. https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/49856; https://dfi-geophysics-tool.org/ 2. Heffron, Ronald E., ed. “Waterfront Facilities Inspection and Assessment.” ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 130. https://sp360.asce.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Merchandise/Product-Details/productId/233127082 3. “NAVFAC Design-Build RFP Uniformat Structure.” (UNIFORMAT II / WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE; Section H – Waterfront; see all H1010 through H1040 codes.) https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/navy-navfac/design-build-request-proposal/uniformat-structure 4. “Navy Tactical Reference Publication 4-04.2.9: Expedient Underwater Construction and Repair Techniques.” August 2011. https://www.amazon.com/Reference-Publication-Expedient-Underwater-Construct/dp/1543118259; https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17316991.United_States_Government_US_Navy 5. Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC): 4-150-07 MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION: MAINTENANCE OF WATERFRONT FACILITIES.” June 19, 2001. https://www.wbdg.org/FFC/DOD/UFC/ufc_4_150_07_2001_c1.pdf KEYWORDS: Geophysical; Geophysical method; Geophysical assessment; Geophysical investigation; Geophysical surveys; Geophone; Seismograph; Ultraseismic; Subterranean assessment; Subterranean void; Subterranean pile; Nondestructive testing

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Networked C3 TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics; Sensors OBJECTIVE: Develop Global Positioning System (GPS) interference direction finding sensor for surface and subsurface vessels to provide situational awareness of jamming and/or spoofing signals. DESCRIPTION: GPS is a highly accurate all-weather source of positioning, velocity, and timing (PVT) and is invaluable in bounding a ship’s inertial navigation system’s (INS) error. However, GPS utilizes weak radio frequency (RF) signals from distant satellites and are subjected to intentional and unintentional interference. Furthermore, users of GPS desire to ascertain the presence of undesired competing signals that may degrade or deceive platform GPS systems. Surface platforms have multi-element anti-jamming antenna systems on board for the purposes of nulling/degrading antenna pattern in the direction of interference signals that are above the thermal noise defined by kTB. The GIDI-UP capability seeks to leverage the antenna arrays for the purposes of interferometry to detect and inform the host GPS-based Positioning Navigation and Timing Service (GPNTS) and ships bridge systems of the DoA of unwanted signals such that might be performing jamming and spoofing. Phased array antenna technology is capable of directing antenna gain patterns for the purposes of electronically steerable arrays which is a well-known process. For GIDI-UP, a capability is required to provide directional accuracy of less than one (1) degree of azimuth and elevation (Threshold)/0.5 degrees (Objective). Capability shall include developing up to six (6) independent records for detected jammers/spoofers. Each DoA record will include bearing and elevation, including percent uncertainty for each separately. Data output will be in the North East Down coordinate frame. The end solution will integrate into Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) suites, such as GPNTS. GPNTS is the Navy’s current and modernized PNT system, replacing the Navigation Sensor System Interface (NAVSSI). It is an open-architecture, data-hosting environment for Navy surface platforms and provides real-time PNT data services, while allowing the integration of future APNT sources. PHASE I: Determine the technical feasibility of using measurements of DoA for interferers. Identify the suitability of antenna arrays (considering the use of existing shipboard arrays configurations) necessary to detect and provide DoA information. Describe the technical solution based on the investigation and technical trade-offs performed earlier in this Phase. Identify the means to incorporate the technical solution into the PNT suite, such as the GPNTS. For the identified solution, develop the SBIR Phase II Project Plan to include a detailed schedule (in Gantt format), spend plan, performance objectives, and transition plan for the identified Program of Records (PoRs). PHASE II: Develop a set of performance specifications for the GIDI-UP sensor with a positioning solution system for GPNTS. Conduct a System Requirements Review (SRR). Engage with the Program Office during the introduction and collaboration with Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific engineers. Establish a working relationship with PMW/A 170 and NIWC Pacific engineers to perform integration studies to include the identification of any necessary engineering changes to the current GPNTS system. Additionally, establish a working relationship with the engineering team(s) of other potential transition PNT suite target(s). Develop the prototype GIDI-UP sensor with positioning solution system for demonstration and validation in the GPNTS or equivalent development environment. Conduct a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and commence development of an Engineering Development Model (EDM) system. Conduct a Critical Design Review (CDR) prior to building the EDM. Develop the life-cycle support strategies and concepts for the system. Develop a SBIR Phase III Project Plan to include a detailed schedule (in Gantt format) and spend plan, performance requirements, and revised transition plan for the GPNTS and other potential transition PNT suite target(s). PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Refine and fully develop the Phase II EDM to produce a Production Representative Article (PRA) of the GIDI-UP sensor. Perform Formal Qualification Tests (FQT) (e.g., field testing, operational assessments) of the PRA GIDI-UP sensor with the GPNTS system and other potential transition PNT suite target(s). Provide life-cycle support strategies and concepts for the GIDI-UP sensor with the GPNTS and other potential transition PNT suite contractor(s) by developing a Life-Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP). Investigate the dual use of the developed technologies for commercial applications, including but not limited to, commercial and privately owned vessels. These sensors can provide an additional method of positioning that is independent of GPS and available at all times, worldwide. REFERENCES: 1. Xu, Zili and Trinkle, Matthew. "Weak GPS Interference Direction of Arrival Estimation Using GPS Signal Cancellation." Proceedings of the 25th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2012), Nashville, TN, January 2012, pp. 2940-2945. https://www.ion.org/publications/abstract.cfm?articleID=10472 2. Schmidt, R.O. "Multiple Emitter Location and Signal Parameter Estimation." IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagation, Vol. AP-34 Issue 3 (March 1986), pp. 276–280. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1143830 3. Barabell, A. J. et al. "Performance Comparison of Superresolution Array Processing Algorithms. Revised." MIT Lincoln Labs, 1998. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA347296.pdf 4. Fishler, Eran and Poor, Vincent, H.“ IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Volume: 53, Issue: 9, Sept. 2005..” https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1495889 5. Rothmaier, F.; Chen, Y.; Lo, S. and Walter, T. “GNSS Spoofing Detection Through Spatial Processing.” Journal of the Institute of Navigation, 68 (2), June 2021, pp. 243-258. https://doi.org/10.1002/navi.420 KEYWORDS: Global Positioning System; GPS; Position Navigation and Timing; PNT; Assured PNT; APNT; direction of arrival; DoA

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Networked C3 TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics; Sensors OBJECTIVE: Develop navigation concepts using commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations as signals of opportunity to provide accurate Global Positioning System (GPS)-independent positioning and precise timing with a positioning accuracy of less than 50 meters 3-D (Spherical) Position (95%), less than 6 meters/second velocity error (RMS per axis), and better than 50 nanosecond time transfer (95%) (threshold). Objective performance requirements are less than 10 meters, less than 3 meters/second, and better than 20 nanosecond time transfer. DESCRIPTION: Current naval navigation systems are heavily reliant on GPS, which is a highly accurate all-weather source of positioning, velocity, and timing (PVT). However, GPS utilizes weak radio frequency (RF) signals from distant satellites that may be subjected to intentional and unintentional interference. In recent years, the ability to compromise GPS has been demonstrated by adversaries using jamming techniques that interfere with military mission execution. To mitigate these challenges, the Navy is seeking alternate navigation technologies that can meet and/or rival GPS accuracies for improved PVT when GPS is degraded and/or unavailable. Signals of Opportunity (SoOP) have been considered as an alternative navigation source in the absence of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as GPS. As Non-Geosynchronous Orbit (NGSO) satellites become more prevalent, the Navy is exploring Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations for low-latency, broadband communications, as well as an APNT source through SoOP. As a goal, the effort should also include fast time to first fix (TTFF) capability of less than 1 minute to achieve the above PVT requirements with presumed course initial positioning in the range of 1 kilometer, and initial time uncertainty in the range of 50 microseconds. SoOP refers to the use of RF signals out of band or different than the GPS traditional signal waveforms that can be leveraged to perform radio navigation. Such SoOP can be either leveraged in their current state/signal structure/baseband messaging, for example for the purposes of communications, or augmented and/or modified specifically to support precise alternate (to GPS) PVT. While SoOP solutions currently exist (some utilizing LEO satellites, such as using Doppler) these solutions do not provide the positioning accuracies and timing feature that this topic is seeking. This SBIR topic is seeking more creative and innovative SoOP solutions. The end solution will integrate into PNT suites, such as the GPS-based Positioning Navigation and Timing Service (GPNTS). GPNTS is the Navy’s current and modernized PNT system, replacing the Navigation Sensor System Interface (NAVSSI). It is an open-architecture, data-hosting environment for Navy surface platforms and provides real-time PNT data services, while allowing to the integration of future APNT sources. This SBIR topic falls under the NDS Alignment of “Modernize Key Capabilities” and the DDR&E (RT&L) Tech Priority “Networked Command, Control, and Communications (C3).” PHASE I: Propose specific innovative solutions that use LEO satellite constellations as signals of opportunity to derive and provide accurate positioning and timing. Consider exploring modifications to signal structures, including specific navigation messages and improved cognitive waveforms, to maintain sufficient ratio of Energy per Bit to the Spectral Noise Density (Eb/No) to maintain precise range/pseudorange measurements to reach for objective performance requirements. Describe the technical solution based on the investigation and technical trade-offs performed earlier in this Phase. Identify the means to incorporate the technical solution into the PNT suite, such as the GPNTS. For the identified solution, develop the SBIR Phase II Project Plan to include a detailed schedule (in Gantt format), spend plan, performance objectives, and transition plan for the identified Program of Records (PoRs). PHASE II: Develop a set of performance specifications for the hardware and software solution with positioning solution system for GPNTS. Conduct a System Requirements Review (SRR). Engage with the Program Office in its introduction and collaboration with Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific engineers. Establish a working relationship with PMW/A 170 and NIWC Pacific engineers to perform integration studies to include the identification of any necessary engineering changes to the current GPNTS system. Additionally, establish a working relationship with the engineering team(s) of other potential transition PNT suite target(s). Develop the prototype solution for GPNTS for demonstration and validation in the GPNTS or equivalent development environment. Conduct a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and commence development of an Engineering Development Model (EDM) system. Conduct a Critical Design Review (CDR) prior to building the EDM. Develop the life-cycle support strategies and concepts for the system. Develop a SBIR Phase III Project Plan to include a detailed schedule (in Gantt format) and spend plan, performance requirements, and revised transition plan for the GPNTS and other potential transition PNT suite target(s). PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Refine and fully develop the Phase II EDM to produce a Production Representative Article (PRA) of the solution. Perform Formal Qualification Tests (FQT) (e.g., field testing, operational assessments) of the PRA solution with the GPNTS system and other potential transition PNT suite target(s). Provide life-cycle support strategies and concepts for the LEO sensor with the GPNTS and other potential transition PNT suite contractor(s) by developing a Life-Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP). Investigate the dual use of the developed technologies for commercial applications, including but not limited to, commercial and privately owned vessels and aircraft. These sensors can provide an additional method of positioning and time that is independent of GPS and available at all times, worldwide. REFERENCES: 1. Raquet, John F. and Miller, Mikel M. "Issues and Approaches for Navigation Using Signals of Opportunity." (2007). RTO-MP-SET-104. https://www.sto.nato.int/publications/STO%20Meeting%20Proceedings/RTO-MP-SET-104/MP-SET-104-09.pdf 2. McEllroy Jonathan A. “Navigation Using Signals of Opportunity in the AM Transmission Band.” Master’s Thesis. DTIC Accession Number ADA456511, 1 September 2001. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA456511.pdf 3. Perdue, Lisa; Fischer, John, and Dries, Ronald. “Signals of Opportunity as an Augmentation or Alternative to GNSS for Critical Timing Applications.” Proceedings of the 2017 Precise Time and Time Interval Meeting, ION PTTI 2017, Monterey, California, January 30-February 2, 2017. https://www.ion.org/publications/abstract.cfm?articleID=14988 4. Mitola, Joseph III. "Cognitive Radio An Integrated Agent Architecture for Software Defined Radio." Dissertation for Doctor of Technology, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, 8 May 2000. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Cognitive-Radio-An-Integrated-Agent-Architecture-Mitola/82dc0e2ea785f4870816764c25f3d9ae856d9809 5. Jones, Michael. “Signals of opportunity: Holy Grail or a waste of time?” GPS World, 22 Feb 2018. https://www.gpsworld.com/signals-of-opportunity-holy-grail-or-a-waste-of-time/ 6. Psiaki, Mark L. “Navigation using carrier Doppler shift from a LEO constellation: TRANSIT on steroids.” ION NAVIGATION. 2021, Volume 68, Issue 3, pp. 621–641. https://www.ion.org/publications/abstract.cfm?articleID=102927#:~:text=Navigation%20using%20carrier%20Doppler%20shift%20from%20a%20LEO%20constellation%3A%20TRANSIT%20on%20steroids,-Mark%20L.&text=Abstract%3A,alternative%20to%20pseudorange%2Dbased%20GNSS. KEYWORDS: Global Positioning System; GPS; Position Navigation and Timing; PNT; Assured PNT; APNT; GPNTS; Non-Geostationary Orbit; NGSO; Low Earth Orbit; LEO; proliferated LEO;; PLEO; signals of opportunity; SoOP; Velocity; Position Velocity and Timing; PVT

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Cybersecurity; Network Command, Control and Communications; Autonomy; Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground Sea; Sensors; Electronics; Materials; Information Systems; Air Platform; Battlespace The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR Help Desk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us OBJECTIVE: The Armament Directorate is investigating concepts to employ emerging technologies faster. Implementation of digital engineering across the weapons enterprise will grow and accelerate the transition of advanced technologies. We seek digital solutions to utilize Weapons Open System Architecture (WOSA) at its maximum extent. Use of the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) is a critical enabler of WOSA and the catalyst for modular weapons. Process and network modeling ensure an early understanding of tactical, operational and strategic weapons system implications. The Directorate seeks the use of the Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration and Modeling (AFSIM) tool for all integrated flight simulations, lethality validity models, autonomy implementations and collaborative weapons system effects. DESCRIPTION: The Armament Directorate is looking for the following technology concepts; -Network Collaborative Autonomous (NCA) UCI-based Cameo SysML Message Set Definition. Create standard SysML defined set of UCA messages. Coordinate with AFRL Golden Horde, Industry, tactical networking SMEs within AFLCMC/HN. -Long Range Kill Chain (LRKC) UCI-based Cameo SysML Message Set Definition. Create standard SysML defined set of LRKC messages. Coordinate with Industry, tactical networking SMEs within AFLCMC/HN, and SECAF OEI working group. -WOSA ICD Autonomy Domain Study. Assess and ascertain whether a new Autonomy Domain is needed within WOSA ICD. Create new WOSA ICD Autonomy Domain if needed and coordinate with key AFRL WOSA ICD SMEs, AFLCMC/EBZ WOSA ICD SMEs, and Industry as needed to define and evolve WOSA ICD standard. -NCA Networking Model. Create Cameo SysML defined model for use as a System of Systems (SoS) data network model, with associated NCA message sets, delivery latencies, error budget (e.g. bias and random jitter). Coordinate with AFRL WOSA ICD SMEs to ensure seamless integration with WOSA ICD and or to assess whether new WOSA ICD message sets are required for a new Autonomy Domain. Coordinate with AFLCMC/EBZ led working group of AFRL WOSA ICD SMEs, AFLCMC/EBZ WOSA ICD SMEs, and Industry partners on model definition. Execute a plan to produced multiple model iterations with review, discuss, coordinate, and improvement cycles within period of performance. The intent is a deliverable model with maturity that will serve as the foundational model for future AFRL, USAF weapons development, and USN weapons development programs. Will be provided to USAF M&S SMEs for their use. -LRKC Networking Model. Create Cameo SysML defined model for use as a System of Systems (SoS) data network model, with associated LRKC message sets, delivery latencies, error budget (e.g. bias and random jitter). Coordinate with AFRL WOSA ICD SMEs to ensure seamless integration with WOSA ICD and/or to assess whether new WOSA ICD message sets are required for the LRKC. Coordinate with AFLCMC/EBZ led working group of AFRL WOSA ICD SMEs, AFLCMC/EBZ WOSA ICD SMEs, and Industry partners on model definition. Execute a plan to produced multiple model iterations with review, discuss, coordinate, and improvement cycles within period of performance. The intent is a deliverable model with maturity that will serve as the foundational model for future AFRL, USAF weapons development, and USN weapons development programs. Will be provided to USAF M&S SMEs for their use. -Secure Point to Point Wireless Toolset. Define and create wireless point to point high bandwidth communications toolset for use with flight line reprogramming of future Common Weapons Launcher and Common Reprogramming ICD. Architecture and design should support wireless transmission and reprogramming of SECRET-level data which conforms to cybersecurity and security standards and requirements. The intent is to make maximum use of existing portable computing devices with embedded or configurable hardware to wirelessly communicate with a device able to be integrated within launchers and storage containers. The device for use within launchers and storage containers should have a defined set of Application Programming Interface (API) standards with full Government Purpose Data Rights which can be made available to USG and Industry partners for further integration and use. -Secure Wireless Communications System on a Chip (SoC). Design and prototype a secure wireless SoC device for use with weapons reprogramming. System must be able to be use for flight line reprogramming operations, must be able to be integrated within the Common Weapons Launcher and weapons containers, and must be able to withstand repeated exposure to flight operations across the approved aircraft operating limits. Interfaces and Application Programming Interface (API) for system will be Government Purpose Data Rights for use with USG and Industry. Prototype system should be available for demonstration and presentation of use, benefits, and associated risks. -Non-Traditional Cybersecurity Data Protection. Explore and assess potential for non-traditional methods to encrypt and protect highly sensitive data within weapon systems. Present alternatives and designs to protect data with and without hardware involvement. Present potential approaches for definition of non-traditional hardware techniques (such as customized data protection ASICs) to protect data within weapons systems. Address scope of design, capabilities, integration, test, fielding, and support of potential alternatives and approaches, to include risk assessments of deployment. -Post Launch Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Weapons. Assess use of Ai in non-traditional use within air-launched weapon systems. Design and present methodology for defining key variables needed for AI learning, the approach for using high-fidelity M&S simulations, the categorization and separation of dissimilar and similar target sets to be used for AI learning, the number of M&S runs needed for AI learning, and describe the general approach needed to invoke AI experiments within known weapon M&S and software architectures. The outcome should be a methodology to define the process to define and mature AI within post-launch weapon software. -Assessment of Aerial Targets WOSA ICD and OMS Requirements. Provide assessment of aerial targets unique system functionality and hardware, with contractual language to achieve WOSA ICD compliance within avionics systems, and OMS compliance within overall aircraft system. Define and present approach to USG for abstraction of internal avionics WOSA ICD communications, abstraction of software from hardware for internal avionics systems, and the standard for integration of avionics systems Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) within aircraft. -System on a Chip (SOC) with Secure Processor. Design a System on a Chip (SOC) with secure processor. SoC design must allow for commercial off the shelf quad ARM processor as well as a replaceable secure processor. Intent is a prototype system with 100% digital twin available for software development and system evaluation. -M&S Smart Input File Creation Tool. Create a Cameo SysML tool to create and manage M&S input files. Allow the user to create a master set of scenarios, filter scenarios by scenario conditions (e.g. launch range and altitude, target type, range to target, etc.) and save different sets of scenarios (e.g. all scenarios for a given specific target, all scenarios with launch conditions above 20Kft, etc.). Allow the user to define first, second, and third order M&S variables to be used to create input files for sets of scenarios. Allow the user to define unique M&S session input files which define M&S variables and their distributions. During each session, allow user to select any combination of first, second, and third order variables to create input files. Allow the user to define default values for variables and vary key variables for a set of Monte Carlo runs (to prepare for sets of sensitivity analysis runs or a set of runs to support a launch readiness review for a specific scenario and launch conditions). Allow selectable user option to run a user-defined number of Monte Carlo runs for a single scenario or for a set of selectable scenarios from the master set of all scenarios; scenario selections should be able to be filtered by types of scenarios (e.g. target type, altitude, launch modes, aircraft, etc.). Allow user the option to create input files based on random draw for selected first, second, and third order variables, so that variables across the entire factor space are a random draw according to each variable’s specified distribution (e.g. this will result in each scenario having a unique set of input variables according to the user’s criteria). Allow user to define distributions and or default values for all M&S variables to be used during random draws, such as Gaussian and linear distributions, or custom distributions based on operational realism (e.g. 5% chance of launch from 1-20Kft, 90% change of launch from 20Kft to 40Kft evenly distributed, 5% chance of launch from 40-50Kft). Allow user to save different sets of scenarios and different sets of input variable conditions. Allow user the ability to run an automated verification of sets of input files per their specified generation criteria to confirm that the input files were generated correctly (in accordance with specified criteria). Allow user to link a set of user selected scenarios and their input conditions to their data sets, data analysis files, and summary reports for completeness, clarity, and reference. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a “Phase I like” effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have Identified the prime potential AF end user(s) for the non-Defense commercial offering to solve the AF need, i.e., how it has been modified; -Described integration cost and feasibility with current mission-specific products; and -Described if/how the demonstration can be used by other DoDor Governmental customers. PHASE II: Under the Phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of advanced manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. Air Force sustainment stakeholder engagement is paramount to successful validation of the technical approach. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III efforts will focus on transitioning the developed technology to a working commercial or warfighter solution. REFERENCES: 1. www.airforceweapons.com KEYWORDS: WOSA; Digital Engineering; SoS; WDL; NCA; LRKC; UCI; SysML; AI; network; model; ML

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Cybersecurity; Network Command, Control and Communications; Autonomy; Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning; 5G; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground Sea; Sensors; Electronics; Materials; Information Systems; Air Platform; Battlespace The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR Help Desk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us OBJECTIVE: The Armament Directorate is searching for concepts to develop, share, and swap subsystems and microservices across the munitions portfolio. The increased rate of tactical change we anticipate in a high-end fight dictates an increased acquisition and fielding tempo. Air delivered armaments share similar “architectural domains” such as guidance, navigation, and control systems, warheads, propulsion systems, seekers, etc. We need highly modular and software defined capabilities, maximum reuse of software and hardware architectures across services and mission areas, and a challenge-based acquisitions approach to maximize competition for system subcomponents. Of interest are common, small form factor, hardware architectures that fit within a 5” tube, use of commercial heterogeneous System on Chip (SoC), System on Module (SoM) or System in Package (SiP) to reduce Size/Weight/Power/Cost and unclassified Weapons Open System Architecture (WOSA) implementation models leveraging the Systems Modeling Language (SysML). Modularity and commonality must also address efficient design by leveraging advanced artificial intelligence methods like generative design to eliminate parasitic weapon weight, increasing battery efficiency (Wh/kg) and solid rocket motor efficiency (Isp). Lastly, the Directorate seeks the ability to evolve toward a common software centric development organization. As our weapons become modular and software defined, it is critical that we begin adopting and developing methods for agile embedded software design and acquisition. The ultimate goal is to enable the adoption and establishment of modular software architectures, frameworks, and acquisition best practices to expedited system upgrades, leverage reuse and collaboration across Services and mission areas. DESCRIPTION: Specific initiatives include: The Armament Directorate is searching for concepts with increased standoff range and reach outside of threat range. These concepts must allow Blue aircraft to effectively prosecute targets in the air and on the ground. Intended targets include fighters, soft stationary ground targets, hardened targets, moving ground targets, and maritime targets. Specific initiatives include: -Decreased parasitic weight through: --AI enabled generative design (strong back, lugs, etc.) --Novel high performance polymers & super alloys --Additive manufacturing methods (5-axis, selective laser melting (SLM), directed-energy deposition (DED), etc.) --Increased hypersonic and supersonic engine efficiency --Increased battery efficiency to maximize Watt-hour per kilogram (Wh/kg) --Reliable alternatives to thermal batteries to allow lighter transmission cables (high voltage, low current) --Increased solid rocket motor efficiency to maximize specific impulse (Isp) -Advanced survivability measures -System-Level Performance Considerations: --Upstream energy deposition (forward facing gas jet, converging radiation, etc.) to manipulate shock structures --Formation Flying to Reduce Drag --Off-Design Engine Performance Improvement -- Exergy-based Performance Analysis Tools (Energy Utilization vs. Entropy Generation) The Armament Directorate is probing concepts that permit Blue Forces to leverage large numbers of relatively low-cost weapons systems simultaneously. These innovative technologies could have low-cost materials and manufacturing processes, low-cost propulsion systems, modular open-system payload architectures, and disposable or re-usable dispenser vehicles. Specific initiatives include: -Expedited/affordable gas-turbine engine prototyping enabled by advanced manufacturing The Armament Directorate is pursuing ideas that permit Blue Forces to command various collaborative weapons to employ coordinated tactics to ensure success. A dynamic battlespace requires automated, adaptive weapons systems, and cooperative tactics. Specific technologies under analysis include: -Artificial intelligence algorithms with “dialable” human influence -Target identification schema -Target prioritization algorithms -Collaborative weapons playbook scripts -Datalink technologies and theories -Miniaturized, reliable electronics -Electronic warfare concepts and capabilities The Armament Directorate is pursuing concepts focused on enabling Blue Forces to utilize weapons as major contributors to multi-domain command and control (MDC2) space. Specific technologies of interest include: -Low-cost, multi spectral seekers -Data transmission and evaluation software/algorithms -Software defined radio antennas -Beyond-line-of-sight communications The Armament Directorate seeks concepts with non-kinetic effects that are either interchangeable with kinetic weapons of connected to them. These concepts should increase Blue Forces’ magazine depth and present new armament delivered capabilities to the battlefield. Many non-kinetic weapons are electric powered derived and afford the potential for multiple “shots” per weapon engagement versus a traditional kinetic weapon. Other non-kinetic effects provide different affects than kinetic weapons that may be as effective in the battle space as a kinetic weapon with lower cost and/or in a smaller package. The Armament Directorate is investigating applying the Weapon GRA to an inventory weapon as a surrogate implementation. This ensures the GRA is robust enough to model current weapons and allow changes/improvements to the GRA to assist in improving the GRA in an agile manner. Specific initiatives the Armament Directorate is interested in pursuing include: -Subsystem or Systems-of-Systems architectures based on commercial heterogeneous System on Chip (SoC), System on Module (SoM) or System in Package (SiP) approaches -Ruggedized commercial hardware small form factor implementations (fit in ≤ 5” tube) -Embedded and hardened containerization architectures for Real-Time Operating Systems -Industry or Government hardware/software standards mapped to the Weapons Open System Architecture (WOSA) logical domains -Scalable propulsion families -Common Flight Termination Systems. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a “Phase I like” effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have:-Identified the prime potential AF end user(s) for the non-Defense commercial offering to solve the AF need, i.e., how it has been modified; -Described integration cost and feasibility with current mission-specific products; and -Described if/how the demonstration can be used by other DoD or Governmental customers. PHASE II: Under the Phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of advanced digital, manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. Air Force sustainment stakeholder engagement is paramount to successful validation of the technical approach. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III efforts will focus on transitioning the developed technology to a working commercial or warfighter solution. REFERENCES: 1. www.airforceweapons.com KEYWORDS: Microelectronics; Cybersecurity; Network Command; Command and Control; General Warfighting Requirements;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Battlespace OBJECTIVE: Develop a process to produce actionable information for the warfighter from non-resolved space object imagery prior to observation-catalog association. DESCRIPTION: Space objects are becoming smaller and more prolific while the domain is increasingly congested, contested, and competitive. Government and commercial ground-based telescopes were proliferated to maximize the number of observations and awareness of the space domain. As a result of the significant increase in data volume, space domain awareness architectures have been driven to automate the processing and exploitation of optical imagery. Most images are never viewed or inspected by a human operator. Potential threat events, such as Closely Spaced Objects (CSOs) and breakup events are easily identified visually in calibrated imagery; however, it is not practical to send frames or thumbnails to a centralized location for visual inspection. This process stresses the available communications bandwidth and is manually intensive. As a result, the warfighter must wait for minutes to hours while the extracted detections are filtered, frame-to-frame associated, correlated to known objects, classified as Uncorrelated Targets (UCTs), and deemed a potential threat by additional processing. This information is commonly insufficient to determine threat levels and the operator must request imagery transfers to perform visual inspection which can take days to complete. Consequently, the operator is unable to effectively perform Courses of Action (COAs) selection and execution. The USSF needs an automated process that runs at the sensor locations to recognize potential threat events in imagery to alert operators on relevant timelines. PHASE I: Identify types of events that can be visually categorized in non-resolved imagery. Generate potential strategies for automating real-time processes to identify the types of events prior to downstream processing. Identify the key technical challenges and Technical Readiness Level of the proposed approach. Generate a technology maturation plan to mature the proposed approaches. PHASE II: Generate real or simulated imagery for testing. Develop prototype software to generate alerts that enable operator COA selection and execution in less than 10 seconds of imagery collection without access to a known object state estimate catalog. Compare performance to traditional processing approaches. Demonstrate the ability to significantly reduce the number of false positives, false negatives, and alert delivery latency. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Mature prototype software into a commercial product for commercial Space Situational Awareness. Identify government and commercial organizations for transition. Generate the technical and training documentation required for third party integration. Provide services to the government to maximize the utility of the alerts to operations. Provide services to the government to update software prototype for different applications. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) J.-C. Liou and N. Johnson, Earth Satellite Population Instability, Underscoring the Need for Debris Mitigation, NASA, 2006; 2) M. Bolden, Probabilistic Real-time Domain Awareness Leveraging Computer Vision and Computational Intelligence, Pennsylvania State University, 2018; 3) J. Fletcher, I. McQuaid, P. Thomas, J. Sanders and G. Martin, Feature-Based Satellite Detection using Convolutional Neural Networks, Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference, Maui, HI, 2019; KEYWORDS: Space domain awareness; computer vision; electro-optical imagery; operator alerting; real-time alerting; computational intelligence; closely space object detection; threat detection; Modeling/Simulation

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Autonomy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: The objective of the project is to investigate new multidimensional imaging LiDAR architectures that simultaneously enable 3-D imaging and scene optical characterization (spectral, polarimetric, other properties) while implementing novel design principles that inherently reduce opto-mechanical complexity. While 3D imaging increases spatial information that can aid in spatial template matching of objects in a scene with a target library, targets in a complex scene, hidden or otherwise, may limit the classification accuracy of spatial template matching. Additionally, in contested battle space, autonomy of weapons systems is attractive as it reduces risk of life to allied forces while increasing threat to opponents. Additional scene/target characterization information would aid in autonomous system target detection/ID. To that end, measurements in additional dimensions (spectral, polarimetric, other) may be useful. One possible set of design principles that enable multidimensional imaging with reduced cost, size, weight, and power (CSWAP) is temporal multiplexing signals instead of the traditional spatial multiplexing of signals as is done with gratings, prisms, and polarization beam splitters. Temporally multiplexed spectropolarimetric LiDAR should be considered as well as other novel approaches. DESCRIPTION: It is well known that optical properties of surfaces or materials can be used for material ID. This is a common approach used by chemists and biologists to identify chemicals using infrared absorption/transmission spectra. Likewise, polarimetric materials classification through material Mueller matrices has shown promise. A compelling ISR sensor would harness both 3D spatial information and optical characterization information for materials classification and do so in a low CSWAP design that is consistent with the limited CWAP envelope present in missile seekers and UAVs. Traditional approaches to spectral LiDAR employ supercontiumm lasers as the transmitter and a grating/prism in the receiver to spatially disperse spectral signals to a detector array for spectral measurement. Although these systems show promise, the supercontinuum lasers tend to have lower spectral power density and limited grating efficiency that limits range performance. Additionally, spatial dispersion of signals requires free space optics that increases size and a detector array that drives up cost. Traditional polarimetric LiDAR designs transmit a series of pulses, each of which carries a different polarization state, to interrogate a target, the various polarization states are generated by transmitting each laser pulse through a retardation adjustable EO device (rotating retarder, LC retarder, Pockels cell, etc.) Likewise, on the receiver side, each return signal is characterized through a variable polarization analyzer employing a variable retardation and polarizer. This configuration enables measurement of the material Mueller matrix that can be used for classification but comes at the cost of CSWAP, with slow, serial measurements, free space optics, and multiple variable retarders. Although we have focused on spectral and polarimetric measurements, other types of optical characterization may also be useful. It is desirable to develop new configurations that enable rapid (preferably single ~ns pulse) measurement in a low CSWAP architecture. Speed is important, as the LiDAR platform and the target may have relative motion such that serial illumination may not, with high confidence, illuminate the same point in space. One alternative to these traditional approaches is to employ temporally multiplexed architectures. The fundamental motivation is that single pulse based signals dispersed in time, rather than space, may enable rapid, low CSWAP measurements. For example, consider a temporally multiplexed spectral LiDAR system using a cascaded Raman source for illumination. Through the temporal dynamics of the Raman scattering process, each Raman order will have a unique shape in time, which can allow wavelength identification through temporal measurements instead of spatially dispersed measurements. Now, a single detector measuring temporal shapes can replace a grating/prism and detector array to ID wavelengths. Similar architectures are possible for temporally multiplexed polarimetric LiDAR. Review of literature will illustrate a number of different approaches to temporally multiplexed spectropolarimetric LiDAR. The goal of this solicitation would be to advance low CSWAP architectures capable of multidimensional imaging for improved target detection and ID. Some important system performance metrics are summarized below. Multidimensional imaging can include spectral, polarimetric, or other phenomenology in additional to 3D imaging. PHASE I: Investigate literature for background information on multidimensional imaging, temporally multiplexed spectropolarimetric LiDAR, and other relevant topics. Identify optical characterization phenomenology and novel architectures that would enable fast, low CSWAP multidimensional imaging LiDAR sensors to aid in operation of autonomous seeker and UAV platforms. Produce systems designs and performance analysis. PHASE II: Procure hardware to build and characterize proto-type multidimensional imaging LiDAR system. It is desirable that the proto-type system be capable of operation outdoors to enable field data collection campaigns, but it would be acceptable to develop a compelling table top system enabling indoor data collection. If the system is limited to indoor operation, then a path to outdoor operation should be clearly defined. Scan imaging frame rate, field of view, and operational range are metrics of interest. No hardware delivery is required but a demonstration of system hardware is required, system demonstration should include measurement of 3D imaging in conjunction with some other multidimensional phenomenology. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Proto-type system is employed for data collection of complex scenes containing various targets and clutter objects. Standard machine learning techniques would be employed to test classification capability. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) LADAR System and Algorithm Design for Spectropolarimetric Scene Characterization, Richard K. Martin, Christian Keyser, Luke Ausley, and Michael Steinke, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, vol. 56, no. 7, pp. 3735-3746, July 2018; 2) Single-Pulse Mueller Matrix LiDAR Polarim, Modeling and Demonstration, Christian K. Keyser, Richard K. Martin, P. Khanh Nguyen, and Arielle M. Adams, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, vol. 57, no. 6, pp. 3296-3307, June 2019; 3) Detection of Hidden Objects Using Passive Polarimetric Infrared Imaging, J. Brown, D. Card, C. Welsh, C. Saludez, C. Keyser, R. Roberts, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, submitted Aug. 2019; 4) Single-pulse, Kerr-effect Mueller matrix LiDAR polarimeter, C. Keyser, R. Martin, H. Lopez-Aviles, K. Nguyen, A. Adams, and D. Christiodoulides, Opt. Exp. May, 2020; 5) Hybrid passive polarimetric imager and lidar combination for material classification, Jarrod P. Browna, Rodney G. Roberts, Darrell C. Card, Christian L. Saludez, and Christian K. Keyser, Opt. Eng. Aug. 2020; 6) Temporally Multiplexed Multi-Spectral LADAR with Raman-Based Waveforms, Luke Ausley, Rick Martin, and Christian Keyser, SPIE Defense and Commercial 2018; 7) Anomaly detection of passive polarimetric LWIR augmented LADAR, Jarrod P. Brown, Rodney G. Roberts, Chad M. Welsh, Darrell Card, and Christian Keyser, SPIE Defense and Commercial 2018; 8) Single-Pulse Mueller Matrix Polarimeter Laboratory Demonstration, Arielle Adams, Christian Keyser, Khanh Nguyen, and Rick Martin, IEEE RAPID conference, 2018; 9) Spectral-based Expansion of Temporally Multiplexed Multispectral LADAR with Raman Waveforms, Luke Ausley, Rick Martin, and Christian Keyser, IEEE RAPID conference, 2018; 10) Compact LiDAR Polarimetry via Time-Varying Transmit Polarization and an Elliptical Polarization Analyzer, Richard K. Martin and Christian Keyser, SPIE Defense and Security, 2019, Maryland; 11) A fiber Kerr effect polarization state generator for temporally multiplexed polarimetric LADAR, Arielle Adams, P. Khanh Nguyen, Chrisitan Keyser, and Demetri Christodoulides, SPIE Defense and Security, 2019, Maryland; 12) Optical Pulse Generation with Versatile Time-Varying Polarization States, H. E. Lopez Aviles, C. K. Keyser, R. K. Martin, K. Nguyen, A. M. Adams, D. N. Christodoulides, CLEO, May 2020; 13) Diagonal Mueller Matrix measurements based on a Single Pulse LiDAR Polarimeter, Chad Welsh, Stefano Roccasecca, Khanh Nguyen, Richard Martin, Christian Keyser, SPIE DCS 2020; KEYWORDS: LiDAR classification; autonomy; material classification; machine learning; spectral classification; Mueller matrix classification

AF224-0003 TITLE: 20 MW Microwave Source Set with C- to Low K-Band Coverage TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Electronics OBJECTIVE: Tool suite that supports the counter-electronics mission of MAJCOM's by enabling the identification of target vulnerabilities to high power microwave (HPM) waveforms. The DoD is currently investing significant resources across the services to develop and deploy counter-UAS and other technologies. A robust national effort and Community of Interest (CoI) exist between the Air Force Research Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory and Army Research Laboratory to develop and deploy HPM technologies and understand the effects interactions and optimizations regarding range, pulse width, repetition rate, and frequency. DESCRIPTION: Develop proof of concept, internally test, and subsequently deliver a microwave source set that produces 20 MW, maximizes C- to low K-band coverage (4-20 GHz), microwave pulse width adjustability 10 ns-1 µs, and up to 1 kHz repetition rate. This set may consist of tunable oscillators, amplifiers, etc. Due to the challenging nature of this topic, not all of these desired parameters may be possible to meet and are not necessarily required to be selected, e.g. it may only be feasible to cover 1 or 2 frequency bands--meeting, or nearly meeting, the power requirement is the most important. The planning, design, and deliverables should include pulsed power and any prime power subsystems that go beyond grid power. Generated microwave output shall feed into standard in-band rectangular waveguide; waveguide power handling (vacuum breakdown) may limit output power at the higher frequencies. PHASE I: Demonstrate proof of concept; virtual prototypes (or design configuration details using commercial products) of microwave oscillators, mechanically or electronically tunable oscillators, amplifiers, etc. that achieve 20 MW in C- to low K-band and microwave pulse width and repetition rate adjustability. Include detailed design plan/description for the source(s), pulsed power, prime power, pulse-width control, breakdown avoidance, testing/safety, etc. that will be needed in Phase II demonstration. Pulse width control may employ plasma switches, pulse-forming line adjustability, etc. A systems-level engineering approach is required during this phase to analyze and demonstrate interoperability between the components - pulsed power, source, pulse-width control, etc. to account for voltage/waveform effects, feedback, and reflections and to reduce risk in Phase II. Maximum desired (not required) shot to shot variations at any given setting are pulse width 5-10%, frequency 1-5% from center frequency, and power 5-15%. PHASE II: Deliver and demonstrate microwave suite after fabrication, acquisition, assembly, internal testing, etc. to AFRL Kirtland AFB test facility. The demonstration will require timely coordination with the AFRL test schedule and will involve free-field radiation via AFRL's in-band rectangular waveguide antennae into an RF anechoic chamber. Radiated power, pulse width adjustability, frequency, and repetitive firing rates will be confirmed with field probes at set distances from the antenna aperture. These coordinated tests may or may not be used to gather electronics effects data. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Mature the microwave tool suite for the end user and in compliance with regulations. Pursue commercialization. Should the small business only be capable of covering a fraction of the frequency bands and other parameters in Phase I and II, there may be interest by AFRL and/or other HPM Effects members in acquiring additional sources and components that more-fully cover the parameter space. In addition, there may also be interest in using these potentially compact, light-weight, frequency/waveform-agile (or phase-controllable) sources in the 20 MW range for counter unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAS), base defense, aircraft defense, and other missions in the DoD. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR Help Desk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) J. Benford, J. A. Swegle, and E. Schamiloglu, High power microwaves, 3rd ed., New York, Taylor Francis, 2015; 2) A.S. Gilmour, Jr., Microwave tubes, Artech House, 1986. KEYWORDS: high power microwaves; electromagnetic; RF; directed energy; effects; vacuum tube; solid state; source

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy; Nuclear TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Nuclear; Electronics OBJECTIVE: Deliver a compact, high current X-band RF linear accelerator to the Air Force Research Laboratory. This accelerator should be capable of accelerating a DC beam from an electron gun. The peak beam current should be approximately 75 mA/250 mA (threshold/objective) averaged over a 3 us/10 us (threshold/objective) macropulse, as measured after an exit window. The electron gun and accelerator should be 1 m or smaller in length. The beam energy should be 5 - 15 MeV (preferably tunable). No repetition rate is specified. DESCRIPTION: Work should include extensive modeling and simulation of the accelerator design and RF source (if building in-house). This should include GEANT simulations or other electron propagation modeling tools and electromagnetic modeling software such as CST, HFSS, or other suitable tools. This should include an analysis on performance at different charge levels to indicate performance while accelerating a current-modulated pulse train. Those advancing to Phase II will need to fabricate the source and check out its performance. This is to include cold tests to verify the frequency of the accelerator and the fill time. Final beam acceleration tests can be performed at AFRL's facilities and will include measurements of beam current, pattern, and energy. Those advancing to Phase III will need to assist AFRL in the integration of a wideband buncher, integration into a platform, and/or improvements to system performance. PHASE I: Phase I awardees should design and simulate a suitable X-band linear accelerator to meet the Topic Objectives, as described above. Ideally this accelerator will be tunable from 5-15 MeV, either through RF power adjustment or adding/subtracting modular accelerating segments. This should include an electromagnetic analysis and an electron propagation analysis, with emphasis on performance with different electron bunch charges. The capture coefficient should be higher than 50%. The emittance at the accelerator exit window should be less than 200 pi 10^-6 m rad. Identify a suitable commercial off the shelf electron gun, pulsed power, and X-band RF source to fill the accelerator, or design and simulate an in-house system(s). Fabricate one accelerator cavity to demonstrate feasibility of design. Provide quarterly reports to AFRL and write a final Phase I report presenting the accelerator and RF source design and all modeling and simulation work (including raw data) indicating the device's progress towards meeting Topic Objectives. Provide a plan to carry out Phase II. PHASE II: Phase II awardees should fabricate their accelerator designs and purchase or fabricate their identified electron guns, pulsed power sources, and X-band RF sources. Tests should be carried out to demonstrate the performance of the accelerator and compare to expected results. Final tests to accelerate electron beams may be performed at AFRL's facilities. Quarterly reports should be sent to AFRL. A final report should be written to include accelerator performance and data, standard operating procedures, troubleshooting tips, and a plan for completing Phase III. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: During Phase III, awardees will assist AFRL in integrating a custom pre-buncher (to be designed and built separately) into the accelerator. The system may also be integrated onto a mobile platform for field testing. Finally, improvements to system performance may be required. Quarterly reports to AFRL will be required. A final report to be delivered to AFRL will be required which will include a summary of all work performed as a part of Phase III. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Kutsaev, S. V., et. al, Compact X-Band electron linac for radiotherapy and security applications, 2021; 2) Kutsaev, S. V., et. al, Electron bunchers for industrial RF linear accelerators, theory and design guide, 2021; 3) Diomede, M., et. al, Preliminary RF Design of an X-band linac for the EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB project, 2021; 4) Mishin, A. V., Advances in X-Band and S-Band Linear Accelerators for Security, NDT, and Other Applications, 2005. KEYWORDS: Linear accelerator; RF Linac; Electron Beams; Directed Energy

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Electronics OBJECTIVE: A turnkey laser source capable of emitting 20W average power, 4-5µm wavelength with near diffraction limited output using an array of semiconductor lasers such as Quantum Cascade Lasers for use in defense tracking illumination and remote sensing applications. DESCRIPTION: Current state of the art mid-IR semiconductor lasers can provide only up to a few watts of output power. In order to reach higher power, a method of beam combination or amplification is needed. The Government would like to see which approach is most feasible and efficient to produce an end product that can produce minimal of 20W output power at mid-IR spectral range (4-5µm) with diffraction limited beam quality. PHASE I: The topic requires design and proof of concept of laser source capable of producing 20W output power at 4-5µm wavelength with diffraction limited beam quality. It shall be capable of operating pulse width range from 1µs up to continuous wave. The proposer shall demonstrate feasible power scaling and/or beam combining approach with output beam quality less than 2 PHASE II: Requires implementation and construction the proposed design during Phase I - a laser source capable of producing 20W output at 4-5µm wavelength with diffraction limited beam quality. Prototype shall be capable of operating pulse width range from 1µs up to continuous wave. Requires demonstration of power scaling and/or beam combining method of the laser source with greater than 20W output power and less than 2 beam beam quality factor. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Requires reducing cost of the laser source with streamline system production. The interface shall be development with end-user's requirements, including integration with users' systems and reduction of size, weight, and power to meet user needs. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) www.forwardphotonics.com/products KEYWORDS: high brightness laser source; mid-IR semiconductor laser; quantum cascade laser; beam combination

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Biotechnology Space; Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Bio Medical; Space Platform OBJECTIVE: Develop a compact high power microwave system outputting a very high power burst of energy in a narrowband and tunable frequency region, which will demonstrate the viability of High Power Electromagnetics to conserve water resources in austere conditions. Perform spectrum agile high-power and short-interval transmissions to break down molecular structure of target organisms to promote the reuse and/or conservation of water. The defense industry leverages various incarnations of these technologies for directed energy weapons and seeks to demonstrate the application of these efforts to maintaining dominance in increasingly austere conditions. DESCRIPTION: The primary focus of this topic is to identify and demonstrate ways in which HPM can be used to greatly reduce water consumption for forward operating locations in austere conditions. HPM can be used to sterilize medical or military equipment, seed germination and can be used to for non-potable water treatments giving rise to the opportunity for reuse. The objective is to demonstrate viable applications in these areas for which the armed services can take advantage for future battle missions. Successful technology development should result in a high-power source, coupled to an antenna with directivity. Integration of this system must be designed into a transportable, standalone capability. The proposer should describe HPM and EW narrowband sources and associated antenna performance parameters in terms of frequency, bandwidth, effective radiated power (ERP), duty cycle/factor, efficiency, and directivity. The interest is broader than effects of HPM against water-borne contaminants and seeks to pursue applications where microwaves can be used to limit water consumption and/or promote reuse. PHASE I: Identify efficiencies that either limit water usage or promote the reuse of water resources by targeting the breakdown of molecules for several candidate architectures (seeds, waste, nonpotable water). Develop concepts that illustrate a proof-of-concept design. This should include details that 1) describe how the design(s) demonstrate manufacturability, 2) address how technical challenges would be addressed, 3) information on how concepts may be reasonably scaled to accommodate high volume throughput. Include methodology and potential prototype performance that will demonstrate the proposed concept with the output pulse parameters as described. Conduct a sub-scale component demonstration. The Phase I effort will include prototype plans to be developed under Phase II. PHASE II: Develop detailed designs for a prototype system that improves performance parameters that meet system requirements as specified in the Description. Demonstrate a prototype system, according to this design, that meets threshold parameters at a minimum. At an AF test facility demonstrate that the prototype delivers, or is scalable to deliver, the requisite power and RF spectrum to allow the reuse or conservation of water resources. Prototype Delivery to AFRL. Report performance results. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Military application - Define product line for standard packages suitable for ruggedized applications on deployable platforms. Commercial application - Define product line for standard packages suitable for commercially-available water conservation systems to be used in research laboratories within gov’t agencies, national laboratories, academic laboratories, and other research institutions. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Q. Wu, Effect of High Power Microwave on Indicator Bacteria for Sterilization, IEEE Trans Biomedical Eng., vol. 43, NO. 7, JULY 1996; 2) Stull Jr. et. al, Microwave Disinfection and Sterilization, Patent No., US 9592313 B2, March 14, 2017; 3) Gururani, P., Bhatnagar, P., Bisht, B. et al. Cold plasma technology, advanced and sustainable approach for wastewater treatment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 65062–65082 (2021); 4) https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/MSC-TOPS-53#:text=Test%20results%20show%20that%20exposing,within%20a%20water%20filtration%20system KEYWORDS: directed energy; DE; water conservation; HPM; High Power Microwave; High Power Radio Frequency; HPRF

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems OBJECTIVE: Develop a low-latency multisensory digital helmet-mounted near-to-eye augmented reality system for use by dismounted special warriors. System must provide multispectral vision in night, day, and all-weather operations. DESCRIPTION: The Air Force has a mission need for digital visual augmentation systems. The Digital Multisensory Augmented Reality for Special Warriors (DMARS) system sought is a dual-band visualization device primarily for night operations. Architectures of interest include monocular helmet-mounted with dual imaging sensors: one high-resolution reflective-band scene understanding image (in-line with eye); and one low-resolution emissive-band imager above eye (for overlay or salient extraction). Other architectures (hand-held, split component/off-body mounting, binocular) are also of interest. Both sensor bands must be usable as vision aides during day, night (including overcast starlight), and all-weather operations. Reflective bands require a light source (sun, moon, stars, artificial) and include the visible (400-700 nm, near infrared (625-930 nm) and shortwave infrared (0.9-3.5 um). Emissive (aka thermal) bands include midwave infrared (3-6 um) and longwave infrared (7-15 um). Architecture should enable expansion to include other sensory modalities (audio, tactile). The DMARS device shall be battery powered and be capable of displaying symbology/imagery from an external source (aka end user device). The size, mass, mass distribution, and power consumption should be minimized sufficiently to achieve user acceptance. The device should be comfortable for wearing under combat conditions for hours. Performance metric threshold (objective) sought include, reflective sensor band 2000x2000 px (4000x4000 px); emissive band 640x512 px (1280x1024 px); field-of-view 40x40 deg. (80x80 deg.); frame rate 60 Hz (200 Hz); latency from objective-to-eye, 17 ms (1 ms); head-born mass 1 kg (0.5 kg); head-born moment arm 0.1 kg-m (0.05 kg-m); power 6W (2W); volume 1000 cc (500 cc); and head-mounted battery time 4 hr (8 hr). No government furnished materials, equipment, data, or facilities will be provided. PHASE I: Design a DMARS system with size, weight, and power (SWaP) consistent with head-worn implementation. Estimate all performance metrics via laboratory experiments and analyses. Develop a system architecture for DMARS integration into the dismounted special warrior kit. Develop a System Implementation Plan for evaluating DMARS operating performance in combat environments, including producibility and supportability. PHASE II: Fabricate prototype DMARS at TRL6. Evaluate prototype in laboratory and representative environments. Incorporate mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces required for integration into fielded BAO kits. Support operator testing, provide special test equipment, and refine prototype performance based on feedback. Deliver prototype optimized for SWaP performance, reliability, and ruggedization consistent with dismounted warfighter operations. Provide bill of materials. Create roadmap to mature technology to TRL8/MRL8. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Develop, fabricate, and deliver Qty(6) DMARS production-configuration units at TRL8/MRL8 with interfaces to the fielded BAO Kit. Establish DMARS performance specification. Provide bill of materials. By the end of Phase III, the DMARS should be capable of all-weather operation worldwide. Evaluate DMARS and its subsystems for other special operations applications. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Darrel G. Hopper, AFRL alternative night/day imaging technologies (ANIT) program (Conference Presentation), in Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 10642, Degraded Environments, Sensing, Processing, and Display 2018, 1064208 (14 May 2018), available from www.spiedigitallibrary.org.; 2) Peter J. Burt et al., Methods for fusing images and apparatus therefor, Patent US5325449A, Granted 28 Jun 1994, Application status is Expired Lifetime as of 9 Apr 2019.; 3) Mamta Sharma, A Review, Image Fusion Techniques and Applications, Intl. J. Computer Science and Information Technologies 7(3), 1082-1085 (2016). ; 4) David G. Curry, Gary Martinsen, and Darrel G. Hopper, Capability of the human visual system, in Cockpit Displays X, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 5080, 58-69 (2003).; 5) Example sensor technologies include, EBAPS Technology www.intevac.com ; 6) FLIR Camera Cores Components, www.flir.com ; 7) Sensors Unlimited Products for Image Sensing, www.sensorsunlimited.com ; 8) Jason McPhate et al., Noiseless, kilohertz-frame-rate, imaging detector based on micro-channel plates readout with the Medipix2 CMOS pixel chip, in Proc. SPIE 5881 (2005), 10.1117/12.618861. KEYWORDS: Augmented Reality; Monocular; Near-to-Eye; Multisensory; Reflective Band; Emissive Band; Special Warriors; Digital

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate technology capable of providing advanced metrology for large space-based antenna arrays. DESCRIPTION: Large space-based antenna arrays are projected to be needed for future space missions. There is a need to assess the performance, health and degradation of large antenna arrays. For this reason, this topic seeks novel metrology solutions for space-based antennas. As large structures are built in space, the large size presents several design challenges. Orbital forces can cause the antenna elements to move, bend or flex in small, but tangible amounts that affect the performance of the individual antenna elements as well as the entire array. Likewise, the electronics that controls the antenna elements are subject to the same stresses and strains inherent within the operational space environment that may degrade or even damage these components. A novel metrology solution is sought, such as those that focuses on measuring the electromagnetic emissions of the elements to determine and assess in-situ that their performance is within the expected parameters. The solution must be able to assess the in-band performance of the elements themselves by measuring the sidebands, scattering, etc. as well as the out-of-band emissions from the elements, interconnects and active electronics that control the elements. The sensor design must be ultra-lightweight to meet space Size Weight and Power (SWaP) requirements. It must be capable of capturing emissions at greater than 170 dBm sensitivity while still maintaining adequate dynamic range to function near a high-power antenna array. The sensor must have broadband collection capability to assess both in-band and out-of-band emissions and have the Radio Frequency (RF)/microwave collection capability and processing tightly integrated to achieve the required performance. PHASE I: During the Phase I effort, a prototype system will be developed to demonstrate the technical feasibility for a sensor and antenna configuration for novel metrology of space-based antennas. PHASE II: Complete development of a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution. During the Phase II, a system will be demonstrated that is capable of automatically and accurately identifying performance anomalies and degradation of an antenna array, individual antenna elements and electronics that control the array. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will transition the adapted non-Defense commercial solution to provide expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential Government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Clark, T. J. (2010). Million Element ISIS Array. IEEE, pp. 29-36.; 2) Duren, R. L. (2001). The SRTM Sub-arcsecond Metrology Camera. IEEE Aerospace Conference, Interferometric Systems and Technologies for Remote Sensing; 3) Duren, R. T. (2000). A modified commercial surveying instrument for use as a Spaceborne rangefinder. Aerospace Conference Proceedings, 3; 4) Liebe, C. A. (2008). Optical Metrology System for Radar Phase Correction on Large Flexible Structure. IEEE; 5) Murphey, T. (2011, January). Overview of the Innovative Space-Based Radar Antenna Technology Program. Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets; 6) Pappa, R. G. (2000). Photogrammetry of a 5m Inflatable Space Antenna With Consumer Digital Cameras, NASA. ; 7) Udd, E. S. (2000). Multidimensional strain field measurements using fiber optic grating sensors. SPIE. KEYWORDS: Space-based Antenna Arrays; Electronic Degradation; Performance Measurement; Electronic Health Assessment

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate a manufacturing or assembly system that can function on Earth, in partial gravity, or without gravity. The system should be able to create spacecraft or space station components in space, on asteroids, or on planets. The manufactured components may comprise primary structures, pressure vessels, and antennae, among others. Specifically for antennae, a truss-like primary structure will need to be manufactured and assembled. Then the antenna will need to be manufactured onto the truss system. The truss and antenna need to be recapturable after deployment. The truss and antenna need to be repairable and reconfigurable for different frequencies. DESCRIPTION: Problem Description and Benefit, Spacecraft engineering spends ~75% of its man-hours designing systems to survive launch. Less than 25% of spacecraft engineering man-hours is spent on mission specific design and manufacturing. The "Tyranny of Launch" and the "Tyranny of the Fairing" severely limit the efficiency and scale of what may be performed on-orbit. For example, unfurlable antenna systems take years to design, test, and validate; and they are used only once during a decades long mission. Unfurlable mechanisms may be deleted from the orbital engineering lexicon, if On-Orbit Manufacturing and Assembly are used instead. The aperture size of orbital systems may also be greatly increased, if On-Orbit Manufacturing and Assembly are used to distribute the antenna lift operation over multiple launches. After a Micro Meteor Orbital Debris (MMOD) collision, the truss/antenna system may be repaired, if On-Orbit Servicing is designed in. Therefore, On-Orbit Servicing Assembly and Manufacturing (OSAM) may create a lower cost, more resilient, and higher performance antenna system than ever before. OSAM also allows for the creation of pressure vessels that are too big for launch. Engineering firms may also design spacecraft after the factory itself has been launched. The OSAM reordering of launch and manufacturing operations will 4X the engineering manpower of the aerospace firms, dramatically increasing the rate of evolution of spacecraft systems. PHASE I: During the Phase I effort, a prototype system will be developed to demonstrate the technical feasibility On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing of space-based antennas. PHASE II: Large scale, autonomous manufacturing or assembly demonstration of the antenna system. The system will be built larger than the biggest unfurlables. Systems such as airbearings and cable-trapeze suspension in a highbay may be employed. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will transition the adapted non-Defense commercial solution to provide expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential Government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Trujillo, Alejandro E., et al. " Feasibility Analysis of Commercial In-Space Manufacturing Applications." AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. 2017 KEYWORDS: Space-based Antenna; OSAM; Robotics; Manufacturing; Assembly; Truss, Engineering

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Network Command, Control and Communications; 5G; Autonomy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems; Space Platform OBJECTIVE: Develop proper interfaces, solution architectures and requirements needed to support the software-defined networking (SDN)-based flexible satellite bandwidth on demand Advance typical satellite broadband access services with customers to be able to dynamically request and acquire bandwidth and quality of service (QoS) in a flexible manner. DESCRIPTION: Nowadays, many user demands from US military, commercial, and allied/international partners may need transient satellite communication resources during specific periods. These transient resources can be utilized from particular satellite constellations in different orbit regimes (e.g., low-, medium-, and geosynchronous earth orbits) to access best reception, or the least utilized network or other conditions, and thus leading to higher application performance and business efficiency for particular situations. This topic call seeks elastic network resource provision enabled by SDN implementations for flexibility and agility. It includes the necessary traffic control, inspection, prioritization and metering capabilities present across the satellite network components. Solutions on flexible on-demand bandwidth that intelligently integrate a SDN architecture with a programmable northbound application programming interface to cost-effectively provide guaranteed performance on a per-connection or flow basis to meet service level agreement requirements are of interest under this call. Moreover, potential approaches for SDN implementations should be achievable across multi-band and multi-orbit satellite networks, including satellite hubs and terminals. Other challenges are of interest in the context of sharing and multi-tenancy operational environments, involving business and operation service support for military, commercial, and allied/international partners, e.g., dynamic service level agreements, dynamic traffic control, and configurations of different QoS profiles and service classes. PHASE I: Develop a use case comprised of broadband connectivity between multiple fixed and/or mobile satellite user terminals dispersed across a region of interest and two or more commercial satellite service providers that allows for SDN techniques be applied and supported by satellite gateways and remote satellite terminals to meet flexible and on-demand bandwidth requirements. Analyze key technical challenges on how to provide transient on-demand network services without affecting normal operations of other users and to perform fast provisioning of satellite network resources and to perform dynamic network configurations to meet demands. PHASE II: Demonstrate a proof of concept for SDN-based flexible satellite bandwidth on demand. Evaluate multi-band and multi-orbit satellite broadband access services with customers to be able to dynamically request and acquire bandwidth and QoS in flexible manners. Document agility metrics pertaining to satellite network configurations in real-time (or near real-time) to better fulfil customer expectation but also to optimize utilization of network resources. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integrate with prospective follow-on transition partners to provide improved operational capability to a broad range of potential Government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Government organizations such as Air Force Research Laboratory and Space Systems Command could sponsor a government reference design in collaboration with small business and industry partners. Successful contractor technology demonstrations will inform the technical requirements of future acquisitions by Primes and subcontractors. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Start, A., and Gordon M., The Critical Role of Tactical Satcom in Deployed Operations. IET Seminar on Military Satellite; Communications, London, UK, 2013; 2) S. Wahle and T. Magedanz, Network Domain Federation – “An Architectural View on How to Federate Testbeds”; 3) Nobre, J., Rosario, D., Both, C., Cerqueira, E., and Gerla, M., Toward Software-Defined Battlefield Networking, IEEE Communications Magazine, 54 (10), pp. 152-157, 2016; 4) K. D. Pham, Risk-Sensitive Rate Correcting for Dynamic Heterogeneous Networks, Autonomy and Resilience, IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT, 2020 KEYWORDS: network resource provision; software defined networking; dynamic traffic control; configurable traffic prioritization; guaranteed performance; service level agreements; multi-tenancy operational environments; quality of service profiles; service classes

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Network Command, Control and Communications; 5G; Autonomy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems; Space Platform OBJECTIVE: Develop network function virtualization (NFV) enabled satellite terminals for optimized content distribution. Integration with other terrestrial networks in a dynamic and flexible manner as part of overall 5G ecosystems. 5G-enabled orchestration of warfighting missions to anti-fragile agility of differentiated communication services to hybrid terrestrial-satellite network supports with warfighting quality of experience. DESCRIPTION: Satellite terminals that deliver satellite broadband access are typically equipped with an IP router and/or an Ethernet switch to interwork with any attached external end-user equipment. The network equipment on the user side (e.g. routers, switches, firewalls, etc.) used to connect the end-user hosts to the satellite terminal is collectively referred to as the customer premise equipment. Central to any quality of service and quality of experience increases delivered to end users is the virtual network function as a service (VNFaaS), where virtual network appliances dynamically offered by satellite network operators to customers are in the form of network function virtualizations (NFVs); e.g., load balancers, traffic steering, gateway functionalities, media storage and processing, etc. The traditional provision in multi-tenant way; i.e., per customer of such capabilities is currently very expensive, making practically network functionalities at satellite gateways to apply to entire traffics and of course not being manageable by customers. An important aspect of using NFV capabilities effectively and affordably for dual civil and defense purposes is the instantiation at NFV-enabled satellite terminals. In this case, it is advantageous to accommodate interactions with customers, allowing them to select, deploy, manage and monitor NFVs according to their needs. This call seeks a proof of concept to enable a plethora of choices for applying traffic steering of media services, optimized content distributions, or performing dynamically adaptation or other combined actions depending on the problem and the way of resolving it. Solutions that are capable of deploying and instantiating dynamically NFVs to facilitate the provision of the requested media services while aiming to maintain the appropriate quality of experience are of interest under this call. Solutions that can quickly deal with the congestion with an appropriate instantiation as it adapts the content dynamically in order to facilitate its provision are highly encouraged. PHASE I: Identify scenarios and use cases where the adoption of NFV technologies into satellite terminals is seen as a key enabler towards more flexible and agile integration of satellite and terrestrial networks. Conceptualize the support of service composition and service chaining of various VNFs performed at the federation layer for satellite core networks, satellite network management, satellite hubs, and hybrid satellite terminal and customer premise equipment. PHASE II: Demonstrate the utility of flexibility and reprogrammability in VNFaaS placement logic for selecting appropriate NFV instantiation point of presence per service and action types. Evaluate coordination logic for federation decisions to support instantiations and deployments of VNFaaS. Demonstrate a proof of concept for multi-mission orchestration of the VNFaaS lifecycle through appropriate monitoring and adaptation framework reassuring guaranteed service delivery. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integrate with prospective follow-on transition partners to provide improved operational capability to a broad range of potential Government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Government organizations such as Air Force Research Laboratory and Space Systems Command could sponsor a government reference design in collaboration with small business and industry partners. Successful contractor technology demonstrations will inform the technical requirements of future acquisitions by Primes and subcontractors. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) C. Ozbay, W. Teter, D. He, M. J. Sherman, G. L. Schneider and J. A. Benjamin, Design and Implementation Challenges in Ka/Ku Dual-Band SATCOM-On-The-Move Terminals for Military Applications, MILCOM 2006 - 2006 IEEE Military Communications Conference, pp. 1-7, 2006; 2) S. H. R. Bukhari, M. H. Rehmani and S. Siraj, A Survey of Channel Bonding for Wireless Networks and Guidelines of Channel Bonding for Futuristic Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks, in IEEE Communications Surveys Tutorials, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 924-948, 2016; 3) K. D. Pham, Using Learning and Control Engineering to Improve Regulatory Review of Flexible SATCOM Terminal Advocacy, IEEE Aerospace Conference, DOI, 10.1109/AERO.2019.8742018, Big Sky, MT, 2019; 4) K. D. Pham, QoS and Handover-Aware Strategies for Multi-Gateway Transmit Diversity in High Throughput Satellites, IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT, 2021 KEYWORDS: network function virtualization; satellite terminals; virtual network function as a service; satellite network operators; load balancers, traffic steering; satellite gateways and hubs; optimized content distribution; hybrid satellite terminal and customer premise equipment; network function virtualization instantiation; coordination logic; federation layer

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Biotechnology Space; Microelectronics TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Bio Medical; Materials OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate an advanced oxygen conducting ceramic electrochemical cell and multi-cell stacks capable of increased production of pure (≥99.9%) pressurized oxygen using electric power and air. DESCRIPTION: Aircraft On-Board Oxygen Generating Systems (OBOGSs) use molecular sieve and pressure swing adsorption technology. This technology is highly dependent on source air pressure. Source air on newer aircraft is limited due to the increasing aircraft subsystem demands for cooling air. The source air (bleed air or environmental control system air) can have significant low pressure transients and these conditions can cause OBOGS oxygen and flow performance issues. An advanced oxygen conducting ceramic electrochemical cell with increased oxygen production (≥1 liter/minute per cell) is needed for this solid state technology to compete effectively with existing OBOGS technology. Current ceramic electrochemical cells produce oxygen at the rate of about 0.1 liter/minute per cell. This solid state technology would not be impacted by source air pressure variations. Further, the device would have no moving parts and operate using electric power. The electric power would ionize oxygen in the air, conduct the oxygen ions through the ceramic membrane, and then the ions would recombine to form pure pressurized oxygen. The membrane only transports oxygen ions, hence, oxygen would be contaminant free. The effort will, 1) develop improved ion conducting membrane material or a new composition of an existing material; 2) develop an advanced oxygen conducting ceramic wafer or cell; 3) fabricate and demonstrate state-of-the-art electrochemical cells capable of producing pure (≥99.9%) pressurized oxygen at (≥ 1 liter/minute per cell; and 4) develop and demonstrate a multiple cell stack device capable of producing oxygen at a total flow rate of 30 liters/minute. The electrochemical cell characteristics would be assessed based on oxygen purity, production flow rate, pressure, start-up time, size, and weight. The desired outcome will be to demonstrate a new state-of-the-art ceramic electrochemical cell and assess its viability for use on future aircraft OBOGS. PHASE I: For the phase I effort, new materials and new compositions of existing materials will be identified, researched, and analyzed to assess their ability to achieve increased flow rate (≥1 liter/minute per cell) of pure (≥99.9%) oxygen at pressures of ≥300 pounds per square inch gauge. Material properties will be assessed to predict the material most likely to achieve desired performance. A final report will be provided summarizing the materials considered, material properties, and probability the materials will meet the desired objectives. PHASE II: Advanced ceramic electrochemical cells will be fabricated and evaluated. The most viable electrochemical cell will be demonstrated and then incorporated into a multi-cell stack. The goal of the integrated stack is to achieve a total flow of 30 liters/minute of ≥99.9% oxygen at a pressure of ≥300 pounds per cubic inch gauge. The stack will be demonstrated and the results of the effort will be summarized in a final report. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The advanced electrochemical cells and stacks will be incorporated into an oxygen generator breadboard able to produce 60 liters/minute of ≥99.9% oxygen at a pressure of ≥300 pounds per cubic inch gauge. The dimensions of the breadboard should not exceed 24 inches in length, 12 inches in height, and 12 inches in width. The weight of the breadboard should not exceed 60 pounds. This technology could also be used to supply oxygen for medical applications. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) A. J. Bard and L. R. ,. Faulkner, ELECTROCHEMICAL METHODS Fundamentals and Applications, 2 ed., John Wiley Sons, Inc., 2001 ; 2) V. Joshi, J. J. Steppan, D. M. Taylor and S. Elangovan, Solid Electrolyte Materials, Devices, and Applications; J. Electroceramics, vol. 13, p. 619-625., 2004 ; 3) D. L. Meixner, D. D. Brengel, B. T. Henderson, J. M. Abrardo, M. A. Wilson, D. M. Taylor and R. A. Cutler; Electrochemical Oxygen Separation Using Solid Electrolyte Ion Transport Membranes; J. Electrochem. Soc., p. D132, 2002 ; 4) K. Chen and S. P. Jiang; Review Materials Degradation of Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells; J. Electrochem. Soc., pp. F3070-F3083, 2016 ; 5) S. Gupta, M. Mahapatra and P. Singh; Lanthanum Chromite Based Perovskites for Oxygen Transport Membrane; Materials Science and Engineering R, vol. 90, pp. 1-36, 2015 ; 6) S. J. Skinner and J. A. Kilner; Oxygen Ion Conductors; Mater. Today, pp. 30-37, 2003 ; 7) K. Zhang, L. Liu, Z. Shao, R. Xu, J. C. Diniz Da Costa, S. Wang and S. Liu; Robust Ion-Transporting Ceramic Membrane with an Internal Short Circuit for Oxygen Production; J. Mater. Chem. A , p. 9150-9156, 2013 ; 8) J.C. Graf, NASA's Efforts to Develop an Electrochemical Oxygen Compressor and Generator International Conference on Environmental Systems, July 2018, Boston MA ; 9) R.A. Bauer and M. Tomsic, Oxygen Production on Demand for Military Medical Needs Oxygen Systems Coordinating Group, July 2021 ; 10) J.C. Graf, EIS. Systems and Methods for Oxygen Concentration with Electrochemical Stacks in Series Gas Flow. June 2021 ; 11) NASA's Perseverance Rover extracts oxygen from Mars atmosphere for first time. NASA Press Release www.nasa.gov April 21, 2021. KEYWORDS: ceramic electrochemical cell; solid electrolyte oxygen separator; oxygen generation; ceramic oxygen generator; ion transport membrane

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform OBJECTIVE: Three percent (3%) beginning of life (BOL) minimum average energy harvesting device efficiency that enables higher system efficiency in 2022. 4% minimum average device efficiency that enables higher system efficiency in 2024. 6% minimum average device efficiency that enables higher system efficiency in 2027. DESCRIPTION: Space Force is focused on target signature reduction for satellite resiliency and is moving from the present baseline of large, 5-7 ton GEO satellites replenished every 15 years, to small satellites, with reduced target signatures, in all orbits replenished every 3-5 years to utilize swarming attack methodologies and sustain a technology lead over U.S. adversaries. Space Force programs typically require 3-5% more relative power for every mission block and spiral. Using 32% solar cell efficiency as a benchmark, approximately 68% of solar power is shed as waste heat. State-of-practice terrestrial energy harvesting devices, with TRL 9, 3% conversion efficiency, could either (1) improve total spacecraft power in smaller envelopes or (2) provide smaller thermal and optical signatures to the adversary. Using today's state-of-practice values for energy harvesting devices, if the 68% (de-rated to 58% for reflection) of wasted solar energy is converted to electrical power, then a 3% efficient energy harvesting device could generate a maximum of 2% efficiency from incident solar power (.58 x .03 = .02). PHASE I: Demonstration of device efficiency. Develop engineering model for system implementation. PHASE II: Late development of energy harvesting device and coupon level performance demonstration. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Prototype development and on orbit demonstration. REFERENCES: 1) Landis, Geoffrey presentation at Aerospace Corporation April 2021 Space Power Workshop (Energy Harvesting Devices) KEYWORDS: Energy Harvesting; Photo-voltaic; Seebeck effect; thermoelectric (TE); thermocouples; thermopile; thermo-radiative (TR); or thermal photo-voltaic (TPV)

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Autonomy; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems OBJECTIVE: Advance the state-of-the-art in forward error corrections (FEC) for improved performance and responsiveness in signals to address real-time threats and challenging urban fading environments through the development of short and very-short block length FEC regimes which would ultimately result in a near-capacity theoretical performance limits. DESCRIPTION: The US Space Force has identified advanced signals as potential GPS modernization investments as they would offer enhanced capabilities in signal responsiveness in dealing with real-time threats, robust satellite navigation performance in urban fading environments, and efficient use of available spectrum. As both military and commercial sectors demand for faster and higher capacity GNSS applications, there have not been any design guidelines and standards to construct finite-length FEC designs, especially in the short and very short block-length schemes with low-latency and low-decoding complexity. In the effort to optimize performance on target of near capacity information-theoretical limits, there is much interest in pursuing innovative, robust, and scalable solution to simple yet powerful coding schemes and low complexity decoding algorithms for ultra-reliable performance. Current areas of interest include but are not limited to the following, i) short and very short block-length error correction codes and fundamental limits; ii) signal processing techniques and fast algorithms that are directly beneficial in the L-band and urban multi-path fading environments; and iii) FEC code designs and fundamentals under non-orthogonal multiplexing multicarrier broadband GNSS applications. PHASE I: Establish feasibility of the proposed solution. Perform sufficient modeling and/or experimentation to determine fundamental tradeoffs between frame error rates and block lengths of the proposed set of short and very-short block-length FECs. Evaluate performance of both code and signal designs for ultra-reliable low-latency GNSS subject to urban wireless fading channels. Establish a preliminary design leading for Phase II. PHASE II: Finalize design of a demonstration prototype. Experiment with both software-defined radio transmitter and user equipment (UE) to demonstrate the ability to timely adapt very-short block-length FECs in feedback and/or pre-emptive manners. Evaluate flexibility and reprogrammability to affordably and effectively reconfigure adaptive very-short block-length FECs for different environments, including urban canyon, foliage canopy and diverse elevations. Consider ease of installation or deployment and sustainment costs. Contact potential customers and establish a transition plan with partners supporting Phase III activities. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integrate with prospective follow-on transition partners. The contractor will transition the solution to provide improved operational capability to a broad range of potential Government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Applicants must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Applicants are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) T.-K. Le, U. Salim, and F. Kaltenberger, An Overview of Physical Layer Design for Ultra- Reliable Low-Latency Communications in 3GPP Releases 15, 16, and 17, IEEE Access, vol. 9, pp. 433-444, 2021; 2) Congress, Spectrum Interference Issues, Ligado, the L-Band, and GPS, Congressional Research Service. Available online at https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11558, 2020 ; 3) M. Vu, N. H. Tran, G. Dissanayakage, K. Pham, K.-S. Lee, and D. H. N. Nguyen, Optimal Signaling Schemes and Capacity of Non-Coherent Rician Fading Channels with Low-Resolution Output Quantization, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, Vol. 18, pp. 2989-3004, 2019 KEYWORDS: Global Navigation Satellite Systems; very-short block-length error correction codes; user equipment; near-capacity information theoretical limits; L1C; urban fading environments; low complexity decoding; ultra reliable; low latency

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Bio Medical OBJECTIVE: Design, develop, and test fast, automated tools for predicting heating of human tissue from exposure from very near RF emitting devices. DESCRIPTION: The government has access to a suite of tools for simulating the human body's thermal response to radio frequency (RF) exposure from nearby electronic equipment, radar, and other RF devices, with a focus on the safety of soldiers in these scenarios. These tools include the ability to pose and morph human phantoms before running electromagnetic and thermal analyses; the tools run on graphical processing units (GPU) and can be used to rapidly evaluate a broad sample of body types, body mass index (BMI), poses, etc. Despite these successes, the tools treat all sources as being far away from the human; this assumption limits the accuracy when attempting to simulate nearby sources because electric and magnetic fields are not predictably aligned as they are in a far-field region. Furthermore, fields very close to antennas may not radiate or interact with materials as they would in the far field region. Therefore, an opportunity exists to develop a near-field antenna model that can be used within these tools to rapidly assess safety and/or efficacy of nearby RF sources. This capability will potentially expand the user base of these tools to include analysts who are modeling military devices such as warfighter radios, headsets, and nearby directed energy sources as well as medical experts evaluating treatments such as hyperthermia and RF ablation catheters used for therapeutic effects. Solutions should focus either on techniques to streamline the development of near-field sources and enable their field pattern consumption within FDTD electromagnetic solvers, or on surrogate modeling approaches that approximate the SAR and thermal response from idealized versions of antenna sources. Use of government equipment, data, or facilities is not expected. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes a review of the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediate actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The offeror should be able to demonstrate validated tools for simulating the human body's thermal response to RF exposures in the far field and should be capable of evaluating a broad sample of body types. Solutions should focus either on techniques to streamline the development of near-field sources and enable their field pattern consumption within FDTD electromagnetic solvers, or on surrogate modeling approaches that approximate the SAR and thermal response from idealized versions of antenna sources. PHASE II: Implement and deliver code to execute on DoD computers. Demonstrate accurate prediction of temperature rise from RF exposure in near field of antennas. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Military applications include engagement modeling and simulation, risk assessment, and occupational health evaluations. Civilian applications include real time prediction of risks from RF occupational exposure. Criterion to transition to Ph III is successful demonstration of near field predictions against published near-field exposure case studies. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Gajsek, P., Walters, T., Hurt, W., Ziriax, J., Nelson, D. and Mason, P. (2002), Empirical validation of SAR values predicted by FDTD modeling . Bioelectromagnetics, 23, 37-48. KEYWORDS: Computation models; RF exposure; near field

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Bio Medical OBJECTIVE: Design and develop a Virtual Reality (VR) Laser Dazzle/glare and laser eye protection (LEP) effects Demonstrator or for short, a Laser Dazzle Demonstrator (LDD). The demonstrator should simulate representative visual effects on a pilot from a laser directed at an aircraft. Cloud based, real-time, laser dazzle effects should be incorporated into a flight simulator program running on a commercial VR headset. Laser dazzle effects on night vision goggles and camera sensors should also be developed. Programs to familiarize pilots to the effects of laser dazzle should be included in the demonstrator, other distinct types of VR-style technology, to include augmented reality and mixed reality may be utilized. DESCRIPTION: Laser systems have become increasingly prominent in military use, they are employed in systems that are used for tracking and shooting down airborne targets and for targeting practice during familiarization exercises. However, as a result of improvements in laser diode technology, commercial laser systems have become more affordable and efficient, offering a variety of wavelength ranges and power levels which are easily accessible to the general public, making them more of an issue for pilots and aircrews to contend with during flight operations. Laser Eye Protection (LEP) is required flight equipment that is supplied to Air Force (AF) aircrews to prevent vision impairments when lasers are being utilized in the field or when known operational threats exist. In general, Aircrews are briefed about the use of LEP, but exposure to real-world laser dazzle during daily operations is extremely limited due to the need to maintain eye safe exposures. Representative simulations can include much more impactful scenarios of laser glare and mitigation options without compromising eye safety, and provide a familiarization opportunity. By optimizing for realism, the VR Laser Glare Demonstrator will prepare pilots for real-world laser glare events that tie in the use of LEP without incurring negative transfer. PHASE I: VR flight simulator systems are already being used by the Air Force and as part of pilot training programs. This topic is intended for technology proven to move directly into Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a “Phase I-like” effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. This study will create virtual reality scenarios of laser dazzle for an on-axis and off-axis laser beam incident upon a camera or NVG’s to 1) simulate laser glare over a variety of irradiance levels with and without LEP, 2) visual effects such as scotomas and eye damage when no LEP is worn, 3) visual effects with LEP to display glare mitigation, 4) development of a web-based VR familiarization application that incorporates the simulation scenarios outlined previously above, and 5) incorporation of VR scenarios and development as a stand-alone application to be utilized as a roadshow kit for VR demonstrations. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a “Phase I-like” effort at least in part separate from the SBIR/STTR Programs. Experience and demonstrated ability with VR flight simulators can suffice as a Phase-I type effort. Develop a VR Laser Dazzle Demonstrator relevant to one military application. Demonstrate and evaluate the system(s) ability to simulate laser dazzle under variety of conditions. Techniques should be used to overcome the limited brightness of the displays in VR headsets, so that the visual effect simulates real world visual effects on contrast. Laser dazzle effects may be cloud based or local system computer based. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: PHIII could be follow-on efforts to incorporate laser dazzle into improved VR head sets and into mixed reality. In addition, Laser Dazzle might be included in the rapidly improving and expanding market of VR games with multiplayer options. Laser Dazzle could also be added to AFSIM simulations and incorporated into DOD flight simulators for training, analysis, and experimentation. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Craig A. Williamson and Leon. N. McLin, Determination of a laser eye dazzle safety framework,Journal of Laser Applications (2018); 2) Craig A. Williamson and Leon N. McLin, Nominal Ocular Dazzle Distance (NODD) Applied Optics 2 (2015); 3) Craig A. Williamson, Leon N. McLin, Michael A. Manka, J. Michael Rickman, Paul V. Garcia, and Peter A. Smith, Impact of windscreen scatter on laser eye dazzle, Optics Express (2018); 4) Craig A. Williamson, J. Michael Rickman, David A. Freeman, Michael A. Manka, and Leon N. McLin, Measuring the contribution of atmospheric scatter to laser eye dazzle, Applied Optics (2015); 5) Oliver J. Freeman and Craig A. Williamson, Visualizing the trade-offs between laser eye protection and laser eye dazzle, Journal of Laser Applications (2020); 6) JoÃo M. P. Coelho, JoÃo Freitas, and Craig A. Williamson, Optical eye simulator for laser dazzle events, Applied Optics (2016); 7) Craig A. Williamson, Simple computer visualization of laser eye dazzle, Journal of Laser Applications (2016)" KEYWORDS: Laser Dazzle; Laser Glare; Scotomas; LEP; laser eye protection; virtual reality; mixed reality; augmented reality

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate novel methods for analyzing USAF pilot training and readiness data to deliver more effective and efficient training to Warfighters DESCRIPTION: Data about pilot readiness, performance, and training is a strategic asset to the U.S. Air Force (USAF). Modern pilot training produces large volumes of data employing a variety of methods, modalities, and formats. Velocity, the rate at which the systems generate data, is also a challenge. For example, distributed training environments often provide radio communications, electronic chat, data links, video, network data between interoperable simulators, expert observers, self-report surveys, and readiness reporting. Air Combat Command's (ACC's) Proficiency-Based Training (PBT) initiative along with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL, 711 HPW) are leveraging this data to deliver more effective and efficient training to Warfighters. Much of the available data is underutilized, and this topic seeks novel methods for organizing, analyzing, and deriving actionable insights from current and historic human performance data. In 2020, AFWERX and AFRL conducted a workshop with leading government, academic, and industry export to explore state of the art big data practices and potential applications to military pilot training and readiness. This topic is a continuation of that work more narrowly focusing on human performance data, data organization and management, and increased partnerships to explore state-of-the-art approaches. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. We expect to see evidence of previous product development and customer interaction in areas such as, (a) UX development to interpret analytics and insights in decision quality, user-oriented displays and dashboards; (b) descriptions of real world applications of the proposed technology and capability for the Phase II effort; (c) details on specific analytic tools, applications, and results data from use cases of the foundational technologies for this effort; and (d) documented customer feedback, outcomes, and commercial partnering interests that are leverageable for this effort. PHASE II: Compare simulated performance against existing model(s) and/or predictions. Refine simulations as necessary. Design a VR environment to include a graphic user interface that provides a selection of scenarios for the end-user to choose from. For example; scenarios such as landing or take-off, variable laser powers, variable engagement distances, laser wavelengths, etc. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Kabudi, T., Pappas, I., Olsen D. H. (2021). AI-enabled adaptive learning systems, A systematic mapping of the literature. Computers and Education, Artificial Intelligence, vol 2. (2021).; 2) Monllao Olive, D. (2019). Automatic classification of students in online courses using machine learning technqiues. [Master's Thesis, University of Western Australia].; 3) Watz, E., Neubauer, P., Kegley, J., Bennett, W. (2018). Managing Learning and Tracking Performance across Multiple Mission Sets. Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC). KEYWORDS: pilot training; proficiency; classification; data management; competencies; machine learning

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Battlespace OBJECTIVE: Develop and apply technologies and methods to visualize and understand the complex space environment in 3D augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR, or collectively extended reality - XR) to enhance space domain awareness (SDA) for operators and improve the quality of SDA decision making. DESCRIPTION: Battlespace awareness within the space domain is a critical foundation for planning and choosing appropriate courses of action, responding to threats, protecting vulnerable assets, and executing safe and effective space missions. This demands a mastery and understanding of complex, often counterintuitive, orbital dynamics at LEO, MEO, HEO, GEO, and xGEO orbital regimes. These missions require integration of uncertain and incomplete data, and consideration of evolving multi-domain threats. Current tools are limited by traditional 2D displays and insufficient representative scenarios for interactive training. The next generation of space operators and analysts require more intuitive, engaging, and scalable tools to prepare for and execute successful missions. Recent advances in augmented and virtual reality (XR) hardware (e.g., MagicLeap, Microsoft HoloLens, Oculus, HTC Vive) show the potential for cost effective, self-contained, and secure solutions to understand, interpret and train complex space concepts within representative and interactive 3D environments. PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 (D2P2) topic. The Government expects the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-type effort via some other means, e.g., independent research and development (IR&D) or other non-SBIR funded work). It must have developed a concept for a workable prototype or design to address at a minimum the basic capabilities of the stated objective. Proposal must show, as appropriate to the proposed effort, a demonstrated technical feasibility or nascent capability to visualize and interact with the complex space environment at multiple orbital regimes in high fidelity XR. Proposal may provide example cases of this capability on specific applications. The documentation provided must substantiate that the proposer has developed a preliminary understanding of the technology to be applied in their Phase II proposal to meet the objectives of this topic. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Design and develop 3D visualizations showing remote space object (RSO) entities and their complex spatiotemporal relationships (e.g., the three body problem at xGEO, engagement zones, point to point visibility). Provide the ability to support collaborative, distributed planning using shared visualizations and custom operationally focused annotation with consistent temporal effects. Provide a flexible XR device networking architecture to accommodate variations of synchronous, asynchronous, one-to-one, and/or one-to-many networking, across devices (i.e., COTS XR HMDs, tablets, desktop computers) in unclassified and TS environments. Readily ingest relevant data sources (e.g., the satellite catalog) and provide accurate and representative XR visualizations, content, tools, and interaction methods to support development of dynamic scenarios for operational and classroom training. Demonstrate and deliver the XR tools and infrastructure to support development, editing, saving, and playback of dynamic XRbased spatiotemporal space scenarios to support existing (and future) operational training, curriculum and course content development workflows while improving human immersion and comprehension. No GFE will be provided. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for potential government applications. There are potential commercial applications in a wide range of diverse fields that include elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and graduate level STEM education with XR-based visualization and interaction with dynamic content in contexts such as astronomy and astrophysics, earth science, marine science, and physics. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Chief of Space Operations Planning Guidance, General Raymond, 2020, https://www.spoc.spaceforce.mil/Portals/4/Documents/USSF Publications/CSO's Planning Guidance.PDF; 2) Out of this world, 50 OSS acquires Augmented Reality, Schriever Air Force Base, 2020, https://www.dvidshub.net/news/373500/out-world-50-oss-acquires-augmented-reality; 3) Toward Intuitive Understanding of Complex Astrodynamics Using Distributed Augmented Reality, Stouch, Balasuriya, et. al., 2021, Proceedings of the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS); 4) Challenges to Security in Space, DIA, 2019, https://www.dia.mil/Portals/110/Images/News/Military_Powers_Publications/Space_Threat_V14_020119_sm.pdf; 5) Spacepower, Doctrine for Space Forces, General Raymond, 2020, https://www.spaceforce.mil/Portals/1/Space Capstone Publication_10 Aug 2020.pdf; (6) Virtual, Augmented Reality Tech Transforming Training, National Defense, 2021, https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/2/17/virtual-augmented-reality-tech-transforming-training. Space Domain Awareness, Space Education, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, Training, Space Operations" KEYWORDS: Virtual/Augmented Reality in Space Operations; Complex Astrodynamics Using Distributed Augmented Reality; Orbit Determination in 3D; Space Threat Identification and Characterization using AR/VR

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors OBJECTIVE: The rise of commercial entities providing space domain awareness (SDA) data has been breathtaking to the point that the dedicated Space Surveillance Network, equipped by the U.S. Space Force, can leverage products so as to multiply the Network's capability for the space warfighter. Space Systems Command's (SSC) program of record (POR) for Ground-based Electro Optic Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS, office symbol SSC/SCGO) could benefit from inserting at GEODSS-sites persistently-watchful electro-optic sensors that can track relatively bright objects near the earth's geosynchronous orbit (GEO) belt, thus freeing GEODSS's more-sensitive astronomically-pointing sensors to conduct search-based operations for dim objects and long-duration characterization. The currently available commercial products, however, require maturation in edge-processing, operationally-ready software, and availability before they are ready for low-rate production. This topic is aimed at accomplishing this maturation. DESCRIPTION: Demonstrate a production prototype version of an existing ground-based electro-optic sensor that produces automated persistent surveillance of a wide swath of the geosynchronous-orbit regime (the GEO-belt). The prototype should be capable of 1) tracking near-GEO-belt objects as faint as 17 Mv in a region of the GEO-belt from a ground-based electro-optic sensor during night-time. 2) Collecting astrometric data from the electro-optic sensors with sufficient timeliness to detect a change in position of the near-GEO of less than or equal 100 micro-radian RMS and track the near-GEO during its orbital motion or maneuver, 3) performing edge processing; (that is, on computer-based equipment in very near proximity to the sensor) of the observations so that only the standard set of Space Surveillance Network messages need to be sent to the customer instead of the images. 4) Demonstrating compliance with 80% of SSC/SCGO's steps for operationalizing prototype software. Deliver the prototype to a location agreed by SSC/SCGO. PHASE I: Criteria for substantiating that the proposer's technology is currently at an acceptable stage (thus bypassing Phase 1 development) consists of the following. 1) A description of a sensor demonstrated to fulfill at least these characteristics: Ability from a ground-based electro-optic sensor to persistently and frequently record positions the objects near to the geosynchronous earth orbits (GEO) belt to within 30 degrees of horizon all night long. Frequency of observations should exceed 1 Hz (i.e., integration time less than 1 second). Ability to routinely detect objects as faint as Mv 16.3. Ability to estimate astronomical position (such RA and Dec, celestial lat. and long., or equivalent) of a GEO from a single frame of around 50 micro-radians. Ability to show reliability and longevity of any moving parts, especially if a moving-mount is required to point towards an intended target field. Such description is expected to be included in the proposal. 2) Publication describing the product and providing results of the successful demonstration of the product. Publication can be in either government-reviewed or peer-reviewed article, such as reports logged into DTIC after successful completion of a previous SBIR contract or a peer-reviewed article in a publication from a professional on academic society. Citations of such are expected to be included in the proposal. PHASE II: The performer will demonstrate performance of a production prototype version of an existing ground-based electro-optic product that produces automated persistent surveillance of a wide swath of the GEO-belt. The prototype should be capable of meeting the metrics in the Topic Description. The intent is to deliver the prototype to a location agreed by SSC/SCGO so that Ground-based Electro Optics Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) program of record (POR) can perform an assessment of the value added to the GEODSS POR. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: If funded, the performer will deliver a second unit to a location agreed by SSC/SCGO. SSC/SCGO will determine if specifications lead to a copy of the first unit or slight modifications meeting standards for a 1st production-unit. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Persistent Wide Field Space Surveillance (PWFSS) also known as Persistent AND Optically Redundant Array (PANDORA), Final Report, 20 February 2020, DTIC KEYWORDS: Space Domain Awareness; SDA; COTS camera; GEODSS

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors OBJECTIVE: The rise of commercial entities providing space domain awareness (SDA) data has been breathtaking to the point that the dedicated Space Surveillance Network, equipped by the US Space Force, can leverage products so as to multiply the Network's capability for the space warfighter. Space Systems Command's (SSC) program of record (POR) for Ground-based Electro Optic Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) could benefit from inserting a capability to track objects in the earth's geosynchronous orbit (GEO) belt during daylight and through clouds, especially from outside the continental United States. SSC owns sites that can host such equipment and has developed mechanisms to purchase data-as-a-service for space domain awareness observations. The current commercial products that provide the quality of astrometric accuracy that add multiplicative value to GEODSS, however, have limitations preventing insertion in a POR. Among these limitations are the need for multi-node-networked sensors which are concentrated in North America, as well as single-satellite band collection feed-horns. In addition, commercial providers may lack cyber-hardening and thus risk having their collects degraded when they are needed most. This topic is aimed at overcoming these limitations and thus creating a suitable dedicated-like commercially-derived prototype ready for both low-rate production and to provide data-as-a-service at an affordable rate. DESCRIPTION: Demonstrate a prototype version of an existing ground-based passive RF sensor that produces automated surveillance of a wide swath of the GEO-belt during night-time, daytime, and through clouds. The prototype should be capable of 1) tracking transmitting near-geosynchronous objects (GEOs) across a contiguous region of the GEO-belt, 2) combining data with that from a network of ground-based RF sensors that collectively can estimate the 3-dimensional position of the GEO with an RMS uncertainty of +- 5 micro-radians, 3) tracking satellite signals in multiple bands common to satellite communication bands, such as L, S, C, and Ku., 4) demonstrating compliance with 50% of SSC/SCGO's steps for operationalizing prototype software., and 5) providing data-as-a-service for space domain awareness data at affordable rates. Delivery of the prototype will be to a location agreed by SSC/SCGO with preference given to the western Pacific region. PHASE I: Criteria for substantiating that the proposer's technology is currently at an acceptable stage (thus bypassing Phase 1 development) consists of the following: 1) A description of a sensor demonstrated to fulfill at least these characteristics; Ability to track RF-transmitting near-geosynchronous objects (GEOs) across a contiguous section of the GEO-belt from a ground-based sensor. Ability to convert measurements from the radio-frequency signal into an estimate the 3-dimensional position of the GEO with an RMS uncertainty around +-6 micro-radians (or the equivalent in meters at the range of the target). Ability to track satellite signals in at least two bands common to satellite communication, such as L, S, C, and Ku. Ability to maintain track custody of at least one-dozen GEOs 24 hours per day for greater than 15 days. Such description is expected to be included in the proposal. 2) Publication describing the product and providing results of the successful demonstration of the product. Publication can be in either government-reviewed or peer-reviewed article, such as reports logged into DTIC after successful completion of a previous SBIR contract or a peer-reviewed article in a publication from a professional on academic society. Citations of such are expected to be included in the proposal. PHASE II: The performer will demonstrate performance of a prototype version of an existing ground-based passive radio frequency (RF) product that produces automated surveillance of a wide swath of the GEO-belt. The prototype should be capable of meeting the metrics in the Topic Description. The intent is to deliver the prototype to a location agreed by SSC/SCGO so that Ground-based Electro Optic Space Surveillance (GEODSS) program-of-record (POR) can perform an assessment of the value added to the GEODSS POR and whether fielding more sensors is warranted. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: If funded, the performer will deliver a second unit to a location agreed by SSC/SCGO. SSC/SCGO will determine if specifications lead to a copy of the first unit or slight modifications meeting standards for a first production-unit. If funded, the performer will demonstrate using the proto-types, along with other passive RF sensors, to deliver space surveillance data-as-a-service. REFERENCES: 1) 24/7 MONITORING OF ACTIVE SATELLITES USING PASSIVE RADIO-FREQUENCY (RF) SENSORS, Final Report, 25 June 2021, DTIC KEYWORDS: Space Domain Awareness; SDA; Passive RF; GEODSS

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials OBJECTIVE: Design, develop and demonstrate a continuous process for direct recrystallization of energetic materials and show the ability to control the shape, size, and morphology of the energetic. Such processes shall be capable of purifying materials from sub-quality feedstocks or for tuning particle size distributions of feedstock materials. DESCRIPTION: Energetic materials are dual-use materials used in private industry, recreational sport, and military applications. Explosives used in many applications and those used in DoD munitions and are produced at the plant at a wide range of scales. Such explosives are usually separated by classes (particle granulation sizes) and are produced in accordance with various material specifications that include purity, particle size distributions, and morphology. The currently used batch process to produce these classes are time intensive, scale-dependent, costly, and of insufficient reproducibility to support the requirements of future DoD and civilian needs. Further, the US production capacity, of the finer grades in particular, cannot keep up with expected DoD production demand. The U.S.'s current batch-based production method for producing the various classes of explosives is slow and does not allow for easy or precise control of particle size, thereby limiting strategic production rates of munitions. In order to address this limitation, new methods must be acquired to accelerate the ability of the U.S. to synthesize and process explosives by particle size that meet required material specifications. In the last few years, continuous flow synthesis has been successfully applied to energetic materials, and have demonstrated several advantages including reduced waste, material in process, process control and product quality. In order to fully realize the potential of continuous flow synthesis it needs to be paired with complementary continuous flow technologies including filtration, recrystallization, extraction, and distillation. Continuous flow recrystallization presents one of the largest challenges and opportunities in continuous flow preparation of nitramines including CL-20 and HMX. The pharmaceutical industry has demonstrated use of continuous flow recrystallization to result in improved purity, particle size control and particle size distribution. This topic desires continuous flow recrystallization strategies for direct recrystallization to each of the CL-20/HMX class sizes (eliminating grinding steps) with tighter particle size, greater process control and improved process waste profiles while retaining the desired polymorph for each. PHASE I: As this is a Direct to Phase II (D2P2) SBIR, proposers should provide evidence showing that their technology is mature enough for D2P2. This can come in the form of previous experimental data of continuous flow recrystallization using energetic materials or pharmaceutical/similar continuous recrystallization processes as long as proposers can also show experience with energetic materials. PHASE II: Development and demonstration of one or more pilot scale processes for HMX and CL-20 continuous flow recrystallization. The process models generated should be validated, optimized for affordability and robustness, and developed into a physical pilot process. This pilot scale process should produce final product at a rate of at least 1 g/min demonstration should exhibit polymorph and particle size control to multiple HMX and CL-20 class sizes and be able to be transitioned to manufacturing environments. It should demonstrate a narrow particle size distribution as well as limit operator exposure, hazardous waste generation and show greater process control to include solvent recycling. A 20 g sample of each class size must be shipped to AFRL/RWME (HERD) for further evaluation of product quality. Phase 2 will conclude with a full process design and transition plan. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: One or more of the processes developed in Phase 2 should be scalable to production capacity. These processes will demonstrate the ability to control and change particle size distributions of the nitramines. This capability will allow greater flexibility in meeting warfighter needs for nitramine-based end items in times of high demand with lower infrastructure costs than large scale batch recrystallization process equipment. It will also result in greater control of nitramine explosive properties (due to tighter control of particle size distribution) for improved end item reliability. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) K.A. Powell, A.N. Saleemi, C.D. Rielly, Z.K. Nagy. Periodic steady-state flow crystallization of a pharmaceutical drug using MSMPR operation.Chemical Engineering and Processing, Process Intensification, Volume 97, November 2015, pp 195-212; 2) P.B. Palde, T.F. Jamison. Safe and Efficient Tetrazole Synthesis in a Continuous-Flow Microreactor. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Volume 50, 15, April 2011, pp 3525-3528; 3) DETAIL SPECIFICATION RDX (CYCLOTRIMETHYLENETRINITRAMINE).MIL-DTL-398D.1996; 4) S. Lawton, G. Steel, P. Shering, L. Zhao, I. Laird, X.W. Ni., Continuous Crystallization of Pharmaceuticals Using a Continuous Oscillatory Baffled Crystallizer. Org. Process Res. Dev., Volume 13, October 2009, pp 1357-1363; KEYWORDS: Continuous Flow; Recrystallization; Nitramines; Process Analytical Technology; Energetics;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors; Materials; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: The objective is to provide material and process options for sol-gel glass optical elements containing organic or organic/inorganic dyes. Efforts shall focus on development of new materials options and approaches, process improvement of existing but immature sol-gel materials, and manufacturing process development of well-established and new materials. The candidate material(s) should be validated through a range of mechanical and optical tests, at various times throughout the effort. To mature the material production process, validation should include a demonstration of the ability to fabricate representative sized components (e.g., a 3 minimum diameter and minimum one cm thick element containing an appropriate dye) by the end of the effort. The component should then be tested in a relevant environment. To facilitate manufacturing, processes for producing the optical elements must be developed that are robust, scalable, and reproducible, with yield sufficient to allow reasonable cost of the final articles. Development and testing in the optical elements of novel dyes is an important objective of this effort as well. The performer will be required to design, synthesize, and scale the production of both existing and novel light-absorbing dyes which are optimized for solubility, compatibility with the sol-gel glass production process, and cost/yield, with the objective of establishing a reliable domestic source of the dyes specified for the optical elements. DESCRIPTION: The Air Force must be able to operate effectively in anti-access, area-denial environments with data collection from sensors which require protection from some wavelengths of light while operating at other wavelengths. This requires optical elements with the required optical transmittance as a function of wavelength, which can be attained by incorporation of appropriate dyes. It has been found that incorporation of dyes in sol-gel glasses is a promising approach to this requirement. However, production of dye-containing sol-gel glasses of the required size and optical quality is challenging. Depending on how the glasses are made, cracking or complete disintegration of the glass is common, and methods to produce the glasses of sufficient size that are of high optical quality and robust that can be performed at high yield and in a controlled, reproducible manner are lacking. The goal of this topic is to develop more robust production methods for such glasses, in particular to make larger optical elements and elements containing the necessary dyes. New and innovative material solutions may be proposed to provide new options for sol-gel glass production. Potential candidates include but are not limited to use of commercially-available or novel silanes and solvents. Processing approaches could include methods to control the rate of curing of the glass and the type, material, and shape of container used for the cure, as well as the cure temperature. The goal here is to develop a process that can make larger optical elements, more reliably. Well established materials and processes may be proposed with a focus on improving the manufacturability, producibility, and reliability for current and next generation optical elements. Increasing size, manufacturing yield, and reducing cost while at the same time reducing manufacturing variability is desired. Proposers must have experience in the production of dye-containing sol-gel glasses. A second requirement of the optical elements are dyes which have the required optical transmittance/absorbance properties while being compatible with the sol-gel materials and production methods and are reliably available from domestic sources. This is currently a challenge. The performer will be required to work with AFRL to identify suitable dyes for the optical elements and to design synthetic approaches to any dyes that are not commercially available from reliable domestic sources. The performer will synthesize any required dyes not commercially available from domestic sources in amounts exceeding 10 grams by the end of Phase II and have the capability to produce the dye(s) at batch sizes of at least 10 grams going forward, or to work with another domestic producer to do so, or both. Proposers should have documented experience in the design, synthesis, and production of novel and existing absorbing and fluorescing dyes in the visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum, and must have demonstrated the ability to reliably and reproducibly synthesize, purify, and characterize light-absorbing dyes at greater than 10 gram batch size. The proposal should clearly identify the current state of the art of the sol-gel and dyes of interest including both technical and manufacturing readiness and how the proposed work will advance readiness for the proposed optical elements. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The effort should show; 1) Clear ability to prepare at least 1 inch diameter optically clear sol gel glass boules that are suitable for cutting and polishing. 2) Experience putting organic or organic/inorganic dyes into the sol gel and preparing 1 inch diameter optically clear sol gel boules that could be cut and polished into optical flats. 3) Provide description and photos of procedures utilized in "Phase I-like" effort that will carry into the Phase II proposal PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of advanced manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. The proposer shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Zieba, R.; Desroches, C.; Chaput, F.; Carlsson, M.; Eliasson, B.; Lopes, C.; Lindgren, M.; Parola, S. "Preparation of Functional Hybrid Glass Materials from Platinum (II) Complexes for Broadband Nonlinear Absorption of Light", Adv. Funct. Mat., 2009, 19, 235. KEYWORDS: Sol-Gel Glasses; optical elements; dye incorporation; dye synthesis

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials OBJECTIVE: To develop a tool capable of measuring the conductivity of materials on surfaces with complex curves. DESCRIPTION: The current point inspection tool (Tier I) that is used to inspect electrically conductive materials on structures is a waveguide cavity probe. The probe is an open-ended wave guide of defined length that is excited on the feed end through a circular iris. When the open end of the waveguide is placed on a flat conductive surface, a cavity is formed. The Quality Factor (Q) of the cavity is measured and the conductivity of the terminating wall is calculated. Errors are induced when the surface being inspected is non-planar due to leakage around the gap created by the waveguide and the curved surface being inspected. It is desirable to have a device that can measure the conductivity of coatings on mildly curved compound surfaces. The measurement device should be capable of determining surface conductivity (ie: ohms per square) of conductive coatings. It is desirable to measure this within the 4-8 GHz frequency band. A single broad-band probe is highly desirable. The probe cannot damage the surface being measured. The device should pose no safety hazard to personnel or equipment. It shall be capable of being approved for flight line operation. The surface will not typically be flat and therefore should conform to the surface being tested. Assume that the probe must accommodate surfaces from flat to a compound radius of curvature of approximately 50 inches. The equipment should also have the ability to support higher radii of curvature. The probe should be capable of measuring small areas to support inspection. A smaller footprint is desirable. It is anticipated that the probe will work in conjunction with a government furnished vector network analyzer. The analyzer is a two port instrument and it is desirable that the probe not require additional ports. A standalone device or one that utilizes special test equipment is acceptable. It is expected that this probe will be transportable and operable by a single technician. Considerations during the design of any equipment used for this end should include: robustness, hand held use in the field, and Class I, Div II certification. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal, which demonstrates accomplishment of a “Phase I-like” effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility effort should: 1) show ability of measuring surface conductivity of electrically conductive coatings, 2) provide technology maturation roadmap (or equivalent) that shows feasibility of measurements of test panels PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a “Phase I-like” effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of advanced manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. The proposer shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Design and construct system capable of non-destructive, in-situ evaluation of the electrical conductivity. The range of conductivity shall be between 0 to 10 ohms/square. It is be desirable for the technique performed through a thin dielectric coating. Demonstrate a measurable approach on a test panel Ruggedize equipment, workout commercialization issues, partner with any appropriate companies to ensure successful production, meet other needs of the user. Demonstrate hand-held, ruggedized version to be fielded. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. REFERENCES: 1) Kok Yeow You; Fahmiruddin Bin Esa; Zulkifly Abbas “Macroscopic characterization of materials using microwave measurement methods — A survey”, 2017 Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium - Fall (PIERS - FALL), IEEE, (2017), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/PIERS-FALL.2017.8293135 KEYWORDS: Reflectometer; C Band; Electrically conductive coatings; waveguide cavity probe

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials OBJECTIVE: Design and develop a field-level maintenance inspection capability to measure the impedance in the VHF range of 30-300 MHz. DESCRIPTION: Current high impedance resistive materials inspection tools have many limitations and a requirement exists to measure the impedance of resistive materials. An innovative capability is desired to accurately measure in a flight line type environment the status of the performance of the resistive materials. The range of resistive material values may typically be between 1-5000 ohms/square inch. Therefore a requirement exists for a broadband measurement capability in a single sensor system with an accuracy and repeatability of 10% of nominal value. It is expected that technology demonstrations on commercially available materials to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed sensor technology shall be performed. The intended end user of the proposed sensor system is a 5-level maintainer or technician with approximately 3-5 years of aircraft maintenance experience. Therefore the proposed sensor system must be easy to set up, calibrate, collect data and analyze the results. This strategy is centered on developing a robust tool with advanced algorithms and processing for production, depot and field maintenance crews that only require entry level user training and knowledge to be successfully used and operated. New equipment and technology shall comply with security requirements, meet Class I Division 2 certifications for use around a fueled aircraft. The sensor system must be explosion proof and resistant against any harmful chemical or oil it could encounter in a hangar. The sensor system must also be ruggedized for use in an operational environment including exposure to light dust, moisture, humidity, low and high temperatures, and salt fog conditions as specified in commercially available testing documentation and standards. In-depth investigations shall be conducted to create confidence on new approaches and methods. These in-depth validation and verification activities shall address user requirements including but not limited to human safety, reliability, operator fatigue, reparability, and robustness of the equipment to survive in a high tempo maintenance environment. The developed capability is intended to be a common evaluation tool that can be used on multiple platforms and applications. An open software architecture is desired so that output data files are compatible with various field assessment systems for any platform. If the inspection system is battery-powered, the system must be able to complete an entire inspection on a single battery charge. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility effort would 1) show ability to measure resistive materials under thin topcoat, and 2) provide technology maturation roadmap (or equivalent) that shows feasibility for a single operator to use system. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of advanced manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. The proposer shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations, including the following: 1. Fabricate an integrated prototype system capability. 2. Demonstrate the prototype's ability to measure the impedance of resistive materials under thin topcoats. Tabulate and document test results in a detailed report to include any capability shortfalls, and recommendations for improvement to overcome said shortfalls. 3. Develop a manufacturing plan for a fully integrated ruggedized system capable of rapidly inspecting full scale aircraft in field or depot environments. 4. Rigorous technology demonstrations using commercially available materials and representative targets shall be performed. To that end, extensive test and evaluations of the novel prototype capability shall be carried out to include an optimized hardware and software system solution PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. REFERENCES: 1) "A Novel Method for Determining the R-Card Sheet Impedance Using the Transmission Coefficient Measured in Free-Space or Waveguide Systems,” IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 58 (7): 2228 – 2233, August 2009, Michael Havrilla, Milo Hyde, and Paul E Crittenden. 2) “Electromagnetic Scattering by an Impedance Sheet with a 1-D Inhomogeneity in a Rectangular Waveguide," Metamaterials 2009, 3rd International Conference on Electromagnetic Materials in Microwave and Optics, London, UK, 30 Aug – 4 Sept, 2009, Keith White KEYWORDS: High Impedence Probe; High Impedance Material Measurements; Resistive Material Measurements Very High Frequency (VHF) Probe

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Directed Energy; Nuclear; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground Sea; Nuclear; Materials; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: The topic requests that prospective proposers develop and demonstrate an advanced performance rope or pillow seal capable of repeated extreme temperature and load cycling operations in high heat flux, oxidizing environments that restricts the flow of hot gases at extreme temperatures thru static interfaces. The proposers are requested to apply existing, though perhaps not fully developed, fibers, metals, insulators etc in new and innovative ways to the fabrication of advanced performing static rope or pillow seals. The delivered seal should demonstrate some and or all of the following performance characteristics: 1) Exposure to hot gases of temperatures of at least 2200F to 3000F without exhibiting sealing property degradation. 2) Exposure to the above hot gases for at least 1 hour without exhibiting sealing property degradation. 3) Multiple (high single digits to low teens) exposures to the above hot gases for the 1 hour durations without exhibiting sealing property degradation. 4) Seal joint interfaces between a wide diversity of different component constituent materials such as various types of CMCs to various types of Metals, various types of CMCs to various types of CMCs, and or various types of Metals to various types of Metals. 5) Maximally impede the mass transport of Hot Gas and heat transport of thermal energy while also being capable of sealing against high pressure drops in the mid tens of Psi (ie 50s) across the joined interfaces. 6) Compensate for as large as possible component dimensional tolerance deviations without exhibiting sealing property degradation. DESCRIPTION: Contracted advanced performance rope or pillow seal effort performers will be deemed to have met the topic objectives by conducting and demonstrating the following work tasks. The proposer shall provide an exhaustively detailed report documenting why the proposed material to be incorporated into the making of an advanced performance rope seal is likely to improve the performance of a rope seal over existing seals. The report shall incorporate substantiating previous experimental results and detailed technical explanations as to why the new material will accomplish the topic performance objectives. The proposer shall design, build and test advanced rope seals of various dimensions and lengths with the proposed material so as to demonstrate that the new rope seal is versatile and repeatably producible. The tests shall demonstrate that the new advanced rope seals can achieve the performance characteristics detailed in the topic's performance objectives and be documented as such in a detailed stand-alone report. The proposer shall design and build additional advanced rope seals using the proposed material for delivery to at least two test facilities for independent performance characterization testing conducted by government/onsite contractors and paid for by the proposer. The tests shall substantiate that the new advanced rope seals achieve the performance characteristics detailed in the topic objective and be documented as such in a detailed stand-alone report produced by the independent onsite contractor. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have 1) Exposure and performance data of a material in similar shape, function and operational environment exposure to those needed in an improved rope seal expected for use in hypersonic and Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) systems. 2) Demonstrating manufacture of new material types into rope seal like sub component and its exposure to representative hypersonic and RDE operational environments and subsequent performance data. 3) Demonstrating manufacture, exposure to a representative hypersonic and RDE operational environment and performance data of a rope seal with one improved rope seal subcomponent / material with the remaining subcomponents made with conventional materials. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a “Phase I-like” effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Program. Under the Phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop a product or process, previously developed to meet an unrelated requirement or need, and conduct advanced manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant independent data base testing and demonstrations of the rope seal made with this product or process. The proposer shall design, build and test advanced rope seals of various dimensions and lengths with the proposed product material or material process so as to demonstrate that a rope seal made with it is versatile and repeatably producible. The tests shall demonstrate that the new advanced rope seals can achieve the performance characteristics detailed in the topic’s performance objectives and be documented as such in a detailed standalone report. The proposer shall design and build additional advanced rope seals using the proposed material for delivery to at least two government test facilities for independent performance characterization testing conducted by onsite contractors and paid for by the proposer. The tests shall substantiate that the new advanced rope seals achieve the performance characteristics detailed in the topic objective and be documented as such in a detailed standalone report produced by the independent onsite contractor. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, shall be documented. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Rajakkannu Mutharasan, Bruce Steinetz, Xiaoming Tao, Guang-Wu Du and Frank Ku, Development Of Braided Rope Seals For Hypersonic Engine Applications, Flow Modeling., NASA Technical Memorandum 105942, pages 1-26, December 1992; 2) Bruce M. Steinetz, Michael L. Adams, Paul A. Bartolotta, Ram Darolia and Andrew Olsen, HIGH TEMPERATURE BRAIDED ROPE SEALS FOR STATIC SEALING APPLICATIONS, NASA Technical Memorandum 107233, Pages 1-13, November 1996; 3) Bruce M. Steinetz and Michael L. Adams, Effects of Compression, Staging and Braid Angle on Braided Rope Seal Performance, NASA Technical Memorandum 107504, Pages 1-14, July 1997; 4) Patrick H. Dunlap, Jr., Bruce M. Steinetz, Donald M. Curry, Jeffrey J. DeMange, H. Kevin Rivers and Su-Yuen Hsu, Investigations of Control Surface Seals for Re-Entry Vehicles, NASA/TM--2002-211708, Page 1-29, July 2002; 5) Jeffrey J. DeMange, Patrick H. Dunlap and Bruce M. Steinetz, Improved Seals for High Temperature Airframe Applications, NASA TM 2006 214465, Pages 1-26, October 2006; 6) Shawn C. Taylor, Jeffrey J. DeMange, Patrick H. Dunlap Jr. and Bruce M. Steinetz, Further Investigations of High Temperature Knitted Spring Tubes for Advanced Control Surface Seal Applications, NASA TM 2006 214348, Pages 1-25, November 2006; 7) Jeffrey J. DeMange, Patrick H. Dunlap, Bruce M. Steinetz, and Gary J. Drlik, An Evaluation of High Temperature Airframe Seals for Advanced Hypersonic Vehicles, NASA TM 2007 215043, Pages 1-25, October 2007; 8) Patrick H. Dunlap Jr, Bruce M. Steinetz, Jeffrey J. DeMange and Shawn C. Taylor, Toward an Improved Hypersonic Engine Seal, NASA TM 2003 212531, Pages 1-25, July 2003; 9) Pat Dunlap, Overview of High Temperature Seal Development at NASA GRC, NASA Glenn Research Center, Presentation, December 8, 2021; 10) Pat Dunlap, Bruce Steinetz, Josh Finkbeiner, Jeff DeMange, Shawn Taylor, Chris Daniels and Jay Oswald, AN UPDATE ON STRUCTURAL SEAL DEVELOPMENT AT NASA GRC, 2005 NASA Seal/Secondary Air System Workshop, November 8-9, 2005; 11) Jay Joseph Oswald, MODELING OF CANTED COIL SPRINGS AND KNITTED SPRING TUBES AS HIGH TEMPERATURE SEAL PRELOAD DEVICES, MS THESIS, CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, May 2005; 12) Bruce M. Steinetz, Seal Technology For Hypersonic Vehicles And Propulsion Systems, An Overview, Short Course On Hypersonics Structures And Materials, Feb 2008; KEYWORDS: Rope Seal; Hypersonics; Rotating Detonation Engine; Scramjet

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Network Command, Control and Communications; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform OBJECTIVE: The topic will request offerors to propose and advance non-eroding nozzles and extensions/assemblies for re-usable upper stages of launch vehicles. Nozzles and Nozzle Extensions should be sized at nominally a range of 1.5-4.0 inches in throat diameter and able to withstand the elevated thermal and shock loads occurring during the detonation of fuels with flame temperatures ranging from 3500F to 5000F in oxygen-rich combustion. DESCRIPTION: This request supports United States Space Force Tech Need 1186 - Launch Technologies, the goals of which are to (1) reduce launch costs by 30% and (2) to reduce new vehicle development time by 50%. Re-use primarily addresses cost from reduced procurement of future upper stages. Further, the use of pressure gain combustion (detonation) can produce the same specific impulse (ISP) at lower (mean) combustion chamber/turbo-pump discharge pressures relative to the state of the art; this enables substantial reductions in weight, complexity, and cost of subsystems including turbo-pumps, which themselves are the highest cost and longest-lead time elements in new engine development. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have 1) Exposure and performance data of material coupons or propulsion assembly sub-elements in environments with similar thermal loads and combustion chemistries (e.g. rocket/high-mach nozzles). 2) Simulation/Analysis of candidate material performance in a similar environment to screen material properties and designs for similar nozzles. 3) Previous nozzle designs that have been demonstrated as effective, but would need modification/scaling of existing materials for this more aggressive combustion environment. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. Proposed efforts should include or reference prior modeling work to aid in throat/extension material down-select and assembly design with previous sub-scale screening of materials highly desired. Nozzle and nozzle assemblies suitable for future thrust-vectoring tests are also highly desired and should be considered for future efforts, but are not required. Deliverables should include a nozzle/nozzle extension for test at an appropriate facilities such as the 1250 lbf (1.5 in. diameter) or 5000 lbf (4.0 in. diameter) engine demo testbeds at the Air Force Research Laboratory; if a non-government facility is proposed, costs for such tests should be included in the proposal. A separate deliverable of a manufacturing demo of a nozzle design evolution based on refinements from program test results should also be included. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Lim, Heister, Humble, Harroun, Experimental Investigation of Wall Heat Flux in a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 58(5), 1-9, 2021; 2) Roy, Strakey, Sidwell, Ferguson, Unsteady Heat Transfer Analysis to Predict Combustor Wall Temperature in Rotating Detonation Engine. 51st AIAA/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference; 3) Roy, Bedick, Strakey, Sidwell, Ferguson, Sisler, Nix, Development of a Three-Dimensional Transient Wall Heat Transfer Model of a Rotating Detonation Combustor, AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting 2016; KEYWORDS: Re-Usable; Space Access; Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine; Nozzle

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials OBJECTIVE: The program objective is to explore new coating technology to successfully coat additively manufactured (AM) refractory components that exhibit variability in surface roughness and geometrical complexity. Coatings are critical to the implementation of metallic refractory components in extreme environments. However, little is known regarding the interplay between as-built surface roughness, component geometrical complexity and the ability to implement commercial refractory coating methodologies. This is especially critical since complex geometries or small feature sizes produced through additive manufacturing (AM) may offer performance enhancement, but may not be directly amenable to existing coating technologies. This effort will assess the integration and performance of conventional oxidation resistant refractory coatings, address the prevalent failure mechanisms and develop a new industrially-relevant coating technology for AM refractory components with varying surface roughness and geometrical complexity. DESCRIPTION: Niobium based refractory alloys are being explored for advanced aerospace applications where material requirements exceed the capabilities of Ni superalloys. In this realm, the emergence of AM refractory alloys has provided an innovative approach that enables complex geometries and/or graded microstructures for alloys that exhibit superior performance, but have been historically difficult to process. However, in all cases, refractory alloys require environmental coatings for protection to prevent chemical and structural degradation. Little is known regarding the compatibility of as-built AM surfaces with industry accepted coatings. This is especially relevant for cases where component geometric complexity makes surface preparation and machining extremely difficult. Conventional thermal-mechanically processed refractory alloy components are typically machined, chemically cleaned and slurry coated with commercial silicide coatings for environmental protection. Coating variabilities may be produced due the nature of the slurry and uneven application. Therefore, surface asperities and geometric complexities have the ability to detract from successful coating application. Thus, there is an apparent need to demonstrate explore how new coating technology will pair with AM processing techniques for refractory alloys. The envisioned program will explore this application space. It is recommended that the selected small business will partner with relevant alloy/coating/component OEMS, as needed, to select and produce additively manufactured refractory alloy representative coupon geometry and apply standard commercial refractory coatings for evaluation. Overall, this Phase II effort will 1) quantitatively assess the integration and performance of conventional refractory coatings on AM refractory components with varying surface roughness and geometrical complexity, 2) address the failure mechanisms of collective coating / substrate system through high temperature mechanical testing and exposure to oxidizing environments, and 3) develop a new industrially-relevant coating technology for successful refractory coating application. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility effort should have 1) A demonstration of refractory coating process, 2) A process analysis or simulation of candidate material performance in similar environments to screen material properties, 3) A characterization of applied coating and substrate that informs process scaling PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Mark D. Novak, Carlos G. Levi, "OXIDATION AND VOLATILIZATION OF SILICIDE COATINGS FOR REFRACTORY NIOBIUM ALLOYS" , Proceedings of IMECE 2007 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, November 11-15, 2007, Seattle, Washington, USA, p 1-7; 2) Mark David Novak, "Microstructure Development and High-Temperature Oxidation of Silicide Coatings for Refractory Niobium Alloys" , Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2010; KEYWORDS: refractory alloy; oxidation resistant coating; additive manufacturing

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials OBJECTIVE: Advance the maturity of non-destructive composite bonded joint strength inspection technologies such as Laser Bond Inspection (LBI) to enable cost-effective production of large, structural composite critical hardware by allowing accurate assessment of the integrity of composite bonded joints and structures over large acreage and non-normal to the surface in complex, curved inspection areas. Simplify and expand the delivery of composite bonded joint strength inspection technologies such as LBI to hardware being inspected. Increase reliability, production uptime, and ease calibration burdens associated with current composite bonded joint strength inspection techniques such as LBI. DESCRIPTION: The benefits of large, integrated bonded composite structures are not yet fully realized due to lack of confidence in bonded joints. Uncertainty in bond strength can be due to poor process control, manufacturing variability, environmental effects/aging, damage growth modeling, etc. Robust nondestructive inspection (NDI) techniques are needed to verify safety-of-flight-critical bonded structure for airworthiness certification. Current testing techniques involve statically loading the bonded structure to some specified load level to place the bondline under load. If the bond does not fail, it is determined to be acceptable and the structure is placed into service. This testing is costly and time consuming to undertake. There is a need to be able to proof test these bonds to quantify their strength with an efficient NDI method both during manufacturing and during depot level maintenance. Inspection technologies such as Laser Bond Inspection (LBI), through the use of well controlled stress waves to locally test the bondline, has shown promise to assess the relative bond strength between the adhesive and bonded structure and eliminate the need for expensive full-scale proof load testing. While NDI inspection technologies such as LBI is a demonstrated inspection technique, improvements to the overall coverage and access to complex, curved inspection areas will significantly increase such inspection technology's maturity. The current delivery is through an articulated arm, and an inspection head, which limits access to partially closed structures. The arm and inspection head also bring with them reliability and calibration issues, for example, optical elements that degrade through use and needs to be recalibrated frequently to maintain analysis reliability. As a result, a different laser beam delivery method is desired to eliminate the articulated arm and inspection head and be able to access internal structure of air vehicles and accurately interrogate the integrity/strength of the majority of bonded joints and structures (95% bonded areas). There are also reach limitations with the current composite bonded joint inspection methods such as LBI with the articulating arm providing only 4 foot radius semicircle which is significantly less than the desired reach for the acreage produced in large structural composite manufacturing. The new delivery method should expand the inspection envelope from the current limitations, inspection on substantially horizontal surfaces with the pulse required to be normal to the surface within a semicircle of about 4 foot radius. The new delivery method should substantially increase the inspection area compared to the current solution in composite structures with a thickness of up to approximately 2.54 cm or greater, and on any orientation of part surface. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should; 1. Define critical system requirements for inspection system hardware to increase the design space where NDI inspection technologies such as LBI could be employed. 2. Evaluate hardware concepts with the potential to non-destructively inspect the strength of composite bonded joints located in realistic vehicle confined spaces. 3. Develop a prototype concept and demonstrate feasibility to integrate into a NDI inspection technology such as LBI. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. The current NDI inspection technology that interrogates the composite bond joint strength (LBI) includes an articulated arm and inspection head that provide a means for targeting the LBI laser pulse to a particular inspection location. Elimination of the LBI articulated arm and inspection head will require replacing their functionality with an alternate method. The laser pulse needs to be accurately delivered to a prescribed inspection point on the bonded structure and the necessary elements needed to generate the shockwave that tests the adhesive bond joint need to be demonstrated. In order to demonstrate readiness to proceed Direct to Phase II, proposer should provide data that demonstrates things such as the ability to locate a beam on the target and to create a shockwave to test the bond strength, evidence that precise targeting of the laser pulse is feasible using the proposed delivery method and data and evidence that proposed method interrogates and quantifies the strength of a composite bonded joint. Further mature and demonstrate system hardware to conduct inspections on specific areas in a Production Representative Environment. Perform NDI inspection technique technology maturation and refine requirements development with OEM consensus. Validate hardware reproducibility to accurately assess bonded joints. Incorporate safety features and redundancies to prevent delivering too high of threshold energy within a structure of varying thickness. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. The contractor will further refine the NDI inspection technology to enable commercialization of the measurement of composite bonded joint strength and integrity using a technique such as laser bond inspection. This will include reduction in the overall size and footprint of the bond inspection system and the ability to seamlessly employ it in both a military and commercial aircraft production environment. Also, the system must be able to operate in a repeatable fashion over multiple surface variations to include contours and curvatures and over large acreage of composite bonded joints. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) LSP Technologies, Inc, Laser Bond Inspection, 2014, http://www.lsptechnologies.com/lbi-articles/; 2) Bossi, et al, Composites Affordability Initiative (CAI) Phase III Core Technology Task 11.3 Quality Assurance/Nondestructive Evaluation, AFRL-ML-WP-TR-2006-4222, DEFENCE TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER, May 2006. 3. Piehl, M., Stewart, A., and R. Bossi, Validation of Laser Bond Inspection, Phase I, AFRL-RX-WP-TR-2017-0064, DEFENCE TECHNICAL INFORMATION CENTER, 02 Mar 2017. KEYWORDS: Laser; Bond; Inspection; Non-Destructive; Production;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform OBJECTIVE: This topic seeks to preform systems engineering, concept exploration, analysis, modeling and simulation, test and evaluation of point-to-point rocket transport of cargo. DESCRIPTION: The commercial rocket industry is expected to have an evaluation of $1B over the next five years and the Department of the Air Force is interesting in examining how this new emerging market can be utilized for point to point transport of cargo. Rocket transport of cargo opens up a new capability by enabling the delivery of goods to any point on the earth within 90 minutes or less. While this capability provides a transformation in cargo transport, many challenges remain in making cargo transport via rocket a reality. A specific focus is how the Government can take advance of commercial capabilities without taking sole ownership or creating a unique aspect that is Government only, thereby driving up life cycle cost. Another aspect of interest to the Government is the ability to influence designs early on so that if there are unique Department of Defense (DoD) requirements, they can be incorporated into the commercial product enabling dual-use aspect. The Department of the Air Force is exploring rocket transportation capability for DoD logistics and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is currently assessing emerging rocket capability across the commercial vendor base, and its potential use for quickly transporting DoD materiel to ports across the globe. The U.S. commercial launch market is building the largest rockets ever, at the lowest prices per pound ever, with second-stages that will reenter the atmosphere and be reused. These advances in the U.S. commercial launch market are presenting the need for assessment and maturation of system-of-systems concepts of rocket transportation for DoD (Department of Defense) logistics by the United States air Force and Space Force (USAF/USSF). A large trade space exists for the potential of rocket cargo for global logistics, to include improvements in delivery cost and speed compared to existing air cargo operations. The goal of this effort is to investigate concepts, and yet to be develop concepts for rock cargo to determine technical feasibility and risk, programmatic costs, and schedule. The information, test and evaluation (T&E) under this effort will be used to influence and guide rocket cargo efforts. While the goal is to enable up to 100 tons of cargo to be delivered anywhere on the planet within tactical timelines, there may be optimization techniques and process with smaller amounts of cargo and transportation modes other than rockets that can provide rapid delivery of materials. An objective of this effort is to grow AFRL’s Rocket Cargo industrial base. This topic is intended to reach companies capable of completing a feasibility study and prototype validated concepts under accelerated Phase I and II type schedules. This topic is aimed at later stage research and development efforts rather than front-end or basic research/research and development. The focus is on emerging commercial capabilities to minimize cost and enable agile logistics through the entire span of responsive mission planning, rapid cargo logistics, ground launch operations and coordination with commercial airspace. The main deliverables will be modeling and simulation (M&S), T&E of concepts that advance the viability and utility of using commercial rockets and associated systems for Department of Defense global logistics to expanding capabilities of the USSF for combatant commanders. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. Relevant areas of demonstrated experience and success include, M & S, cost benefit analysis, risk analysis, concept development, concept demonstration and concept evaluation, laboratory experimentation and field testing. Phase I type efforts include the assessment of emerging commercial rocket capability and the potential to quickly transport DOD materiel to ports across the globe. Phase I type efforts would include agile global logistic concepts to deliver 1 to 100 tons of DoD cargo anywhere on the planet in less than one hour. The result of Phase 1 type efforts is to assess and demonstrate whether commercial rockets and associated systems can deliver DoD cargo anywhere on the planet in less than one hour. PHASE II: Eligibility for a Direct to Phase Two (D2P2) is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR/STTR Programs. These efforts will include M & S, simulation of prototype concepts, cost benefit analysis, system-of-systems studies, experimentation and evaluation of rapid logistics concepts that enable quick transport of DoD material to ports across the globe. Prototypes, M & S and experimentation should explore a wide range of integrating commercial rocket capabilities and cargo platforms within the Air and Space Force logistics train. These capabilities should consider areas that are unique to military logistics such as mission planning and execution, transportation of quick reaction forces/humans, munitions, fuel, ground operations, loading and unloading of cargo and transportation of unloaded cargo other remote locations. Phase II efforts shall conduct analysis, M & S, sub-scale and if possible, full-scale experiments to address military-unique requirements that may not be otherwise met by commercial space transportation capabilities. No funding will be invested in developing commercial rocket systems. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III shall include upgrades to the analysis, M&S, T&E results and provide mature prototypes of system concepts. Phase III shall provide a business plan and address the ability to transition technology and system concepts to commercial applications. The adapted non-Defense commercial solutions shall provide expanded mission capability for a broad range of potential Governmental and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Integration and other technical support to operational users may be required. REFERENCES: 1) S. Sankar, The Supply Chain Revolution, Innovative Sourcing and Logistics for a Fiercely Competitive World, American Management Association, 2017; 2) L. Lei, L. DeCandia, R. Oppenheim, Y. Zhao, Managing Supply Chain Operations, World Scientific Publishing Co., 2017; 3) E. Harden, Just-in-Time Logistics, Does it Fulfill the Surface Navy's Repair Parts Requirements to Support the National Military Strategy?, Creative Media Partners, LLC, 2012; 4) O. Yakimenko, Precision Aerial Delivery Systems, Modeling, Dynamics, and Control, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2015; 5) WHO, Qualification of shipping containers, Technical supplement to WHO Technical Report Series, No. 961, 2011, QAS/14.598 Supplement 13, 2014; 6) N. N. Ahypeeb, Reusable Rockets and Missiles, Russian Cargo Delivery to Space, USSR, Mockba, 1975 KEYWORDS: Rocket Cargo; Cargo Systems; Connex Box; ISO-90; TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit); Delivery Systems; Agile Logistics; Commercial Rockets

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform; Electronics OBJECTIVE: This topic seeks to preform concept exploration, Modeling and Simulation (M & S), prototype development, sub-scale experiments, test and evaluation of intermodal cargo containers that are suitable for space transport with internal capabilities to secure cargo of various types and be capable of air drop from sub-space. The ability to open the container during air drop and deploy the contents within is also an objective DESCRIPTION: The US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has been utilizing inter-modal containers to allow cargo to withstand the environments of transport by air, sea, rail, and land, and rapidly switch between the transport modes without repackaging. Inter-modal containers for use in point-to-point rocket cargo transport are a new and emerging mode of transport and the DOD is interested in energizing this area for research and development. In the past, the DoD optimized rocket payloads solely for mass, understanding the trade-space between mass-optimization and end-to-end speed of the logistics chain is desired. Relaxing the mass optimization for containers presents a vast array of concepts to greatly accelerate the speed at which crews can load and unload a rocket. Novel designs in mass optimized, inter-model containers for space could allow crews to move the cargo to other transport modes without having to repack materials in separate and distinct containers. The goal of this effort is to investigate and develop concepts for inter-modal containers that are suited for air drop of cargo from a rocket from low earth orbit to sub-space altitudes. The containers then need to stabilize in order to deploy systems to reduce speed, such as drogue chutes, then deploy systems to enable precision delivery of the container. Existing ISO-90 and TEU type cargo containers will need to be adopted to allow stabilization and delivery systems to their infrastructure. The addition of these stabilization systems need to consider how the containers are modified and how the modifications may impact loading and deployment during air drop. Another aspect of air drop is where the cargo container is ejected, stabilized and then the contents of the container are in-turn ejected. The ejected sub-containers themselves may need stabilization and systems to enable precision delivery. Cargo within the containers may be of a sensitive nature and may require vibration and shock isolation such as medical equipment/supplies, liquid fuel and even human transport needs. The information, test and evaluation (T & E) under this effort will be used to influence and guide container development that is suitable for rocket cargo efforts. An objective of this effort is to enable the commercial market to develop and manufacture inter-modal shipping container that meet the needs of the DoD for air drop via rocket transportation. This topic is intended to reach companies capable of completing a feasibility study, prototype or sub-scale experiment to validate concepts under accelerated Phase I and II type schedules. This topic is aimed at later stage research and development efforts rather than front-end or basic research/research and development. The focus is on emerging commercial capabilities of cargo containers to minimize cost and enable agile logistics through the entire span of responsive mission planning, rapid cargo logistics, ground launch operations and coordination with commercial airspace. 463L interfaces/materials handling system should be taken into consideration as that is cargo system used for military aircraft and a standard form factor to be considered is the ISU-90 and the TEU. The main deliverables will be modeling and simulation (M & S), T & E of concepts that advance the viability and utility of using commercial inter-modal container systems for rocket transport capabilities of the United States Space Force (USSF) for combatant commanders. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. Relevant areas of demonstrated experience and success include, M & S, cost benefit analysis, risk analysis, concept development, concept demonstration and concept evaluation, laboratory experimentation and field testing. Phase I type efforts include the assessment of emerging commercial inter-modal container systems that enable rapid transport of DOD materiel to ports across the globe. Phase I type efforts would include the addition of space as a new domain for inter-modal systems. In addition, Phase I-like efforts would include assessment of containers that can withstand high-g ejection and thermal loading in the case of air launched delivery. Novel methods for disassembly and/or prepping containers to re-enter the logistics chain should have also been addressed. The result of Phase 1 type efforts is to assess and demonstrate whether commercial container systems can support the DoD's goal of delivering cargo anywhere on the planet in less than one hour. PHASE II: Eligibility for a Direct to Phase Two (D2P2) is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR/STTR Programs. These efforts will include simulation of prototype concepts, experimentation and evaluation of commercial shipping containers that enable air drop of DoD materials and the necessary supporting systems to stabilize and allow for the precision delivery of cargo. Prototypes and experimentation should explore a wide range of inter-modal systems that can be used for air drop on commercial rocket capabilities. The container systems should consider areas that are unique to military logistics such as mission planning and execution, transportation of quick reaction forces/humans, munitions, fuel, ground operations and precision delivery of cargo to remote locations. Efforts in this Phase II D2P2 should consider the capability to ejected smaller, sub-containers from the larger container during air drop. These sub-containers may require precision delivery to points on the earth or above earth LEO orbit injections. No funding will be invested in developing commercial rocket systems. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III shall include upgrades to the analysis, M&S, T&E results and provide mature prototypes of system concepts. Phase III shall provide a business plan and address the ability to transition technology and system concepts to commercial applications. The adapted non-Defense commercial solutions shall provide expanded mission capability for a broad range of potential Governmental and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Integration and other technical support to operational users may be required. REFERENCES: 1) V. Reis, R. Macario, Intermodal Freight Transportation, Elsevier, 2019; 2) R. Konings, H. Priemus, P. Nijkamp, Future of Intermodal Freight Transport, Operations, Design and Policy, Elgar Publishing, 2008; 3) C. Moore, S. Yildirim, S. Baur, Educational Adaptation of Cargo Container Design Features, ASEE Zone III Conference, 2015; 4) K. Giriunas, H. Sezen, R. B. Dupaix, Evaluation, modeling, and analysis of shipping container building structures, Engineering Structures, vol. 43, 2012; 5) ISO 90-2, 1997, Light gauge metal containers -- Definitions and determination of dimensions and capacities -- Part 2, General use containers 1997; 6) USTRANSCOM, Charter for the Joint Intermodal Working Group, https://www.ustranscom.mil/imp/docs/Charter_of_JIWG_20_Jun_12.pdf; 7) Defense Transportation Regulation part VI, Management and Control of Intermodal Containers and System 463L Equipment, https://www.ustranscom.mil/dtr/dtrp6.cfm, 2021; 8) Defense Transportation Regulation References, https://www.ustranscom.mil/dtr/dtr_references.pdf KEYWORDS: Rocket Cargo; Space Transport; Intermodal Containers; Parachute Precision Delivery

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials OBJECTIVE: The end state of this project is to have a fully developed and characterized Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) material system that meets or exceeds air platform specific requirements. The PSA's bonding performance shall be demonstrated in an approved laboratory test rig and shall provide a repeatable 100% increase in bond strength over that of existing material system, in the most challenging of aerospace environments. This demonstration shall correspond to a Material Readiness Level of 5 or 6 (see Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 5000.02). The final product will be considered for future Program Office funding to qualify and transition the material system. DESCRIPTION: Implementation of an aerospace-capable Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) material on air platforms will reduce maintenance man hours (MMH) and increase Mission Capability rates for the fleet by lowering the amount of unavailable time for each platform while inspection and maintenance tasks related to PSA-bonded items are being carried out. Lowering MMH will lower Air Combat Command's cost of ownership of 5th and 6th generation assets. Although there are a variety of existing market solutions for aerospace PSA's, none of these have demonstrated reliable bonding to the kinds of substrates being considered in this effort. Current materials suffer from low bond strength and undesirable failure modes under combinations of conditions commonly experienced over the entire flight envelope. The goal of this SBIR topic is to develop a truly capable PSA material that provides improved performance over OEM-qualified materials. This material shall also be demonstrated to be producible in multiple product forms and to not require increased inspection and/or on-aircraft repair time over existing materials. The PSA must meet all OEM requirements (Outer Mold Line material compatibility, fluid resistance, temperature range, bond-line thickness, peel strength…etc.,) and shall not require major changes to current application processes, including spraying. PHASE I: Proposed solutions for this topic must have already shown phase 1 feasibility by developing a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) suitable for use on outer mold line (OML) coatings of aircraft. The PSA must have the capability to operate at the expected service temperature range of -65°F to 250°F even after exposure to aircraft fluids for 7 days. At room temperature it should be capable of cleanly removing from the aircraft surface without leaving difficult-to-remove residue and without damaging aircraft OML coatings. In accelerated aging tests the PSA should have a shelf life of at least 1 year (2+ years is preferable). In addition, production of PSA tapes from the proposed adhesive should have been demonstrated on commercial coating lines by way of partnership with other aerospace material suppliers. The PSA may require modification during the D2P2 effort to increase bond strength by 100% relative to the existing formulation for difficult-to-bond substrates under the most demanding test conditions. In addition, this formulation may need to be modified for spray application depending on OEM requirements. There are likely other platform-specific performance requirements not addressed in previous efforts, and these will must be assessed under the current D2P2 effort, including cold temperatures, high aero loads, different substrates and minimal inspection burden once applied. Additionally, D2P2 effort may require additional development/optimization of compatible surface treatments on the substrate material of interest. PHASE II: The D2P2 effort should modify the candidate PSA material to meet or exceed existing requirements for difficult-to-bond substrates. The SBIR offeror shall coordinate with Lockheed Martin (LM) and others to develop and define material requirements and establish appropriate test methods to characterize material performance and compare this to the legacy PSA material system. A quantifiable goal of this D2P2 effort is to double the bond strength of current materials on difficult-to-bond substrates, with specific substrate materials to be finalized in consultation with LM and Others. Final demonstrations of the material performance shall be performed using an exposure test rig of a design approved by both OEM and the specific air platforms. The final specification of PSA shall be fully-characterized by the end of the program and cost and supply estimates shall be determined. The target Material Readiness Level (MRL) for the PSA shall be 5 or 6 (see Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 5000.02) PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III funding will be considered by the air platform System Program Offices. The intent of a Phase III effort will be to perform a flight test evaluation and to contract the appropriate Airframe OEM for material qualification and approval. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Cantor, Adam S. and Vinod P. Menon. Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives. Materials Science, 2010. KEYWORDS: Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive; Bond Strength; 5th Generation Aircraft; 6th Generation Aircraft; Outer Mold Line;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground Sea OBJECTIVE: Develop a cost effective microstructural process to improve fragmentation in penetrating/perforating munitions without degrading impact survivability. DESCRIPTION: Develop a process to create localized microstructural features (grain size, shape, size distribution) in a steel munition case (4340, ES-1, AF9628) with localized stress concentrations equivalent to machined notch stress concentrations (1-10mm deep v-notches), without degrading the case's impact survivability against hard targets. The process should be performed after the casting/forging process, and either before or after the machining and heat treatment processes. This topic excludes additive manufacturing techniques. The process should be cost effective for high volume manufacture. Generate a mechanical (static and fatigue) properties database for different microstructures to assist on-wing munitions structural durability analyses. Characterize the effect of these localized microstructural features on fragmentation performance in small scale testing. Develop and exercise a model to optimize the process to a Government-identified desired fragmentation performance. Conduct high-rate shock characterization tests and, if significant difference found between the performances of the different microstructures, develop mechanical response models for penetration and perform high-fidelity numerical simulations against a spectrum of hard targets to determine survivability robustness. Perform subscale arena tests with a treated case to characterize fragmentation. Perform subscale ballistic tests with a treated projectile at subsonic and supersonic velocities with monolithic and layered concrete targets to determine the survivability limits. Perform high-fidelity numerical simulations of the arena tests and the ballistic tests - both pre-test and post-test. PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase II (D2P2) SBIR and there will be no Phase I effort. Proposers should provide the following documentation to show that the proposer's technology is mature enough for a D2P2: (a) experimental data showing controlled fragmentation in small-scale explosive tests, (b) micrographic or other characterization data showing microstructural changes in the treated steel, and (c) mechanical property data of the treated steel. PHASE II: Develop a process to create localized microstructural features (grain size, shape, size distribution) in a steel munition case (4340, ES-1, AF9628) with localized stress concentrations equivalent to machined notch stress concentrations (1-10mm deep v-notches), without degrading the case's impact survivability against hard targets. The process should be performed after the casting/forging process, and either before or after the machining and heat treatment processes. This topic excludes additive manufacturing techniques. The process should be cost effective for high volume manufacture. Generate a mechanical (static and fatigue) properties database for different microstructures to assist on-wing munitions structural durability analyses. Characterize the effect of these localized microstructural features on fragmentation performance in small scale testing. Develop and exercise a model to optimize the process to a Government-identified desired fragmentation performance. Conduct high-rate shock characterization tests and, if significant difference found between the performances of the different microstructures, develop mechanical response models for penetration and perform high-fidelity numerical simulations against a spectrum of hard targets to determine survivability robustness. Perform subscale arena tests with a treated case to characterize fragmentation. Perform subscale ballistic tests with a treated projectile at subsonic and supersonic velocities with monolithic and layered concrete targets to determine the survivability limits. Perform high-fidelity numerical simulations of the arena tests and the ballistic tests - both pre-test and post-test. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Develop manufacturing plan to apply microstructure-altering process to a Government-specified munition in a limited-run production environment. Develop a cost estimate for pilot production. Exercise the models to design a microstructure treatment plan for a full-scale Government-specified munition. Use high-fidelity numerical simulation to generate a synthetic Z-data file. Use high-fidelity numerical simulation to predict penetration performance against Government-specified targets. Treat four Government-provided munitions and deliver to the Air Force for range testing. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Gold, V.M., Baker, E.L., Ng, K.W., Hirlinger, J.M, A Method for Predicting Fragmentation Characteristics of Natural and Preformed Explosive Fragmentation Munitions, ARWEC-TR-01007, 2001 2) US Army Materiel Command, Engineering Design Handbook, Warheads-General, AMCP 706-290, AMC, 1964; 3) Johnson, C, Mosely, J.W., US Naval Weapons Laboratory, Preliminary Terminal Ballistic Handbook, Part I, Terminal Ballistic Effects, NWL Report No 1821, Defense Documentation Center for Scientific and Technical Information, 1964 KEYWORDS: penetrator; fragmentation; microstructural; steel; warhead; munition; ordnance; perforator;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: The topic will require offerors to propose a material and manufacturing method for advanced non-eroding nozzles (monolithic, cladded or segmented) for near-term scramjet-powered vehicles. While it is intended that designs should be viable for both a single-use (threshold) and/or a multi-use application (objective); the nozzle should consist of flame-facing components that can minimize thermal stresses and oxidative recession. Proposed materials should have been screened in a Phase I effort or a similar project. Nozzle assemblies should be manufactured and sized at nominally 8 inches in diameter, radiative-cooled, and capable of maintaining shape stability in elevated exhaust temperatures consistent with high Mach combustion [5+] where flame temperatures nominally range from 4000 to 5000°F. The deliverable will be a nozzle assembly that will be tested in a scramjet test cell in the Air Force Research Laboratory. Note, the available scramjets may be cycled between high and mid temperature to achieve a 20 minute accumulated life time at the high temperature condition. DESCRIPTION: Scramjet nozzle assemblies should be manufactured and sized at nominally 8 inches in diameter, radiative-cooled, and capable of maintaining shape stability in elevated exhaust temperatures consistent with high Mach combustion [5+] where flame temperatures nominally range from 4000 to 5000°F. The deliverable will be a nozzle assembly that will be test in a scramjet stand at AFRL/RQHP. Note, the available scramjets may be cycled between high and mid temperature to achieve a 20 minute accumulated life time at the high temperature condition. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have; 1.) Exposure and performance data of material coupons or propulsion assembly sub-elements in environments with similar thermal loads and combustion chemistries (e.g. rocket/high-mach nozzles). 2.) Simulation/Analysis of candidate material performance in a similar environment to screen material properties and designs for similar nozzles. 3.) Previous nozzle designs that have been demonstrated as effective, but would need modification/scaling of existing materials for this more aggressive combustion environment. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of advanced manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. The proposer shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. The Phase II effort will require a team approach with several disciplines. [1.]Material fabricators to produce nozzle configurations. [2]. Modelers to help design the part/assembly geometry via thermostrucutrual and thermochemical analysis as a function of temperature and time, including fracture criteria. [3.] A laboratory-scale approach for screening subscale components/attachment schemes to show feasibility prior to test cell entry. [4.] Microstructural chaterization personnel to analyze the pre and post-test microstructures from both screening and firing. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) M.M. Opeka, Oxidation Performance Assessment of Inhibited Carbon-Carbon Materials for High-Temperature Oxidizing Environments, JDOC, Pub 0747, 1986. KEYWORDS: hypersonics; scramjet; nozzles; ultra-high temperature materials;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Microelectronics; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors; Electronics; Materials; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: At the end of this project, have a software module for the HH-60W Integrated Vehicle Health Management System (IVHMS) module that communicates with Luna Labs' Acuity LS corrosion monitoring devices and demonstration of the software at the System Integration Lab (SIL) at Robins AFB. DESCRIPTION: At the end of this project, a software module for the HH-60W Integrated Vehicle Health Management System (IVHMS) module that communicates with Luna Labs' Acuity LS corrosion monitoring devices and demonstration of the software at the System Integration Lab (SIL) at Robins AFB. This would include the cabling required to connect the Acuity devices with the IVHMS module located at the SIL. (Note, The IVHMS part number is 78600-02806-101 [CAGE 78286]; The part numbers for Luna's Acuity LS device are A0201 (NSN 66851021294100) and PA0203 (NSN 66851021294102) [CAGE 8JML8). Note that the IVHMS source code was written by Simmonds Precision Products, UTC aerospace company [CAGE 12511]. This project needs to test the Acuity LS sensor using the SIL to monitor the five areas of measurement (Temperature, Relative Humidity, Conductance, Free Corrosion Rate, and Galvanic Corrosion Rate) for input and output with the IVHMS and the software updates shall configure appropriate Built In Test (BIT) fault strings and accept inputs from the upgraded Acuity LS device. If possible within budget and time constraints, it is also desirable for the following task to be accomplished, 1. Update the Sikorsky Ground Based Application (SGBA) with trending capability using Condition Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+). PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have; Identified the prime potential AF end user(s) for the non-Defense commercial offering to solve the AF need, i.e., how it has been modified; Described integration cost and feasibility with current mission-specific products; Described if/how the demonstration can be used by other DoD or Governmental customers. IVHMS and Luna Acuity LS have already been developed as independently-funded systems. Documentation demonstrating the IVHMS and Acuity LS device has passed HH-60W environmental requirements shall be supplied to help determine if Phase I feasibility has been met. The applicant should be able to demonstrate that it has competency with software development for health monitoring systems (e.g. IVHMS) interfacing with other devices/systems (e.g. previous software development and/or integration projects.) PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a relevant demonstration of a software module for IVHMS using the Systems Integration Laboratory (SIL) at Robins AFB. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. Air Force sustainment stakeholder engagement is paramount to successful validation of the technical approach. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the technology by developing a full cost proposal for implementation of the IVHMS software module and installation of Luna Labs' Acuity LS devices for the HH-60W fleet. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. REFERENCES: 1) ISO 22858, 2020 Corrosion of metals and alloys Electrochemical measurements Test method for monitoring atmospheric corrosion; 2) AMPP TM21449-2021, Continuous Measurements for Determination of Aerospace Coating Protective Properties; 3) MIL-STD-1530, Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP); 4) MIL-STD-810, Test Method Standard, Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests; 5) MIL-STD-889, Standard Practice, Dissimilar metals; 6) J. Demo and F. Friedersdorf, Aircraft corrosion monitoring and data visualization techniques for condition based maintenance, 2015 IEEE Aerospace Conference, 2015, pp. 1-9, doi, 10.1109/AERO.2015.7119048 KEYWORDS: corrosivity; environment severity; environment spectra; condition based maintenance; atmospheric corrosion; maintenance; sustainment;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Nuclear; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Nuclear; Space Platform; Materials; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: This topic will request offerors to support anticipated long-term Department of the Air Force needs for shape-stability in extreme environments like rocket nozzles, catalyst beds, shock-resistant structures and ballistic nosetips by scaling processes that can manufacture catalytic and transpiration-cooled assemblies of Non-Eroding Materials via a High-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition process that enables both fine features (a resolution of 50 microns) for transpiration but also enables ease of scaling of such features over a larger length-scale up to a nominal build volume of 6 x 6 x 6. DESCRIPTION: High-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition can react gas-phase constituents to produce condensed carbides, nitrides, and intermetallic compounds in a manner similar to additive manufacturing but without the need for powder feed-stocks. This process can create fine features ideal for transpiration-cooled and catalytic structures that would find use in extreme environments such as rocket nozzles, catalyst-beds, shock-resistant structures, high-temperature transparencies, and hypersonic leading edges, all of which require materials capable of maintaining shape-stability under oxidizing conditions and very high saturation temperatures in excess of 5000 oF. In such cases, architectures that enable transpiration of a working fluid or enhanced catalycity can significantly suppress or eliminate the recession/shape-change of high-melting temperature substrate materials and greatly expand their range of operation. PHASE I: "This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have 1.) Demonstration of a Laser/High-Pressure CVD or similar process. 2.) Process Analysis or Simulation of a Laser/High-Pressure CVD, or similar process. 3.) Characterization of material derived from a Laser/High-Pressure CVD process that informs process scaling. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. While this process has generally been demonstrated for small length-scales and limited-length fiber-like applications, there is a need for exploring and understanding the scaling potential of such a process as well as its effects on the processing and microstructure of materials of interest for shape stability in high strength or oxidation resistant materials. While the approach should be materials agnostic, resultant products of the process should compete favorably with 3DCC, such as Silicon Nitride (Si3N4), Silicon Carbide (SiC), cemented carbides, and and platinum group intermetallics and their carbides/nitrides. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) S. Harrison, UHTC Materials Systems Using R-LCVD Fiber Reinforcements, National Space Missile Symposium, 2019; 2) L. Cameron, Optically Transparent High Temperature Ceramic Fibers, National Space Missile Materials Symposium, 2021. KEYWORDS: non-eroding materials; chemical vapor deposition;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Nuclear; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Nuclear; Materials OBJECTIVE: The topic will require offerors to propose, fabricate, model and ground test materials and assemblies of non-eroding/shape-stable, all-weather nosetips for ballistic flight conditions. DESCRIPTION: Offerors may have already identified material compositions of interest through previous efforts and modify these compositions through this work or they may produce new compositions using their prior processing methods to produce a similar microstructures and thermal-mechanical properties to their prior system. Material that shows shape stability under nosetip surface temperatures ranging from 5000-8000°F with recession rates around 25% of 3DCC under similar conditions. Additionally the material must have the strength, toughness, and hardness at temperature such that it can sustain shock-loading relevant to all-weather conditions consistent with potential ballistic and/or hypersonic trajectories. Transpiration cooling to achieve shape-stability in these environments is permissible as is geometric approaches to maintaining constant sharpness under flight. Offerors should identify, produce, and qualify candidate materials for advanced re-entry all-weather nosetips, through both experimental ground testing and modeling efforts sufficient enough to conduct a small number of advanced manufacturing and testing demonstrations. PHASE I: "This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have 1) The manufacture and/or characterization of materials for similar applications (hypersonic leading edges, non-eroding rocket nozzles). 2) Exposure and performance data of material coupons for similar applications. 3) The development of weather databases and/or models that simulate non-linear effects of weather on materials. 4) Screening/Testing and analysis of hypersonic materials weather environments (gas-guns/rain-fields/modified wind tunnels). PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. It is anticipated that this program will require a team approach with several disciplines, [1] Material modelers that can use advanced methods to assess candidate materials that will have the thermal, physical, mechanical, dynamic, and environmental properties needed to survive the extreme conditions endured by candidate nosetips; [2] Process and performance modelers to build property and life models using different materials with various architectures to provide uniform distribution of pressure and temperature under potential use conditions; [3] Fabricators to produce the identified materials with various configurations. Selected materials/structures should be fabricated into articles ready for screening at a Government test facility, such as the arc jet facility at AFRL/RQ at AEDC or the sled track at Holloman AFB. Shape and size of the nosetips will be determined in coordination with the government program manager, test facility, and offeror. These screening test at appropriate government facilities should be proposed and paid for under the contract. [4] The offeror will have to conduct microstructural characterization of the nosecones both pre and post testing. The performance and microstructural data shall be used to validate and inform developed models. Test articles should be delivered to the Air Force upon completion of each task. [5] A demonstration articles will be a deliverable to the government. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) H. Minnich, J. Brunner, Thermostructural Assesment of Erosion Resistant Nosetip Constructions, AFWAL-TR-84-4191, 1985 ; 2) J. Brown, Erosion Performance of Carbon-Carbon Composite Materials, 1980 ; 3) M. Sherman, Hardened Reentry Vehicle Development Program - Erosion Resistant Nosetip Development, DNA 001-74-C-0033, 1975.; 4) R. Diriing, D. Eitman, Development of Highly Erosion Resistant Nosetip Materials, SAI-061-81-09-08/N60921-80-C-0068, 1981.; 5) M. Abbett, et. al, Passive Nosetip Technology Program, SAMSO-TR-74-96, 1975. KEYWORDS: nosetips; reentry; all-weather; non-eroding;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform; Materials; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: The objective is to provide a rapid development of material and process options for extremely high temperature and harsh rocket plume environments via early rigorous screening testing in relevant environments. DESCRIPTION: Although vertically landing a rocket on an improved, flat surface has been achieved by multiple launch vehicle companies (Masten Space, SpaceX, Blue Origin), landing a rocket vehicle on an irregular, unimproved surface has a number of challenges including, but not limited to the rocket sinking in the surface, the plume kicking up dust and creating an observable event, and the uneven footing causing the rocket to fall over. The terrain that the rocket vehicle may land in is also unpredictable and not known a priori. Any solution needs to be broad enough to handle multiple potential landing challenges and to be able to adjust to the situation seen at landing. The intent of this topic is to accelerate the development of technologies to vertically land a rocket on an irregular, un-improved surface. It is recognized that a number of different technologies are possible to achieve the overall objective. This can include (but is not limited to) sensor technology on the lander, nozzle technology to mitigate plume impingement, venting of gases and liquids from the vehicle as it is landing, as well as mitigating ground structures that can easily and quickly be applied to a surface. The proposed efforts may focus on rapid testing, development and incorporation of various material and technological options for landing and diagnostic sensing, attachment and approaches, process improvement for existing but immature landing materials/attachment, or manufacturing process development of lower cost of state-of-the-art materials with innovative combination of high temperature landing and seam materials as well as attachment concepts to satisfy requirements. The candidate material(s) and concept should be validated through a range of mechanical, thermal, chemical, and combined hot fire tests, at various times throughout the effort with early fire screening test to provide rapid feedback for materials development and concept improvement. For a material maturation focused effort, validation should include a demonstration of the ability to fabricate and fire test representative sized components (e.g., a 2’ x 2’) by the end of the effort. The component should then be tested in a relevant environment. For a manufacturing focused effort, manufacturing of a full-scale relevant size with integrated seams/attachment shall be performed to prove the process. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility effort should 1) Exposure and performance data of material coupons or landing assembly sub-elements in environments with similar thermal loads and rocket plume chemistries. 2) Simulation/Analysis of candidate material performance in a similar environment to screen material properties and landing structural/attachment designs. 3) Feasibility of process manufacturing improvements, materials/attachment, diagnostic sensing that have been demonstrated for similar applications, but would need modification/scaling for this more aggressive environment. PHASE II: "Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. It is anticipated that this program will require a team approach with several disciplines, [1] Material and process modelers that can use advanced methods to assess or to build property using different materials (cost-effective and logistically lean) with various architectures (multilayering of multiple materials, etc.) to provide thermomechanical and oxidation resistance of candidate materials and technical concept that will have the thermal, physical, mechanical, dynamic, and environmental properties needed to survive the extreme conditions during rocket landing (hot oxidizing plume, debris and dust); [2] Fabricators to produce the identified materials with various configurations. Selected materials/structures/technologies should be fabricated/inserted into articles ready for screening at a Government test facility, such as the Air Force Research Laboratory hot-fire testing facility, with their 500-1000 lb thrust stand for such demonstrations, or an equivalent with a 1 klbf, kerosene-oxygen engine plume impinging on a landing pad simulator or larger system (teaming with launcher or other test sites) shall be used. Shape and size of the test coupons and panels will be determined in coordination with the government program manager, test facility, and offeror. These screening test at appropriate government facilities should be proposed and paid for under the contract [3] The offeror will interact with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model developers to ensure needs are met. The offeror have to conduct characterization of the test articles both pre and post testing. The performance and characterization data shall be used to validate and inform developed models. Test articles should be delivered to the Air Force upon completion of each task; [4] A demonstration articles will be a deliverable to the government. The Air Force Research Laboratory Aerospace Vehicles Directorate will provide one week of testing time, up to ten tests a day, and the rocket chamber and ground simulant to carry out such a demonstration. Efforts will demonstrate the materials and technical concepts on a landing pad simulator which will be located at a range of distances to be determined, but within the overall range of 18-72 inches. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III efforts will scale the materials and technological concepts to withstand a 10 klbf thrust engine or larger and provide demonstration of efficacy and/or field prototype system for demonstration with medium or large rocket landing (to include dust and other environmental factors). This demonstration will necessarily involve commercial partners since the military does not manufacture nor purchase rockets. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Sutton, G.P., History of Liquid Rocket Engines, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, Virginia, 2006.; 2) G.P. Sutton O. Biblarz, Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Ed., John Wiley Sons, Inc., New York, 2001, ISBN 0-471-32642-9.; 3) D.K. Huzel D.H. Huang, Modern Engineering for Design of Liquid-Propellant Rocket Engines, Vol 147, Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics, Published by AIAA, Washington DC., 1992, ISBN 1-56347-013-6.; 4) Yang, V et. al, Liquid Rocket Thrust Chambers, Aspects of Modeling, Analysis, and Design, Vol 200, Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics, Published by AIAA, Washington DC, 2004, ISBN 1-56347-223-6, pp 403-436.; 5) Oberkampf, W.L. Trucano, T.G. Verification and Validation in Computational Fluid Dynamics , Vol. 38, Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 2002. Pp. 209-272. KEYWORDS: vertical landing; plume impingement; high temperature materials; liquid rocket engine;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials OBJECTIVE: To provide a rapid development of material and process options for extremely high temperature high-speed applications via early rigorous screening testing in relevant environments. DESCRIPTION: Efforts may focus on development of new materials options and approaches, process improvement for existing but immature ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials, or manufacturing process development of lower cost with better performance reproducibility of state-of-the-art materials. The candidate material(s) should be validated through a range of mechanical, thermal, and combined hot fire tests, at various times throughout the effort with early fire screening test to provide rapid feedback for materials development and performance improvement. For a material maturation focused effort, validation should include a demonstration of the ability to fabricate and fire test representative sized components (e.g., a 6 x 6 doubly curved panel, or 3 diameter hemisphere) by the end of the effort. The component should then be tested in a relevant environment (eg. scramjet inlet, isolator, combustion, and rotating detonation engine (RDE) engine components). For a manufacturing focused effort, manufacturing of a full-scale relevant geometry aperture shall be performed to prove the process. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility effort should have 1) Exposure and performance data of material coupons or propulsion assembly sub-elements in environments with similar thermal loads and combustion chemistries (e.g. rocket/high-mach nozzles). 2) Simulation/Analysis of candidate material performance in a similar environment to screen material properties and designs for similar nozzles. 3) Previous scramjet component designs that have been demonstrated as effective, but would need modification/scaling of existing materials for this more aggressive combustion environment. 4) The manufacture and/or characterization of materials for similar applications. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. Offeror should conduct material and process development beyond initial feasibility demonstration through design, analysis, and experimentation; optimize processing parameters for yield and quality. Material testing should be conducted to validate material models and generate property databases; conduct material and process development beyond initial feasibility demonstration through design, analysis, and experimentation; optimize processing parameters for yield and quality. Material testing should be conducted to validate material models and generate property databases. It is anticipated that this program will require a team approach with several disciplines, [1] Material and process modelers that can use advanced methods to assess or to build property using different materials with various architectures (multilayered composites of multiple materials, etc.) to provide thermomechanical and oxidation resistance of candidate materials that will have the thermal, physical, mechanical, dynamic, and environmental properties needed to survive the extreme conditions endured by candidate scramjet flowpath materials; [2] Fabricators to produce the identified materials with various configurations. Selected materials/structures should be fabricated into articles ready for screening at a Government test facility, such as the Scramjet Test facilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Shape and size of the test coupons and panels will be determined in coordination with the government program manager, test facility, and offeror. These screening test at appropriate government facilities should be proposed and paid for under the contract. [3] The offeror will have to conduct microstructural characterization of the test articles both pre and post testing. The performance and microstructural data shall be used to validate and inform developed models. Test articles should be delivered to the Air Force upon completion of each task. [4] Demonstration articles will be a deliverable to the government. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) M. R. Gazella, Test Capabilities and Scramjet Thermal Management, JANNAF Conference, December 2020; 2) D. Glass, Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) and Hot Structures for Hypersonic Vehicles, 14 Jun 2012, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2008-2682; 3) Y. Gao et.al., Ablation mechanism of C/C and C/C-SiC-ZrC composites in hypersonic oxygen-enriched environment, Ceramics International, in press, 6 May 2022 KEYWORDS: ceramic matrix composite; non-eroding materials; scramjet; extreme temperature;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Quantum Sciences; Microelectronics; Network Command, Control and Communications TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform; Air Platform; Information Systems; Battlespace OBJECTIVE: Development of a low SWaP (size, weight, and power) photonically integrated laser system that outputs a 30 kHz carrier linewidth laser with 0.75 Watts of power in fiber, and the ability to phase and/or intensity modulate from 1 MHz to 50 GHz on a single packaged device to support high data rate communications and embedded PNT. DESCRIPTION: Optical communications provides the capability to meet the future needs of DoD applications requiring high bandwidth, low-latency, and survivable links. Telecommunication networks, data center optical interconnects, and microwave photonic systems have already demonstrated in-fiber optical communications that support most of these needs [1, 2]. In addition, optical communication is unaffected by radio frequency (RF) interference, and has a high level of security through low probability of detection (LPD) and low probability of intercept (LPI). Recent advances in photonic integrated circuits show a path towards similar performance [3,4]. Small, compact laser terminals allow for proliferated integration into ground vehicles, aircraft, and spacecraft. The ideal transmitter for these applications should operate over a large bandwidth with a small driving amplitude at high optical power, high efficiency and be cost-effective. Furthermore, it should support multiple waveforms such as on/off keying, phase shift keying, and pulse position modulation. Photonic integrated circuits offer a potential solution to a low SWaP optical transmitter to meet these needs as well as the potential for mass production. PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 (D2P2) topic. To qualify for this D2P2 topic, the Government expects that the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-type effort via some other means (e.g. IRAD, or other funded work). It must have developed a workable prototype of each individual aspect of the system or design and simulation to demonstrate a system architecture that could address the phase 2 goals. The proposal must demonstrate the technical feasibility of such work and capability to fabricate, package and test such devices. Documentation should include relevant information, including but not limited to; technical reports, test data, and prototype designs and/or models. PHASE II: Prototypes of a small platform consisting of an integrated laser and components to support phase and/or intensity modulation outputting at least 0.75 Watts in fiber. Although a specific size is not given, overall size will be a metric that is considered. The laser should be high efficiency, single mode with <30 kHz instantaneous linewidth with the potential to specify a wavelength between 1532-1560 nm. The phase and/or intensity modulation should be low driving power, low insertion loss with a bandwidth from 1 MHz to greater than or equal to 50 GHz. The output of the photonically integrated circuit should be near diffraction limited with high fiber coupling efficiency. Modeling and design of packaging including photonic integration technique as well as thermal, optical and RF power handling. The device should be able to support communication schemes such as on-off keying and phase shift keying. Pulse position modulation is also desirable, though not required. Fabricate a specified number of devices in small packaging that includes electrical connections, a single mode fiber output, and thermal control. Identify a potential terminal integration partner. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Space communications, PNT, free space optical time transfer, and LIDAR on low SWaP platforms would benefit the DoD community. From a commercial perspective, such as interconnected satellites, an advancement would enhance data capacity for increased communications bandwidth. Technology transition would occur as an exploration of potential to transfer the technology into an existing laser communication programs, and military applications would include enhanced communication and PNT. This potentially includes integration with a terminal identified in the first phase. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) P. J. Winzer, et al., Opt. Express 26, 24190 (2018); 2) K. Kikuchi, et al., J. Lightwave Technol. 34, 157 (2015); 3) Shams-Ansari, A., et al., Optica 9, 408-411 (2022); 4) McKinzie, K. A., et al., Opt. Express 29, 3490-3502 (2021). KEYWORDS: laser communications; position; timing and navigation; photonic integrated circuits

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform; Materials OBJECTIVE: Traditionally, the satellite community has produced large, complex imaging satellites that cost in excess of $1B per copy that are stationed throughout low earth orbit to Cis-lunar orbits. Individual components such as mirrors, optical field effect transistors, solar panels, and associated electronics have been hardened to survive this environment and increasingly emerging threats; further driving up the cost of these assets. In order to enable more resilient architectures the space community is considering distributed/proliferated constellations of cubesat satellites that are individually more affordable and that can be rapidly replenished if necessary from emerging launch architectures. Therefore, the topic objective for this effort is to demonstrate rapidly fabrication of a low-cost, very lightweight, radiation hardened cubesat enclosure and integration of a controllable, stable imaging telescope using commercial available materials and AM technology where feasible. This rad hard structure will allow for use of commercial electronics instead of very expensive radiation hardened electronics; drastically lowering the cost. This request supports United States Space Force Tech Needs (946) Develop Low TRL Technology that Support Reduced Mass, Smaller Volume, Decreased Power Consumption, or Lower Cost for Space Vehicles and could possible be used for TN (1188) Cis-Lunar Architecture Initial Look a scouts around the moon. DESCRIPTION: In this effort; the offeror is to show that they can rapidly fabricate a low-cost, very lightweight, radiation hardened cubesat enclosure and integrate it with a imaging telescope and commercial control-communication electronics. Then tested the system to show that they can get both optical thermal stability and control of the telescope as well as radiation survivability of the controlling and communications electronics. PHASE I: "This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should have, 1) Manufacture of a radiation shielding material or enclosure relevant to the space environment 2) Analytical modeling of radiation effects on materials and validation in appropriate test facilities 3) Manufacture of integral optical/telescope assemblies for the space environment. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. Proposed efforts should include or reference prior modeling work to aid in enclosure and telescope design. Electromagnetic simulation of the proposed structure and communication ports and/or integral antennas and electronics should be conducted prior to manufacture with a necessary design iteration to ensure sufficient radiation protection of internal components, which themselves should be Commercial-Off-The-Shelf. Similarly, optical performance of the telescope (including integral filters) and build conditions required for a relevant level of performance in the proposed orbit should be identified either through prior work, or as part of the effort, but before manufacture A government or a non-government testing facility needs to be proposed and the cost for should tests should be included in the proposal. Deliverables should include the post tested CubeSat system. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. So in this project a team approach will probably be needed. [1.] A material scientist and a design engineer will be required to design and rapidly fabricate a Cubesat enclosure that needs to be very lightweight and radiation hardened. [2.] A modeler as disdused above. [3]. The offeror will need to build or buy the lightweight telescope with its controls as well as communication links (all using commercial off the shelf electronics) and have them integrate into the radiation hardened enclosure. [4.] The offeror will then need to have a Testing house show that the system is thermal as well as eclectically stable in an "over active" space type environment; so it can be related to a system lifetime. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) An Advanced standard for CubeSats by R. Hever, W. Holeman. J. Puig-Suari, and R. Twiggs. The proceeding of the 25th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites, Utah State University, Aug 9, 2011. KEYWORDS: Cubesat; optical telescope; radiation hardened; additive manufacturing;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Biotechnology Space; Microelectronics; Network Command, Control and Communications TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Bio Medical; Sensors; Electronics; Materials; Information Systems; Air Platform; Battlespace OBJECTIVE: There is a strong need for compact low noise magnetic sensors for Magnetoencephalography (MEG) imaging systems that are capable of establishing a strong brain-machine interface (BMI) in an operationally relevant environment. To achieve this feat, high sensor density is required to achieve the high spatial resolution required to implement advanced signal processing techniques to establish optimum performance and eliminate the effects of abient mangetic noise. To achieve this feat the goal of this program is to develop compact (~0.5 in3 ) magnetic sensors from materials with extremely low magnetic noise resulting in ultimate sensitivities of better than 5pT/Hz1/2. DESCRIPTION: Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) technologies read-out information from the brain by establishing direct links to brain signals that are interpreted using mathematical algorithms called decoders. 1. The amount of usable information that can be extracted from these signals is therefore constrained by the BMI technologies and decoding algorithms used. MEG is a preferred non-invasive BMI due to the high spatial resolution, but suffers from the need for special magnetically shielded facilities to eliminate ambient magnetic noise. Recently, there have been a major advancements in compact magnetic sensing. 2. Signal processing that opens the door to MEG imaging in a magnetically noisy operational environment. In order to realize an operationally relevant MEG BMI technology advances in low noise magnetic materials are required to dramatically enhance the performance of these compact sensing technologies. In order to realize significant improvements in low-noise magnetic materials and the subsequent MEG sensor devices, an in-depth understanding of the source of the magnetic noise in the materials and novel materials-based strategies to decrease the noise are required. Furthermore, testing of the materials in MEG sensors to trace material performance to device performance is also required. Other novel device-level strategies to furthermore improve sensor noise should also be implemented. PHASE I: "This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility effort should, 1) Include work demonstrating that the team can deliver several compact (less than 1 in^3) magnetic sensors and/or gradiometers integrated together either magnetic sensors or gradiometers with competitive performance. 2) Define critical system requirements for an aspect of human monitoring using the integrated sensors. 3) Evaluate hardware concepts aimed at human monitoring with magnetic sensors. 4) Develop a prototype concept and demonstrate feasibility of generating the prototype concept within the program PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of advanced manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. The proposer shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of advanced manufacturing and/or sustainment relevant demonstrations. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research & development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Bridges NR, Meyers M, Garcia J, Shewokis PA, Moxon KA. A rodent brain-machine interface paradigm to study the impact of paraplegia on BMI performance. J Neurosci Methods. 2018; 306, 103-114. doi, 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2018.05.015; 2) Weiler M, Dreher L, Heeg C, Huebl H, Gross R, Brandt MS, Gönnenwein ST. Elastically driven ferromagnetic resonance in nickel thin films. Physical review letters. 2011; 14; 106(11), 117601; KEYWORDS: Brain-machine interface; magnetoencephalography; magnetic sensing;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Microelectronics; Directed Energy; Network Command, Control and Communications; 5G TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Electronics; Space Platform; Materials; Air Platform; Battlespace OBJECTIVE: The objective is to mature manufacturing technologies associated with next-generation Ultra Wide Band Gap materials for microwave applications, namely Gallium Oxide. Epitaxial growth of electronics grade Gallium Oxide has recently been demonstrated at the small scale in both government labs and academia. The aim of the proposed program is to develop and demonstrate industrially scalable manufacturing of these microelectronic-grade epitaxial thin films, including demonstrating the ability to scalability fabricate device-relevant doped epi-stacks. DESCRIPTION: This effort is aimed at establishing the processes required for the industrial production of Gallium Oxide epitaxial thin films. The production of UWBG semiconductor devices requires the development of processes to industrially produce epitaxial materials with sufficient quality, purity, and size (4 or larger) and the processes to fabricate them into unique device architectures, at ever-decreasing features sizes. The objectives of this program include homoepitaxy and heteroepitaxy of gallium oxide and with device relevant epitaxial doping profiles. The work involves exploring various growth conditions while performing structure-property studies using x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, hall measurements and other characterization methods to link film material characteristics to resulting device performance. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. It must have validated the product-market fit between the proposed solution and a potential AF stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility effort should, 1) Demonstrate that the team has the right equipment, knowledge and experience to perform the work required to generate GaOx epiwafers. 2) Demonstrate that the team can deliver Gallium Oxide epi-wafers with desirable doping profiles. 3) Include a work plan for creating gallium oxide based epi-wafers, including early work associated with planned characterization and deposition studies with an eye towards future industrial growth processes. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a Phase I-like effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research, development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Burhan Bayraktaroglu, Assessment of Gallium Oxide Technology DTIC Technical Report AD1038137 (2017); https, //apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD1038137.; 2) Masataka Higashiwaki, Kohei Sasaki, Akito Kuramata, Takekazu Masui, and Shigenobu Yamakoshi, Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors on single-crystal β-Ga2O3 (010) substrates Appl. Phys. Lett. 100 (12) 123511, 2012; https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.3674287.; 3) Kelson D. Chabak, Jonathan P. McCandless, Neil A. Moser, Andrew J. Green, Krishnamurthy Mahalingam, Antonio Crespo, Nolan Hendricks, Brandon M. Howe, Stephen E. Tetlak, Kevin Leedy, Robert C. Fitch, Daiki Wakimoto, Kohei Sasaki, Akito Kuramata, and Gregg H Jessen, Recessed-Gate Enhancement-Mode β-Ga2O3 MOSFETs IEEE Elect. Dev. Lett. 39, (1) 67-70; https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8141864.; 4) Richard Stevenson, AFRL, Breaking records with gallium oxide Compound Semiconductor April-May 2020,pp. 22-27. https://compoundsemiconductor.net/article/111289/AFRL_Breaking_Records_With_Gallium_Oxide/feature KEYWORDS: Ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor; microwave electronics; epitaxy; thin film electronics;

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Network Command, Control and Communications TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems OBJECTIVE: Conduct proof of concept efforts to prove ability of Fog and Edge Computing technologies to progress DoD computing technologies specifically in areas of Human Computer Interfaces, Energy Efficient Computing and Architectures for Data Collection/Processing, and Collaborative Computing, Fusion and Networking. This will take feasibility study like efforts and provide data to prove out technology identified and begin work towards a demonstrator capability. DESCRIPTION: Across the DoD enterprise, platforms are equipped with a grid of sensors that can collect massive amounts of data to carry out multi-domain missions. DoD needs transformational computing technologies to reduce communications latency and cost, increase human situational awareness, and enable human to make adaptive decisions. Edge computing is the collection of technologies and capabilities necessary to enable processing of the sensor data in real time, generate insights from that data, and interact with that data through applications in a distributed manner with varying levels of connectivity. Fog computing is a selective filter and additional data management and analysis between the Edge data and sending it back to the Cloud for additional processing. The Human Computer Interfaces (HCI) sub-area is focused on the design of computer technology to facilitate interaction between humans (the users) and computers in ways that result in enhanced task performance compared to humans or computers individually. Fog edge computing creates novel HCI challenges and opportunities for both proximal systems (edge nodes physically close to users where interaction can occur directly), and remote systems (edge nodes physically distant from the user where interaction must occur over a network connection). Fog and edge computing also creates challenges and opportunities with respect to the ability to leverage and exploit HCI for real time or near-real time tasks. The second sub-area is Energy Efficient Computing and Architectures for Data Collection/Processing. Computer architecture defines the interconnected hardware, including processing components and memory, and the data flow between components. Processing data on the edge/fog requires highly energy efficient and lower latency computer architectures to process the data with a reduced amount of cost, size, weight, and power consumed (C-SWaP). Inputs and outputs to/from the processor/system can be the environment through sensors (RF, EO, auditory, etc.), human interfaces, or other computing systems. The processing system can be collocated with the input/output system or connected through a communication link. Challenges to the edge processing field include (but are not limited to) reducing the latency and improving throughput, reducing the C-SWaP, improving interoperability for system scalability, ease of replacement/upgrade, and optimized system cooling. The third sub-area, Collaborative computing, fusion, and networking (CCFN), focuses on combing signals, features, data, and information across the network to enable decision making across all echelons at the speed of conflict. Future fog and edge computing capabilities must leverage collaborative computing, cutting-edge networking, and advances in artificial intelligence (AI) for fusion of multi-spatial, multi-signal, and multi-reports. Three key focus areas for DOD multi-modal, collaborative, and network edge computing include, (1) sensing, unsupervised learning, rapid modeling, and sensing tasking of new targets, (2) interoperable computing, use of open architectures to support decentralized execution, and (3) all-domain performance, tailored data flows for scalable performance. CCFN requires advances in hardware such as devices with reduced cost, size, weight, power and cost (C-SWaP) to enable use in various platforms to include airborne and man-portable systems. Advances in networking capabilities should provide resilient, high-bandwidth communications required for sensing and sense-making at the edge as well as advances in processors for fusion and AI/ML applications. CCFN is focused on advances in theoretical methods and architectures to exploit Edge-AI; however, the mission, hardware, and software should be designed together to enhance performance. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a "Phase I-like" effort, including a feasibility study on technology in areas of human computer interface, energy efficient computing and architecture, or collaborative computing/fusing network and data. PHASE II: Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a "Phase I-like" effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Focuses on a proof of concept and/or demonstration of the technology concept they identified in the feasibility studies in areas of human computer interface, energy efficient computing and architecture, or collaborative computing/fusing network and data. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded mission capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be investigated with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research, development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Chen, M., Challita, U., Saad, W., Yin, C., Debbah, M. "Artificial Neural Networks-Based Machine Learning for Wireless Networks, A Tutorial" (2019); 2) Khan, W.Z., Ahmed, E., Hakak, S., Yaqoob, I., Ahmed, A. " Edge computing, A survey" (2019); 3) Pham, Q.-V., Fang, F., Ha, V.N., Piran, M.J., Le, M., Le, L.B., Hwang, W.-J., Ding, Z. "A Survey of Multi-Access Edge Computing in 5G and Beyond, Fundamentals, Technology Integration, and State-of-the-Art" (2020); 4) Lin, L., Liao, X., Jin, H., Li, P. "Computation Offloading Toward Edge Computing" (2019); 5) Lin, X., Li, J., Wu, J., Liang, H., Yang, W. "Making Knowledge Tradable in Edge-AI Enabled IoT, A Consortium Blockchain-Based Efficient and Incentive Approach" (2019); 6) Azar, J., Makhoul, A., Barhamgi, M., Couturier, R. "An energy efficient IoT data compression approach for edge machine learning" (2019); 7) Yang, L., Yao, H., Wang, J., Jiang, C., Benslimane, A., Liu, Y. " Multi-UAV-Enabled Load-Balance Mobile-Edge Computing for IoT Networks" (2020); 8) Fan, Q., Ansari, N. "Towards Workload Balancing in Fog Computing Empowered IoT" (2020); 9) Hou, X., Ren, Z., Wang, J., Cheng, W., Ren, Y., Chen, K.-C., Zhang, H. " Reliable Computation Offloading for Edge-Computing-Enabled Software-Defined IoV" (2020), Sanchez-Gonzalez, P.L., Díaz-Gutiérrez, D., Leo, T.J., Núñez-Rivas, L.R " Toward digitalization of maritime transport?" (2019) KEYWORDS: fog computing; Edge Computing; Computing Paradigm; Cloud Computing; adaptive computing; nodal collaboration; edge networking; edge storage; FOG control; FOG networking; FOG storage; energy efficient computing architecture; energy efficient wireless; human-machine interface; augmented reality; virtual reality; distributed information fusion; distributed sensor fusion; distributed data fusion

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Autonomy; Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors; Electronics; Information Systems; Air Platform; Battlespace OBJECTIVE: Develop and evaluate prototype controls, displays, and/or decision aids that help intelligence analysts calibrate trust in object trackers so that they can confidently monitor multiple tracked items and / or multiple types of intelligence data feeds. DESCRIPTION: A common Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission involves monitoring multiple types of intelligence data, including, but not limited to Moving Target Indicator (MTI), Full Motion Video (FMV), and other FMV-like Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) data. The explicit goal of these missions is to be able to track as many mission relevant objects as needed in near real-time, and quickly summarize the combination of activity into higher-level intelligence events. One example of this type of mission is leveraging automation to enable a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) pilot to transition from controlling a single aircraft to managing the flight of multiple semi-automated RPAs. Leveraging similar automation could also enable an RPA sensor operator to manage the sensor payload from multiple RPAs. One type of automation already in use by sensor operators are optical object trackers which can automatically detect moving objects. Sensor operators can also designate a desired object of interest and the sensor can be slaved to maintain continuous view of the object whether moving or stationary. Object trackers can thus free the sensor operators from manually steering a single FMV sensor to keep designated objects in view. Under certain conditions, the sensor operator could become a supervisor of object trackers employed across two or more sensor feeds. In practice, however, object trackers are only selectively used by sensor operators due to their performance and usability limitations. Object trackers are significantly challenged by low quality FMV, viewing conditions (e.g., lighting changes, dropped video frames, object occlusions, non-linear object motion), and sensor operator actions (e.g., changing magnification levels, EO/IR switches, abrupt sensor slewing). Object trackers are also poorly designed from a usability perspective. Once the sensor operator selects which object to follow a virtual box is drawn around the object in the FMV, which can obscure the appearance of target. If the object tracker loses the object, the box simply vanishes without any prior warning or failure diagnosis. There is also no historical record generated of the object path or behaviors. Another example mission is an analyst in an AF Distributed Ground Station (DGS) who is interpreting Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) data in hopes of identifying motion and intent of ground objects. These MTI dots are difficult to track in near real-time because of the frequency of collection of the sensor. This frequently leads to confusing tracks with other non-mission tracks, or losing the tracks outright. Object trackers in this context are a new concept, but could conceptually be used in a similar manner. Similarly conceptual, analogous object tracker techniques could be used in higher collection frequency GEOINT data interpretation. Techniques for these data types are still at the conceptual level, but could be high-payoff as GEOINT collection continues to proliferate. The intent of this topic is to improve the transparency of object tracker automation so that intelligence analysts and sensor operators can better understand the automation performance and can assess when the object tracker can be trusted and relied upon. Successful human-autonomy teaming would reduce the attention demands on the analyst. Automation transparency can include the current intentions, the automation reasoning or logic process, environmental constraints, self-assessment of performance (current, history, future), and level of uncertainty with judgments. Applied to object trackers, automation transparency could include information cues the object tracker is using to identify the designated object, machine confidence in following the correct object, and diagnoses of visual processing problems. Future projection of object tracker performance would also help analysts anticipate when engagement with object trackers is needed. In addition to the content of automation transparency, the method of display is also important. The choices of simple or complex visual, auditory, or multi-modal displays and alarms should be designed based on a deep understanding of the automation capabilities and limitations, analyst tasks and functions, as well as human factors considerations. The transparency display should inform without overwhelming the sensor operator or obscuring the observed activity within the intelligence data. Effective transparency displays would equip the sensor operator to shift from a continuous operator of a single sensor to a supervisor of several semi-automated sensors, or allow an analyst to move up or down in number of simultaneous objects tracked while interacting with MTI data. To scope this effort, real or simulated object tracking technology are allowable. Simulated automation should incorporate representative capabilities and limitations. Thus, a valid object tracker transparency display should be based on a realistic model of object tracker performance under operational viewing conditions. Any system employed should maintain data at an unclassified level. No government furnished materials, equipment, data, or facilities will be provided. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a Phase I-like effort, including a feasibility study. This included design/evaluate displays, controls, and/or decision aids to improve analyst awareness of automated object tracking capabilities and limitations while processing FMV, MTI, or other motion implied GEOINT data. PHASE II: Develop a prototype and iteratively test and refine, culminating in a proof-of-concept interface that provides increased visibility into object tracker automation performance, improving the automation delegation decisions and attention management of a sensor operator managing two or more FMV feeds, or an intelligence analyst managing similar GEOINT data. Validate the solution in a high-fidelity human-in-the-loop simulation or experiment. Required Phase II deliverables include final report and software/hardware to integrate into a USAF simulation. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Object tracking intelligence tasks are found across all DOD services. Object tracker transparency displays may also be usefully applied to other monitoring tasks used throughout the military, government, law enforcement, and commercial sectors. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Turner, K., Stansifer, C., Stanard, T., Harrison, T., Lauback, D. (2013). A Cognitive Analysis of the 27th Special Operations Group Cannon AFB, NM. Technical Report AFRL-RH-WP-TR-2013-0144, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.; 2) Aspiras, T.H., Asari, V. J., Stanard, T. (2017). Tracker Fusion for Robust Object Tracking and Confidence Reporting in Wide Area Motion Imagery. Proceedings of the 46th Annual IEEE Applied Imagery Pattern Recognition Workshop.; 3) Hutchins, A. R., Cummings, M. L., Draper, M., Hughes, T. (2015). Representing autonomous systems self-confidence through competency boundaries. Proceedings of the 59th Meeting of the Human Factors Ergonomics Society, 279-283.; 4) Chen, J. Y. C., Lakhman, S. G., Stowers, K., Selkowitz, A. R., Wright, J. L. and Barnes, M. (2017). Theoretical issues in Ergonomics Science, 1-24. doi.org/10.1080/1463922X.2017.1315750 KEYWORDS: Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); Sensor Operator; Moving Target Indicator (MTI); Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT); Distributed Ground Station (DGS); Object Tracker; Situation Awareness; Human Factors; Autonomy; User Interface; Human Systems

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform OBJECTIVE: The increasing importance of future operations in CIS-Lunar and X-GEO orbits highlights the need for improved space weather models in these regimes. Current space weather models are not well developed and need to be updated to reflect the growing strategic dependence in these orbits. DESCRIPTION: Current space weather models have not focused on CIS-lunar or X-GEO operations and this work would examine, improve, and integrate existing space weather models to current operational space weather models for enhanced now and forecasting. PHASE I: The community has done outstanding work developing requirements for cis-lunar and X-GEO sensing, which includes matching space weather models to sensors that can continuously measure solar energetic particles for both long periods of time to get total dose as well as particles fluxes that lead to single event effects. Successful applicants for this Direct-to-Phase II effort will demonstrate feasibility by providing demonstrated experience in using either existing space weather data drawn from deployed sensors to update and enhance space weather models, or demonstrated experience with enhancing space weather models to capture physics that will be measured by the next generation of deployed sensors, as detailed in the reference. In both cases, the detailed new sensing modalities as described in the phase II description below are the main focus of this effort. PHASE II: This effort is focused on improving the state of the art in space weather models to take advantage of new sensors that provide continuous measurement of the total ionizing dose from MeV electrons and multi-MeV protons over the time scale of hours to years in both the near equatorial plane and LEO polar orbits. Additionally, continuous monitoring of multi-MeV particles that cause single event effects are advancing. This topic looks for innovative space weather models to handle this radically disparate time scales and building on modeling system level effects on space craft. These models should be developed with an eye toward providing verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification against widely deployed, low-cost spacecraft charging/monitoring diagnostics as well as diagnostics suitable for measuring radiation belt electron flux, proton flux, ring current energy distribution, and plasmaspheric electron populations. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Beyond USSF operations beyond GEO and cis-lunar, we anticipate that this will also assist new space assets developing the new space economy of mining asteroids and other celestial bodies. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) PLANNING THE FUTURE SPACE WEATHER OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE. National Academy of Sciences Press. 2021 KEYWORDS: space weather; radiation effects; single event effects; modeling and simulation; diagnostics

TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Space Platform OBJECTIVE: Conceptualize, optimize and demonstrate ultra-lightweight materials using triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) geometric designs for structural applications in space environment. DESCRIPTION: Triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMSs) are 3D non-self-intersecting surfaces that are precisely described by mathematical functions. The continuous, smooth surfaces suggest diminished stress concentration and potentially enhanced load-bearing capability. Indeed, TPMS structures have been shown to exhibit superior structural efficiency to conventional porous structures, including high stiffness and high impact energy absorption. In the meantime, the availability of additive manufacturing capabilities open a path forward toward inexpensive fabrication of TPMS structures. In this solicitation, we seek innovative concept on 1) optimizing TPMS geometry for extraordinary property-to-weight ratios, 2) demonstrating TPMS design via advanced fabrication techniques such as additive manufacturing, and 3) validating the design via experimental characterization. Of particular interest is to establish quantitative correlation between TPMS characteristics and mechanical/physical properties. This way one can utilize the established TPMS optimization algorithms for ultra-lightweight structure design according to the boundary conditions and/or operational requirements. As this solicitation concerns load-bearing capability, it is desirable that relevant mechanical behaviors such as stress distribution, fracture behavior, crack propagation, and fatigue be addressed. The complex geometry and intricate architecture are a challenge to fabricate. The quality and efficiency of the manufacturing technique(s) should be optimized appropriately. The preferred material for this solicitation is metallic material or composite material. While neat polymers and ceramics are not excluded, strong justification for the selection must be provided. The proposer may choose a specific application for the project, but the design goals must be clearly stated and tangible metrics for project success must be clearly defined. As the topic aim is for space applications, the research concept must consider the harsh space environment. Factors include, but are not limited to, extreme temperature, impact from space debris, and radiation damage. Consequently, damage mechanisms, lifetime/degradation prediction, and mitigation strategy are of interest. PHASE I: At the completion of Phase I, the performer is expected to have developed the mathematical model and analytical tool for TPMS topologies and successfully fabricated prototype TPMS structures via a scalable manufacturing method. The potential for significant enhancement of mechanical property-to-weight ratio must be demonstrated to provide a clear pathway for Phase II development. PHASE II: Establish effective methodology for the design of ultra-lightweight TPMS structures and the necessary fabrication techniques while addressing the space environment. Demonstrate scale-up feasibility. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Demonstrate mass production capability; Numerous space applications exist in which lightweight structure is required. Applications could include support structure (for antenna, sensors, solar arrays, etc.), impact protection, various structural components, fuel storage, and hot/propulsion structures. REFERENCES: 1) Feng, J. et al. Triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) porous structures, from multi-scale design, precise additive manufacturing to multidisciplinary application, doi.org/10.1088/2631-7990/ac5be6, Int. J. Extrem. Manuf., 2022.; 2) Qin, Z. et al., The mechanics and design of a lightweight three-dimensional graphene assembly, Sci. doi, 10.1126/sciadv.1601536, Adv., 2017. KEYWORDS: Triply periodic minimal surface; gyroid; lightweight structure; additive manufacturing; stiffness; mechanical strength

TECH FOCUS AREAS: Nuclear; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Nuclear; Materials; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: Predicting failure of ceramic matrix composites in extreme environments requires analyses of high local velocities, temperatures and forces together with oxidative, ablative, and strength-reducing material evolutions and local strains. This D2P2 should model the material degradation of a surface-morphing high speed aircraft, and support critical predictions with measured data. DESCRIPTION: The need for understanding performance of materials in extreme environments has exploded over the last few years, particularly with the push for operational high speed systems; however, models capable of providing this information have been limited. As a result, performance of these systems is primarily determined through expensive experimental programs, which have limited the pace of development in this area despite the fact it is a current national defense priority [1]. Recently, the Air Force Research Laboratory executed a benchmarking study, “Enhanced Physics-based Prognosis and Inspection of Ceramic matrix composites (EPPIC),” [2] to assess the current ability of progressive damage models to capture behavior of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in service relevant conditions. While this program was highly successful, the lack of ability to address the environmental degradation aspects of the expected extreme service environments was a major issue. In particular, the ability to analyze high local velocities, temperatures and forces is needed to properly predict oxidative, ablative, and strength-reducing material evolutions and local strains required for failure. AFRL has been developing environmental damage models for CMCs capable of addressing this current gap in capability. Specifically, a SiC/BN/SiC oxidation damage micromodel was recently published [3].This topic seeks to formulate an environmental damage model for silicon carbide (C/SiC) CMCs and transition it to industry to address the current challenges in modeling the complex thermo-mechanical behaviors of C/SiC CMCs in extreme high speed relevant environments. The model should consider the following processes in C/SiC: (i) diffusion of oxygen and moisture across the surface boundary layer and through the cracks in the matrix, including Knudsen effect; (ii) oxidation of SiC crack walls to form SiO2 and associated gradual closure of the crack opening; (iii) volatilization of coating (SiC in this case at extreme temperatures); (iv) oxidation of SiC fibers and matrix surrounding them; (v) out-diffusion of (several in-common) gaseous oxidation products, such as CO, CO2, SiO(g), Si(OH)4, etc., through the cracks and fiber/matrix gaps in the silicon carbide matrix. The present topic addresses C/SiC materials and structures applicable to high speed vehicles and emphasizes corresponding boundary conditions & strains, damage of the more oxidation-resistant SiC matrix, and subsequent oxidation and weakening of carbon tows leading to failure. Data gathered in relevant environments (arc-jet, heated wind tunnel, etc.) is recommended to develop confidence in the predictive capabilities of proposed models in high-speed vehicles. Unstressed and stressed oxidation experiments on C fibers and C/SiC show rapid consumption of the C phases [6,7]. Different C and SiC materials may have significant differences in oxidation behavior due to microstructure and processing (e.g., [8]). Previous C/SiC oxidation models assume strength loss due to the reduced cross-sectional area of the C fibers and do not consider thermal degradation of fiber strength [9,10]. Additional experimentation exploring the strength loss in carbon fibers due to thermal degradation may be required for the model. Data from in-situ micro-tensile experiments monitoring cracking behavior at elevated temperatures may be useful as inputs for the model. PHASE I: This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of “Phase I-like” capabilities, including a feasibility study. Existing capabilities can be established via prior reports and/or journal publications on subjects such as related materials development and testing in harsh environments; CFD modeling accounting for vehicle- and/or component-level aerothermal environments including such features as mass loss, surface reaction systems, oxidation, sublimation, and spallation in extreme environments; related relationships with high-speed DoD air vehicle integrators evidenced by prior reports and/or publications. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. The D2P2 proposal should show direct benefit to a potential AF operational system, evidenced by endorsement of an associated stakeholder. The offeror should have defined a clear, immediately actionable plan with the proposed solution and the AF customer. The feasibility study should identify the prime potential AF end user(s) of the final modeling and/or material improvements; estimate integration cost and capability improvements vs current mission-specific products; describe if/how the demonstration can be used by other DoD or Governmental customers, and possibly non-governmental customers. PHASE II: Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of performance/life prediction-relevant demonstrations. These demonstrations should include relevant environment testing in relevant high-enthalpy environments such as arc jet, wave rotor, plasma torch, heated wind tunnel, etc. Vehicle-level performance improvements and limitations associated with morphing surfaces should be assessed for relevant maneuvers of a high speed vehicle. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. Air Force sustainment stakeholder engagement is paramount to successful validation of the technical approach. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: A phase III program should involve a relevant AF command in partnership with the small business, to build and test morphing component parts of a relevant model aircraft. Prime contractor integrators involved with military high speed vehicle development would be examples of appropriate partners. Boeing, Hermeus and other commercial companies are engaged in building hypersonic passenger planes. The U.S. Air Force has awarded the Hermeus Corporation a contract to support its work on a hypersonic aircraft powered by an advanced combined-cycle jet engine. The service says that the deal could be a stepping stone to fielding a high-speed plane for VIP transport and other missions in the future. Such companies may be able to leverage the analytical developments across future military and commercial platforms. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR HelpDesk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: 1) Shyu, H. “USD(R&E) Technology Vision for an Era of Competition,” 1 February 2022.; 2) Parthasarathy, T.A., et al. J. Am Cer. Soc. 101.3 (2018); 973-997.; 3) Medford, J., 10th Thermophysics Conference. 1975.; 4) Medford, J., 12th Thermophysics Conference. 1977. ; 5) Halbig, M.C., et al. J. Am Cer. Soc. 91.2 (2008); 519-526.; 6) Opila, E.J., Serra J.L. J. Am Cer. Soc. 94.7 (2011); 2185-2192.; 7) Brown, T. C., Carbon 39.5 (2001); 725-732.; 8) Mei, H. Adv. Appl.Cer. 108.2 (2009); 123-127.; 9) Ding, J., et al. Applied Composite Materials 28.5 (2021); 1609-1629. KEYWORDS: morphing; high speed; enthalpy; testing; arc jet; wave rotor; plasma; oxidation; sublimation; spallation; ablation; modeling; performance;

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Biotechnology TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes OBJECTIVE: Develop novel carbon-neutral, durable materials to replace traditional gray infrastructure for coastal infrastructure (e.g., seawalls, artificial reefs) to both protect DoD installations and support the development of beneficial coastal ecosystems. DESCRIPTION: Developing novel, extremely durable, and crack-resistant materials for use in the coastal marine environment is of great national security interest. DARPA is soliciting carbon-neutral or carbon-sequestering novel materials that can be used to construct various marine structures, including seawalls, jetties, artificial reefs, and breakwaters, while proving capable of promoting the growth of calcareous organisms (corals and oysters) that form the basis for healthy nearshore ecosystems. Currently, state of the art coastal protection materials require expensive, persistent maintenance (due to storm-induced damage to the structures themselves and degradation of the structures in the seawater environment [1]). Furthermore, the cementitious materials typically used for these structures are not designed to be carbon neutral or negative. The developed carbon-neutral or-negative structural materials should apply recent material science findings or processing techniques to create novel durable products that promote the establishment and growth of calcareous organisms without encouraging macroalgal growth. Materials could include but are not limited to cementitious materials such as marine-, Roman-, or alternative-cement concrete, recycled materials, and novel materials. Solutions must not leach chemicals into the environment that would adversely affect native organisms or, in the case of nitrogen, phosphorus or iron leachates, promote algal growth. Additionally, novel materials amenable to processing techniques that result in unique structural morphologies capable of attenuating wave energy are encouraged. End products should offer sustainable, cost-effective material solutions that can be used to help protect DoD infrastructure while promoting the growth of keystone organisms such as corals or oysters in coastal environments. PHASE I: The materials formulations and associated processing techniques will be developed and refined in this phase. Performers will be required to perform detailed materials characterization using small-batch test samples. At a minimum, the material’s mechanical properties (compressive and tensile strength) and durability in seawater will be determined. Performers must provide a balance sheet showing how their materials can be produced in a carbon-neutral or -negative fashion. Furthermore, materials must be designed to promote the establishment and growth of calcareous organisms while discouraging the growth of macroalgae. An analysis will also be required to ensure that the developed material and processing technique costs are competitive with those for existing gray infrastructure materials and methods. In Phase I, performers will work with DARPA to identify potential transition partners for practical infrastructure testing in Phase II. Performers will begin developing plans with their selected transition partner to scale up their developed material production and processing techniques specific to producing marine structures of interest to the transition partner in Phase II. By the end of Phase I, metrics for proposed field and/or tank testing performance to be performed during Phase II must be established in concert with the transition partner. Phase I metrics: • Achieve a minimum material compressive strength of 25 MPa (after 28 days from preparation for cementitious materials) by the end of Phase I • Demonstrate a material tensile strength of 2.5 MPa (after 28 days from preparation for cementitious materials) by the end of Phase I • Show < 0.20% length change after a test sample is submerged in seawater for 28 days • Document that the material does not leach chemicals that would be deleterious to calcareous organisms and that it wouldn’t promote macroalgal growth • Achieve a carbon-neutral or -negative formulation, as demonstrated through submission of a balance sheet showing carbon emissions and offsets during manufacturing • A proposed cost of the material when produced at scale, as demonstrated via techno-economic analysis of the cost of producing the finished material, in dollars per cubic meter Phase I fixed payable milestones for this program should include: • Month 2: Report on initial material formulation, processing, raw component sourcing • Month 4: Report describing how the developed material’s life cycle is carbon-neutral or -negative and how it is expected to promote calcareous organism settlement and growth • Month 5: Report on the initial material characterization and initial durability seawater exposure test results as well as the material’s compressive strength, tensile strength, and expansion when submerged in seawater • Month 6: Report on carbon-neutral or -negative properties in material composition and manufacturing when scaled-up for full-size, in-water deployment • Month 9: Report on the refined material’s mechanical properties and seawater (28 day) exposure durability test results; and the leachate analysis to support calcareous organism growth while suppressing algal growth • Month 12: Final Phase I Material Design Report summarizing targeted transition partners along with their preferred testing approach and related Phase II metrics, material properties and manufacturing approach, material seawater stability, proposed prototype architectures, data sets, comparison with alternative state-of-the-art methodology, and proposed material costs when manufactured at scale PHASE II: In phase II, performers will demonstrate their concept by scaling up the production of the developed material and associated processing techniques such that the manufacturing chain can be understood and analyzed. The developed material will undergo continued refinement and characterization throughout this phase. Performers must evaluate their material’s mechanical properties and durability in seawater to ensure that the material does not degrade over time or suffer from sulfate or other chemical attack. The material also must be capable of forming, and maintaining when hardened, complex shapes and geometries, either through molds or via 3-D printing techniques, as appropriate. The main goal of Phase II is to move from small-scale laboratory testing to wave tank testing with appropriately scaled structural elements (jetties, seawalls, reef modules, or other wave attenuating substructures) constructed out of the developed material. A second goal includes developing field- or flume-deployed coupons to test the material attraction to calcareous keystone organisms while discouraging macroalgal growth. This second goal will require testing in waters with suitable larval supply for a minimum of 3 months. To achieve the aims of Phase II as specified above, performers will continue to engage with transition partners identified in Phase I as testing advances. The transition partner will work with the DARPA team to select the necessary design for the structure to be fabricated and then tested in the wave tank. Performers must show results of their proof-of-concept structures and testing. Finally, performers will further mature their commercialization plans to include manufacturing scale-up and voice of customer analysis for near- and mid-term opportunities. Phase II Metrics: • By month 12, the performer’s developed material must demonstrate a minimum compressive strength of 30 MPa (after 28 days at 25℃) for cementitious materials), a tensile strength of 3.0 MPa, and show < 0.15% length change after being submerged in seawater for 28 days. The temperature range at which the material is expected to maintain structural integrity and performance must be included. • By month 20, performers must show that native calcareous organisms settled and grew on coupons after a 3-month field deployment (this deployment should be planned with seasonal considerations for larvae availability in the deployment area). • By month 23, achieve the performance metrics identified during Phase I interactions with the transition partner by way of demonstration of a final wave attenuating or other coastal structure tested in a wave tank. Phase II fixed milestones for this program should include: • Month 2: Report on lessons learned throughout Phase I such as material processing and characterization refinements, material formulation improvements or other optimization schemes, and transition partner plan outlining the scale-up and materials processing necessary to form full-size wave attenuating structures • Month 4: Report on the developed materials mechanical properties and stability in seawater • Month 8: Report showing the wave attenuating or wave resistant structural design as defined by transition partner • Month 14: Assessment of structural integrity after deployment of structure prior to flume test • Month 20: Wave tank/flume test of the wave attenuating or other coastal structure; and a report demonstrating that the material attracts calcareous organisms • Month 24: Final Phase II Report summarizing approach; prototype architectures; material properties; material seawater stability; comparison with alternative state-of-the-art methodology; quantification of materials costs and potential location deployments with transition partner PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Structures and the developed materials and processing techniques can be used to help fortify infrastructure and ecosystems (including coral and oyster reef areas) around coastal and estuarine communities as well as DoD/military installations. Work should focus on commercialization of the Sustainable Reef Starters technology. REFERENCES: 1. [1] Gittman, R.K. and S.B. Scyphers, The cost of coastal protection: a comparison of shore stabilization approaches. Shore and Beach, 2017. 85: p. 19-24. 2. [2] Manning, T.J., et al., The Use of Microbial Coatings, Nutrients and Chemical Defense Systems in Oyster Restoration. Marine Technology Society Journal, 2019. 53(4): p. 39-54. 3. [3] Moeller, M., S. Nietzer, and P.J. Schupp, Neuroactive compounds induce larval settlement in the scleractinian coral Leptastrea purpurea. Scientific Reports, 2019. 9(1): p. 2291. KEYWORDS: Materials, carbon neutral, marine structures, reef friendly, coral, oyster, shoreline protection

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Microelectronics, Networked Command, Control and Communications TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes, Sensors OBJECTIVE: The objective of this effort is to develop a passive, resonant acoustic scattering architecture for undersea operations that features resonances that are robust to changes in static pressure with depth, that are tunable in frequency in-situ, and that features a compact geometry that is deeply subwavelength compared to its resonant wavelength(s) in water. A secondary objective is to determine the feasibility of tailoring the scattered acoustic field to achieve patterned directionality at resonance. DESCRIPTION: Acoustic resonance occurs when the frequency of an acoustic field matches the natural frequency of vibration within a patterned geometric structure and becomes amplified. Research in the undersea domain has long focused on the acoustic enhancement of, suppression of, and/or coupling to vibrational modes within both man-made and naturally occurring structures. Subwavelength resonance occurs when the physical size of a resonant structure is smaller than the wavelength of an acoustic field in the medium that surrounds the structure. Minnaert resonance, where a gas bubble suspended in a liquid resonates at its natural frequency, is a prominent example of a naturally occurring subwavelength resonator in undersea environments [1]. Recent research in acoustic metamaterials, which often rely on subwavelength resonances in structured lattices [2-4], has led to breakthroughs impacting a broad range of device applications– however, much of this research has focused on airborne acoustics owing to the ease of fabrication and testing in air. Undersea environments present a unique set of challenges compared to air acoustics. Whereas many structured components can be assumed to be acoustically rigid in air, water has a lower impedance contrast with most elastic materials resulting in stronger acoustic coupling with the environment. Furthermore, in situations where a deployed system must operate over a range of depths, the functionality of the system must withstand and/or adapt to changes in static pressure. Given that resonances are typically dependent on the geometry of a structure, any geometric change under static load would be expected to alter or degrade the vibrational modes of the structure. Recently, piezoelectric metamaterials have been considered as a means of overcoming some of these challenges by providing ultra-wideband backscatter in aqueous environments [5-6]. However, these devices have not yet been optimized for compactness for a given resonant scattering response nor have they been made directionally tunable. This effort seeks to develop deeply subwavelength, resonant structures that scatter sound in undersea environments in a controlled and predictable fashion over a range of operational depths. Such structures should respond passively to externally impinging acoustic fields, and not simply be internally resonant in response to an on-board acoustic source. The resonant spectra should be tunable in-situ over a specified bandwidth with the goal of minimizing power requirements. The spectral response should be robust to changes in static pressure over a wide range of depths. In addition, this effort will investigate the feasibility of tailoring the resonant scattering to radiate directed acoustic beams in response to an external acoustic impinging field. As with the spectral response, the possibility of altering the directed field pattern in-situ should be investigated. Ultimately, the ideal deliverable of this effort should be compact, passive resonators that can be deployed within a range of undersea scenarios, and that maintain a consistent yet tunable scattering response over a broad range of ocean depth. PHASE I: Successful proposals for Phase I should principally address three key aspects of the program goals: (1) how the subwavelength resonance will be obtained in the structured geometry; (2) to what degree such resonances can be modulated in amplitude and frequency with optimal power efficiency; and (3) to what degree such resonances can be made insensitive to changes in static pressure when deployed at sea over a range of depths. Successful applicants should demonstrate in-depth knowledge in both aqueous resonant techniques and undersea deployed systems. Phase 1 will be research focused with a goal of demonstrating the resonant technology in a simulated environment using fully rendered designs. Experimental assessments of resonator components may also be necessary to demonstrate a proof of concept. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables During Phase I of the effort the following deliverables should be included: • Month 1: Kickoff meeting and presentation • Month 3: Acoustic scattering models of the fully rendered resonant structure in a simulated aqueous environment to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, assessments of the degree of spectral tunability; monthly reports and quarterly updated • Month 4: Experimental assessments of key components that produce the resonant functionality; monthly reports • Month 6: Final report that includes technical details of the project including a section addressing the possibility of achieving directed scattering using the chosen resonant methodology; monthly reports and quarterly update PHASE II: Upon successful completion of Phase I, in Phase II successful proposers will fabricate a fully functional prototype that will be tested in an aqueous environment. Insensitivity to static pressure will also be demonstrated, either in a pressure tank or through acoustic testing at a non-trivial depth. Assessments of the degree of scattering directivity will also be undertaken. Although the specific schedule of deliverables may depend on the chosen approach, the schedule/milestones could proceed as follows: • Month 3: Characterization of functional components, design iteration and modeling based on component results, assembly of initial prototype, modeling of designs with patterned or directed scattering. Monthly reports and quarterly update. • Month 6: Finalize initial prototype fabrication, acoustic testing in a water tank or deployed environment, experimental analysis of spectral response, narrow down design with patterned or directed scattering. Monthly reports and quarterly update. • Month 9: Iteration of prototype design based on initial results, assessment of spectral tunability and power requirements, pressure testing, fabrication of directed scattering design. Monthly reports and quarterly update. • Month 12: Fabrication and acoustic testing of improved and/or directed scattering designs, pressure testing, modeling assessments of improved performance metrics such as pressure insensitivity and ratio of component size to acoustic wavelength. Monthly and final reports. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: (U) There are many commercial uses for a passive acoustic subwavelength resonator (PASR) that could be explored in a Phase 3 effort. PASR technology could be used as low SWAP fiducials for underwater position, navigation, and timing (PNT) of autonomous vehicles doing deep water missions such as those commonly done in the oil and gas industry. Although the effort is aimed at aqueous environments, the technology may also be extended to air acoustics and used in wearable devices for augmented reality applications. Devices of this type could also offer a next generation capability for non-destructive testing by augmenting higher SWAP-C transmit arrays with passive resonators. REFERENCES: 1. [1] Greene, Chad A., and Preston S. Wilson. "Laboratory investigation of a passive acoustic method for measurement of underwater gas seep ebullition." The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 131.1 (2012): EL61-EL66. 2. [2] Martin, Theodore P., et al. "Transparent gradient-index lens for underwater sound based on phase advance." Physical Review Applied 4.3 (2015): 034003. 3. [3] Martin, Theodore P., et al. "Elastic shells with high-contrast material properties as acoustic metamaterial components." Physical Review B 85.16 (2012): 161103. 4. [4] Titovich, Alexey S., and Andrew N. Norris. "Tunable cylindrical shell as an element in acoustic metamaterial." The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 136.4 (2014): 1601-1609. 5. [5] Ghaffarivardavagh, Reza, et al. "Ultra-wideband underwater backscatter via piezoelectric metamaterials." Proceedings of the Annual conference of the ACM Special Interest Group on Data Communication on the applications, technologies, architectures, and protocols for computer communication. 2020. 6. [6] Afzal, Sayed Saad, et al. "Enabling higher-order modulation for underwater backscatter communication." Global Oceans 2020: Singapore–US Gulf Coast. IEEE, 2020. KEYWORDS: Systems, assembly, acoustic, fabrication, testing, resonance, metamaterials

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning, Autonomy TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Biomedical, Chemical/Biological Defense, Information Systems, Materials/Processes OBJECTIVE: Resilient Chemical Manufacturing (RCM) seeks to enable the rapid reallocation and optimization of existing domestic chemical manufacturing infrastructure to a new suite of products, allowing the U.S. to leverage existing onshore production equipment to respond to chemical supply chain disruptions. DESCRIPTION: The United States relies on chemical manufacturing to provide products ranging from everyday consumer goods (plastics, fabrics, adhesives, paints) to cutting edge technologies (medicines, electronic materials), industrial goods (dyes, pesticides) and military supplies (fuels, explosives). While many high-volume, petroleum-derived chemical feedstocks are produced domestically, much of the fine chemical manufacturing necessary for complex chemical products (e.g., pharmaceuticals, electronics, energetics) has been outsourced. As a result, the U.S. is vulnerable to dynamic factors that are challenging to forecast, including issues as complex as political conflict, as unpredictable as natural disasters, and as simple as economies of scale. While the origin might vary, the impact is universal – such forces disrupt our supply of chemical feedstocks and products, affecting critical sectors of our nation including defense, healthcare, transportation, communications, and the economy. While developing new manufacturing infrastructure and methods (e.g., automated, distributed, continuous) is one way to address these challenges, another approach of specific interest to DARPA is to build software planning capabilities that enable automated allocation and optimization of existing domestic chemical manufacturing infrastructure to a new set of products. Conventional plant-based chemical manufacturing consists of diverse sets of equipment (reactors, pumps, columns, separators, etc.) connected in a defined sequence to produce a single product. Allocation and reconfiguring of this equipment to produce a different product is a slow, manual operation, requiring detailed process knowledge and deep expertise on a given product. As a result, domestic manufacturing capacity for any new product is vastly underestimated, and diverse, secondary considerations related to critical manufacturing process attributes (e.g., scale, purity, and throughput; geographic location/distribution; and site-specific regulatory considerations) are challenging to consider and impossible to fully optimize. Developing the capacity to automatically identify, allocate, and optimize chemical manufacturing assets across multiple sites/vendors and understand dependencies of particular assets on user requirements for new chemical products would revolutionize our ability to address chemical supply chain challenges across multiple sectors. RCM will enable rapid reallocation of existing domestic chemical manufacturing to produce chemicals that are subject to supply chain disruptions, allowing the U.S. to leverage on-shore, U.S.-owned production equipment to meet demand for chemicals due to supply chain disruptions or other dynamic demand swings. RCM will build robust production planning algorithms for a variety of domestic and foreign chemical products critical to the U.S. industrial and consumer base, develop precise ontologies for manufacturing equipment, establish a dynamic database of U.S.-owned manufacturing assets, and demonstrate a software tool that can pair production needs with latent (yet-to-be-configured) manufacturing capacity. Importantly, RCM will not develop new production infrastructure, but instead provide the capacity to model and forecast existing production equipment to meet a new production need. PHASE I: This topic solicits Direct to Phase II proposals ONLY. Proposers must demonstrate that the following has been achieved outside of the SBIR program: Initial software tool/prototype that is capable of automated allocation of domestic manufacturing assets for at least ten chemical products. The demonstrated capability must include: (1) a database of domestic chemical manufacturing assets, (2) an ontology to adequately describe and measure equivalency of chemical manufacturing equipment, (3) the ability to consider process features (e.g., volume, chemical compatibility, temperature ranges) and user requirements (e.g., throughput, purity, regulatory standards), and (4) capacity to consider equipment and/or processes across multiple manufacturing sites. PHASE II: RCM performers will build and validate software that enables automated allocation, management, and optimization of domestic chemical manufacturing assets. DARPA anticipates approaches that include (1) acquisition of domestic manufacturing asset information resulting in a dynamic asset database; (2) economic, security, and availability assessments of existing critical fine chemicals with approaches to computationally assess substitute chemicals; (3) fully operational, validated software with a user interface (UI) designed for non-experts that automatically allocates domestic chemical manufacturing assets across the U.S. to a particular chemical in shortage; and (4) a suite of tools that enables optimization across both chemical feedstock and/or supply chain availability and domestic manufacturing potential. Base Period (24 Months): Phase II fixed payable milestones for this program should include: • Month 1: Report on current asset database and plans to incorporate additional elements, to include key details such as equipment, specifications, manufacturing locations, chemicals, suppliers, quantities, country of origin, etc., as required, to support technology/software development milestones and deliverables throughout the effort. The report should highlight current database knowledge gaps and a plan to acquire additional information to expand the breadth, scope, and utility of the database. • Month 3: Report on selection of at least 10 chemicals that represent critical precursors, fine chemicals, and/or feedstocks to important chemical products, along with synthetic routes relevant to proposed efforts that will serve as a testbed for demonstration and validation of technology deliverables over the course of the award. Selected molecules should be directly applicable to at least one critical supply category (e.g., semiconductors and critical electronic components, energetic materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API)) as outlined in the 2021 House Armed Services Committee Report of the Defense Critical Supply Chain Task Force1. Selection of final testbed molecules will be approved after consultation with DARPA. • Month 5: Report on initial algorithm development, software architecture, and modeling approaches, along with potential operational/user features of the software prototype to be employed for the Month 9 demonstration. The Month 5 report should also include details of security controls relative to database content and access that ensures vendor proprietary information is protected. • Month 9: Report summarizing Month 9 software prototype demonstration. The report should provide details on approach, prototype architectures and algorithms, data sets, and results demonstrating initial proof-of-concept performance of software prototype (without experimental/manufacturing validation) to identify alternative/re-purposed manufacturing infrastructure or substitute chemical feedstocks/precursors. The Month 9 demonstration must utilize two of the 10 selected testbed molecules under three variable manufacturing/supply-chain scenarios selected by DARPA. The report should also detail software performance relative to database composition (e.g., number of vendors, types of equipment, etc.) with a plan to expand, augment, and refine database content and quality to enhance software/algorithm performance and capabilities. • Month 12: Report on lessons learned, updated architectures, algorithms, and learning approaches based on results/analysis of software prototype performance during Month 9 demonstration to include critical aspects of information contained in the database as well as a plan for experimental validation of asset allocation by Month 21. • Month 15: Report describing expansion and optimization of technology platform integrating production capacity, logistics, costs, sustainability, and stakeholder constraints relevant to the proposed efforts. • Month 18: Report describing the development of advanced tools and features that simplifies software operation (e.g., user interface and operability) and improves performance (e.g., time to provide a result, additional feature selection including process features and/or user requirements). The report should also include details related to development of the user interface, search, command, and control functions enabling use by non-experts. • Month 21: Report on (1) initial software design and engineering for graphical user interface; visual analytics; and search, command, and control to include details/findings of beta-testing activities with non-experts and (2) details of experimental validation runs to include validation of user-defined requirements/inputs (e.g., throughput, purity, etc.) from the software realized in a chemical manufacturing facility. • Month 24: Final demonstration and report documenting version 2.0 prototype architectures and algorithms, methods, results, and performance of software platform to identify alternative/re-purposed manufacturing infrastructure or substitute chemical feedstocks/precursors specific to three additional testbed molecules under five variable manufacturing/supply-chain scenarios selected by DARPA. The report should also detail software performance relative to usability by non-experts and to key data/metrics contained in the database with a plan to expand, augment, and refine database content and quality to enhance software/algorithm performance and capabilities if needed. Option 1 (12 Months): • Month 28: Report on development and performance of optimized user interface, cyber security features, cloud infrastructure, and/or software package intended for deployment and commercialization. Report should document subcontractors and vendors along with strategies for product launch, production, marketing, sales, and technical support, as appropriate. • Month 34: Capstone demonstration to stakeholders as defined in consultation with DARPA. • Month 36: Final report documenting software prototype architectures and algorithms, methods, results, and performance of software platform to identify alternative/re-purposed manufacturing infrastructure or substitute chemical feedstocks/precursors specific to the remaining five testbed molecules under seven variable manufacturing/supply-chain scenarios selected by DARPA. In addition, the final report should include quantitative metrics on decision making benefits, costs, risks, and schedule for implementation of a full prototype capability based on the pilot demonstrations. This report shall include an identification of estimated level of effort to integrate the pilot capability into an operational environment, addressing computing infrastructure and environment, decision making processes, real-time and archival data sources, and maintenance and updating needs; reliability, sensitivity, and uncertainty quantification; and transferability to other military users and problems. The report shall also document any scientific advances that have been achieved under the program. (A brief statement of claims supplemented by publication material will meet this requirement), and final PI meeting presentation material. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Fine chemical precursors are essential to a wide variety of applications critical to national security and defense such as plastics, adhesives, energetics, electronic materials, and pharmaceuticals. As such, RCM has broad applicability within the DoD, the broader U.S. Government, and the commercial sector to include other manufacturing sectors as well as supply chain management. REFERENCES: 1. U.S. House Armed Services Committee: Defense Critical Supply Chain Task Force Final Report (2021) https://armedservices.house.gov/_cache/files/e/5/e5b9a98f-9923-47f6-a5b5-ccf77ebbb441/7E26814EA08F7F701B16D4C5FA37F043.defense-critical-supply-chain-task-force-report.pdf coral Leptastrea purpurea. Scientific Reports, 2019. 9(1): p. 2291. KEYWORDS: Model-based systems engineering, fine chemical manufacturing, logistics and supply chain, domestic manufacturing infrastructure, automated asset allocation, information technology, AI algorithms, materials databases, modeling and simulation, active pharmaceutical ingredients, energetic materials, Agile manufacturing, Computer-aided process planning, Decision theory, Distributed manufacturing, Manufacturing inventory systems, Logistics systems, Model-based quality control, Predictive modeling, Process diagnosis, Process planning, Production optimization, System simulation, Statistical process control

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Cybersecurity, Directed Energy (DE), Microelectronics, Networked Command, Control, and Communications (C3), Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics, Materials/Processes OBJECTIVE: Develop new design, fabrication, alignment, and assembly techniques to significantly reduce the cost and time of manufacturing high power, linear beam VE devices, increase the overall manufacturing yield, and reduce the dependence on skilled touch-labor for the precision fabrication and assembly of devices, particularly at millimeter-wave frequencies. Develop new design, fabrication, alignment, and assembly techniques to significantly reduce the cost and time of manufacturing high power, linear beam VE devices, increase the overall manufacturing yield, and reduce the dependence on skilled touch-labor for the precision fabrication and assembly of devices, particularly at millimeter-wave frequencies. DESCRIPTION: A linear beam vacuum electron device converts the kinetic energy of a longitudinally-streaming electron beam (or multiple parallel beams) into radio-frequency (RF) energy through the interaction with an electrodynamic structure. The electron beam is immersed in an externally-generated magnetic field and the “spent” beam is deposited in an electron collector. The entire device operates in hard vacuum, typically <10-9 torr. Current VE manufacturing practices are labor-intensive, requiring many processing steps and highly-skilled touch labor at each step along the way. At millimeter-wave frequencies, the tight fabrication and alignment tolerances stress the limits of conventional manufacturing practices. This SBIR program seeks to develop new approaches to the design, fabrication, alignment, and assembly of millimeter-wave linear beam VE devices to decrease production cycle times, increase manufacturing yields, and reduce costs. A key goal is to develop new, readily reconfigurable methods of building VE devices that can reduce the time and cost of fabrication by a factor of 10 or more. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, advances in materials; CAD/CAM; subtractive, additive, and/or hybrid manufacturing; precision self-assembly and alignment; robotics and automation; and automated inspection and characterization. Novel methods of machining, forming, joining, and assembling materials that are commonly used in VE devices – such as refractory metals, oxygen-free high conductivity copper, high voltage ceramics, and high energy product permanent magnets – are of particular interest. PHASE I: Phase I is a 10-month program to develop the designs and process flows leading to the fabrication (in Phase II) of a proof-of-concept W-band (75-110 GHz) linear beam VE amplifier comprising a thermionic electron gun, beam-wave interaction circuit, and an electrically-isolated electron beam collector. Table 1 summarizes the minimum performance parameters of the amplifier. The object of this SBIR is not to create a new breakthrough W-band device. Rather, the W-band VE amplifier will serve as a test vehicle to demonstrate the effectiveness of new VE manufacturing techniques. The goal of the SBIR is to develop new, readily reconfigurable ways of manufacturing high power millimeter-wave VE devices that reduce the fabrication time by at least a factor of 10 compared with the state-of-the-art. Approaches that support the types of millimeter-wave interaction circuits that are compatible with high power (hundreds of watts), broadband (multi-GHz) devices are of particular interest including but not limited to structures such as folded waveguides, coupled cavities, and extended interaction cavities. At the beginning of Phase I, analyses and simulations with computational electromagnetic particle-in-cell and/or experimentally-validated large-signal codes shall demonstrate the ability of the proposed W-band amplifier design to meet the performance metrics of Table 1. During Phase I, interim experimental demonstrations of new fabrication and alignment techniques that support high precision and hermiticity goals are desirable (if feasible). By the end of Phase I, performers shall present (1) a full mechanical design of the W-band test amplifier (including piece-parts, sub-assemblies, and final assembly); (2) a detailed description of the manufacturing process flow that highlights the innovative approaches to achieving cycle time, yield, and cost goals; (3) a comparison with the VE manufacturing state-of-the-art; and (4) a Phase II roadmap that includes the fabrication and experimental demonstration of the W-band amplifier. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describe the potential applicability of the proposed manufacturing approach(es) to the small lot/discontinuous production scales that are typical of DoD VE procurements. Documentation should include all relevant information that may include but is not limited to: technical reports, published journal articles, prototype models and validation data, and examples of internally-developed processes. For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, please refer to the DoD BAA 2022.4 and DARPA BAA Instructions. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables There will be a Kick-off Meeting at the onset of the program and periodic review meetings to be held by video-teleconferencing. Phase I milestones for this program should include: • Month 2: Analyses and computational simulations demonstrating that the W-band amplifier design is capable of meeting the performance goals outlined in Table 1 (including electron beam generation and transport, beam-wave interaction, and thermal management). • Month 4: Report on initial mechanical designs, assembly techniques, and manufacturing process flows related to the W-band amplifier. • Month 8: Interim reporting on mechanical designs, assembly techniques, and manufacturing process flows related to the W-band amplifier. Experimental demonstrations of new fabrication and/or alignment techniques, if applicable. • Month 10: Final Phase I Report that includes (1) a full mechanical design of the W-band test amplifier (including piece-parts, sub-assemblies, and final assembly); (2) a detailed description of the manufacturing process flow that highlights the innovative approaches to achieving cycle time, yield, and cost goals; (3) a comparison with the VE manufacturing state-of-the-art; and (4) a Phase II roadmap that includes the fabrication and experimental demonstration of the W-band amplifier. PHASE II: Phase II is an 18-month program to demonstrate the effectiveness of new mechanical designs, fabrication and alignment approaches, and process flows leading to a significant reduction in millimeter-wave VE device fabrication time (by at least a factor of 10 compared with the state-of-the-art), high manufacturing yield, and reduced costs. If appropriate, automation techniques may be developed and demonstrated in the Phase II Base program to support improved process flows. Using the technical approaches developed in Phase I, a minimum of one (1 each) W-band VE amplifier will be fabricated and tested. Throughout Phase II, as appropriate, measurements of piece-parts and sub-assemblies shall demonstrate their ability to achieve manufacturing tolerance, alignment, and hermiticity goals. Experimental measurements of the final sealed W-band amplifier shall demonstrate that the device meets the performance metrics of Table 1 and provide validation of new fabrication and assembly techniques. A 6-month Phase II Option will further the development of automated approaches to fabrication, alignment, characterization, and inspection that leverage techniques demonstrated in the Phase II Base program. Key goals of the Phase II Option are to develop a roadmap for production-scale implementation of these approaches and to explore ways these approaches can address small lot/discontinuous production challenges that are characteristic of many DoD VE system procurements. i. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables There will be a Kick-off Meeting at the onset of the program and periodic review meetings to be held by video-teleconferencing. Phase II milestones for this program should include: • Month 3: Quarterly Program Review (QPR) and report summarizing initial fabrication progress, schedule, plan for full power testing of the W-band amplifier, and future work. • Month 6: QPR and report summarizing fabrication progress and planned work. As appropriate, present measurements of piece-parts and sub-assemblies demonstrating their ability to meet manufacturing tolerance, alignment, and hermiticity goals. • Month 9: QPR and report summarizing fabrication progress and planned work. As appropriate, present measurements of piece-parts and sub-assemblies demonstrating their ability to meet manufacturing tolerance, alignment, and hermiticity goals. Update on amplifier test procurement and experimental setup. • Month 12: QPR and report summarizing fabrication and assembly results, experimental validation, and comparisons with program metrics. Revised plans through the end of Phase II. • Month 15: QPR and report summarizing the fabrication and initial testing of the W-band amplifier, experimental validation, and planned work through the end of Phase II. • Month 18: End-of-Phase Review and report presenting descriptions of key innovations in design, fabrication, alignment, and assembly; experimental validation results; and comparisons with program metrics. Assessment of improvements over the VE manufacturing state-of-the-art. Proposed plan for a Phase II Option to develop automated approaches to fabrication, alignment, characterization, and inspection. The Phase II Option milestones should include: • Month 21: QPR and report summarizing the interim development of automated approaches to fabrication, alignment, characterization, and inspection. Experimental demonstrations, as appropriate. • Month 24: End-of-Option Review and report summarizing the final automated approaches to fabrication, alignment, characterization, and inspection. Assessment of improvements relative to the VE manufacturing state-of-the-art and recommendations for production-scale implementation, particularly in the context of small lot/discontinuous production challenges that are characteristic of many DoD VE system procurements. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: (U) Commercial and DoD/military applications for high power millimeter-wave VE amplifiers include compact transmitters for sensors, radar, and high-speed data links. The new design, fabrication, and alignment techniques developed by this SBIR will significantly reduce the cost and time of manufacturing and increase the overall manufacturing yields, facilitating the increased access to and adoption of the technology. In addition, the SBIR will develop new manufacturing process flows that leverage advances in automation and robotics to reduce the dependence on skilled touch-labor for the precision fabrication, assembly, and inspection of components and assemblies. REFERENCES: 1. T. J. Horn and D. Gamzina, “Additive manufacturing of copper and copper alloys,” ASM Handbook, Vol. 24, Additive Manufacturing Processes, D. Bourell, W. Frazier, H. Kuhn, and M. Seifi, eds., 2020. 2. Y. Koren, X. Gu, and W Guo, “Reconfigurable manufacturing systems: Principles, design, and future trends,” Front. Mech. Eng. 13(2) 2018. 3. A. Slocum, “Kinematic couplings: A review of design principles and applications,” Int. J. Mach. Tools Manuf. 50(4) 2010. KEYWORDS: Vacuum electronics; millimeter-wave; precision manufacturing; reconfigurable manufacturing

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Microelectronics TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Design, model, and fabricate a readout integrated circuit specifically tailored for high-gain linear mode staircase avalanche photodiodes that operate at 2 µm cutoff, high frame rates, and thermoelectric cooling compatible temperatures DESCRIPTION: Avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are photodiodes with an internal gain mechanism that exploit the photoelectric effect to convert a single photon to multiple electrons. Functionally, they are the semiconductor analog of photomultipliers. APDs use a high reverse bias voltage to create a strong internal electric field that accelerates electrons (or holes) created by the absorption of incident photons through the crystal lattice to produce secondary electrons (holes) by impact ionization. APDs have been widely deployed for use in telecommunications, military, and research applications for imaging, single photon detection, and ranging. Linear mode staircase APDs are a particular design proposed by Capasso [1] in the early 1980s that theorized a device that incorporated both energetic and spatial determinicity in the gain resulting in gains of 2N where N is the number of steps in the staircase. Attempts to meet the performance gains projected have continued, [2,3] in particular, recent advances in in the Gain Enhancement by Novel Impact Ionization (GENII) program have resulted in demonstrations of high gain (>1000), high operating temperature (>240K), and low excess noise factor (<1.1) at modest dark current (<10 µA/cm2) at the pixel level with an innovative AlInAsSb-based digital alloy staircase APD structure with a per-step gain near the theoretical limit of two [4]. In order to demonstrate the military relevance and further advance the technology and manufacturing readiness levels (TRL and MRL), a custom readout integrated circuit (ROIC) must be designed, fabricated, and tested with the staircase APD structures. Likewise, read-out integrated circuits have been developed for linear-mode APDs [5-7]. State of the art APD ROICs have larger pixel pitch (~100 microns or more) and require higher voltages to operate. It is desirable for the ROIC to operate at low voltage and be designed for smaller pixel pitches and still achieve SOA performance. The overall technical objectives of this topic are to produce a staircase APD ROIC that can meet the metrics laid out in Table 1. Metric Goal Array size 32 x 32 Pixel Pitch (µm) <50 Frame rate (kHz) >10 Op. Temp (K) 240 Dynamic Range (bits) 16 Range Resolution (cm) <30 Power (W) 0.5 Dark Current (µA/cm2) 10 Excess noise factor <1.1 PHASE I: As this is a Direct to Phase II (DP2) solicitation, Phase I proposals will not be accepted or reviewed. In order to qualify for DP2, proposers must provide documentation to substantiate the following: • Proposer has previously demonstrated their ability to design, fabricate, and test APD ROICs (e.g. sample data from prior APD ROIC efforts) • Proposer has preliminary performance models for a 32x32 staircase APD array that meets the metrics detailed in Table 1 • Proposer should have detector results that demonstrate APD behavior (e.g., published paper or third-party test results) PHASE II: For the base Direct to Phase II effort, the proposer shall develop: • Detailed design ready for tape-out of linear mode APD ROIC able to meet the metrics detailed in Table 1 • Detailed simulated performance for 32 x 32 staircase APD array i. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Phase Month Milestone Base Phase 2 1 Kickoff meeting. The kickoff meeting should identify the detailed technical approach, preliminary expected performance, detailed specifications, detailed program schedule, anticipated risks and corresponding mitigation approach(es), level of effort and key personnel required, and any anticipated follow up actions. 3 Update report. A report and corresponding meeting to present an update on architecture trades and progress towards detailed requirements. 5 Requirements review. A report and corresponding meeting to present the detailed system requirements review (SRR). 7 Update report. A report and corresponding meeting to present an update progress towards preliminary design. 9 Preliminary design. A report and corresponding meeting for preliminary design review (PDR). Initial FPA performance estimates, pixel level layouts, and details of each layer proposed in the ROIC shall be provided. 11 Update report. A report and corresponding meeting to present an update progress towards block level review. 13 Block level review. A report and corresponding meeting for block level review. Pixel level schematics and variations as well as top level periphery approach shall be provided. 17 Critical design. A report and corresponding meeting for critical design review (CDR). All elements required to bring the ROIC design to tapeout shall be provided. 18 Final Report. A report detailing all technical progress made in the base effort. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: (U) Phase III efforts will demonstrate a fully packaged camera composed of high operating temperature, linear mode staircase APDs. Potential commercial applications include single-photon detection, ranging, and imaging. REFERENCES: 1. F. Capasso and W. T. Tsang, "Superlattice, graded band gap, channeling and staircase avalanche photodiodes towards a solid-state photomultiplier," 1982 International Electron Devices Meeting, 1982, pp. 334-337, doi: 10.1109/IEDM.1982.190288. 2. R. S. Fyath and J. J. O'Reilly, "Effect on the performance of staircase APDs of electron impact ionization within the graded-gap region," in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, vol. 35, no. 8, pp. 1357-1363, Aug. 1988, doi: 10.1109/16.2559. 3. G. M. Williams, M. Compton, D. A. Ramirez, M. M. Hayat and A. S. Huntington, "Multi-Gain-Stage InGaAs Avalanche Photodiode With Enhanced Gain and Reduced Excess Noise," in IEEE Journal of the Electron Devices Society, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 54-65, Feb. 2013, doi: 10.1109/JEDS.2013.2258072. 4. S.D. March, A.H. Jones, A.J. Muhowski, S.J. Maddox, M. Ren, S.R. Bank, “Digital Alloy Staircase Avalanche Photodetectors with Tunneling-Enhanced Gain”, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, 28, 3803513 (2022). 5. J. Asbrock, S. Bailey, D. Baley, J. Boisvert, G. Chapman, G. Crawford, T. de Lyon, B. Drafahl, J. Edwards, E. Herrin, C. Hoyt, M. Jack, R. Kvaas, K. Liu, W. McKeag, R. Rajavel, V. Randall, S. Rengarajan, J. Riker, "Ultra-High sensitivity APD based 3D LADAR sensors: linear mode photon counting LADAR camera for the Ultra-Sensitive Detector program," Proc. SPIE 6940, Infrared Technology and Applications XXXIV, 69402O (5 May 2008). 6. J.D. Beck, R. Scritchfield, P. Mitra, W. Sullivan III, A.D. Gleckler, R. Strittmatter, R.J. Martin, "Linear-mode photon counting with the noiseless gain HgCdTe e-APD," Proc. SPIE 8033, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques V, 80330N (13 May 2011). 7. W. Sullivan III, J. Beck, R. Scritchfield, M. Skokan, P. Mitra, X. Sun, J. Abshire, D. Carpenter, B. Lane, "Linear mode photon counting from visible to MWIR with HgCdTe avalanche photodiode focal plane arrays," Proc. SPIE 9492, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques IX, 94920T (13 May 2015). KEYWORDS: Photodiode, photodetector, staircase avalanche photodiode, readout integrated circuit

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Cybersecurity TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platform,Information Systems OBJECTIVE: The effort will develop, validate and harden aircraft systems against errors, failures, and cyber-attacks arising from the introduction of electronic pilot kneeboards and maintenance connections into the cockpit. DESCRIPTION: Electronic pilot kneeboards and the cost advantages of condition- and network-based maintenance processes offer new potential mission benefits and new requirements for connectivity in the cockpit of DoD aircraft systems. At the same time, these open new concerns associated with pilot and operator errors, system failures, and cyber-vulnerabilities. Hardware hardening capabilities are required that are impervious to malicious software yet mindful of Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints. Unlike most ground-based installations, DoD aircraft defenses must respond in real-time, provide alerts to the pilot, prevent undesirable outcomes, and instantly adapt to the level of threat. The last five years have seen a quiet revolution in the underlying fabric of systems engineering with the coming of age of many enabling technologies: open standards for system and sensor busses have emerged that enable competitive acquisition processes; System-on-Chip and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices offer new levels of integration and performance; High-Level Synthesis accelerates circuit design; Partial Reconfiguration allows real-time circuit adaptivity; formally verified software subsystems offer new levels of system assurance. These advances are revolutionizing commercial networking and systems design, but have yet to have a significant presence in the cockpit, especially on DoD legacy platforms. This SBIR topic will develop, harden and validate system design, software, and hardware innovations that improve aircraft resilience while reducing SWaP. Approaches should address the hardware to be developed, expected path of integration, metrics of success, assessment methods, and integration of solutions into robust, real-time cyber defenses of interest to the DoD. PHASE I: The Phase I feasibility study shall include the documentation of a basic prototype consisting of the co-designed software code and hardware capabilities that are demonstrably impervious to advanced cyber-attacks and malicious software infiltrations of the supply chain yet mindful of Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints for connectivity in the cockpit of DoD aircraft systems. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential military and/or commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, please refer to Section 4.2, Direct to Phase II (DP2) Requirements, and Appendix B of the DARPA Instructions for DoD BAA 2022.4 PHASE II: Phase II shall produce system design, implementation, and maintenance capabilities to significantly advance the state of the art in security and resilience of cockpit connectivity and integration of modern computational architectures and user interfaces. These integrated systems of co-designed software and hardware architectures will support Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based or Neuromorphic-based capabilities, including a cyber-attack detection capability. This capability will detect anomalous sequences of instructions, using strategies for tight integration of CPUs and Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML)/neuromorphic fabrics. It will provide for effective cyber warning with an acceptable false alarm rate in a SWaP-constrained environment for efficient runtime cyber warning. Strong technical approaches will provide innovative concepts for coupling AI/ML or neuromorphic logic with conventional CPU cores. Thus, it will provide the ability to monitor an instruction queue of the frontside bus of CPU cores to mitigate cyber vulnerabilities. The AI or ML techniques shall capture an understanding of a system design and determine vulnerabilities. The DoD has requirements for implementing cyber resiliency and tamper resistance in its aircraft platforms, ordnance systems and associated support systems. The DoD has significant interest in advanced software engineering and digital design technologies that implement robust security related to Platform IT (PIT), programmable logic, and physical digital electronics hardware involving, but not limited to, the following: • Software, hardware and/or programmable logic implementing security that significantly advances the state of the art while simultaneously supporting performance and SWaP in areas regarding: 1. Protocol checking logic for detection of maliciously formed packets with advanced secure parsing and input validation logic residing on hardware or FPGA fabric, to implement a vetting function prior to reaching an objective network stack process residing on the objective CPU core. Said capability shall provide minimal impact on performance, latency and throughput. 2. Packet inspection logic supporting high throughput and minimal latency for detection of malicious payloads prior to reaching an objective network stack process residing on the objective CPU core. 3. Avionics networking defensive logic, especially targeting MIL-STD-1553, ARINC-429, ARINC-629, ARINC-664, Fibre Channel and Ethernet. Said approaches shall be retrofittable with minimal impact on target platforms. 4. Advanced approaches to implement secure loader and secure monitor functionality on a SoC type implementation with security core residing on fabric interacting with processes running on contained CPU cores for robust detection of malicious activity on protected CPU cores. 5. Innovative methods to improve the capability of standard FPGA security cores, regarding performance and resource utilization. a. Methods to detect and/or prevent the adversary utilizing undefined semantics for malicious purposes. b. Methods to detect and/or prevent the adversary from utilizing emergent behaviors of existing implementations for malicious purposes. c. Methods to implement Root of Trust (RoT), secure boot (cold boot), and secure restart (warm boot). d. Methods to advance the secure loading of FPGA configuration files over existing approaches. e. Methods in volume protection that increase security while simultaneously supporting high heat dissipation. 6. Methods to implement security in a powered-off state with only limited battery powered functionality available for sensors and defensive logic. a. Methods that address known computer processor hardware vulnerabilities that are retrofittable into existing systems. [IMPORTANT: Offeror in an UNCLASSIFIED proposal should not explicitly mention specific platform subject to said vulnerability.] b. Methods that address known crypto implementational security issues (not basic cryptological algorithm issues) in embedded crypto systems that are retrofittable into existing systems. [IMPORTANT: Offeror in an UNCLASSIFIED proposal should not explicitly mention specific platform subject to said vulnerability.] c. Methods to thwart Reverse Engineering (RE) of sensitive software, hardware and/or programmable logic that strongly obscures the functionality, effectively denying the ability to perform RE but provides for the ability to operate in a hidden/obfuscated/encrypted state with minimal and/or acceptable impact on performance and/or latency. d. Methods for implementing a covert communication channel (intended to be unknown to the attacker) between various avionics components or subsystems to support alerting, logging or a coordinated response to a RE attack or a cyber attack. • Techniques to provide for provability and traceability of software, hardware and programmable logic regarding: 1. Innovative approaches to formal methods that in addition to proof of correctness, provide proofs of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA): a. Approaches to supporting scalability of formal methods to support large scale software packages and large circuit design Hardware Description Language (HDL) code bases. b. Robust approaches to dealing with covert channels, timing channels and side channels. c. Provability regarding software targeting multiprocessing implementations including Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP) and other multiprocessing arrangements such as Asymmetric Multi-Processing (AMP) (in part, related to the previous bullet). d. Techniques to support verification for mixed implementations involving both software with hardware and/or programmable logic, where the software is tightly coupled to hardware/programmable logic in a target such as a System on a Chip (SoC). e. Techniques to provide for formal verification of Machine Learning (ML) and neuromorphic hardware and use cases where software is coupled to a ML/neuromorphic system in support of some Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) application such as sensor data processing, tracking or autonomy. • Technologies that provide the ability to rapidly and effectively assess the provenance of software, programmable logic and hardware in a manner significantly more robust than code signing (cf. the recent SolarWinds attack subverting the software build environment to bypass code signing). These technologies must provide the capability to prove that no unauthorized and potentially malicious modification has been made anywhere in the supply chain or development system. They shall have traceability back to the software/hardware development system and relate to the software module/hardware cell level. They shall provide the ability to vet the individual software/IP blocks/hardware cells at the target or at the software loader/device programmer, accessing artifacts providing proof such as: 1. Software/hardware/programmable logic fully confirms to system program office approved design specification with no additional functionality. 2. Software/hardware/programmable logic was only developed and/or modified by authorized developer personnel. 3. Software/hardware/programmable logic was only developed and/or modified using approved toolchains. 4. Software/hardware/programmable logic was only developed and/or modified on approved development systems. 5. Software/hardware/programmable logic was only developed and/or modified during an approved period. Successful offerors in their proposals will demonstrate a strong understanding of the technology areas that they respond to and they will articulate a compelling necessity for S&T funding to support their respective proposed technology approaches over existing capabilities. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Phase II fixed payable milestones for this program shall include: • Month 2: New Capabilities Report, that identifies additions and modifications that will be researched, developed, and customized for incorporation in the pilot demonstration. • Month 4: PI meeting presentation material, including demonstration of progress to date, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 6: Demonstration Plan that identifies schedule, location, computing resources, and any other requirements for the pilot demonstration. • Month 9: Initial demonstration of stand-alone pilot application to DARPA; identification of military transition partner(s) and other interested DoD organizations • Month 12: PI meeting presentation material, including demonstration of progress to date, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 15: Demonstration to military transition partners (s) and other DoD organizations. • Month 18: PI meeting presentation material, including demonstration of progress to date, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 21: PI meeting presentation material, including demonstration of progress to date, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 24: Final software and hardware delivery, both object and source code, for operation by DARPA or other Government personnel for additional demonstrations, with suitable documentation in a contractor proposed format. Deliver a Final Report, including quantitative metrics on decision making benefits, costs, risks, and schedule for implementation of a full prototype capability based on the pilot demonstration. This report shall include an identification of estimated level of effort to integrate the pilot capability into an operational environment, addressing computing infrastructure and environment, decision making processes, real-time and archival data sources, maintenance and updating needs; reliability, sensitivity, and uncertainty quantification; and transferability to other military users and problems. The report shall also document any scientific advances that have been achieved under the program. (A brief statement of claims supplemented by publication material will meet this requirement.) Provide Final PI meeting presentation material. Phase II Option: The option shall address preliminary steps toward the certification, accreditation and/or verification of the resulting base effort's hardening capability. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables for Phase II Option Phase II fixed payable milestones for this program option shall include: • Month 2: Plan that identifies the schedule, location, computing resources and/or any other requirements for the hardening capability's certification, accreditation, and/or verification. • Month 4: Presentation on the detailed software and hardware plan for the technical capability. • Month 7: Interim report on progress toward certification, accreditation and/or verification of the technical capability. • Month 10: Review and/or demonstration of the prototype capability with the documentation supporting certification, accreditation and/or verification. • Month 12: Final Phase II option report summarizing the certification, accreditation and/or verification approach, architecture and algorithms; data sets; results; performance characterization and quantification of robustness. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: (U) The DoD and the commercial world have similar challenges with respect to maintaining the cyber integrity of their computing and communications infrastructure. The Phase III effort will see the developed technical capability transitioned into a DoD enterprise aircraft system that can be used to discover, analyze, and mitigate cyber threats. Government and commercial aircraft systems have similar challenges in tracking, understanding, and mitigating the varied cyber threats facing them in the cockpit of aircraft systems. Thus, the resulting hardening capability is directly transitionable to both the DoD and the commercial sectors: military and commercial air, sea, space and ground vehicles; commercial hardening of critical industrial plant (i.e. control systems, manufacturing lines, chemical processes, etc.) through secure programmable logic controllers; securing cloud infrastructure associated with optimization of industrial processes and condition-based maintenance of air, sea, space and ground vehicles. As part of Phase III, the developed capability should be transitioned into an enterprise level system that can be used to detect heavily obfuscated or anti-debugging and integrity checking techniques employed by a cyber intruder. The resulting hardening capability is directly transitionable to the DoD for use by the services (e.g., Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE), etc.) that have requirements for implementing cyber resiliency and tamper resistance in its aircraft platforms. This is a dual-use technology that applies to both military and commercial aviation environments affected by cyber adversaries. REFERENCES: 1. C. Adams, “HUMS Technology”, Aviation Today, May 2012. 2. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2012/05/01/hums-technology/ 3. Shanthakumaran, P. (2010) “Usage Based Fatigue Damage Calculation for AH-64 Apache Dynamic Components”, The American Helicopter Society 66th Annual Forum, Phoenix, Arizona. 4. P. Murvay and B. Groza, "Security Shortcomings and Countermeasures for the SAE J1939 Commercial Vehicle Bus Protocol," in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 67, no. 5, pp. 4325-4339, May 2018, doi: 10.1109/TVT.2018.2795384. KEYWORDS: aircraft systems, cyber attacks, operator errors, cyber vulnerabilities, hardware hardening

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning, Autonomy, Cybersecurity, Microelectronics, Networked Command, Control and Communications (C3), Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems, Sensors OBJECTIVE: Integrate ontology-based application analysis techniques into EDA tools in order to generate efficient hardware description language (HDL) from C/C++ code in days instead of months. DESCRIPTION: FPGAs and ASICs can now be used to implement entire systems on a chip (SoCs), using heterogeneous components such as CPUs, GPUs, accelerators, memories, and specialized IP blocks. Current EDA tools, such as VHDL, Verilog, Chisel, are challenging to use compared with high-level coding languages, and the programming of different applications onto compute hardware, such as FPGAs or ASICs, can take months to years. This challenge is compounded by the increasing complexity of the target device, the requirement to execute multiple application tasks simultaneously, and the need to adapt flexibly to changing circumstances and requirements. To begin to address this challenge, the DARPA Domain-Specific System on a Chip (DSSoC) program has begun to develop approaches to improve functionality, productivity and flexibility in the development of SoCs aimed at domains of applications, such as communication, signal processing or autonomous vehicles. In the early 2000s there were attempts to analyze processing specialization by classifying programs into a taxonomy. An attempt from 2004 came up with a list of seven classes, or motifs, of programs in high performance computing. The Berkeley view of this in 20061 referred to these as the “Seven Dwarfs” and then went on to expand this list to thirteen. Later, another taxonomy was developed for the seven dwarfs of symbolic computation2. Taxonomies are useful but have limitations as they only provide a list of categories and not relationships between categories. DSSoC is focusing on extending the taxonomy concept into ontologies for the domains by developing ontology tools for the analysis of application code, and by automating the generation of executable images for compute hardware (accelerators, FPGAs and ASICs) from C/C++. These new ontology-based techniques can be used to perform deep analysis of the entire body of application code, identifying loops, kernels, primitives, and mathematical functions that can be mapped to accelerators, special-purpose hardware for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Signal Processing (DSP), and other hard IP blocks. Such accelerators and IP blocks will be specific to the target device. Knowledge-based rules and AI-based solution methods can be used to optimize the incorporation of accelerators into the design and the generation of HDL from C/C++, and to meet the application and target device timing, area, and power constraints. The entire ETA tool stack should be user-friendly and as automated as far as possible, for high productivity, including application code inputs, simulation and profiling, debugging, and run-time scheduling of compute and memory resources. The goal of this SBIR is to closely integrate ontology-based application analysis techniques into EDA tools in order to generate efficient hardware description language (HDL) from C/C++ code in days instead of months. The resulting environment would be capable of analyzing the body of code associated with the target application domain and identifying the compute-intensive portions to be mapped to accelerators; automatically generating HDL from the C/C++ code for the target device, including accelerator IP as needed and optimizing the design to meet application requirements and constraints; and using the application/ontology knowledge to automate the run-time scheduling of resources and data management. PHASE I: The DSSoC program demonstrated that ontology-based application analysis can be used to identify the compute-intensive portions (loops, kernels, primitives, functions) of a set of applications, and can feed this information to software tools, such as code generators, accelerator designs, and run-time libraries. In order to establish Phase I feasibility, the proposer should provide documentation based on using an ontology-based analysis approach to inform EDA tools in the automated generation of Verilog or VHDL for an FPGA. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, Appendix A of the DARPA 2022.4 Instructions. PHASE II: The goal of this SBIR is to develop or adapt a set of EDA tools that incorporate the ontology-based analysis research from DSSoC to auto-generate optimized HDL from C/C++ for a target FPGA, ASIC, or heterogeneous platform. The generated code should be nearly as good as human-optimized code, but productivity should be much higher: The performance penalty for using the ontology-based automated tools versus hand-coding should be no greater than 5%, and the productivity boost should be at least 50X. At the end of Phase II the proposer will demonstrate an end-to-end set of EDA tools that take C/C++ application code (plus other inputs such as constraints and descriptions of available accelerators and other IP) and generate high-performance HDL to execute on an FPGA, ASIC, or heterogeneous compute platform. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables • Month 2: Technical Approach Report, that identifies additions and modifications that will be researched, developed, and customized for incorporation in the pilot demonstration. • Month 4: PI meeting, including demonstration of progress to date, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 6: Demonstration Plan that identifies schedule, location, computing resources, and any other requirements for the pilot demonstration. • Month 8: PI meeting, including demonstration of progress to date, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans; identification of potential transition partner(s) and other interested DoD organizations. • Month 10: EDA tool delivery, including Software licenses valid for a year, for operation by DARPA or other Government personnel for additional demonstrations, with suitable documentation in a contractor proposed format. • Month 12: Final report, including quantitative metrics on application performance (should be at least 95% as measured by clock speed, device area, and power consumption) and productivity gains (should be at least 50X as measured by development engineer-hours) compared with hand-coding for the pilot demonstration. Proposal for Phase II option, such as new target hardware and/or domain-specific functionality. The report shall also document any scientific advances that have been achieved under the program. (A brief statement of claims supplemented by publication material will meet this requirement.) Final PI meeting presentation material. Phase II Option Based on progress and status during the Phase II (base), Phase II option activities could include: improved levels of automation, such as productivity improvements to 100X compared with hand-coding; improved levels of optimization, such as run-time performance exceeding hand-coded applications; and expanding the range of targets to include additional devices, such as additional FPGA manufacturers or device families. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables • Month 1: Technical Approach Report, that outlines details of approach for improved levels of automation, new target hardware and/or domain-specific functionality and demonstration plan that identifies schedule, location, computing resources, and any other requirements for the enhanced pilot demonstration • Month 3: PI meeting, including demonstration of progress to date, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans and identification of potential transition partner(s) and other interested DoD organizations. • Month 5: Enhanced EDA tool delivery, including Software licenses valid for a year, for operation by DARPA or other Government personnel for additional demonstrations, with suitable documentation in a contractor proposed format. • Month 6: Final report, including quantitative metrics on application performance (should be greater than 100% as measured by clock speed, device area, and power consumption) and productivity gains (should be at least 100X as measured by development engineer-hours) compared with hand-coding for the pilot demonstration, plus new target hardware and/or domain-specific functionality. The report shall also document any scientific advances that have been achieved under the program. (A brief statement of claims supplemented by publication material will meet this requirement.) Final PI meeting presentation material. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: FPGAs and ASICSs are used extensively in embedded applications across both commercial and DoD/military fields. A commercial example of FPGA use is in automobiles for such applications as RADAR and LIDAR processing to support autonomous driving. Military applications include Software-defined radio (SDR) communications processing. Ontology-based EDA has the potential to make the development of such FPGA applications quicker, easier, and less expensive with shorter time-to-deploy and more flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. REFERENCES: 1. K. Asanovic, et al. The landscape of parallel computing research: A view from Berkeley. Technical Report UCB/EECS-2006-183, EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley, 2006. 2. E. L. Kaltofen, “The ‘Seven Dwarfs’ of Symbolic Computation,” In: Langer U., Paule P. (eds) Numerical and Symbolic Scientific Computing. Texts & Monographs in Symbolic Computation (A Series of the Research Institute for Symbolic Computation, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria). Springer, Vienna, 2012. KEYWORDS: EDA, ontology, SoC, heterogeneous, FPGA, Verilog, VHDL

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Autonomy TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Human Systems OBJECTIVE: Develop ‘plug and play’ proprioceptive and vestibular interface technologies to improve the fidelity of immersive, rapidly-reconfigurable simulation environments. DESCRIPTION: Advances in increasing the fidelity of simulated environments and in generating novel control interfaces have mainly been in the visual and audio domains to the exclusion of other sensory systems. This creates a number of challenges: • It limits the potential for low-cost training systems to create a high-fidelity immersive experience; this may be a reason training with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have not shown consistent advantages over non-immersive methods in training, for instance (Kaplan, et al., 2021). • A mismatch between vestibular and visual systems creates motion sickness (Geyer & Biggs, 2018). • The visual and audio systems remain bottlenecks for information transfer between the system and the human operator. There are emerging methods for proprioceptive, tactile, and vestibular ‘displays’, however these mostly exist only in research prototypes or in low-fidelity gaming devices. The goals of this SBIR are to mature early, proof of principle prototypes of high-fidelity proprioceptive, tactile, or vestibular displays for low-cost and easily configurable simulation environments such as Unity, Robot Operating System (ROS), or Unreal. This SBIR seeks to develop and test new devices that enhance machine interfaces in the following categories: 1. Augment the sensory experience of low-cost simulation environments. Potential technologies of interest include but are not limited to galvanic vestibular stimulation to induce the sensation of movement, and other conductance-based displays; 2. Alternative methods for information transfer that are not in the visual or auditory domain. These may include tactile touchscreens (by static electricity or other means) that provide feedback on a system’s status such as whether a setting has been selected, or other methods that help address enhance overall situational awareness without further burdening the visual or auditory systems; 3. Other technologies to remove information transfer bottlenecks or improve the fidelity of low-cost simulation environments. In all cases, the purpose of the SBIR is to turn a pre-existing nascent, prototype technology into a high-fidelity commercial plug-and-play capability (e.g., USB, Bluetooth, etc.) so that they can be rapidly integrated into and tested in common VR, AR, and other immersive simulation environments. This means the resulting capability must include: • Specifications for integration with at least one widely available simulation engine and environment; • Schemas that translate simulated physical properties (e.g., yaw, pitch, and roll data) into a high-fidelity sensory display; • Calibration methods for adapting the device’s intensity to an individual’s needs and vestibular, tactile, and/or proprioceptive sensitivity levels; • Testing protocols to demonstrate efficacy compared to either simulation without the display or, existing low-fidelity prototype systems to demonstrate improvement according to program performance metrics detailed in Table 1. Proposals should include a power analysis for these studies to demonstrate the testing plan is sufficiently powered to test for the expected magnitude of effect. Table 1. AAI Expected Performance Metrics METRIC DETAIL 1. USABILITY The end-of-Phase II product should take not more than 30 minutes for an untrained user to first install and calibrate with a system, and no more than 5 minutes to re-calibrate for each subsequent use once installed. Proposal milestones should specify quantitative progress towards this threshold including expected performance against this metric at the end of Phase I. 2. FIDELITY & CAPACITY FOR INFORMATION TRANSFER The display’s fidelity and reconfigurability (rate and resolution at which the display changes) should approach the limits of human sensory discrimination ability (e.g., two-point discrimination for tactile displays). Proposers should specify and quantitatively justify this threshold, depending on display type, sensory system engaged and proposed use, with references. 3. CONTRIBUTION TO PERFORMANCE Proposers should demonstrate measurable performance improvements within an environment or use case of the proposer’s choice. For instance, for enhanced training, proposer should demonstrate the technology use increases speed of learning and/or speed of learning transfer from simulation to real-world environment. Proposers should specify use-case(s) and proposed performance comparisons for the use case(s) to demonstrate efficacy. PHASE I: Phase I efforts should mature a prototype to include commercial-quality features for a sensory display technology and demonstrate performance towards final program metrics. By the end of Phase I, teams will demonstrate the capability within a VR, AR, or other immersive simulation environment and should, at a minimum, conduct pilot testing in human subjects. Teams should be prepared for a demonstration at the end of Phase I in a simulation test environment. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Phase I fixed payable milestones for this program should include: • Month 1: Initial device design review, including detailed description of point of departure, system requirements, draft specifications, software development plan (including expected progress against metrics at each 6-month interval) and system integration considerations. Initial IRB protocol submitted to the performer’s local Institutional Review Board (IRB). • Month 3: Status report on progress against objectives, including status against prototype maturation plan. Proposed evaluation use-case, test scenario, and performance metrics for Phase II performance assessment. • Month 5: Status report on progress against objectives, including status against prototype maturation plan. Updated system design, system specifications, and software description/documentation as appropriate. Progress against Metrics 1 and 2. • Month 8: Status report on progress against objectives, including status against prototype maturation plan. Updated system design, system specifications, and software description/documentation as appropriate. Workflow description for integrating the display with simulation environments and scenarios. • Month 10: Final Phase I Report summarizing prototype design and construction and evolved system characteristics, performance against evaluation metrics, updated integrated workflow description. Prototype demonstration. Delivery of prototype software to DARPA and necessary documentation. Results of pilot HSR study and progress against Metrics 1, 2 and 3. Phase II IRB protocol submitted and approved by performer’s local IRB, and Human Research Protections Officer (HRPO) review package completed and ready for submission. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential military and/or commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Phase II efforts should refine the prototype system developed in Phase I (1 for 1) rapid integration (e.g., ‘plug and play’) into a VR, AR, or other immersive simulation environment, 2) calibrate and optimize the system’s fidelity and information transfer schemas to ensure clarity and to maximize the capacity for information transfer with the display, and 3) conduct controlled, well-powered human subjects research (HSR) to demonstrate efficacy in terms of a performer-chosen use case or scenario. Performers are strongly encouraged to include multiple rounds of HSR over the course of Phase II rather than conducting one large study at the end of the Phase. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Phase II fixed milestones for this program should include: • Month 1: For DP2 performers only: demonstration of existing prototype. • Month 2: Detailed workplan description outlining prioritized refinements and improvements necessary to generate a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for commercialization. The plan should specify measures of performance (MOPs) on the critical path for achieving system efficacy. • Month 6: Report on progress and performance against metrics including HSR results as applicable. • Month 12: Report on progress and performance against metrics including HSR results as applicable. Update on commercialization plan and commercial engagement efforts. Demonstration of updated capability focusing on improvements since the end of Phase I demonstration (or beginning of Phase II demonstration for DP2 performers). • Month 18: Report on progress and performance against metrics including HSR results as applicable. • Month 24: Final Phase II report documenting final display design, system specifications, software and documentation, and instructions for integration. Demonstration that someone who is not a member of the development team, and without help from the developer team, can integrate the display into a simulation environment. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The technologies developed under this SBIR program should have a strong potential for direct commercialization or integration into more complex DoD and commercial systems, such as ease of integration into Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) VR, AR, and/or other simulation environments. Proposers should estimate what the program goals are in terms of final unit cost and set up/calibration time as part of the commercialization plan, including a justification that a market could/would support both figures. REFERENCES: 1. Aoyama, K., Iizuka, H., Ando, H., & Maeda, T. (2015). Four-pole galvanic vestibular stimulation causes body sway about three axes. Scientific reports, 5(1), 1-8. 2. Geyer, D. J., & Biggs, A. T. (2018). The persistent issue of simulator sickness in naval aviation training. Aerospace medicine and human performance, 89(4), 396-405. 3. Groth, C., Tauscher, J. P., Heesen, N., Hattenbach, M., Castillo, S., & Magnor, M. (2022). Omnidirectional Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation in Virtual Reality. IEEE Transactions on Visualization & Computer Graphics, (01), 1-1. 4. Kaplan, A. D., Cruit, J., Endsley, M., Beers, S. M., Sawyer, B. D., & Hancock, P. A. (2021). The effects of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality as training enhancement methods: A meta-analysis. Human factors, 63(4), 706-726. 5. Li, X., Ma, Y., Choi, C., Ma, X., Chatterjee, S., Lan, S., & Hipwell, M. C. (2021). Electroadhesion‐Based Haptics: Nanotexture Shape and Surface Energy Impact on Electroadhesive Human–Machine Interface Performance (Adv. Mater. 31/2021). Advanced Materials, 33(31), 2170240. 6. Lu, J., Liu, Z., Brooks, J., & Lopes, P. (2021, October). Chemical Haptics: Rendering Haptic Sensations via Topical Stimulants. In The 34th Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (pp. 239-257). 7. Sra, M., Jain, A., & Maes, P. (2019, May). Adding proprioceptive feedback to virtual reality experiences using galvanic vestibular stimulation. In Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-14). 8. Teo, T., Nakamura, F., Sugimoto, M., Verhulst, A., A. Lee, G., Billinghurst, M., & Adcock, M. (2020). Feel it: Using Proprioceptive and Haptic Feedback for Interaction with Virtual Embodiment. In ACM SIGGRAPH 2020 Emerging Technologies (pp. 1-2) KEYWORDS: human machine interface, display, augmented reality, virtual reality, simulation, training

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Directed Energy, Nuclear, Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes, Nuclear Technology, Space Platform OBJECTIVE: Develop a new material system capable of more effective high energy gamma-ray shielding than traditional materials such a lead and concrete at comparable cost. DESCRIPTION: There are various operational environments where shielding is required to protect people and sensitive electronics from ionizing radiation. These include space environments, areas with highly radioactive materials or areas near intense nuclear reactions, such as fission and fusion sources. Although traditional radiation shielding materials have largely been suitable, developing a new material system that provides 10x more effective shielding compared to traditional materials, or that were 10x lighter or more compact than traditional materials while providing equivalent shielding would enable a range of missions where traditional shielding is inadequate. This topic seeks innovation in novel materials for shielding gamma ray radiation at MeV to GeV energies, capable of withstanding high fluences, that can be produced inexpensively and in large quantities, and ideally with flexible form factors. Specifically, at 1 MeV to 100 MeV energy levels, a material that provides twice or greater the linear attenuation coefficient at comparable density to existing shielding materials is being sought. The table below summarizes the mass and linear attenuation coefficients of three common shielding materials, concrete, iron, and lead, and the goal for two-times (or greater) linear attenuation coefficients at these energies: Density (g/cm3) mu/rho (cm2/g) mu/rho (cm2/g) mu (cm-1) mu (cm-1) 1 MeV 100 MeV 1 MeV 100 MeV Pb 11.35 0.0710 0.0931 0.806 1.057 Fe 7.87 0.0600 0.0433 0.472 0.341 Concrete 2.3 0.0650 0.0221 0.149 0.051 Pb Goals >x2: 1.612 2.113 Fe 0.944 0.682 Concrete 0.299 0.102 PHASE I: Phase I is a feasibility study that would demonstrate the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and feasibility of the concept resulting in a basic material system and credible material production flow. Activities could include material modeling, basic material synthesis, fabrication experiments, and material system characterization. Key materials characteristics and interfaces should be identified and quantified showing how attenuation goals could be achieved in terms of necessary shielding and high-volume production cost. Challenges and risks in perfecting shielding characteristics, and scaling the shielding material to required volumes for practical applications must be identified and proposed mitigation strategies presented. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables. Phase I fixed payable milestones for this program should include: • Month 1: Initial report on proposed material system, with modeling and empirical data and discussion of Phase 1 goals. • Month 3: Report on modifying and scaling of proposed material system and required adjustments to achieve program goals supported by experimental, simulated or modeled data • Month 5: Interim report describing performance and cost of proposed material system • Month 7: Update to interim report. Given this report needs to support the Phase 2 proposal, it should provide compelling evidence the material system and its synthesis/fabrication can achieve overall program goals. • Month 8: Final Phase I report summarizing technical approach and status in achieving Phase I goals, and plans to achieve program goals by the end of Ph 2. This should be a culmination of the Phase 1 effort, demonstrating a viable technical path supported by empirical and modeling data to achieving overall program goals, with risks and mitigation strategies fully detailed. Monthly written technical progress reports (see template under SBIR/STTR BAA DOCUMENTS at https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/for-small-businesses/participate-sbir-sttr-program). All proposals must include the following meetings in the proposed schedule and costs: • Virtual kickoff for Phase 1; and • Regular monthly teleconference meetings with the Government team for progress reporting as well as problem identification and mitigation. Proposers typically prepare a slide deck to aid in the discussion. PHASE II: Phase II builds upon feasibility established in Phase I and ultimately produces and demonstrates a TRL 5 prototype material meeting Section II b goals. The Phase II base period (year 1) will focus on overall material system development and characterization and scalable process development. The Phase II increment period (year 2) will refine material production processes, refine shielding performance and conduct initial practical demonstrations. The Phase II option period (year 3) will produce usable quantities of the optimized material system with demonstrated low-cost techniques, and support demonstrations meeting program goals. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables. Phase II fixed payable milestones for this program should include: • Month 1: Phase 2 Kickoff. Slide deck summarizing technical approach to meet overall goals, risks and risk mitigations, and quantified milestone schedule • Month 9: Preliminary Design Review. Report capturing the refinement of the material system to achieve performance and cost goals • Month 12: Interim material characterization: Report characterizing the performance of the photon absorbing material produced from a scalable process. • Month 15: Critical Design Review. Report capturing the final material system design that when realized credibly achieves the overall performance and suitability goals. • Month 18: Interim Integration Report: Report describing results to date in integrating the absorbing/attenuating material with demonstrations of interest. • Month 24: Final Report: End of base period report that summarizes >10x attenuation performance and results of initial practical demonstrations. • Option Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables • Month 30: Interim Option Period Performance Report. • Month 36: Final Phase II Report. Summary of material system performance, testing, production at low cost, and demonstrations meeting program goals. Delivery of the prototype material system to the Government or its designee. Monthly written technical progress reports (see template under SBIR/STTR BAA DOCUMENTS at https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/for-small-businesses/participate-sbir-sttr-program). All proposals must include the following meetings in the proposed schedule and costs: • Virtual kickoff for Phase II; • Regular monthly teleconference meetings with the Government team for progress reporting as well as problem identification and mitigation. Proposers typically prepare a slide deck to aid in the discussion; and • Depending on travel conditions, proposers should anticipate at least one site visit during Phase 2 by the DARPA Program Manager during which they will have the opportunity to demonstrate progress towards agreed-upon milestones. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Successful development of the subject material system will be applied in demonstration of relevant DoD and commercial applications, with commercialization strategies developed for each. Military electronics in space environments would be one such example. For commercial applications, targeting applications where traditional shielding poses challenges to effective implementation will be targeted. These may include irradiation facilities, reactor applications, and high energy physics applications. REFERENCES: 1. NIST X-Ray Mass Attenuation Coefficients: https://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/Xcom/html/xcom1.html; https://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/XrayMassCoef/tab2.html KEYWORDS: Radiation, Shielding, Gamma-rays, X-rays, Nanomaterials, Quantum dots, High Z materials

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Biotechnology TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Biomedical OBJECTIVE: Develop a non-invasive, real-time intracranial pressure (ICP) monitor suitable for use by medical personnel in resource-limited settings that distinguishes normal from elevated ICP with high accuracy. DESCRIPTION: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), resulting from blast exposure or blunt or penetrating trauma, is a significant threat to service member health, readiness, and retention. About 450,000 military service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) during 2000-2020, including more than 16,000 in 2020 alone (Military Health System, 2022). Service members with TBI are at markedly increased risk of disability (MacDonald et al., 2022). In moderate and severe TBI, intracranial pressure (ICP) elevation from brain swelling or bleeding may lead to significant brain injury or death. Clinical management entails measures to lower ICP, but ICP-based therapy requires invasive ICP probes that carry risk of infection and bleeding, and can only be administered in hospital settings. A non-invasive ICP monitor could enable evaluation of TBI severity and ICP-based therapy in field settings. While non-invasive ICP-monitoring approaches have been attempted, they have not demonstrated ability to track ICP over time and are highly operator-dependent, with significant training requirements (Whiting et al., 2020), making them challenging for austere military settings. This SBIR seeks to develop a device that accurately measures ICP non-invasively, is simple to operate, and is suitable for both in-hospital and pre-hospital settings. PHASE I: This topic solicits Direct to Phase II proposals only. Proposers must provide data demonstrating that the following pre-clinical, in vivo validation of non-invasive ICP methodology has been achieved outside of the SBIR program: (1) Real-time, continuous waveform measures of ICP; (2) Accurate measurements of ICP as validated by concurrent established methods (fluid catheter or fiberoptic systems) across a broad range of physiological ICP pressure (± 10% across 0-60 mm Hg); and (3) Faithful tracking of changes in ICP during increasing or decreasing pressure changes (± 20% at peak and trough). Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Performers will build on the pre-clinical demonstrations noted above (Phase I) to extend the non-invasive technology to a clinical setting and deliver a prototype system suitable for use in field military settings. Performers must meet progressively challenging performance criteria in larger numbers of patients. The interim and end-phase goals for the base period are: 6 months 12 months 18 months 24 months Cohort size (brain-injured patients who have episodes of pathologically elevated ICP) ≥ 5 ≥ 10 ≥ 25 ≥ 50 Percentage of cohort in which Phase I (pre-clinical) metrics are achieved ≥ 60% ≥ 80% ≥ 80% ≥ 90% Device Benchtop Benchtop Preliminary integrated Final integrated* *Includes software that registers real-time ICP in units of mm Hg as well as “normal” vs “elevated”, stores data with retrieval option, and depicts ICP trends over time. Device is portable (< 3 kg), ruggedized (meeting MIL-STD-810 shock, vibration, altitude, blowing rain, sand and dust, salt, fog, and immersion specifications), and suitable for use in diverse settings, including Role 1 and higher medical facilities, Emergency Departments, and Intensive Care Units. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables. Phase II fixed payable milestones for this program should include: • Month 1: Report on: Current device and design plan to achieve Phase II goals; progress towards month 6 goals; IRB and HRPO approvals or patient enrollment when approvals obtained. • Month 3: Report on: Progress towards month 6 goals; IRB and HRPO approvals or patient enrollment when approvals obtained. • Month 6: Report on: Month 6 demonstration; IRB and HRPO approvals or patient enrollment when approvals obtained. • Month 9: Report on: Progress towards month 12 goals; IRB and HRPO approvals or patient enrollment when approvals obtained. • Month 12: Report on: Month 12 demonstration; IRB and HRPO approvals or patient enrollment when approvals obtained. • Month 15: Report on: Progress towards month 18 goals; IRB and HRPO approvals or patient enrollment when approvals obtained. • Month 18: Report on: Month 18 demonstration; IRB and HRPO approvals or patient enrollment when approvals obtained. • Month 21: Report on: Progress towards month 24 goals; IRB and HRPO approvals or patient enrollment when approvals obtained; preliminary transition strategy, including plan for regulatory approvals. • Month 24: Report on: Month 24 demonstration; prototype architecture, operation, and output interpretation, with sufficient detail to enable clinicians to incorporate the device into their practice with minimal additional training; strategy for regulatory approval, including additional development and experiments needed to strengthen the submission. Option period: Proposals may include a 12-month option period to execute the regulatory strategy developed during the Phase II base period, culminating in submission for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables. Phase II option period fixed payable milestones for this program should include: • Month 27: Report on: Progress in execution of regulatory strategy, including additional enabling studies, IRB and HRPO approvals, and FDA engagement, as appropriate. • Month 30: Report on: Progress in execution of regulatory strategy, including additional enabling studies, IRB and HRPO approvals, and FDA engagement, as appropriate. • Month 33: Report on: Progress in execution of regulatory strategy, including additional enabling studies, IRB and HRPO approvals, and FDA engagement, as appropriate. • Month 36: Report on: Progress in execution of regulatory strategy, including additional enabling studies, IRB and HRPO approvals, and FDA engagement, as appropriate. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: While this SBIR application focuses on non-invasive measurement of ICP, technology that is capable of measuring pressure waves through scalp and skull interface may also be able to track other physiological waveforms of medical importance non-invasively, creating opportunities for a broader set of non-invasive diagnostic and monitoring tools for use in military and civilian settings. It is desirable for performers to consider such additional applications; for example, to tissue fluid pressures, vascular integrity, and organ and limb perfusion. REFERENCES: 1. MacDonald CL, Barber J, Johnson A, et al. Global disability trajectories over the first decade following combat concussion. J Head Trauma Rehab 2022; 37:63. 2. Military Health System. DoD TBI worldwide numbers 2022. https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/Traumatic-Brain-Injury-Center-of-Excellence/DOD-TBI-Worldwide-Numbers 3. Whiting MD, Dengler BA, Rodriguez CL, et al. Prehospital detection of life-threatening intracranial pathology: an unmet need for severe TBI in austere, rural, and remote areas. Front Neurol 202; 11:599268. KEYWORDS: Intracranial Pressure (ICP), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Intracerebral Edema, Brain Herniation, Tissue Perfusion, Vascular Integrity, Non-Invasive Physiological Monitoring, Physiological Software Design

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artificail Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate the feasibility of AI systems equipped with nonparametric techniques to 1) detect unexpected changes in the world, 2) characterize the nature of the changes, and 3) accommodate novelty by adjusting the world model and adapting behavior. DESCRIPTION: Military uses of AI are anticipated to be widespread. Military operations are typically characterized by novel situations, which arise in open worlds. We use the term “novelty” here to refer to situations that violate implicit or explicit assumptions about agents, the environment, or their interactions. As AI increasingly becomes ubiquitous for various aspects of military operations (including in decision support, human-machine collaboration, and autonomy), it will be essential for military AI applications to be aware of novelty in open worlds and capable of acting appropriately and effectively when confronted by novel situations. DARPA’s Science of Artificial Intelligence and Learning for Open-world Novelty (SAIL-ON) program has been addressing the issue of open-world AI. SAIL-ON seeks to develop the underlying scientific principles and general engineering techniques and algorithms needed to create AI systems that act appropriately and effectively in novel situations which occur in open worlds. The objectives of the program are to 1) Develop scientific principles to quantify and characterize novelty in open world domains, 2) create AI systems that act appropriately and effectively in open world domains, and 3) demonstrate and evaluate in DoD domain/IV&V. For the purposes of this topic, we assume that novelty comes from the SAIL-ON developed novelty hierarchy [2][4]. The key technical challenges associated with this SBIR topic include: developing domain-independent technical approaches that can address detection, characterization, and accommodation of novelty from all novelty hierarchy levels; and identifying “snap-on” technologies that can be added to already existing agents in both action and perception-oriented domains. [Removed Duplicated Phase I Section] PHASE I: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II proposals ONLY. Proposers must demonstrate that they have already achieved the following baseline capabilities from other efforts outside of the SBIR program: • Demonstrated and quantified ability to detect and accommodate unforeseen novelties resulting from changes in objects, agents, actions, relations, and interactions, using nonparametric techniques in at least 3 distinct test environments, with independently validated results, e.g. [3] • Identified approaches for characterizing unforeseen novelties • Preliminary theoretical mathematical framework for open-world learning • Tested, benchmarked, and documented system Architecture, API, and UI • Demonstrated compatibility with DARPA SAIL-ON objectives Documentation supporting the capability and experience described in this paragraph may consist of patent applications, patents awarded, research reports or data from externally funded research, research reports or data from internally funded research, refereed technical conference presentations and/or refereed technical publications. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Performers will focus on extending their nonparametric-enabled system to detect, characterize, and accommodate novelties resulting from changes to the environment, goals, and events. Additionally, performers will: • Collaborate with government and SAIL-ON performers to develop theory of open-world novelties • Participate in SAIL-ON PI meetings and program-wide evaluations • Maintain compatibility with DARPA SAIL-ON objectives Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables • Month 3: Report on compatibility with DARPA SAIL-ON objectives, current implementation, and plans for evaluation • Month 9: Interim report on results of evaluation, any resulting revision in plans, compatibility with DARPA SAIL-ON objectives, and current implementation • Month 12: Final Phase II report documenting final system architecture; scientific, technical, and programmatic advances; results of all evaluations; and theory development • Month 15 (Option): Draft business plan and identification of commercial task domain. The business plan should identify: • potential customers and task domains • expected TRL at the end of option period • pricing (software licenses/services, etc.) • customer implementation benefits– i.e., What would the customer gain in terms of efficiency, productivity, new market access, etc? • customer implementation costs – i.e. what additional work has to be performed for a customer to use the capability? What would this cost, initially and ongoing/maintenance? • feasibility of implementation – i.e. what factors determine if the system can be implemented by the customer? e.g. domain and task characteristics, minimum qualitative and quantitative metrics, technical and human aspects, baseline agent requirements, frequency of novelty, etc. • Month 22 (Option): Demonstration that the system’s TRL level meets or exceeds the Month 15 target. Validation of feasibility of implementation using identified commercial task domain • Month 23/24 (Option): Final report, comprising of business plan for offering a product and/or service to commercial and DoD customers for novelty aware AI systems and associated product fact sheet PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The ability to develop nonparametric approaches for open-world novelty is anticipated to offer more robust AI systems. Commercial and DoD applications include: autonomous unmanned air vehicles, autonomous unmanned ground vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, satellite farming, and commercial manufacturing. REFERENCES: 1. Boult, T., P. Grabowicz, D. Prijatelj, R. Stern, L. Holder, J. Alspector, M. M. Jafarzadeh, T. Ahmad, A. Dhamija, C. Li, S. Cruz, A. Shrivastava, C. Vondrick, and S. Walter. “Towards a Unifying Framework for Formal Theories of Novelty”. Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, vol. 35, no. 17, May 2021, pp. 15047-52, https://ojs.aaai.org/index.php/AAAI/article/view/17766. 2. Doctor, K., Task, C., Kildebeck, E., Kejriwal, M., Holder, L., Leong, R. “Toward Defining a Domain Complexity Measure Across Domains”. AAAI Spring Symposium, March 2022. https://usc-isi-i2.github.io/AAAI2022SS/papers/SSS-22_paper_79.pdf 3. Pinto, V., Renz, J., Xue, C., Zhang, P., Doctor, K., Aha, D. “Measuring the Performance of Open-World AI Systems” AAAI Spring Symposium, March 2022. https://usc-isi-i2.github.io/AAAI2022SS/papers/SSS-22_paper_73.pdf 4. SAIL-ON Broad Agency Announcement https://sam.gov/opp/88fdca99de93ddbb74cd8fb51916ceaa/view KEYWORDS: Artificial Intelligence; Open-world; Novelty; Adaptability; Automation; Autonomy; Resilience

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Microelectronics TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics OBJECTIVE: This topic seeks to develop high voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) mechanical impedance tuners which operate across a 110 – 300 GHz frequency range to enable on-wafer G-band noise parameter characterization. DESCRIPTION: Today’s warfighter operates in an extremely crowded electromagnetic environment and demands innovations at the microelectronics level to meet mission requirements. These innovations include necessary modifications to the underlying transistors and integrated circuits to increase the frequency of operation. Several attractive and novel defense applications would be enabled by designing at higher frequencies. Furthermore, commercial satellite communications and telecommunications sectors would benefit from frequency scaling as they continue to demand higher data rates and wider bandwidths to meet the increasing user demand. The ELectronics for G-band ARrays (ELGAR) program [1] seeks to support the innovation of next generation III-V based transceivers integrated with silicon-like back end of the line interconnects for upper millimeter-wave bands to enable defense and commercial applications in the 100 – 300 GHz frequency range. Success of the ELGAR program requires precision on-wafer noise parameter characterization of unmatched transistors to develop noise models and enable low noise amplifier (LNA) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) designs. Furthermore, precision measurements of the on-wafer LNA MMICs are required for design validation and integration into transceiver architectures. A critical component for noise parameter measurements are high VSWR, low insertion loss mechanical impedance tuners that cover the 110 – 300 GHz frequency range [2] – [4]. Tuners with high VSWR operating across this large bandwidth do not exist today. Therefore, an innovative solution for high VSWR G-band mechanical impedance tuner(s) is required. The tuner(s) must provide a minimum 20:1 VSWR across a minimum 110 – 300 GHz frequency range. Furthermore, the tuner(s) must demonstrate a maximum insertion loss of 0.75 dB across the same minimum frequency range. The high VSWR requirement of the tuner(s) across the frequency range is derived from expected high insertion loss of mm-wave probes used for on-wafer measurements. The low insertion loss of the tuner(s) across the frequency range will enable integration into other test system configurations, e.g., on-wafer load-pull. The tuner(s) must be amenable to external software control via standard commands for programmable instruments (SCPI). Although there is no maximum size requirement, a clear emphasis must be placed on minimizing the form factor of the tuner(s). This will be critical for adoption into commercial on-wafer measurement systems. The final deliverable(s) will be provided to a government laboratory for evaluation and verification of SBIR performance goals. The Phase II option of this SBIR will address integration of the final tuner deliverable(s) into an existing on-wafer system at a government laboratory. The deliverables of the Phase II option will include the necessary hardware components and software drivers for demonstrating on-wafer noise parameter measurements around 220 GHz. Finally, on-site support will be required to ensure proper operation at the government laboratory. PHASE I: This Direct -to-Phase II (DP2) SBIR requires documentation on existing mechanical impedance tuners and a proposed plan for scaling up to 300 GHz in order to demonstrate feasibility of achieving high VSWR G-band mechanical impedance tuners. The documentation must include measured data of existing mechanical tuners demonstrating impedance control up to a minimum of 110 GHz with a typical 20:1 VSWR and a maximum 0.75 dB insertion loss. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide a DP2 Feasibility Documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Phase II (Base) This DP2 SBIR will have an 18-month duration in which the high VSWR G-band mechanical impedance tuner(s) will be designed, developed, tested, and verified for performance goals. The requirements of the impedance tuner(s) are: 1. Minimum 110 – 300 GHz frequency of impedance control 2. Minimum 20:1 VSWR across 2.d.1 3. Maximum 0.75 dB insertion loss across 2.d.1 4. SCPI commands for control from external computer The final Phase II base deliverable(s) will be shipped to a government laboratory to be specified in the contract for evaluation. Phase II (option) This DP2 SBIR will have a 6-month option in which the high VSWR G-band mechanical impedance tuner(s) innovated in section 2.d will be integrated into an existing on-wafer measurement system. A Phase II option final report will detail the successful demonstration of a noise parameter measurement of an attenuator near 220 GHz. Integration of the novel G-band mechanical impedance tuner into the existing measurement system must include: 1. Acquisition of necessary commercial off the shelf (COTS) components, including waveguide components, waveguide probes, a noise source, RF switches, and a noise receiver module for noise parameter demonstration near 220 GHz. 2. Development of software drivers to control hardware components within the on-wafer noise parameter measurement system. 3. Delivery of prototype on-wafer noise parameter measurement system to a government laboratory. 4. Support for implementation at a government measurement laboratory. The prototype on-wafer noise parameter measurement system deliverable(s) will be shipped to a government laboratory to be specified in the contract for evaluation. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Phase II (base) fixed milestones include: • Month 1: Detailed report on high VSWR G-band mechanical impedance tuner(s) design including documentation on multiple design paths towards meeting DF2 SBIR goals and explicit details of the tuner(s) design. • Month 3: Report on progress towards final design of mechanical impedance tuner(s). • Month 6: Report on progress towards final design of mechanical impedance tuner(s). • Month 9: Report on progress towards final design of mechanical impedance tuner(s). • Month 12: Initial prototype of high VSWR G-band mechanical impedance tuner. A detailed report on preliminary measured data of the tuner prototype including documentation on the path towards the final DF2 SBIR deliverable(s) which meet final specifications. • Month 15: Detailed report on significant progress towards final design of the mechanical impedance tuner(s) including preliminary measured data on a critical component of the final deliverable. • Month 18: Final impedance tuner deliverable(s). Detailed data report on the final measurements of the deliverable(s). Documentation on the SCPI commands created for the tuner(s). Phase II (option) fixed milestones include: • Month 1: Detailed report on a) necessary COTS components for integration of G-band mechanical impedance tuners into an on-wafer noise parameter measurement system and b) plans for software control of external hardware components and overall software operation for noise parameter measurements. • Month 3: Report on progress towards final on-wafer noise parameter system integration. • Month 6: Delivery of final on-wafer noise parameter measurement system. Detailed report on operation of the noise measurement system including measured data of an attenuator for validation of the system. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: As described in section II.b, several attractive and novel defense applications as well as commercial satellite communications and telecommunications sectors would benefit from operation at higher frequencies. Develop of RF electronics that support these applications requires high frequency test benches for characterization/optimization of RF components. The 110 – 300 GHz, high VSWR, low insertion loss mechanical impedance tuners developed under this SBIR would become a commercial product used in test benches for development of these DoD and commercial systems. REFERENCES: 1. DARPA Broad Agency Announcement, ELectronics for G-band ARrays (ELGAR), Microsystems Technology Office, HR001121S0042, September 30, 2021 2. T. Vaha-Heikkila, M. Lahdes, M. Kantanen, and J. Tuovinen, “On-wafer noise-parameter measurements at W-band,” IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Techn., vol. 51, no. 6, pp. 1621–1628, Jun. 2003, doi: 10.1109/TMTT.2003.812554. 3. F. Danneville et al., “Noise parameters of SiGe HBTs in mmW range: towards a full in situ measurement extraction,” 2017 International Conference on Noise and Fluctuations (ICNF), Vilnius, Lithuania, Jun. 2017, pp. 1–4. doi: 10.1109/ICNF.2017.7985944. 4. M. Margalef-Rovira et al. "Wideband mm-Wave Integrated Passive Tuners for Accurate Characterization of BiCMOS Technologies." 2022 International Microwave Symposium (IMS). June 2022. KEYWORDS: Microelectronics, Tuner, Impedance, G-band, Noise Parameter, Measurements

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML),Autonomy,Cybersecurity,Microelectronics,Networked Command, Control, and Communications (C3),Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems,Sensors OBJECTIVE: Exploit ontology-based application analysis techniques to integrate and configure Input/Output (I/O) capabilities into heterogeneous Systems-on-Chips (SoCs) and to increase programming productivity by automating dataflow into throughout, and out of the SoC. DESCRIPTION: Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) can now be used to implement entire SoCs using heterogeneous components such as CPUs, GPUs, accelerators, memories, and specialized IP blocks. SoCs are used across the board in autonomous vehicles, cell phones, software-defined radios, biological monitoring, and a wealth of defense edge applications. Most of these applications share a need to manage large volumes of real-time data from sensors, networked devices, and co-processors and to distribute products and results to displays, storage, and remote destinations. The challenge is to develop the ability to reconfigure or adapt device I/O capabilities flexibly to a range of applications within the target domain to avoid the need to redesign the SoC, and to ease the programming burden associated with routing and managing the dataflow between and across the heterogeneous processing components within the SoC. DARPA’s Domain-Specific System on a Chip (DSSoC) program, for example, improves many aspects of heterogeneous SoC design by analyzing the domain application code, identifying the hardware accelerators best suited for the domain, automating the SoC layout, and managing the compute resources at run-time. However, DSSoC does not address the I/O. This SBIR will address the missing I/O piece and use the information that can be acquired from deep analysis of the application requirements and application code to identify and ideally configure/reconfigure the SoC I/O capabilities needed, and to automate the dataflow into, throughout and out of the SoC. Given the availability of an approach that incorporates ontology-based deep analysis of the application domain code which informs the design and layout of the target SoC and also supports run-time decision making via a run-time task scheduler, the technical approach may include: • Analysis of the application code to understand I/O requirements: o Dataflow into and out of the SoC o Dataflow between the SoC heterogeneous processing components (CPUs, GPUs, and other accelerators) • Development of a configuration-driven approach to I/O: o Demonstrate configurable management of I/O intellectual property (IP), such as double data rate (DDR) support, external interfaces and protocols, high-speed sensor data, etc. o Implement reconfigurable I/O so that SoC can be repurposed for applications with different I/O requirements o Development of dynamic automated run-time management of data buffers Support features such as temporary storage, first-in first-out (FIFO) buffers, and double-buffering o Automatically route data at run time based on application analysis A deep analysis of application domain code can be used to map application compute-intensive functions and kernels to hardware processing elements in a System-on-Chip device (ASIC or FPGA). Development of enhanced, automated, reconfigurable I/O capabilities would open up strong transition opportunities and address feedback from potential transition partners.as well as build on the software/hardware co-design concepts exemplified by the DSSoC program. PHASE I: This topic is soliciting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Ontology-based application analysis can be used to identify the compute-intensive portions (loops, kernels, primitives, functions) of a set of applications, and can feed this information to software tools, such as code generators, accelerator designs, and run-time libraries. To establish Phase I feasibility, the proposer must provide documentation based on using an ontology-based analysis approach to inform the hardware I/O requirements of the SoC, to steer the reconfiguration of existing SoC I/O capabilities, and to automate the run-time management of dataflow into, across, and out of the SoC heterogeneous processing components. The ontology-based analysis documentation should include technical papers, reports, and related documentation to substantiate proposer’s claim to experience/expertise in the use of ontology-based analysis of application domain code. PHASE II: The goal of this SBIR is the development of a configuration-driven approach to SoC I/O and the associated design automation tools. Performers are expected to 1) perform analysis of the application code to understand I/O requirements including dataflow into and out of the SoC and dataflow between the SoC heterogeneous processing components (CPUs, GPUs, and other accelerators); 2) demonstrate configurable management of I/O Intellectual Property (IP), such as DDR support, external interfaces and protocols, high-speed sensor data, etc.; 3) implement reconfigurable I/O so that SoC can be repurposed for applications with different I/O requirements; and 4) enhance run-time scheduling to manage data buffers dynamically including adding support features such as temporary storage, FIFOs, and double-buffering and to support automatic routing of data at run-time based on application analysis. Expected Phase II (base) key metrics include: • 50X Productivity improvement compared to hand-coding • 5 GB/s sustained external I/O bandwidth supported • I/O types supported (8-bit, 16-bit, protocols, buses, channels) Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables • Month 1: KO, Technical Approach Report that details approach for analysis of the application code to understand I/O requirements and approach for development of configurable I/O and demonstration plans. • Month 3: PI meeting, including detailed hardware and software architecture, preliminary SoC with configurable I/O design review (PDR), PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 6: PI meeting, including critical design review (CDR) and performance analysis using emulation, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 9: PI meeting, including final design review/tape out of SoC design with configurable I/O, final performance analysis using emulation, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 12: PI meeting, including software infrastructure demonstration, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 15: PI meeting, including initial test data for SoC with configurable I/O; PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans; run-time demonstration of automated dataflow management; identification of potential transition partner(s) and other interested DoD organizations. • Month 18: Final report, including quantitative metrics on SoC I/O capabilities including at least 5GB/sec sustained aggregate SoC I/O, 50X improved productivity in dataflow programming compared with hand-coding, support for 8-bit, 12-bit, and 16-bit sensor data samples, and at least three (3) standard external bus protocols such as Ethernet and AXI bus. Proposal for Phase II option including target SoC device associated test data and demonstration application (based on transition party requirements). The report shall also document any scientific advances that have been achieved under the program. (A brief statement of claims supplemented by publication material will meet this requirement.) Final PI meeting presentation material. Phase II Option Based on progress and status during the Phase II (base), Phase II option activities should include a real-world demonstration in collaboration with a transition partner, based on the fabrication of a highly capable SoC with advanced I/O capabilities. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables • Month 1: KO, Technical Approach Report, that details approach for Demonstration application based on transition party requirements • Month 3: PI meeting with PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans. • Month 6: Final review/report including demonstration device (SoC with advanced I/O capabilities) running transition partner application or facsimile thereof and associated test data. Final PI meeting presentation material. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: FPGAs and ASICSs are used extensively in embedded applications across both commercial and DoD/military fields. A commercial example of SoC use is in automobiles for such applications as RADAR and LIDAR processing to support autonomous driving. Military applications include software-defined radio (SDR) communications processing. Ontology-based I/O management for SoCs has the potential to make the development of such embedded and edge applications quicker, easier, and less expensive with shorter time-to-deploy and more flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. REFERENCES: 1. K. Asanovic, et al. The landscape of parallel computing research: A view from Berkeley. Technical Report UCB/EECS-2006-183, EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley, 2006. 2. E. L. Kaltofen, “The ‘Seven Dwarfs’ of Symbolic Computation,” Department of Mathematics, North Carolina State University, http://kaltofen.math.ncsu.edu/bibliography/10/Ka10_7dwarfs.pdf. 3. Xiaojun Yang et al. MemoryIO: An Extended I/O Technology in Embedded Systems, IEEE 2008 International Conference on Networking, Architecture, and Storage. KEYWORDS: I/O, ontology, SoC, heterogeneous, ASIC, Reconfigurable

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Autonomy,Microelectronics,Networked Command, Control, and Communications (C3) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems,Sensors OBJECTIVE: Develop a standalone wireless sensor node for infrared radiation (IR) detection of personnel at operationally relevant ranges (>3 m) with extremely small form factor (i.e., <2 cm3) and unprecedented persistence (>5 yr). DESCRIPTION: Common constraints for IR sensors are the persistence and size of conventional detectors. State-of-the-art sensors drain battery power continuously regardless of the presence of the target signal, which leads to short sensor lifetime and frequent battery replacement. Conventional infrared sensors are also bulky. For instance, conventional pyroelectric IR sensor-based motion detectors require a bulky Fresnel lens for their normal operation. This SBIR intends to develop persistently aware, miniaturized, wireless IR signature detectors with unprecedented longevity for personnel detection given insight into low-power sensor technologies developed in DARPA’s Near Zero Power RF and Sensor Operations (N-ZERO) program [1-4]. PHASE I: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Phase I will produce a breadboard design that combines at least one IR switch sensor with a wireless module, load-switch, and battery unit. The following performance should be demonstrated, at minimum, in a laboratory environment: Metric Unit Phase I goal Personnel Detection Range M >1 Probability of detection -- >80% False alarm rate Per month <1 Size cm3 <200 Lifetime* years >2 *projected based on battery capacity, persistently aware power consumption, and assumed communications and detection schedule. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Phase II will create a prototype IR detector node based on sensor threshold scaling. This will allow for longer detection range at LWIR and intimate integration with state-of-the-art discrete components based on the Phase I design. The key metrics for Phase II are shown in the table below. There will also be a Phase II Option to build the final deliverable prototypes and perform field testing for long-term reliability and stability against environmental conditions such as vibration and temperature. Personnel Detection Range M >3 Probability of detection -- >95% False alarm rate Per month <1 Size cm3 <2 Lifetime Years >5 Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Phase II fixed milestones for this program should include: • Month 3: Preliminary Design Review Briefing Report – covering the Phase II system design and concept-of-operation, custom component development, discrete component selection and procurement, system integration, and schedule of development and testing. • Month 12: Critical Design Review Briefing Report – review quantitative analysis (experimental, simulated and/or modeled) and component demonstrations to project system performance and development schedule. • Month 18: Interim report describing system development and performance update. • Month 24: Delivery and testing of first prototype to program metrics and a Phase II final report documenting prototype sensor and architecture, methods, and results. Final report will outline development schedule to develop, test and deliver final deliverable prototypes (5). Final report will also include a business plan for identified government transition • partner(s) and dual-use applications. Phase II option milestones should include: • Month 30: Interim report of prototype performance against environmental conditions documenting key technical gaps towards productization. • Month 36: Final Phase II Option report, including quantitative metrics on decision making benefits, costs, risks, and schedule for implementation of the full prototype capability. Delivery of the prototype to a government chosen testing facility. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Infrared radiation detectors are a critical component for DoD imaging systems used in areas such as military vehicles, military night vision, military communication, environmental monitoring, and target acquisition. In addition, they are crucial for commercial markets including surveillance, digital cameras, automotive and scientific research. REFERENCES: 1. Qian, Z., Kang, S., Rajaram, V. et al. "Zero-power infrared digitizers based on plasmonically enhanced micromechanical photoswitches," Nature Nanotech 12, 969–973 (2017). 2. Kang, S., Rajaram, V., Risso, A., Calisgan, S. D., Qian, Z., and Rinaldi, M., "Thermomechanical Modeling and Optimization of Zero-Power Micromechanical Photoswitch," Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems 31 (2), 241-248 (2022). 3. Hui, Y., Kang, S., Qian, Z., and Rinaldi, M., "Uncooled Infrared Detector Based on an Aluminum Nitride Piezoelectric Fishnet Metasurface," Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems 30 (1), 165-172 (2021). 4. Exner, A. T., Pavlichenko, I., Lotsch, B. V., Scarpa, G. and Lugli, P., "Low-cost thermo-optic imaging sensors: a detection principle based on tunable one-dimensional photonic crystals," ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 5, 1575–1582 (2013) KEYWORDS: MEMS, Infrared Switch, Infrared Detector, Zero-Power

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Microelectronics TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics OBJECTIVE: Determine if functions in individual chips on a heterogenous integrated circuit can be detected through side channels. DESCRIPTION: A heterogenous integrated circuit (HIC) consists of multiple different integrated circuits (ICs), such as central processing units (CPUs), graphic processing units (GPUs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and on-chip accelerators (neural network accelerators) on a single, larger integrated package. To date, side channels have looked for vulnerabilities and emissions in single purpose ICs only (e.g. CPUs and GPUs). New state-of-the-art packaging techniques already have integrated multiple different types of ICs onto a single package. Identifying the contributions of the individual ICs to the overall composite signal of the side channel is an important first step to defining potential mitigations. This SBIR topic seeks to explore multiple different potential approaches to differentiate individual ICs and their functions from the composite side channel signal measured on the HIC. In order to quantify the different approaches and their feasibility, the expected performance metrics for Phase I and Phase II are described in Table 1. Proposers should be able to provide comparison to the current state of the art (with references) and clearly describe how their approach is intended meet or exceed the metrics. Phase Probability of Detection Probability of False Alarm # of integrated circuits End of Phase 1 80% 0.01% 2 End of Phase 2 90% 0.01% 4 PHASE I: The goal of Phase I is to identify signal components that contribute to the composite side channel from a HIC containing two or more heterogenous ICs. The proposer should be able to articulate what composite side channel(s) are being used and why those side channel(s) were selected. The selected side channels shall be extensible, that is, they should be able to model and predict behaviors on other types of ICs. When identifying the components, the performer shall have a probability of detection of at least 80% and a probability of false alarm of less than 0.01% by the end of Phase I. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables • Month 1: Report and presentation on initial algorithms • Month 2: Report on experimental set up • Month 3: Report on acquisition of different integrated circuits and initial conditions • Month 4: Interim report describing current experimental results • Month 5: Interim report describing current experimental results and potential extensibility • Month 6: Final Phase I Report summarizing approach; results; comparison with alternative state-of-the-art methodology; quantification of probability of detection; quantification of probability of false alarm; and quantification of extensibility Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential military and/or commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Phase II efforts should refine the extensibility of the algorithms developed in Phase I for additional ICs. Potential additional side channels should be analyzed if the methodology from Phase I is not sufficiently extensible. At the end of Phase II, at least four or more unique ICs (not copies of the same integrated circuit) in a single HIC should be separable from the overall composite side channel. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables • Month 2: Report on lessons learned, updated algorithms, and potential additional ICs to be evaluated • Month 4: PI meeting, including demonstration of progress to date, PowerPoint presentations of accomplishments and plans • Month 6: Interim report quantifying the effects of real-world noise and other potential contributions that could cause issues with separation of the signals • Month 9: Interim report describing the theory behind the specific side channel(s) used and interim demonstration of capabilities • Month 12: Interim report on progress to date • Month 15: Interim report on progress to date and final demonstration plans • Month 16/17: Final demonstration of developed tools and capabilities • Month 18: Final Phase II Report summarizing approach, results, comparison with alternative state-of-the-art methodology, quantification of probability of detection, quantification of probability of false alarm, theory of side channel contributions, and quantification of extensibility (ability to model and predict behaviors on other ICs) PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Heterogenous integrated circuits are starting to become a larger and larger part of both commercial and DoD/military systems. Identifying how side channels are convoluted when measuring multiple ICs supports the eventual exploration of mitigation paths to these. Mitigating side channels in HICs enables increased signal quality within the package and reduction of potential information leakage of a heterogenous integrated circuit. REFERENCES: 1. “Apple unveils M1 Ultra, the world’s most powerful chip for a personal computer.” [Online], Available: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/03/apple-unveils-m1-ultra-the-worlds-most-powerful-chip-for-a-personal-computer/ [Accessed: July 8, 2022] 2. T. Kasper, D. Oswald, and C. Paar. "Side-channel analysis of cryptographic RFIDs with analog demodulation." International workshop on radio frequency identification: Security and privacy issues. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2011. 3. P. Kocher, J. Jaffe, and B. Jun. "Differential power analysis." Annual international cryptology conference. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 1999. 4. J. Ferrigno, and M. Hlaváč. "When AES blinks: introducing optical side channel." IET Information Security, vol. 2, issue 3, pp. 94-98, 2008 KEYWORDS: Microelectronics, Side Channels, Hardware Security, Heterogenous Integrated Circuits, System on Chip, Cyber Security

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Cybersecurity TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems OBJECTIVE: For the Internet of Things (IoT) and other embedded devices, exhaustive enumeration of the systems impacted by a given vulnerability is incumbent upon the device manufacturer. However, code reuse is a common practice in modern software development, and this practice has frequently resulted in the same or similar code existing across not only devices, but manufacturers. This presents a disadvantage for network defenders, as vulnerability disclosures for embedded devices commonly fail to fully articulate their impact. In order to mitigate this issue, DARPA is seeking proposals which address the challenge of automatically determining the exhaustive set of embedded devices impacted by publicly disclosed vulnerabilities, especially those beyond ones enumerated in public disclosures. Specifically, DARPA is seeking dynamic-analysis-based approaches to identify the underreporting of Common Platform Enumerations (CPEs) associated with Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) for IoT and embedded devices. Successful proposals will address the challenges of conducting the analysis at scale in the IoT/embedded device ecosystem. DESCRIPTION: Performers will develop novel approaches to automated security assessments, detecting and assessing vulnerabilities extrapolated from a single published vulnerability or exploit. Their solution should scale across device types and instruction set architectures by determining semantically equivalent programs, subroutines, and vulnerable code across multiple devices and architectural frameworks. The program seeks breakthrough approaches to various technical challenges, including but not limited to: • developing efficient algorithms and techniques to support cross-architecture detection of code re-use for programs of arbitrary complexity; • creating high-fidelity models of IoT and embedded systems; • address knowledge gaps in IoT and embedded systems software supply chain/software bill of materials (SBOM); and, • development of scalable analyses which enable the re-identification of semantically-equivalent vulnerable code, even when such code exceeds the bounds of individual subroutines or executables across devices. PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase II (DP2) solicitation; Phase I proposals will not be accepted or reviewed. Phase I feasibility will be demonstrated through evidence of: a completed feasibility study or a basic prototype system; definition and characterization of properties desirable for both Department of Defense (DoD) and civilian use; and comparisons with alternative state-of-the-art methodologies (competing approaches). Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above have been met and describe the potential military or commercial applications. DP2 documentation should include: • technical reports describing results and conclusions of existing work, particularly regarding the commercial opportunity or DoD insertion opportunity, and risks/mitigations, assessments; • presentation materials and/or white papers; • technical papers; • test and measurement data; • prototype designs/models; • performance projections, goals, or results in different use cases; and • documentation of related topics such as how the proposed EVADE solution can close the analytic gap. This collection of material will verify mastery of the required content for DP2 consideration. DP2 proposers must also demonstrate knowledge, skills, and ability in computer science, mathematics, program analysis, and software engineering. For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, please refer to the DoD BAA and the DARPA Instructions for this topic. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, please refer the DoD 22.2 BAA. PHASE II: The goal of EVADE is to develop a software analysis tool which takes inputs in the form of known-vulnerable device firmware, along with a representation of knowledge about a CVE (e.g., a public proof of concept exercising the vulnerability described by the CVE) in order to automatically extrapolate the list of vulnerable systems through identification of shared and semantically equivalent code. DP2 proposals should: • describe a proposed design/architecture to achieve these goals; • present a plan for maturation of the architecture to a prototype system to demonstrate enumeration of multiple platforms impacted by a CVE, to include at least the set of platforms detailed in the CPE associated with the CVE; and • detail a test plan, complete with proposed metrics and scope, for verification and validation of the system performance with respect to both accuracy and scale. Phase II will culminate in a system demonstration incorporating automated dynamic analysis for the recognition of semantically equivalent code across at least eight (8) devices and across two (2) of the instruction set architectures commonly in used in IoT/embedded devices today (e.g., ARM, MIPS, PowerPC). Additionally, performers will demonstrate the capacity to scale analysis capability to support the magnitude of the existing CVE database and associated interactive security artifacts (e.g. crash PoC inputs, n-day exploits). The below schedule of milestones and deliverables is provided to establish expectations and desired results/end products for the Phase II effort. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Proposers will execute the Research and Development (R&D) plan as described in the proposal. • Month 1: Phase I Kickoff briefing (with annotated slides) to the DARPA Program Manager (PM) (in person or virtual, as needed) including: any updates to the proposed plan and technical approach, risks/mitigations, schedule (inclusive of dependencies) with planned capability milestones and deliverables, proposed metrics, and plan for prototype demonstration/validation. • Months 4, 7, 10: Quarterly technical progress reports detailing technical progress made, tasks accomplished, major risks/mitigations, a technical plan for the remainder of Phase II (while this will normally report progress against the plan detailed in the proposal or presented at the Kickoff briefing, it is understood that scientific discoveries, competition, and regulatory changes may all have impacts on the planned work and DARPA must be made aware of any revisions that result), planned activities, trip summaries, and any potential issues or problem areas that require the attention of the DARPA PM. • Month 12: Interim technical progress briefing (live system demo with annotated slides) to the DARPA PM (in-person or virtual as needed) detailing progress made (include quantitative assessment of capability developed to date), tasks accomplished, major risks/mitigations, planned activities, and technical plan for the second half of Phase II, the demonstration/verification plan for the end of Phase II, trip summaries, and any potential issues or problem areas that require the attention of the DARPA PM. • Month 15, 18, 21: Quarterly technical progress reports detailing technical progress made, tasks accomplished, major risks/mitigations, a technical plan for the remainder of Phase II (with necessary updates as in the parenthetical remark for Months 4, 7, and 10), planned activities, trip summaries, and any potential issues or problem areas that require the attention of the DARPA PM. • Month 24/Final Phase II Deliverables: Final architecture demonstration with documented details, demonstrating enumeration of IoT/embedded systems impacted by a given CVE (in excess of the CPE detailed in the CVE); documented application programming interfaces; any other necessary documentation (including, at a minimum, user manuals and a detailed system design document; and the end of phase commercialization plan). PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The Phase III work will be oriented towards transition and commercialization of the developed EVADE technologies. The proposer is encouraged to obtain funding from either the private sector, a non-SBIR Government source, or both, to develop the prototype software into a viable product or non-R&D service for sale in military or private sector markets. Phase III refers to work that derives from, extends, or completes an effort made under prior SBIR funding agreements, but is funded by sources other than the SBIR Program. Primary EVADE support will be to national efforts to develop approaches to improve the cybersecurity of systems and networks making use of IoT/embedded devices. Outcomes have the potential to significantly benefit the DoD and numerous commercial entities by improving knowledge of the software supply chain/SBOM for critical networks and systems. Specifically, in the DoD space, EVADE technologies will improve the cybersecurity posture of Blue and Grey terrain environments; in the commercial space, EVADE technologies will have security applications with the defense industrial base (DIB) entities seeking to improve the vulnerability management capabilities. REFERENCES: 5. DARPA Broad Agency Announcement, Harnessing Autonomy for Countering Cyberadversary Systems (HACCS), HR001117S0051, August 3, 2017. Available at https://sam.gov/opp/d53905129da42b35511f296bfe5746dd/view. KEYWORDS: Program Analysis, Embedded Systems, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Supply Chain

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: 5G,Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML),Cybersecurity TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics,Information Systems OBJECTIVE: Secure communications using foreign 5G infrastructure is becoming a necessity for US forces deployed abroad. However, its use raises many security concerns, even in friendly or neutral environments, not least due to the impact of outsourced manufacturing. To reduce the cost and time-to-market, many companies adapted their manufacturing models and design flow, and started using Intellectual Property (IP) of third-party companies and outsourced the fabrication of their hardware to offshore foundries. When combined with use of non-US 5G telecoms, the lack of assurance on supply chain and system management creates a very high risk of a malicious cyber adversary impacting operations at a time and manner of their choosing. Mobile Infrastructure Compliance in Expeditionary Environments (MICEE) performers will explore novel approaches and develop prototypes to passively/non-intrusively monitor and detect malicious activities in non-owned 5G/mobile infrastructure devices. MICEE is interested in different hardware/software monitoring or verification methods that can radically improve security outcomes in critical infrastructure for Blue and Grey terrain environments. MICEE is intended to provide easy-to-field monitoring solutions. The hardware/software/component verification or monitoring may be performed periodically, one-time or continuously based on the criticality of the monitored system. DESCRIPTION: Performers are expected to develop systems that will alert military system users about adversarial or anomalous activities detected on non-owned 5G network infrastructure elements. Additionally, MICEE prototypes should help validate both the hardware and the software of integrated systems during acceptance testing. The program seeks breakthrough approaches to various technical challenges, including but not limited to: • developing effective tools and algorithms to support one-time, periodic, and continuous monitoring schemes; • creating models to differentiate modified and unaltered systems; • software/hardware validation of critical infrastructure before and after deployment; • developing prototypes and non-intrusive, low-overhead monitoring schemes for easy and secure deployment of monitoring systems; • minimizing the connection/communication between the monitoring and monitored devices; • detecting hardware/software trojans with no reverse-engineering techniques; and, • developing monitoring methods for the devices that are operating at high frequency and have an air-gapped nature. PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase II (DP2) solicitation, Phase I proposals will not be accepted or reviewed. Phase I feasibility will be demonstrated through evidence of: a completed feasibility study or a basic prototype system; definition and characterization of properties desirable for both Department of Defense (DoD) and civilian use; and comparisons with alternative state-of-the-art methodologies (competing approaches). Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above have been met and describe the potential commercial applications. DP2 documentation should include: • technical reports describing results and conclusions of existing work, particularly regarding the commercial opportunity or DoD insertion opportunity, and risks/mitigations, assessments; • presentation materials and/or white papers; • technical papers; • test and measurement data; • prototype designs/models; • performance projections, goals, or results in different use cases; and, • documentation of related topics such as how the proposed MICEE solution can close the analytic gap. This collection of material will verify mastery of the required content for DP2 consideration. DP2 proposers must also demonstrate knowledge, skills, and ability in networking, computer science, mathematics, and software engineering. For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, please refer to the DoD BAA and the DARPA Instructions for this topic. Proposers interested in submitting a Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, please refer the DoD 22.2 BAA. PHASE II: The goals of MICEE are to develop a zero-overhead technology for diagnosing implementation and configuration errors, malicious activities, and monitoring and maintaining system robustness of mobile/5G critical infrastructure. DP2 proposals should: • describe a proposed design/architecture to achieve these goals; • present a plan for maturation of the architecture to a prototype system to demonstrate passive/non-intrusive monitoring and detection of malicious activities in non-owned 5G mobile infrastructure devices; and • detail a test plan, complete with proposed metrics and scope, for verification and validation of the system performance. Phase II will culminate in a system demonstration using one or more compelling use cases consistent with commercial opportunities and/or insertion into a DARPA program (e.g., Open Programmable Secure 5G). The below schedule of milestones and deliverables is provided to establish expectations and desired results/end products for the Phase II effort. Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables. Proposers will execute the Research and Development (R&D) plan as described in the proposal. • Month 1: Phase I Kickoff briefing (with annotated slides) to the DARPA Program Manager (PM) (in person or virtual, as needed) including: any updates to the proposed plan and technical approach, risks/mitigations, schedule (inclusive of dependencies) with planned capability milestones and deliverables, proposed metrics, and plan for prototype demonstration/validation. • Months 4, 7, 10: Quarterly technical progress reports detailing technical progress made, tasks accomplished, major risks/mitigations, a technical plan for the remainder of Phase II (while this will normally report progress against the plan detailed in the proposal or presented at the Kickoff briefing, it is understood that scientific discoveries, competition, and regulatory changes may all have impacts on the planned work and DARPA must be made aware of any revisions that result), planned activities, trip summaries, and any potential issues or problem areas that require the attention of the DARPA PM. • Month 12: Interim technical progress briefing (with annotated slides) to the DARPA PM (in-person or virtual as needed) detailing progress made (include quantitative assessment of capability developed to date), tasks accomplished, major risks/mitigations, planned activities, and technical plan for the second half of Phase II, the demonstration/verification plan for the end of Phase II, trip summaries, and any potential issues or problem areas that require the attention of the DARPA PM. • Month 15, 18, 21: Quarterly technical progress reports detailing technical progress made, tasks accomplished, major risks/mitigations, a technical plan for the remainder of Phase II (with necessary updates as in the parenthetical remark for Months 4, 7, and 10), planned activities, trip summaries, and any potential issues or problem areas that require the attention of the DARPA PM. • Month 24/Final Phase II Deliverables: Final architecture with documented details, demonstrating diagnosing a malicious activity and unauthorized modification on software/hardware; documented application programming interfaces; any other necessary documentation (including, at a minimum, user manuals and a detailed system design document; and the end of phase commercialization plan). PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The Phase III work will be oriented towards transition and commercialization of the developed MICEE technologies. The proposer is required to obtain funding from either the private sector, a non-SBIR Government source, or both, to develop the prototype software into a viable product or non-R&D service for sale in military or private sector markets. Phase III refers to work that derives from, extends, or completes an effort made under prior SBIR funding agreements, but is funded by sources other than the SBIR Program. Primary MICEE support will be to national efforts to develop approaches to monitor and detect malicious activities in 5G/mobile infrastructure devices. Outcomes have the potential to significantly benefit the DoD and numerous commercial entities by improving security outcomes in critical infrastructure. Specifically, in the DoD space, MICEE technologies will improve security outcomes in critical infrastructure for Blue and Grey terrain environments; in the commercial space, MICEE technologies have security applications to telecom companies and companies that develop 5G/mobile infrastructure software and hardware. REFERENCES: 1. DARPA Broad Agency Announcement, Open Programmable Secure 5G (OPS-5G), HR001120S0026, January 30, 2020. Available at https://sam.gov/opp/6ee795ad86a044d1a64f441ef713a476/view KEYWORDS: Algorithms, Networking, 5G, Cybersecurity, Sensing

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical OBJECTIVE: Develop a wireless, readily-scalable, real-time skin temperature sensing system that end-users can use to identify cold stressed workers with hands, feet, and other extremities that are at risk of freezing cold injury. DESCRIPTION: Workers exposed to cold stress, e.g., recreational hikers, mountain climbers, snow cleanup crews, construction workers, police officers and firefighters, as well as baggage handlers, landscaping services, and electrical, oil and gas workers (https://www.osha.gov/winter-weather/cold-stress) are at risk of freezing cold injuries, i.e., frostbite, a localized cold injury resulting from tissue freezing. Infantry personnel training in cold temperatures for extended periods of time are also at risk of frostbite. Frostbite can force a quick shift from the work at hand to the care and evacuation of the injured individual. Although frostbite can occur at the nose, ears, cheeks, chin and groin, the most concerning is freezing injury to hands and feet. Hands and feet are particularly vulnerable to freezing injury due to peripheral vasoconstriction and reduced blood flow, high rates of heat loss due to high surface-to-volume ratios, and limited local metabolic heat production. Hands and feet become numb at ~8°C; tissue freezing starts at skin temperatures of −1 to −4°C. The inherent difficulty evacuating casualties from remote areas, the limited medical treatments for frostbite, and the potentially disabling effects of frostbite all underscore the need for a suitable and effective frostbite prevention system. The commercial marketplace currently lacks a system that can be used in cold field conditions to wirelessly monitor groups of workers, identify those individuals with extremities at risk of freezing, and direct appropriate risk-mitigating interventions (e.g., change socks and/or mittens, don additional protective clothing, increase physical activity level, seek a warm environment). PHASE I: An advanced, innovative system is sought that end-users can use in cold field conditions to wirelessly monitor groups of workers and identify individuals with extremities at risk of freezing cold injury. The proposed solution should be feasible and have scientific, technical, and commercial merit. A rigorous argument showing that to a solution will be viable and risk-mitigated needs to be presented. Evidence of this proposed solution would be a proof-of-concept prototype, drawings, etc. Vendor will provide a plan for practical deployment of the proposed approach, to include how the prototype could be developed and demonstrated at large scale. An ideal system will be rugged, lightweight, simple to use and sustain, cost-effective, tolerant of cold/wet and extreme cold conditions, and provide valid data during multi-day use in austere field environments. All body-worn sensors will need to be unobtrusive. The methodology proposed will enable the detection of skin temperatures without direct visual or physical skin examination by the end-users. The approach should focus on monitoring skin temperatures on the hands and feet where severe frostbite typically occurs (e.g., fingers, toes) but could optionally be extended to other areas (e.g., ears, nose, chin). This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DPII) proposals ONLY. Proposers submitting a DPII proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Building on prior accomplishments, the offeror will design and engineer a wireless, readily deployable, multi-point real-time skin temperature sensing system that end-users can easily use to monitor tens to hundreds of cold weather workers, and identify individuals with extremities (e.g., fingers, thumbs, toes, foot pads) that are at risk of freezing cold injury. An early objective should be a demonstration that convincingly shows the prototype system is suitable for remotely detecting imminent frostbite from a distance. Evidence that the system will be easy to use and provide valid data under mild to extreme cold conditions (0°C to −60°C) is necessary. Body-worn temperature sensors should be unobtrusive and acceptable to the individual wearer and not hinder the worker’s ability to perform their jobs. A low-powered, lightweight, handheld device capable of receiving wirelessly transmitted skin temperature data from 50-to-500 body-worn skin temperature sensors over distances of 3-to-10 meters is necessary. Temperature needs to be monitored on the feet (e.g., under toe pads, ball of foot, lateral foot pad, heel pad, lateral edge of foot), and hands (e.g., finger tips, thumb, lateral edge of hand), the areas of highest risk of freezing injury. The system design should readily support scaling to applications where skin temperature would be monitored in hundreds of individuals. Deliverables will include a minimum of 250 sensors that are designed for easy integration with socks, and gloves or glove liners, and three handheld devices that receive, store, interpret data, and display “risk of cold injury” alerts. The handheld device receiving data from body-worn temperature sensors will have software algorithms that generate alerts when skin temperatures indicate one or more workers are at risk of frostbite. The alert would identify the individual and the extremity (left/right hand, left/right foot) at risk of freezing injury. Each temperature sensing element will weigh less than 0.5 grams, have a temperature resolution of 0.2°C or better. Temperature sensors should preferably be reusable, machine washable, easily adhered to or embedded in the user’s garments, and capable of withstanding extended exposure to sweat and immersion in water. The real-time skin temperature sensing system developed will need to be open architected, i.e., have open communication standards, readily modifiable firmware, and be capable of hosting third party algorithms. If experimentation with human test volunteers is planned, the offeror must provide a clear plan for compliance with all applicable rules and regulations regarding the use of human subjects, to include Institutional Review Board approval(s). PHASE III: Expected users of the technology are individuals and small-to-large groups of cold-weather workers such as mountain climbers, snow removal crews, indoor and outdoor fishery workers, construction workers, utility workers, oil and gas workers, first responders, infantry soldiers, as well as baggage handlers, landscaping services, and electrical, oil and gas workers. Ease of use in field environments is an important characteristic of the desired technological solution. The developed technology should be durable and readily applicable in resource-limited cold field conditions, be designed for at least 72 hours of use, and tolerate storage in cold conditions for months-long periods of time. The offeror should consider final procurement cost as well as system operation and maintenance costs, creation of instruction manuals, definition of replacement/warranty policies, and training requirements for users. A user manual is a necessary deliverable. This manual should describe how the wearer wears the system and how the person doing the monitoring uses the receiver device. Specifically the manual should include use of the software necessary to enable this product to be used. Phase III work will concentrate on product maturation and successful applications of the technology to commercial and military use. Phase III shall provide production planning and marketing strategy for potential procurement by commercial and recreational entities responsible for performance and safety cold-stressed workers. Application of this frostbite prevention technology to military use in cold weather training environments is also desired. The final product is expected to be used for safety monitoring and is not expected to have diagnostic capabilities. If the final product has diagnostic capabilities, all Federal Drug Administration review and certification requirements must be met. REFERENCES: 1. Pozos RS (ed.). Section II: cold environments. In: Pandolf KB, Burr RE, eds. Medical aspects of harsh environments, Volume 1. Falls Church, VA: Office of the Surgeon General; 2001:311-566. \ 2. Sullivan-Kwantes W, Dhillon P, Goodman L, Knapik JJ. Medical Encounters during a Joint Canadian/U.S. Exercise in the High Arctic (Exercise Arctic Ram), Military Medicine, Volume 182, Issue 9-10, September 2017, Pages e1764–e1768, https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-16-00390] 3. Sullivan-Kwantes W, Haman F, Kingma BRM, Martini S, Gautier-Wong E, Chen KY, Friedl KE. Human performance research for military operations in extreme cold environments. J Sci Med Sport. 2020 Dec 15:S1440-2440(20)30832-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2020.11.010. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33358087 < https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S144024402030832X> KEYWORDS: Freezing cold injury, frost nip, cold exposure

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical OBJECTIVE: Design, build, and demonstrate a portable, ergonomically appropriate, and powered device for the relief of neck/back pain during long-haul flight operations. The proposed device shall: 1) not employ lithium-ion batteries in conjunction with the enriched oxygen environment of the aircraft cockpit/cabin; 2) provide relief on-demand as needed via on/off switch; 3) require no manipulation on the part of the aircrew outside turning on or off; 4) be compatible for use across all current-generation flight seats independent of platform type (fixed-wing ejection seat (FWES), fixed-wing non-ejection seat (FWNES), or rotary-wing/tilt rotor (RW/TR) and aircrew position (cockpit vs cabin); and finally, 5) not interfere with the operation of flight, safety, and life-support gear. Additionally, the proposed device may: 1) provide heat at targeted areas; 2) be obtainable without a prescription. Finally, the device shall be considered by NAVAIR (or other SYSCOMs and DoD Service Components) and the Aeromedical Community for use inside the cockpit/cabin. DESCRIPTION: Neck/back pain is a significant problem in aircrew of the US Navy (USN) and US Service Branches; prevalent across all platforms including fixed-wing ejection-seat (FWES), fixed-wing non-ejection-seat (FWNES), and rotary wing/tilt rotor (RW/TR)9, 13. It accounts for an extensive burden in time and resources to the US and international partners in Europe with numerous investigations and projects aimed at solving the problem, demonstrated by a comprehensive report to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2019 and highlighting the universal aspect of this problem9. Neck/back pain is cited multiple times in the aircrew surveys designed to identify crew concerns, requirements, and capability gaps. In the RW community alone, over 10,000 aircrew reported neck, back, leg pain, and injury ranging from temporary annoyance, pain-related in-flight distraction, decreased operational performance, to temporary or permanent grounding, and in some cases early medical retirement. The annual cost from lost time due to neck, back, and leg pain across the Department of Defense (DoD) was $25M, while disability payments was $129M annually11. Back and neck pain directly affects aircrew performance and crew resource management (CRM) inside the cabin resulting in fatigue or pain-related mishaps due to human error and costing roughly $248M DoD-wide in annual damage costs12. Medical grounding is responsible for significant detrimental impacts to squadron operational tempo (OPTEMPO), costs from physical therapy or surgery, and loss of the aircrewman to early retirement by medical separation; all resulting in a fiscal burden of over $161M in the Navy RW/TR community alone12. These costs reflect 10-year-old helicopter data, which are only a fraction of current costs across all platforms12. More importantly, the US Navy Aviator training pipeline is rigorous and requires significant investment of time and money. Depending on the platform, training a single new USN Aviator can take over 2 years and over $11 million as these aviators have the additional task of landing on moving carriers and amphibious assault ships compared with their USAF colleagues8. Coupled together, neck/back pain is a costly problem within the USN. The Defense Health Agency (DHA) is a joint, integrated Combat Support Agency that enables the Army, Navy, and Air Force medical services to provide a medically ready force and ready medical force to Combatant Commands in both peacetime and wartime7. Neck/back pain is not isolated to the USN; the US Army, Air Force (USAF), Marine Corps (USMC), and Coast Guard (UCG) have their own aviation (rotary and fixed-wing) and operating common platforms that experience high prevalence of neck/back pain3, 10. Likewise, IT is ubiquitous throughout USN Systems Commands (SYSCOMS) including Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)11. Officers and sailors in communities such as surface warfare and submarine warfare and manning watch-stations and consoles for radar, sonar, UUV, and ROV operators all experience neck/back pain; however, they don’t have the same operating environment exposures or constraints inherent to military aviation. This critical problem requires “outside the box thinking” and new approaches through modalities in the form of a device that can treat and alleviate neck/back pain during actual in-flight operations. The DHA and its joint mission objectives is vitally suited to address this global military affliction. The severe impacts described necessitate the implementation of preventive measures to mitigate and alleviate pain before it becomes debilitating and results in medical grounding. Currently, treatments for neck/back pain within the USN and the DoD consist of rest, pharmacological intervention, seat cushions/material solutions, physical therapy (PT) and surgery. The final two are both expensive therapies in terms of fiscal and time. Additionally, there are the second and third order effects of grounding for recovery or even permanent. Furthermore, as a preventable pathology, PT for neck/back pain severely drains valuable manpower, time and resources from more serious injuries sustained from either combat or mishaps. This is especially pertinent when it is not secondary to a more serious pathology or injury. Concomitantly, these mitigation strategies often aren’t available because the resources are consumed by combat, trauma, or mishap-related injuries. As a result, potentially preventable injuries go untreated until they become severe and/or permanent. Neck/back pain are sometimes a physical pathology is due to individual anatomy, pre-existing conditions that are exacerbated by flying, sometimes they are truly over-use/chronic injuries that might have been prevented through early intervention. It is important to note that this proposal is not meant as a replacement to clinical intervention as these remain essential for treatment. The device may not actually address physical pathology, however, it is a modality that can help alleviate pain during flight operations, improving aircrew CRM and safety. Several studies demonstrate low-cost, non-invasive exercises targeting the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and core significantly reduced in-flight neck/back pain in rotary wing aviators1, 2. While these exercises are often used by physical therapists for during clinical treatment, the results have not yet been promulgated as official guidance through instruction documents such as the Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS)4. Furthermore, neck/back pain starts inside the aircraft during operation. Unfortunately, the interior space of an aircraft cabin or cockpit preclude performing these exercises due to the limited range of motion for the aircrew due to flight gear and being harnessed in the seat. The ultimate goal of this SBIR proposal is to tackle this ubiquitous problem as an “all hands on deck” approach. By leveraging industry to develop an innovative and beneficial device solution for the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries at the source; neck and back pain during active flight operations. Employment of an in-cabin device to augment preventive measures for musculoskeletal injury in conjunction with current clinical therapies will significantly reduce the enormous health and fiscal burden neck/back pain inflicts on the Navy and DoD. More importantly, it will allow DHA and Navy Medicine to refocus efforts to higher priority areas like combat casualty care and traumatic injury while also helping the Line combat pilot and aircrew shortages due to medical groundings and separations. PHASE I: Advanced, innovative solutions for acute alleviation of neck and back pain during operation of vehicle/machinery such as aircraft are sought. Design can include, but not limited to, common, commercially-available devices such as a conventional contact-style massager or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). FDA may be required if the proposed solution is a TENS design. Delivery of pain relief despite limited range of motion for the operator in a seated position and minimal interaction are important qualities for the product to be developed. The candidate technology will demonstrate a portable, ergonomically appropriate, and powered device for the relief of neck/back pain during long-haul flight, driving, or heavy machinery operations. The technology developed will eventually be required to be adapted to a flight environment on military aircraft with special emphasis on naval environments featuring moisture and salt. Highly desirable criteria include: not powered by lithium-ion batteries, and will not interfere with potentially worn safety gear. Successful proposers will show feasibility of an innovative, novel, candidate technology for mitigating neck and back pain during operational conditions including flight, driving, and heavy machinery like cranes/excavators. This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DPII) proposals ONLY. Proposers submitting a DPII proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Develop a working prototype that mitigates neck/back pain and is suitable for use in the flight environment and during operations. It is desirable that the performer produces a prototype that meets the requirements listed below as well as begin to validate the use of the prototype using human participants. Through this testing and evaluation process, the performer should make iterative refinements to the prototype. Required Phase II deliverables will include a working prototype, and a report about the overall project progress. While devices for relieving neck/back pain are mature technologies and available commercially in various forms, neither device have been designed to operate in conjunction with aircrew flight and safety gear or within the unique confines of an aircraft cabin (hypobaric pressure, oxygen-enriched, temperature). Specific considerations to naval environments (moisture and salt) and flight worthiness must incorporated in order to meet mil-standards for required for approval and use. Mil-standard 810 (MIL-STD-810) describes “Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests”6. Flight worthiness requirements for crew systems are instructed in chapter 9 of the DoD Handbook 516 (MIL-HDBK-516) “Airworthiness Certification Criteria”5. Furthermore, seating dimensions for the variety of USN aircraft may need to be provided but, generally, the dimensions are fairly common between different platforms. The following table displays area dimensions for the seat pan, back rest, and head rest for the different seating positions in RW and TR aircraft including the H-60, V-22, AH-1, and CH-47. Furthermore, Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd. produces most of the ejection seats for USN FWES aircraft. Aircraft and Seat Position Units MH-60S Gunner Seat MH-60S Troop Seat H-60 Pilot Seat, Armored V-22 Troop Seat V-22 Pilot, Armored H-1/AH-1 Pilot Seat, Armored CH-47 Troop Seat Seat Pan Width [in] 19 19.5 18.5 17.5 19.5 17.5 18 Seat Pan Length [in] 17 14.5 15 16 16 15.5 13.5 Back Rest Width [in] 18 19 19 17.5 17 17.5 15.5 Back Rest Height [in] 24 26 24 26 22 25 34 Head Rest Width [in] 11 N/A 10 N/A N/A 9 integrated Head Rest Height [in] 7.5 N/A 8 N/A N/A 8 integrated Related to the previous consideration, operation of a device inside the unique, confined, pressurized, and oxygen-rich environment of the cockpit/cabin requires several critical characteristics be developed and shall be incorporated into design concepts developed in Phase I to comply with standard operation procedures and safety protocols. These characteristics are as follows: 1. This cockpit/cabin interior of FWES and FWNES aircraft are pressurized and oxygen-enriched. Aviators/aircrew flying in these platforms wear masks that deliver on average 95% O2 at any given time. NATOPS instruction forbids the operation of equipment powered by lithium-ion batteries inside the cockpit/cabin4. 2. The cockpit/cabin of most USN aircraft are extremely space limited, particularly in the cockpit. Moreover, aviators/aircrew are strapped by harness into the seat with limited maneuverability and range of motion. To compensate for the limited space within aircraft, the device shall be designed to require no sustained manipulation to operate beyond turning on/off. The device design must be small and portable, either as a chairback-style or wearable under the flight equipment. Outside of an on/off switch to power on/off, the device shall be “set it and forget it” in its method of operation and delivery of relief. Location of power switch shall be intuitively located and not require line of sight or upper body movement to operate to allow for quick termination should necessity (high-intensity operations or maneuvers) require. If proposed device is a wearable system, switch will need to be routed and secured to the flight suit in such a way as to preventing a snag hazard. 3. All aircraft platforms feature a variety of seat types and aviators/aircrew sit in different positions depending on their job and role. The device shall be designed to be ergonomically appropriate and compatible for operation across all current generation flight seats. It should be compatible for use in all flight platforms in the USN inventory including FWES, FWNES, and RW/TR. It shall be capable of operation independent of seating position whether in thecockpit, cabin, jump seat, or other. 4. The operating environment of cockpit/cabin places significant cognitive loading on the aircrew performing the operation procedures required to fly the highly complex and capable aircraft of the fleet. As such, aviators/aircrew must rely on CRM to maintain safe operating conditions and prevent mishaps. Unexpected stimuli from the device could disrupt CRM and interfere with flight operations particularly in a high-intensity situation like combat maneuvering. Therefore, the device must incorporate into its design an on/off switch easily accessible to the aircrew to allow for on-demand delivery of relief and cessation when no longer needed or required by necessity. 5. Finally, the device shall not interfere with flight, safety, or life-support gear/equipment either during normal or emergency operations. Device proposals designed as a wearable must be water-tight in event of submersion to prevent the risk of electric shock. All devices must be designed to withstand typical naval environment exposures such as salt and moisture as well as be rugged enough for use in a military capacity. Additionally, any proposed device must not interfere with aircrew emergency egress. Furthermore, the following considerations may also be incorporated into any device proposal. 1. Most neck/back pain involve some element of muscle spasms. Heat therapy is well documented to be beneficial in relieving neck/back pain by increasing the delivery of blood and oxygen, and facilitating stretching of muscle fibers. Accordingly, the device may be designed to deliver heat through the contact elements. 2. Once Aeromedically-approved and to provide maximum flexibility, it is recommended the device be obtainable without a prescription from a medical official. PHASE III: Using the results and progress made during Phase II, a Phase III effort would complete any remaining work necessary to have the proposed solution meet the performance parameters described in this topic, demonstrate its performance in a military-relevant environment, and become production ready. The final design solution should be easily adaptable for occupations experiencing significant neck/back pain including long-haul truckers and dock crane operators. These professions experience a commonality of environmental or occupational constraints including vibration, non-ergonomic seating, restricted mobility, and prolonged sitting. A device to mitigate neck/back pain during operational hours would benefit these civilian operators. The device shall be considered by NAVAIR (or other SYSCOMs and DoD Service Components) and the Aeromedical Community for use inside the cockpit/cabin. REFERENCES: 1. Ang BO, Monnier A, Harms-Ringdahl K. Neck/shoulder exercise for neck pain in air force helicopter pilots: a randomized controlled trial. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2009 Jul15;34(16):E544-51. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181aa6870. PMID: 19770596. 2. Brandt Y, Currier L, Plante TW, Schubert Kabban CM, Tvaryanas AP. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Core Strengthening Exercises in Helicopter Crewmembers with Low Back Pain. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2015 Oct;86(10):889-94. doi:10.3357/AMHP.4245.2015. PMID: 26564676. 3. Cohen SP, Kapoor SG, Nguyen C, Anderson-Barnes VC, Brown C, Schiffer D, Turabi A, Plunkett A. Neck pain during combat operations: an epidemiological study analyzing clinical and prognostic factors. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2010 Apr 1;35(7):758-63. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181bb11a8. PMID: 20228712. 4. Commander, Naval Air Forces. NATOPS General Flight Operations and Operating Instructions Manual. CNAF M-3710.7. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Department of the Navy. 2021 Jan 15. 5. Department of Defense. MIL-HDBK-516C. Department of Defense Handbook. Airworthiness Certification Criteria. 2014 Dec 12. 6. Department of Defense. MIL-STD-810G. Department of Defense Test Method Standard. Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests. 2008 Oct 31. 7. Defense Health Agency. DHA FY21 Campaign Plan. Department of Defense. 2020 Nov. 8. Farrell BS. DOD Needs to Reevaluate Fighter Pilot Workforce Requirements. Report to Committee on Armed Services, U.S. Senate. GAO-18-113. United States Government Accountability Office. 2018 Apr. 9. Farrell PSE, Shender BS, Goff CP, Baudou J, Crowley J, Davies M, Day SE, Di Muzio V, Dodson WW, Duvigneaud N, Feberg S, Fleischer H, Keillor J, Lopes M, van den Oord MH, Shivers BL, Sovelius R, Slundgaard E, Smith A, Smith E, Weme T, Wong T, Wright Beatty H. Aircrew Neck Pain Prevention and Management. STO Technical Report, STO-TR-HFM-252. Human Factors and Medicine Panel NATO Research Task Group 252, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 10. Knox J, Orchowski J, Scher DL, Owens BD, Burks R, Belmont PJ. The incidence of low back pain in active duty United States military service members. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 Aug 15;36(18):1492-500. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181f40ddd. PMID: 21224777. 11. Mullinax LRA, Grunwald L, Banaag A, Olsen C, Koehlmoos TP. A Longitudinal Study of Prevalence Ratios for Musculoskeletal Back Injury Among U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Personnel, 2009-2015. Mil Med. 2021 Oct 29:usab432. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usab432. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34718700. 12. Office of the Undersecretary of Defense. Study of Health of Helicopter and Tiltrotor Pilots: Literature Review and Epidemiology Study. Report to Armed Services Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives. 2019 Feb. 13. Simon-Arndt CM, Yuan H, Hourani LL. Aircraft Type and Diagnosed Back Disorders in U.S. Navy Pilots and Aircrew. Naval Health Research Center. KEYWORDS: Therapeutic Modalities, Neck/Back Pain, Flight Operations

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical OBJECTIVE: To develop a technology (e.g. brace, exoskeleton) that adapts to facilitate recovery throughout rehabilitation of service members with lower extremity musculoskeletal injury to enable return to duty throughout rehabilitation of service members with lower extremity musculoskeletal injury to enable return to duty. DESCRIPTION: The DoD lacks capability to optimally and rapidly rehabilitate injured Warfighters to duty. Over 1 million medical encounters and roughly 10 million days of limited duty occur annually as a result of injuries and injury-related musculoskeletal conditions, affecting over half of Soldiers each year (U.S. Army Public Health Center. 2018. 2018 Health of the Force, https://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/campaigns/hof). Military recruits engaged in training are at a higher risk of suffering an injury, with the majority of injuries occurring in the lower limb (Andersen, KA, et al. 2016. Musculoskeletal Lower Limb Injury Risk in Army Populations. Sports medicine - open, 2, 22.). Specifically, injuries to the ankle-foot complex account for one the highest proportions of musculoskeletal injuries in conventional and special warfare combatants (Teyhen, DS, et al. 2018, Incidence of Musculoskeletal Injury in US Army Unit Types: A Prospective Cohort Study. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 48, 749). Depending on the severity of the injury, rehabilitation times can extend across weeks, months, and even years. The rehabilitation needs of the Warfighter change during this time, to include the level of support, stabilization, assistance, and/or resistance of essential exoskeleton or bracing technology. The DoD is limited in available technology that is responsive or can be tuned to meet these changing needs of the Warfighter throughout the rehabilitation process to facilitate return to duty. A solution is sought that is clinically accessible, easy to use for both clinicians and patients, and has the potential to be applicable across various ankle injuries to promote Warfighter return to duty. PHASE I: Completed Phase I efforts should demonstrate innovative solutions for a technology that can be worn about the lower limb (e.g. exoskeleton, brace, etc.) and adapt, respond, or be modified to meet changing needs of the end user throughout the rehabilitation process. Solutions are intended to be used within the operational environment, training environment, and/or clinical care setting. The developed technology should be implemented as part of the rehabilitation process and should result in improved outcomes and/or accelerated recovery and/or cost savings resulting from use of a single technology as opposed to fabrication or purchase of multiple devices throughout recovery. This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DPII) proposals ONLY. Proposers submitting a DPII proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Design and develop the practical implementation of the prototype system that implements the previously completed Phase I methodology towards a technology that can respond, adapt, or be modified to meet the changing needs of the service member with lower extremity injury throughout the recovery process. Mechanical and/or biomechanical outcomes are key to demonstrating the capabilities of the design. The testing and practical implementation of the prototype system should be relevant to Warfighters who have experienced lower limb musculoskeletal injuries in training or operational settings. Technology intended to support rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury and neurological conditions is not permitted but new applications of existing technologies are acceptable. The investigator shall also describe in detail the transition plan for the Phase III effort. A plan for meeting FDA requirements toward regulatory approval is also required. PHASE III: Test, finalize and validate the prototype and product to respond, adapt, or be modified to meet the changing needs of the service member with lower extremity injury throughout the recovery process. Investigators shall work with commercial partners, military partners, and/or the civilian marketplace (i.e. sports medicine) to move towards a final commercial product that will promote optimal recovery throughout the rehabilitation process. Ensure that the final product can be incorporated into clinical practice including ease of use, appropriate coding/billing, cost/benefit, and training, education, socialization, and outreach. The military’s highest priority is readiness and musculoskeletal injuries are one of the greatest factors limiting readiness. Technology that has the potential to span a range of lower limb musculoskeletal injuries to accelerate recovery and return to duty is desirable. Additionally, it is envisioned that this technology could be applied within VA and civilian rehabilitation facilities. Regulatory approval to ensure that the commercialized product will meet FDA requirements must be considered. REFERENCES: 1. U.S. Army Public Health Center. 2018. 2018 Health of the Force, https://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/campaigns/hof 2. Andersen, K. A., Grimshaw, P. N., Kelso, R. M., & Bentley, D. J. (2016). Musculoskeletal lower limb injury risk in army populations. Sports medicine-open, 2(1), 22. 3. Teyhen, DS, et al. 2018, Incidence of Musculoskeletal Injury in US Army Unit Types: A Prospective Cohort Study. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 48(10), 749. KEYWORDS: Musculoskeletal, Lower Extremity, Ankle, Injury, Brace, Exoskeleton, Rehabilitation

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Nuclear; Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Nuclear; Battlespace OBJECTIVE: To investigate and develop an artificial intelligence / machine learning based method to quickly, efficiently, and accurately identify and quantify atoms in low Signal to Noise (S/N) images produced by Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) systems. The focus of the Machine Learning research will be to develop and demonstrate the continuous operation of systems as used in ATTA numerical analysis approaches with quick and accurate results over a broad range of (radio) activities / isotope concentrations. With current working count range of 50-5000 trace atoms/hr, the AI/ML method should seek to seamlessly extend significant capability beyond that range with emphasis on the lower end range. The researcher will demonstrate that this method has significant value by outperforming current methods in both metrics of speed and accuracy. The successful research will detect images of atoms and quantify atom number, as well as non-integer atom numbers and spurious event classifications, plus quantify the performance in these metrics, specifically in low-level to very-low detection applications. The researcher will demonstrate the viability of integration of Machine Learning / Neural Net data processing into current ATTA systems for continuous ATTA operation and improved turnaround time, with a goal towards a Near-Real-Time monitoring capability of rare gas radionuclides in support of improved information for nuclear monitoring decision makers. DESCRIPTION: The concept of using noble gas radioisotope detection to infer information about nuclear activity has been used by monitoring communities for a number of years [1-3]. Most commonly, detection stations are SAUNA systems (Scienta Sauna Systems, Sweden), or similar, and are based on so called Beta-Gamma (β – γ) coincidence counting. Another technology that can detect and quantify the various Xe isotopes is high resolution mass spectroscopy (HRMS)[4]. An additional new technology for rare gas isotope analysis is the Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) system, offering valuable additional capability to existing methods. This laser-based method uses lasers to trap and confine specific rare gas isotopes into a small spatial region where the fluorescence from these trapped atoms is imaged onto a CCD camera for detection [5-7] demonstrating very high isotope selectivity and single atom detection capability. The ATTA’s capabilities make a strong candidate for precision isotopic analysis in critical field applications as well as extremely accurate monitoring in industrial and government production facilities. The use of the imaging processes in the analysis lends this emerging technology method quite suitable for the development of AI / ML determination applications. Currently, the images from ATTA are run through a traditional computational algorithm, selecting a Region of Interest (ROI) for pixels where the atoms’ fluorescence signal would likely occur and then the count in that region are integrated - to determine the atom number present. For modest abundance samples where 10’s to 1000’s of atoms may be trapped, this technique has served its purpose very well. Typically, a query for a specific isotope may produce thousands of images to be analyzed in this fashion. For low abundance isotope detection, the foremost limitation on sample analysis turnaround time resides in the time required to obtain a statistically significant count of the few atoms present. In extreme low abundance detection, these images are currently analyzed by hand to determine activity level. In this regime, noise in the images from scattered light or detector noise, partial or non-integer atoms from atoms that are present for only a fraction of the CCD exposure time, and spurious camera events such as x-rays, cosmic rays, muons etc., can become very significant and can easily lead to large statistical uncertainties in the results or prolonged analysis turnaround times. These counting statistics should be solvable in near real time through and with ML/AI research and development. At the opposite situation, in the high detection limit when atomic concentrations, and count rates, are higher and high statistics can be achieved relatively quickly, the resolution to determine the exact number of atoms in an image by pure numerical integration of the signal in the ROI (the “atomic peak resolution” for short) can be lost. This issue, in turn, requires changes in procedure and analysis methodology. These changes can introduce other systematics which are of concern when performing a high precision analysis. These counting statistics too should be solvable in near real time through and with ML/AI research and development. In order to improve the counting statistics and turnaround time of the ATTA systems for radionuclide identification and quantification, advanced and innovative methods for ATTA image analysis and classification using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are sought[8]. With the nature and number of the images to be analyzed, advances in Machine Learning make it a promising technology for improving ATTAs image analysis and extending its capabilities. This research would be applicable to other measuring and detection counting applications in the scientific community. The developed technique should be able to accurately identify and quantify atoms present in an image, accurately flag and manage spurious events, and report a level of statistical certainty, and do so at a performance level significantly greater than the current, traditional approach and do so over an atom detection rate range of 50 – 5000 atoms / hr. The neural network will need to eventually be able to be integrated into the ATTA data acquisition process to guide and inform when counting is statistically acceptable. Ideally, the neural network will also be flexible enough to be used in other, similar applications where ROI determination and quantification in low S/N datasets is needed. A large quantity of datasets of images for ML, representative of ATTA data, and which can be used to train the neural network, will be made available to the awardee. For evaluation of performance metrics and robustness, the given datasets as well as other dataset will be used to compare performance of the neural network against the current algorithm. Current research in this field has already demonstrated ML approaches to similar applications of atom imaging, counting, and identification; established techniques that may optionally be leveraged in the effort to reach the stated objectives of this research, showing feasibility and interest across fields of study and application [9-11]. PHASE I: To investigate and develop an artificial intelligence / machine learning based method or neural network to quickly, efficiently, and accurately identify and quantify atoms in low S/N images produced by Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) systems. Using a representative dataset, supplied to the awardee, demonstrate that this AI based method can meet or exceed performance metrics in speed and accuracy of current methods over the full range of atom detection rates. For Phase I, the focus will be on demonstrating the neural network’s capability to determine if an atom is present and if so, how many, and will not focus on classification of spurious events or partial/ fleeting atoms in the image. Lay forth a research plan for improving these metrics and expanding capability to meet Phase II metrics. Identify pathways for meeting the Phase II performance goals through feasibility studies at the end of Phase I. PHASE II: Exhibit advanced capability and performance of the developed AI based method over a broad range of activities / concentrations by demonstrating that the software can also detect and quantify non-integer atoms (aka fleeting atoms that are only present for a fraction of the camera exposure time) as well as flag and classify spurious camera events (such as cosmic rays) that do not accurately contribute to the atom count. Demonstrate that in the extreme low-limit detection, cases where images are currently hand analyzed and count rates are ~1-10 atoms / hr, that the automated AI/ML method can accurately and quickly provide the analysis. The method must also be demonstrated to perform accurately and efficiently over, and preferably beyond, the full working range of 50-5000 atoms / hr and should also address the loss in atomic peak resolution. The method will be evaluated on datasets other than ones used in training the neural network. All performance metrics and statistics must be defined, quantified and presented to directly compare to the current, traditional method. Finally, working with agencies with the ATTA systems, demonstrate integration of this method into those ATTA systems for improved turnaround time of sample analysis towards Near-Real-Time monitoring of rare gas radionuclides, as to augment and add capability to DOD’s worldwide effort in rapid radionuclide identification and quantification. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Further development to improve neural network performance and adaptability to diverse platforms. Beyond atom counting and classification of spurious events, the images from ATTA also can be analyzed to assess the health of the laser and vacuum systems. Explore using the developed AI/ML method to also monitor / assess system health. Identify additional areas that would benefit from the developed technology and develop plans for dissemination and implementation. REFERENCES: 1. Y. Huang, etal, “Fluorescence spectral shape analysis for nucleotide identification”, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2019 Jul 30;116(31):15386-15391. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1820713116. Epub 2019 Jul 15; 2. R. Kothari, etal, “Raman Spectroscopy and Artificial Intelligence to Predict the Bayesian Probability of Breast Cancer”, Sci Rep. 2021; 11: 6482. Epub 2021 Mar 22. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85758-6; 3. O. Dahlman, J. Mackby, S. Mykkeltveit, and H. Haak, Detect and deter: Can countries verify the Nuclear Test Ban?, 1st ed., Springer Netherlands, (2011); 4. D. Atwood (ed), Radionuclides in the Environment, 1st ed., John Wiley and Sons, LTD. (2010); 5. M Auer, et.al, “Ten years of development of equipment for measurement of atmospheric radioactive xenon for the verification of the CBTB”, Pure Appl. Geophys, 167, 471 (2010); 6. J. D. Gilmour, et al., “RELAX: an ultrasensitive, resonance ionization mass spectrometer for xenon”, Rev. Sci.Intrum., 65, 3 (1994); 7. J. C. Zappala, et. al, “Rapid processing of 85Kr/Kr ratios using Atom Trap Trace Analysis”, Water Resources Research, 53, 3 (2017); 8. J. C. Zappala, et. al., “Setting a limit on anthropogenic sources of atmospheric 81Kr through Atom Trap Trace Analysis”, Chem Geo, 453, 66-71 (2017); 9. C. Y. Chen, et. al., “Ultrasensitive Isotope Trace Analyses with a Magneto-Optical Trap”, Science, 286, 5442 (1999); 10. I. Goodfellow, Y. Bengio and A. Courville, Deep Learning, MIT Press (2016); 11. L. R. Hofer, et. al. “Atom cloud detection and segmentation using a deep neural network”, Machine Learning Science and technology, 2, 4 (2021); 12. L. R. Picard, et. al. “Deep learning-assisted classification of site-resolved quantum gas microscope images”Measurement Science and Technology, 31 025201 (2019); 13. G. Ness , et. al.” Single-Exposure Absorption Imaging of Ultracold Atoms Using Deep Learning” Physical Review Applied 14(1) 014011 (2020); KEYWORDS: machine learning; image analysis and classification; radio-isotope identification; RIID

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Biotechnology TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Bio Medical OBJECTIVE: To develop in silico methods for the design of carriers which can cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). This topic seeks development of (1) computational methods to aid in the design of targeted delivery vehicles which can cross the BBB and (2) application of these methods to successfully design and demonstrate working systems in vitro and in vivo. DESCRIPTION: Biology is deemed a “new domain of warfare,” and recent advances in biotechnology, albeit encouraging for the medical sector, have disturbing implications for military affairs in terms of new adversarial capabilities (Reference 1). Over the past 10 years, the People’s Liberation Army has focused on the impact of biology for the future of warfare and is pursuing its military applications as a priority in China’s national strategy of military-civil fusion. China and others are investing in biotechnologies, including gene editing and alternative viable means to both enhance and to decrement human performance through neuromodulation, to seek innovation that may precipitate military superiority. Current progress in the modulation of abnormal neural pathways through pharmacologic stimulation for uses as diverse as managing chronic pain (Reference 2), treating neurodegenerative disorders (Reference 3), and ameliorating symptoms associated with stress disorders (Reference 4) further underscores its potential. It is incumbent upon the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare for the eventuality that such research will yield operational tools that can be used on the battlefield and to develop technologies that preemptively obstruct their effects so that cognitive performance is maintained. Determining means to access the brain successfully has been a premier challenge in the neurosciences (Reference 5). The blood-brain barrier (BBB), designed to shield the brain from toxins and maintain homeostasis, is a microvascular network separating the central nervous system (CNS) from peripheral blood circulation. The complexity of the BBB often limits therapeutic treatments by excluding drugs from reaching their target. Overcoming such limitations necessitates the design of carrier molecules who can cross the BBB and deliver therapeutics to the CNS. Recent work has highlighted the promise of nanocarriers (NC) and nanoparticles (NP) as well as viral and peptide shuttles and vectors (Reference 5) to deliver pharmacologic payloads. Efforts that feature design of nanocarriers and –particles are particularly encouraging. NC and NP can participate in multiple methods of transport, including passive diffusion, carrier-mediated transport, and transcytosis (Reference 6). NC and NP can be decorated with specific ligands to develop “Trojan horse” molecules which are able to bind BBB-specific receptors and enable delivery at the site of interest. However, additional work is needed to identify important design parameters and modifications that would lead reliably to BBB infiltration. For the aforementioned purpose, in silico methods represent a cost-effective way of (1) accurately identifying and screening various factors affecting NC and NP ability to traverse the BBB and (2) down-selecting candidates for in vitro and in vivo studies to provide proof-of-concept that engineering strategies were successful. The overarching aim of the present topic is to develop algorithms appropriate for the aforementioned tasks, to synthesize promising candidates, and to test them in relevant in vitro and in vivo systems. PHASE I: Leverage or develop predictive algorithms to identify favorable structures for targeted delivery of pharmalogic or other neuromodulation factors to the brain. In silico methods should evaluate, at minimum, size, charge, means and utility of functionalization, ability to carry relevant payloads, and potential for controlled release of payload(s) at the site(s) of interest. Performers will work jointly with the Government sponsor to incorporate other features as needed. Promising candidates will be synthesized and evaluated in appropriate in vitro models to provide preliminary demonstration of success (interpreted as ability to traverse the BBB proxy) as a foundation for Phase II work. Phase I deliverables will include (1) a final report and (2) a final meeting for discussion of selected in silico methods, means by which they were applied, outcomes of in vitro experiments, and plans for Phase II. The report will provide descriptions, performance, and validation of all models used, criteria for candidate down-selection, criteria for in vitro model selection, and detailed in vitro results. The report should also describe any developmental work, including model parameterization. Operating system, software (where applicable), and data compatibility should be specifically addressed, as should proposed location of the in silico product and plans for providing access to (future) potential users. PHASE II: Phase II efforts will focus on iterative design improvements to the proof-of-concept approach developed during Phase I. The performer will mature in vitro model experiments, as needed, to provide a basis for animal testing. Candidates from in vitro testing will be evaluated in an animal model system to establish performance and toxicity profiles. The performer will identify weaknesses in performance that could be improved through additional in silico work and will codify /relay observations to the project officer. The phase II deliverables will be, among others, a final project review and a report detailing (1) description of the approach, including optimization techniques and performance outcomes, (2) testing and validation methods, and (3) advantages and disadvantages / limitations of the method as well as plans for developing an accessible user interface with any associated executables in accordance with proposed means of providing access to potential users as described in the Phase I final report. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In addition to implementing further improvements that would enhance use of the developed product by the sponsoring office, identify and exploit features that would be attractive for commercial or other private sector applications. REFERENCES: 1. https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2019/08/chinas-military-pursuing-biotech/159167/; 2. Varshney V.P., Hagedorn, J.M. & Deer, T.R. Neuromodulation therapy. In Clinical Pain Management (eds M.E. Lynch, K.D. Craig and P.W. Peng), 2022; 3. Ntetsika, T., Papathoma, PE. & Markaki, I. Novel targeted therapies for Parkinson’s disease. Mol. Med., 2021, 27, 17; 4. Narapareddy, B.R et al. Treatment of Depression After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review Focused on Pharmacological and Neuromodulatory Interventions, Psychosomatics, 5. 2020, 61, 5, 481; 6. Bors, L.A. & Erdő, F. Overcoming the Blood–Brain Barrier. Challenges and Tricks for CNS Drug Delivery, Sci. Pharm., 2019, 87, 6; 7. Hersh A. et al. Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier: Advanced in Nanoparticle Technology for Drug Delivery in Neuro-Oncology, Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2022, 23, 4153; KEYWORDS: Blood-Brain Barrier; Nanoparticles; Nanocarriers; Biotechnology Weaponization

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Microelectronics; Space; Nuclear TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate non-traditional radiation effects characterization and radiation hardness evaluation approaches, tools, or methods for complex highly integrated components, such as System-on-a-Chip (SoC) or 3D integrated circuits. DESCRIPTION: Department of Defense (DoD) systems seek to employ increasingly complex and highly integrated microelectronic components, such as system-on-a-chip (SOCs) and 3D integrated circuits for embedded high-performance computing and high-throughput processing in high radiation environments. Current SOCs are complex systems with multiple processing cores, multi-level caches, a mix of high-capacity and high-bandwidth memories, on-chip controllers for memory, network and other high-speed interfaces, on-chip hardware acceleration for encryption, graphics and digital signal processing, specialized security protocols, programmable fabrics; and more. This high degree of complexity and integration along with limited available design and manufacturing details for commercial SoCs, 3D ICs, and other highly integrated components makes conventional radiation testing and evaluation approaches for these components challenging. Some of these challenges include the programming and configuration of SOCs, isolating sub-component failures within them, and identifying the root causes of complex failure signatures. DoD systems, especially space and strategic systems, must survive and operate in complex dynamic radiation environments that impact the performance and reliability of microelectronic components. Radiation effects of concern for highly integrated microelectronics include total ionizing dose, displacement damage, pulsed gamma/x-ray, as well as proton, heavy ion and neutron single event effects. Combined radiation effects for both natural and manmade environments are also of interest. Radiation testing of production components using simulated environments is the current standard practice for screening, characterization, and qualification of these components for DoD systems. Limited test time availability, high per component cost, and complex state space limit complete evaluation of these complex devices. The development of evaluation approaches, methods, and tools to reduce test time, increase data collection and analysis of test data, or assist in screening and characterizing components without the use specialized high cost facilities would significantly increase the speed that state-of-the-art highly integrated microelectronic components could be inserted into DoD systems. Potential approaches could include but are not limited to optical, electrical, or EM fault injection; thermal, stress, or other physical analysis; software tools for data collection and analysis including artificial intelligence machine learning approaches, novel uses of on-chip self-test or error detection codes, and modeling and simulation tools. Design and layout tools are not of interest to this topic, nor are efforts that are focused on the testing, evaluation, or qualification of a singular component. PHASE I: The primary deliverable of phase 1 is a feasibility analysis or demonstration that the technique, tool, approach, or method is capable of evaluating radiation effects or radiation susceptibility and can be applied to a complex highly integrated microelectronic component, such as a SoC. Analysis or a proof of concept study on a simpler component or sub-component is acceptable for Phase 1. The primary deliverable of phase 1 is a feasibility analysis or demonstration that the technique, tool, approach, or method is capable of evaluating radiation effects or radiation susceptibility and can be applied to a complex highly integrated microelectronic component, such as a SoC. Analysis or a proof of concept study on a simpler component or sub-component is acceptable for Phase 1. PHASE II: Phase 2 is development and refinement of the technique, tool, approach, or method from Phase 1. This could include more complex components, additional radiation effects, or increases in the scale and scope of data acquired and processed. Phase 2 should include a verification and validation approach tied to new or existing experimental radiation effects data on a single highly integrated component. Analysis of the potential reduction in test time or increased confidence of results should be included in Phase 2. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase 3 may involve additional refinement and generalization of the technique, tool, approach, or method with the intent to commercialize. Phase 3 may include automation, development of user interfaces, or integration of hardware and software. Verification and validation on multiple components would also be expected in Phase 3. REFERENCES: 1. 1. Testing at the Speed of Light: The State of U.S. Electronic Parts Space Radiation Testing Infrastructure (2018),http://nap.edu/24993; 2. 2. High Energy Single-Event Effects (SEE) Testing and the Implications of Semiconductor Technology and Space System Evolution (nasa.gov), Ken LaBel, 2021,https://nepp.nasa.gov/workshops/dhesee2021/talks/5b_LaBel-2021-HISEE-Presentation-High%20Energy%20SEE%20Testing%20and%20Technology%20Trends_v3.pdf; 3. 3. E. P. Wilcox et al., "Observation of Low-Energy Proton Direct Ionization in a 72-Layer 3-D NAND Flash Memory," in IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 68, no. 5, pp. 835-841, May 2021, doi: 10.1109/TNS.2021.3063156; 4. 4. Manuel Cabanas-Holmen, SEE Test and Analysis of Complex Devices in Advanced Technologies: From Cells to Systems, Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference Short Course, 2019; 5. 5. R. C. Baumann, “Soft errors in advanced semiconductor devices-part I: the three radiation sources,” IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 17–22, Mar. 2001, doi: 10.1109/7298.946456; KEYWORDS: Radiation Hardened; System on a Chip; 3D Integrated Circuit; Heterogeneous integration

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning; Nuclear TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems; Nuclear; Sensors OBJECTIVE: To investigate and demonstrate a proof-of-concept to leverage new and unique methods to harness the capabilities of distributed sensors such as mobile devices to improve the quality and quantity of data available on low-yield explosions. These techniques would provide more accurate and timely information on suspected nuclear-related activity in geographic areas of interest, as well as a greater volume of data. Demonstrate that the use of these novel data-collection methods would increase the volume and quality of the opportunistic signatures collected during low-yield explosive events. DESCRIPTION: Cellular devices have a number of sensors that are required to enable functionality and detect environmental conditions, such as accelerometers, magnetometers, and GPS. Accelerometer data can be used to detect seismic activity arising from natural events such as earthquakes, or human-caused events such as explosions. One of the well-known apps for collecting seismic data is MyShake, developed at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL), and Google has also been working with LLNL to develop algorithms for Android devices to use as mini-seismometers to detect earthquakes. However, DoD is limited in the availability of reliable and consistent data-collection methods and data-collection opportunities for low-yield explosive events, especially in specific geographic areas of interest. This proposed R&D effort will determine the extent to which such sensors can be leveraged in new and unique ways to generate data capable of informing methods for event detection, location, and characterization and associated indicators and warnings. For example, the development of new software development kits to collect publicly available information. This is of particular interest for detecting and locating suspected low-yield underground nuclear explosions. This proposed work differs from existing applications such as MyShake in that it would not rely upon a specific app being downloaded or on the use of specific hardware. This project also focuses on the detection, discrimination, and analysis of low-yield underground explosions as opposed to earthquake warnings. This work has the potential for multiple DoD uses beyond event characterization. For example, these methodologies could be used for navigating in GPS-denied environments, characterization of structures, and collection and analysis of other signatures of operational use. These methods could also be used to characterize and assess unusual events such as the Beirut explosion in August 2020. PHASE I: Define the proposed concept and develop key technical milestones for Phase II. Perform an analysis of accelerometers in various devices available in geographical areas of interest and the feasibility to implement software development kits. Determine the technical feasibility to access the desired data at scale. By the end of Phase I, the performer will have developed a conceptual design for the new data collection methodologies and develop a roadmap for implementation in Phase II. PHASE II: Based on the Phase I conceptual design, develop, test, and demonstrate the proposed novel data collection methodology in at least one geographic area of interest to DoD. Implement artificial intelligence algorithms to process and analyze data. Conduct assessments on the data collected to determine quality to be useful. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Further develop and implement the methodologies from Phase II to expand data collection to additional geographic areas of interest. Develop a plan to apply machine-learning techniques to the large volumes of data collected via the implementation of the new methodologies developed in Phase II to identify and characterize signatures of interest globally. Conduct field tests of data acquisition, remote sensing, and data analysis in different geographic areas REFERENCES: 1. Kong, Q. Deep Learning Based Approach to Integrate MyShake's Trigger Data with ShakeAlert for Faster and Robust EEW Alerts. United States: N. p., 2021. Web. doi:10.2172/1836932; 2. “Earthquake detection and early alerts, now on your Android phone”,https://blog.google/products/android/earthquake-detection-and-alerts/; 3. Philogene, G., “All the Smartphone Sensors and Their Uses”,https://www.gotechtor.com/smartphone-sensors/, August 24, 2021; KEYWORDS: accelerometers; machine learning; remote sensing; artificial intelligence; seismic; publicly available information

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: General Warfighting Requirements TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors; Weapons OBJECTIVE: The objective of this effort is to develop an optically-based standoff diagnostic to interrogate the evolution of liquid ejected from containers impacted by shock and fragments in a detonation environment. DESCRIPTION: In agent defeat scenarios, fragment and shock loading on liquid-filled containers results in ejection of the fluid into the weapons effects environment. Simplified open-air tests have been conducted that control the fragment loading (number of fragments, size, and velocity); however, diagnostics are typically limited to internal pressure, container acceleration, and estimates of general fluid spray characteristics (e.g., spray velocity, spray angle) via high speed video. Some capabilities exist for point measurement of particle size distribution (PSD) within the fluid spray, PSD at the spray edges, or x-ray imaging of the total fluid field, with limited ability to meet test objectives due to sampling rate, resolution / dynamic range for particle sizing, instrument saturation effects and / or extrapolation to the full non-homogenous fluid field. Detailed characterization of the temporal and spatial distribution of ejected fluid is not readily possible. Metrics of interest include mass fraction aerosolized, particle size distribution, and concentration – all temporally and spatially resolved and residing in a rapidly evolving environment. Challenges include non-homogenous fluid fields that include distributions of small (~10 um) to large (~2,000+ um) aerosols and bulk material, transient timescales (<200 ms), and optically opaque and destructive (e.g., high temperature and pressure, fragments, etc.) environments. Diagnostics characterizing the early time evolution of material ejected from containers is of high interest. The diagnostic should be able to clearly differentiate between agent material and non-agent material (e.g., water). It should be noted that the shock break up of aerosols and bulk fluid in these scenarios is also of interest. At various ranges from the weapon, times of arrival of initial shocks and fragments may vary widely (and even cross over), resulting in potential shock interactions ranging from early to late in the spray evolution. The ultimate goal of this work is to improve and validate both Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and fast-running models for a wide range of container types and shock/fragment impact conditions. DTRA has developed explosive disseminators of various sizes (20mL, 60mL, 250mL, and 1000mL) which can emulate the directed spray of interest without the requirement for flying fragments. The disseminator designs will be available for Phase I and Phase II projects. PHASE I: 1) Develop an optically-based diagnostic capability for characterizing the evolution of liquid ejected from containers impacted by shock and fragments in a detonation environment. 2) Demonstrate the concept in a laboratory-based simulated environment. PHASE II: 1) Produce a breadboard capability that is hardenable/scalable for field-testing. 2) Demonstrate performance in a small to mid-scale detonation test. Stand-alone capabilities or those that are orthogonal to existing (non-optical) capabilities which might enhance statistical collection are of interest. Hardening measures and/or beam transport will need to be considered. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Team up with a DoD Laboratory or commercial partner to develop a commercial instrument for military applications of interest to DTRA and the DoD, or for applications of interest to the petroleum and chemical industries. REFERENCES: 1. Chloe E. Dedic, Terrence R. Meyer, and James B. Michael, "Single-shot ultrafast coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering of vibrational/rotational nonequilibrium," Optica 4, 563-570 (2017); 2. T. Werblinski, S.R. Engel, R. Engelbrecht, L. Zigan, S. Will, “Temperature and multi-species measurements by supercontinuum absorption spectroscopy for IC engine applications,” Optics Express 21, (2013); 3. S. P. Kearney and D. R. Guildenbecher, "Temperature and oxygen measurements in a metallized propellant flame by hybrid fs/ps rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering," in Imaging and Applied Optics 2016, OSA technical Digest (online) (Optical Society of America, 2016), paper LW5G.3; 4. Anna-Lena Sahlberg, Dina Hot, Johannes Kiefer, Marcus Aldén, Li Zhongshan, “Mid-infrared laser-induced thermal grating spectroscopy in flames”, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 36, 4515-4523 (2017); KEYWORDS: Liquid Agents; Lasers; Spectroscopy; Weapons

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Space; Microelectronics; TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors; Electronics; Space Platforms The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Show feasibility of a methodology to create a central repository for microelectronics intellectual property (IP) and/or the sale of rad-hard parts with the goal of providing access to different contractors in order to reduce time, cost, and duplication of the same IP which should improve technology access for small businesses. DESCRIPTION: The consolidation of manufacturers of radiation hardened electronics has resulted in only a handful of radiation hardened electronic storefronts. This topic will focus on developing a new set of storefronts run by small businesses for transactions in either rad-hard parts (digital and/or analog), rad-hard intellectual property, or both. The proposed solution should define a methodology by which a small business would leverage open source rad-hard IP to provide a secure storefront for rad-hard electronic parts and/or rad-hard IP. The solution should be able to describe how existing technology for business-to-business interactions will create a centralized location for IP and rad-hard parts and how this will reduce costs in development and production of radiation hardened devices. The proposed solution should appeal to a broad market, meeting the needs of Energy, Medical, Space, Automotive and Defense applications. During the performance of the direct to Phase II, the proposed solution should be able to demonstrate a prototype storefront. The storefront for either electronic parts or IP will need to address licensing, export control, and warranty/support. Additionally, the storefront will need to address contracting with onshore fabrication, radiation testing of the parts, and quality control of the results. Further, the proposed solution should address the business model which will be used to sustain the storefront. Outline how external funds will be used for a potential phase III award. Explain any dual-purpose uses for the storefront’s products such as how product families could meet the needs of multiple markets. Outline the transition path or paths for rad-hard IP or electronics to and from the storefront showing the commercialization of the storefront itself and the content provided to industry. Include letters of support from potential storefront customers. The storefront should focus on FPAs (Focal Plane Arrays), ROICs (Readout Integrated Circuits), processors, memory, mixed-signal analog parts, and power parts that meet the specifications in the table below. Ideally, the performer would select a family of a specific part type to develop and present in the storefront. These should be designed with performance and size, weight, power and cost (SWAP-C) in mind while utilizing an onshore foundry with smaller node sizes such as the GlobalFoundries 12 SOI or the Intel 16nm. Parameter (Objective, Threshold) Total Ionizing Dose (SiO2) >= 1 mrad (SiO2) Single Event Upset Rate 1E-10 (errors/device-day) Single Event Latch-Up >=90 (LET) Dose Rate Upset >=1E10 (rad(Si)/s) Dose Rate Survivability >=1E12 (rad(Si)/s) Displacement Damage >=1E14 (1MeV equiv. neutrons/cm2) PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 (D2P2) topic. “Phase I” -like proposals will not be evaluated and will be rejected as nonresponsive. For this topic, the Government expects the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-like effort via some other means, e.g., independent research and development (IRAD) or other source, a concept for a workable prototype or design to address, at a minimum, the basic capabilities of the stated objective above. Proposal must show, as appropriate, a demonstrated technical feasibility or nascent capability of virtual reality and/or telepresence and techniques compatible with low latency communications and/or data transfer. Proposal may provide example cases of this new capability on a specific application. The documentation provided must substantiate the proposer’s development of a preliminary understanding of the technology to be applied in their Phase II proposal in meeting topic objectives. Documentation should comprise all relevant information including, but not limited to, technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results Feasibility Documentation: Proposers interested in participating in Direct to Phase II must include in their responses to this topic, Phase I feasibility documentation that substantiates the scientific and technical merit and Phase I feasibility described in Phase I above has been met (i.e., the small business must have performed a proof of concept “Phase I”-type research and development related to the topic, but feasibility documentation MUST NOT be solely based on work performed under prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR/STTR Phase I work) and describes the potential commercialization applications. The documentation provided must validate that the proposer has completed development of technology as stated in Phase I above in previous work or research completed. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Work submitted within the feasibility documentation must have been substantially performed by the proposer and/or the principal investigator (PI). PHASE II: In Phase II, within 12 months of contract award, a prototype storefront should be demonstrated which utilizes existing technology for business-to-business interactions to create a centralized location for IP and rad-hard parts. The prototype storefront should leverage open source rad-hard IP to provide a secure storefront for rad-hard electronic parts and/or rad-hard IP. The storefront for either electronic parts or IP will need to address licensing, export control, and warranty/support. Additionally, the storefront will need to address contracting with onshore fabrication, radiation testing of the parts, and quality control of the results. The storefront should have a sustainable business model with potential customers and support from industry. A clear path to how external funds will be used for a potential phase III award should be identified. The storefront products should be applicable to multiple markets such as Medical, Automotive, Space, Defense, Energy, etc. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Explain any dual-purpose uses for the storefront’s products such as how product families could meet the needs of multiple markets such as Energy, Space, Medical, Automotive and Defense. Include letters of support from potential storefront customers. REFERENCES: 1. https://www.mda.mil/global/documents/pdf/bmds.pdf 2. https://semiengineering.com/mitigating-the-effects-of-radiation-on-advanced-automotive-ics 3. https://nepp.nasa.gov/DocUploads/392333B0-7A48-4A04-A3A72B0B1DD73343/Rad_Effects_101_WebEx.pdf KEYWORDS: Radiation; Microelectronics; Space; Rad-Hard Electronics; Focal Plane Array (FPA); Readout Integrated Circuit (ROIC); Processor; Commercialization; E-Commerce; Business-to-Business; Memory

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Hypersonics TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop a cost-efficient and timely method to effectively polish and finish conformal ceramic window materials to optical-grade quality. DESCRIPTION: Conformal optical materials are desirable for future seeker window applications due to their ability to provide enhanced aerodynamic properties while providing environmental protection and seeker visibility. Common material selections for these windows include hard ceramics such as AlON, Spinel, and ZnS. The high hardness and polycrystalline form of these materials present fabrication challenges due to high removal rates, preferential grain removal, and extensive optical quality testing. Shaping these materials into conformal windows with complex geometries also creates significant processing challenges. Though manual grinding and polishing can provide better depth control than automatic processes, automatic processes generally yield higher-quality, faster, repeatable results. Current processes associated with conformal ceramic optical material grinding, polishing, and finishing are high-cost and fairly inefficient due to the challenges mentioned above. This topic seeks to develop a polishing and finishing method for conformal window materials that improves upon the time, cost, and quality of existing processes. The polishing and finishing process developed in this effort should demonstrate a 2-3x reduction in lead time compared to existing processes. Relevant geometries should include conformal windows with minimum dimensions of 2” x 4” x 0.26” (5.08cm x 10.16cm x 0.66cm) and complex conformal geometries (e.g. ogive-based, gullwing aspheres, double curvature geometry). Optical quality should be better than 80-50 scratch-dig (MIL-PRF-13830B standard). Roughness on optical faces should be less than 60 Angstroms RMS, and perimeter surface roughness should be better than 220 grit. A clear aperture of greater than 40 mm in centered diameter is required. The produced window should have a transmitted wavefront distortion of < 1 wave at 632.8 nm. Plane-parallelism on the optical faces should be better than +/- 5 arc-seconds. PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 (D2P2) topic. “Phase I” -like proposals will not be evaluated and will be rejected as nonresponsive. For this topic, the Government expects the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-like effort via some other means, e.g., independent research and development (IRAD) or other source, a concept for a workable prototype or design to address, at a minimum, the basic capabilities of the stated objective above. Proposal must show, as appropriate, a demonstrated technical feasibility or nascent capability of virtual reality and/or telepresence and techniques compatible with low latency communications and/or data transfer. Proposal may provide example cases of this new capability on a specific application. The documentation provided must substantiate the proposer’s development of a preliminary understanding of the technology to be applied in their Phase II proposal in meeting topic objectives. Documentation should comprise all relevant information including, but not limited to, technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results Feasibility Documentation: Proposers interested in participating in Direct to Phase II must include in their responses to this topic, Phase I feasibility documentation that substantiates the scientific and technical merit and Phase I feasibility described in Phase I above has been met (i.e., the small business must have performed a proof of concept “Phase I”-type research and development related to the topic, but feasibility documentation MUST NOT be solely based on work performed under prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR/STTR Phase I work) and describes the potential commercialization applications. The documentation provided must validate that the proposer has completed development of technology as stated in Phase I above in previous work or research completed. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Work submitted within the feasibility documentation must have been substantially performed by the proposer and/or the principal investigator (PI). PHASE II: Mature existing process development through design, analysis, and experimentation. Optimize processing parameters for yield, cost, and quality applicable to complex geometries mentioned in the Description. Demonstrate process maturity through testing on a 2” x 4” x 0.26” (5.08cm x 10.16cm x 0.66cm) (minimum) conformal window. Phase II should identify an insertion opportunity. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Work with a seeker window manufacturer to iteratively design, fabricate, polish, and finish prototype seeker windows with complex geometries such as those mentioned in the Description. A successful Phase III would provide the necessary technical data to transition the technology into an applicable interceptor development program. REFERENCES: 1. J. DeGroote Nelson, A. Gould, N. Smith, K. Medicus, and M. Mandina, 2. "Advances in freeform optics fabrication for conformal window and dome applications," Proc. SPIE 2013, Volume 8708 paper 870815 3. N. E. Smith, A. R Gould, T. Hordin, K. Medicus, et. al, “Conformal window manufacturing process development and demonstration for polycrystalline materials,” Proc. SPIE 2013. 4. R. E. Chinn, Ceramography: Preparation and Analysis of Ceramic Microstructures, Chap. 4, 2002. KEYWORDS: Polishing; Grinding; Seeker Window; Conformal Window

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Space; Microelectronics TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors; Materials; Electronics The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate an innovative hardware/software system that achieves full-wafer infrared non-destructive material screening of large-format Focal Plane Array (FPA) wafers to enable significant reductions in manufacturing cost and time. DESCRIPTION: During the last decade, several Government-funded programs resulted in a groundbreaking new infrared detector material using Sb-based III-V Semiconductor Type-II Superlattice (T2SL) technology with bandgap-engineered device architectures. With inherent cost, operability, uniformity, and stability advantages and enhanced performance in Mid, Long and Very Long Wavelength Infrared bands, T2SL FPAs have become very attractive candidates for various DOD sensor platforms such as air, space, ships, and missiles. Today, T2SL wafers, starting materials of the FPA, are grown on very-large diameterGallium Antimonide (GaSb) substrates in multi-wafer Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) reactors at commercial growth foundries. These foundries are in the early throws of ramping up for full-scale production and are challenged by issues such as limited reactor uptime, wafer throughput, and slow destructive testing capability that sacrifices a single wafer per run, both between wafer runs and for final product. This topic specifically calls for development, demonstration and implementation of a non-destructive, quick-turn, full-wafer screening capability. The proposed solutions should be capable of non-destructively measuring the bandgap and the minority carrier lifetime of the T2SL absorber layers and their uniformity across the wafer at cryogenic temperatures. We seek to improve the usability and reliability of infrared wafer mapping systems to reduce process time and allow foundries to quickly calibrate and maintain the reactor conditions for consistent high quality detector wafer growth. Additionally, the proposed solution should be applicable to other detector materials such as Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) and not limited to III-V T2SL material. The specific goals are listed below: • Measuring the bandgap of the infrared absorbers sensitive from 2 to 12 micrometer infrared bands at cryogenic temperatures at least as low as 50 K • Measuring minority carrier lifetimes from 5 ns to 50 microseconds in infrared materials and at temperatures specified above • System should allow measurements of 75 mm, 100 mm, 125 mm, and 150 mm diameter wafers as well as piece parts The proposers are encouraged to work with commercial Sb-based III-V Semiconductor T2SL material growth foundries and/or MCT detector material growth and processing houses. PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 (D2P2) topic. “Phase I” -like proposals will not be evaluated and will be rejected as nonresponsive. For this topic, the Government expects the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-like effort via some other means, e.g., independent research and development (IRAD) or other source, a concept for a workable prototype or design to address, at a minimum, the basic capabilities of the stated objective above. Proposal must show, as appropriate, a demonstrated technical feasibility or nascent capability of virtual reality and/or telepresence and techniques compatible with low latency communications and/or data transfer. Proposal may provide example cases of this new capability on a specific application. The documentation provided must substantiate the proposer’s development of a preliminary understanding of the technology to be applied in their Phase II proposal in meeting topic objectives. Feasibility Documentation: Proposers interested in participating in Direct to Phase II must include in their responses to this topic Phase I feasibility documentation that substantiates the scientific and technical merit and Phase I feasibility described in Phase I above has been met (i.e., the small business must have performed a proof of concept “Phase I”-type research and development related to the topic, but feasibility documentation MUST NOT be solely based on work performed under prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR/STTR Phase I work) and must describe the potential commercialization applications. The documentation provided must validate that the proposer has completed development of technology as stated in Phase I above in previous work or research completed. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Work submitted within the feasibility documentation must have been substantially performed by the proposer and/or the principal investigator (PI). PHASE II: Demonstrate and deliver a complete minority carrier lifetime and wafer mapping system for testing on MWIR and LWIR (2 – 12 micrometer wavelength) wafers. At least one more mapping system should be developed that is capable of mapping dual-color wafers. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: If sufficient performance of the two-color mapping system can be demonstrated, a field upgrade will be made to the delivered system to enable dual-color functionality. REFERENCES: 1. David Z. Ting, Alexander Soibel, Arezou Khoshakhlagh, Sam A. Keo, Anita M. Fisher, Sir B. Rafol, Linda Höglund, Cory J. Hill, Brian J. Pepper, and Sarath D. Gunapala, “Long wavelength InAs/InAsSb superlattice barrier infrared detectors with p-type absorber quantum efficiency enhancement”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 118, 133503 (2021). 2. Scott A. Nelson, Joel M. Fasteneau, Dmitri Lubyshev, Michael Kattner, Philip Frey, Amy W. K. Liu, Mark J. Furlong, "Volume MBE production trends for GaSb-based IR photodetector structures," Proc. SPIE 11741, Infrared Technology and Applications XLVII, 1174111 (12 April 2021). 3. Shaner, Eric A., Olson, Ben V., and Kadlec, Emil A. Method and Apparatus for Semiconductor Defect Characterization, https://doi.org/10.2172/1592874. 4. B. V. Olson, E. A. Kadlec, J. K. Kim, J. F. Klem, S. D. Hawkins, E. A. Shaner, and M. E. Flatté, Intensity- and Temperature-Dependent Carrier Recombination in InAs/InAs1−xSbx Type-II Superlattices, Phys. Rev. Applied 3, 044010, 2015. KEYWORDS: Infrared Material; IR sensor; FPAs; Wafer screening; minority carrier lifetime; IR detector; LWIR; MWIR; Super-lattice detector, Mercury-Cadmium -Telluride (MCT)

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Weapons; Space Platforms The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop higher performing propellant/propulsion systems to be used in Divert and Attitude Control Systems (DACS) or an axial motor for an on-orbit system. DESCRIPTION: Proposed solutions could include but are not limited to monopropellant systems, solid rocket propulsion systems, or bipropellant systems. The propellant/propulsion system must be able to withstand the radiation environment at Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for long term storage in space for a minimum of five years. System is to fit within a compact payload and have the ability to scale down to a 5 inch diameter. The system should offer future concepts a highly responsive propulsion system with a minimum thrust to weight ratio of 5. The propellant/propulsion system must be able to perform rapid orbital plane maneuvers. The propulsion system can be designed for highly maneuverable axial motor or for a Divert and Attitude and Control System (DACS). Key parameters to optimize include thrust to weight ratio, mass specific impulse, density specific impulse, and propellant mass fraction. Key parameters to optimize specifically for divert and attitude control system configurations include minimum impulse bit and ability to maintain center of gravity control. The proposer must submit a technology that has already been proven in a laboratory setting. To allow the greatest selection of solutions that maximize performance, Naval shipboard safety is not a requirement for this topic. PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 (D2P2) topic. “Phase I” -like proposals will not be evaluated and will be rejected as nonresponsive. For this topic, the Government expects the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-like effort via some other means, e.g., independent research and development (IRAD) or other source, a concept for a workable prototype or design to address, at a minimum, the basic capabilities of the stated objective above. Proposal must show, as appropriate, a demonstrated technical feasibility or nascent capability of virtual reality and/or telepresence and techniques compatible with low latency communications and/or data transfer. Proposal may provide example cases of this new capability on a specific application. The documentation provided must substantiate the proposer’s development of a preliminary understanding of the technology to be applied in their Phase II proposal in meeting topic objectives. Documentation should comprise all relevant information including, but not limited to, technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Feasibility Documentation: Proposers interested in participating in Direct to Phase II must include in their responses to this topic Phase I feasibility documentation that substantiates the scientific and technical merit and Phase I feasibility described in Phase I above has been met (i.e., the small business must have performed a proof of concept “Phase I”-type research and development related to the topic, but feasibility documentation MUST NOT be solely based on work performed under prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR/STTR Phase I work) and describe the potential commercialization applications. The documentation provided must validate that the proposer has completed development of technology as stated in Phase I above in previous work or research completed. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Work submitted within the feasibility documentation must have been substantially performed by the proposer and/or the principal investigator (PI). PHASE II: Characterize propulsion system through experimentation and analysis. Optimize propellant formulation and manufacturing of propulsion system based on experimentation results. Demonstrate production of propellant batches of sufficient size to conduct hot fire tests. Phase II should include a heavyweight hot fire test to demonstrate propulsion system design performance parameters in a relevant environment. Phase II should identify an insertion opportunity and conclude with a matured propellant formulation/manufacturing process. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Work with propulsion system manufacturers/designers to implement the propulsion system with propellant formulation and manufacturing of propulsion system into a full-scale testing of a lightweight system. A successful Phase III would provide the necessary technical data to transition the technology into a missile defense application. REFERENCES: 1. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19780005279 2. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19980237012/downloads/19980237012.pdf 3. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19720019028/downloads/19720019028.pdf 4. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20120011680/downloads/20120011680.pdf 5. https://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1101&context=edt KEYWORDS: Propellant; Chemistry; Propulsion; Space; Propellant Manufacturing

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Space; Microelectronics; Hypersonics; Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop fused sensor solution for navigation in Global Positioning System (GPS) denied environment using innovative solutions that leverage modern miniaturized electronics to demonstrate improvements to the size, weight, power, cost (SWAP-C), performance, and/or capabilities of existing missile system avionics. DESCRIPTION: This topic seeks novel fused sensor solutions with the ability to improve the size, weight, power, cost (SWAP-C), performance, and capabilities benefiting current and future missile systems operating in GPS denied environments. The primary anchoring mechanism for flight avionics is routine GPS updates. During extended periods without GPS, missile avionics systems are reliant on components that are subject to errors such as bias instability that can quickly propagate into significant navigational discrepancies. The general solution for correcting bias instability in avionics systems involves the implementation of high-precision systems that are less prone to these issues; however, these solutions also come with increased cost, weight, and availability implications. The Government is seeking an alternative solution that implements a homogenous sensor fusion approach to overcome the cost, weight, and availability implications of high-precision avionics components while maintaining similar performance characteristics. Evaluation criteria for proposed solutions include: • Feasibility of integration into current and/or future missile systems; demonstrable improvements in SWAP-C, performance, and/or functional capabilities over existing high-precision avionics systems • Manufacturability and/or component availability improvements that indicate a reduction in procurement lead times, increased reliability, and/or diminished component lifecycle limitations while providing high quality consistent components • Ability to provide functional system/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in environments relevant to missile system application at completion of SBIR Phase II development PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 (D2P2) topic. “Phase I” -like proposals will not be evaluated and will be rejected as nonresponsive. For this topic, the Government expects the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-like effort via some other means, e.g., independent research and development (IRAD) or other source, a concept for a workable prototype or design to address, at a minimum, the basic capabilities of the stated objective above. Proposal must show, as appropriate, a demonstrated technical feasibility or nascent capability of virtual reality and/or telepresence and techniques compatible with low latency communications and/or data transfer. Proposal may provide example cases of this new capability on a specific application. The documentation provided must substantiate the proposer’s development of a preliminary understanding of the technology to be applied in their Phase II proposal in meeting topic objectives. Documentation should comprise all relevant information including, but not limited to, technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Feasibility Documentation: Proposers interested in participating in Direct to Phase II must include in their responses to this topic Phase I feasibility documentation that substantiates the scientific and technical merit and Phase I feasibility described in Phase I above has been met (i.e., the small business must have performed a proof of concept “Phase I”-type research and development related to the topic, but feasibility documentation MUST NOT be solely based on work performed under prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR/STTR Phase I work) and describe the potential commercialization applications. The documentation provided must validate that the proposer has completed development of technology as stated in Phase I above in previous work or research completed. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Work submitted within the feasibility documentation must have been substantially performed by the proposer and/or the principal investigator (PI). PHASE II: Show evidence of selection criteria justifying technical direction and advantages over existing technologies. Document substantive analysis and testing of solution to verify applicability in the necessary functional environments associated with flight testing. Conduct manufacturing assessments for innovative production techniques that provide identifiable reduction in lead times, increase in reliability, and high-quality/consistent components. Provide functional system/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in environments relevant to missile system application at the completion of Phase II development. Detail transition plan for integration and insertion into existing or future missile systems directed at demonstration of solution in an operational environment. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Demonstrate use of full-scale prototype components in operational missile system environments. Develop full-scale manufacturing capabilities providing data on quality and reliability of components. Provide full-scale cost assessments for production. REFERENCES: 1. O. T. Waheed and I. M. Elfadel, "FPGA sensor fusion system design for IMU arrays," 2018 Symposium on Design, Test, Integration & Packaging of MEMS and MOEMS (DTIP), 2018, pp. 1-5, doi: 10.1109/DTIP.2018.8394227. 2. R. Rasoulzadeh and A. M. Shahri, "Implementation of A low-cost multi-IMU hardware by using a homogenous multi-sensor fusion," 2016 4th International Conference on Control, Instrumentation, and Automation (ICCIA), 2016, pp. 451-456, doi: 10.1109/ICCIAutom.2016.7483205. KEYWORDS: Technology Enhancement; Instrumentation; Sensors; Sensor Fusion; Avionics; Guidance Navigation and Control; GNC

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop target-based hyperspectral sensor technology for use in missile system flight tests capable of collecting scene spectral data for multiple bands of interest while retaining the size, weight, power, cost (SWAP-C) of existing systems. DESCRIPTION: This topic seeks the development of a target-based fly-along hyperspectral sensor capability for collecting spectral data across multiple bands with a single imaging device during a flight test engagement. The size, weight, power, cost (SWAP-C) and performance of the hyperspectral sensor should be equivalent to or in exceedance of current imaging technology. Use of hyperspectral imaging poses a benefit for current and future Government missile system testing as it can provide multiple spectral datasets for scene characterization and analysis. Evaluation criteria for proposed solutions include: • Capability of system to produce hyperspectral image data for use in flight test scene characterization • Feasibility of integration into current and/or future missile systems; demonstrable equivalence or improvement in SWAP-C and performance over existing imaging systems • Manufacturability and/or component availability improvements that indicate a reduction in procurement lead times, increased reliability, and/or diminished component lifecycle limitations while providing high quality consistent components • Ability to provide functional system/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in environments relevant to missile system application at completion of SBIR Phase II development PHASE I: This is a Direct to Phase 2 (D2P2) topic. “Phase I” -like proposals will not be evaluated and will be rejected as nonresponsive. For this topic, the Government expects the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-like effort via some other means, e.g., independent research and development (IRAD) or other source, a concept for a workable prototype or design to address, at a minimum, the basic capabilities of the stated objective above. Proposal must show, as appropriate, a demonstrated technical feasibility or nascent capability of virtual reality and/or telepresence and techniques compatible with low latency communications and/or data transfer. Proposal may provide example cases of this new capability on a specific application. The documentation provided must substantiate the proposer’s development of a preliminary understanding of the technology to be applied in their Phase II proposal in meeting topic objectives. Documentation should comprise all relevant information including, but not limited to, technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Feasibility Documentation: Proposers interested in participating in Direct to Phase II must include in their responses to this topic Phase I feasibility documentation that substantiates the scientific and technical merit and Phase I feasibility described in Phase I above has been met (i.e., the small business must have performed a proof of concept “Phase I”-type research and development related to the topic, but feasibility documentation MUST NOT be solely based on work performed under prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR/STTR Phase I work) and describe the potential commercialization applications. The documentation provided must validate that the proposer has completed development of technology as stated in Phase I above in previous work or research completed. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Work submitted within the feasibility documentation must have been substantially performed by the proposer and/or the principal investigator (PI). PHASE II: Show evidence of selection criteria justifying technical direction and advantages over existing technologies. Document substantive analysis and testing of solution to verify applicability in the necessary functional environments associated with flight testing. Conduct manufacturing assessments for innovative production techniques that provide identifiable reduction in lead times, increase in reliability, and high-quality/consistent components. Provide functional system/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in environments relevant to missile system application at the completion of Phase II development. Detail transition plan for integration and insertion into existing or future missile systems directed at demonstration of solution in an operational environment. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Demonstrate use of full-scale prototype components in operational missile system environments. Develop full-scale manufacturing capabilities providing data on quality and reliability of components. Provide full-scale cost assessments for production. REFERENCES: 3. 1. Workshop on Hyperspectral Imaging and Signal Processing: Evolution in Remote Sensing (WHISPERS) 4. 2. Jon Atli Benediktsson; Pedram Ghamisi, Spectral-Spatial Classification of Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Images, Artech, 2015. KEYWORDS: Technology Enhancement; Instrumentation; Sensors; Hyperspectral; Imaging

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Directed Energy TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Electronics OBJECTIVE: Research, develop, prototype and demonstrate an innovative energy storage technology that can be integrated to a weapon’s architecture and possesses an ability to withstand basic cold to extreme cold temperature ranges. DESCRIPTION: Soldiers and their equipment are required to operate and survive battlefield conditions with long battery run times (for example 72 hours) based on operational mode summaries (OMS). The OMS is based upon the mission profile (MP), and the more intense the mission, the more they will be required to utilize the fire control and ancillary electronics on the weapon system. These electronics on the weapon system would benefit from a robust energy storage device in basic cold and extreme cold operating environments as material properties continue to improve. The necessity for these technologies continues to grow as the battlefield moves towards locations where extreme operational environments exist in low temperature and high altitude regions of the world. Discoveries and advancements in storage for batteries to provide opportunities for long-lasting power and increased energy capacity. An improved energy storage capacity system that is inherently hardened to survive battlefield conditions consisting of basic cold and extreme cold temperatures would satisfy many desired capabilities identified in the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) analysis, Joint Small Arms Capabilities Analysis (JSACA), Small Arms Capability Based Assessment (CBA), National Small Arms Technology Consortium (NSATC), DEVCOM AC S&T Needs and Opportunities, and Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL). The Army requires technologies that enables survivability and power generation for IT systems, processors, and other equipment to operate in Arctic, ECW (Extreme Cold Weather), and HA (high-altitude) conditions (-54 degrees Celsius). The solutions shall be relatively lightweight, robust, and durable to extreme cold temperature conditions, and have minimal or no moving parts to maximize durability. The system size and weight shall be optimized. The electric power will be used to optimize the operational capability of batteries required for ancillary fire control devices during operational scenarios. Integration with outside components shall be considered and defined. This topic is NOT restricted to traditional lithium-ion, battery storage technology. PHASE I: Showcase capabilities of the technology in current applications which outline the performance characteristics, technical merit and steps to achieve the metric values described in the proposal. The required Phase I deliverables will include information related or pertaining to performance characteristics that shall be documented in a feasibility study to determine suitability of the proposal. The small business shall demonstrate preliminary performance and understanding of the steps required to research, develop and experiment with innovative energy storage technologies that provide energy to power ancillary fire control devices on a man portable individual (M4) or crew served weapon (M249/M240) in extreme temperature ranges. Verify through modeling, simulation and limited lab testing that the Small Arms Arctic Power Storage concept will provide an electrical charging/power source that is beneficial to the OMS/MP. The contractor shall consider system interfaces to a powered rail system while minimizing additional size and weight to the weapon and battery housing. Analyze the possible benefits provided by the technology towards increasing device/battery life and associated device/battery performance. The improved performance at extreme temperature ranges will be assessed and mitigation techniques for design faults will be considered. Trade-off analyses shall be conducted to support design decisions, including where this technology would be most beneficial (crew served or individual weapons, ancillary charging stations). Climactic Design Type Daily Cycle Operational Conditions Operating Voltage (V) For A Non-Rechargeable Solution Energy:Weight Ratio Minimum-Maximum (WHr:Ounces) For A Rechargeable Solution Energy:Weight Ratio Minimum-Maximum (WHr:Ounces) Ambient Air Temperature Daily Low in Degrees C Basic Mild cold (C0) Basic cold (C1) -19 -32 1.5 9:1 to 12:1 4.5:1 to 6:1 Supplied Energy Capacity (mAh) Supplied Energy Capacity (mAh) At 1000 mA Constant Current Discharge At 250 mA Constant Current Discharge At 25 mA Constant Current Discharge At 1000 mA Constant Current Discharge At 250 mA Constant Current Discharge At 25 mA Constant Current Discharge 3000 3400 4000 1500 1700 2000 Cold Cold (C2) -43 1.5 7.5:1 to 10.8:1 3.75:1 to 5.4:1 Supplied Energy Capacity (mAh) Supplied Energy Capacity (mAh) At 1000 mA Constant Current Discharge At 250 mA Constant Current Discharge At 25 mA Constant Current Discharge At 1000 mA Constant Current Discharge At 250 mA Constant Current Discharge At 25 mA Constant Current Discharge 2500 2900 3600 1250 1450 1800 Severe cold Severe cold (C3) -51 1.45 4.35:1 to 10.15:1 2.175:1 to 5.075:1 Supplied Energy Capacity (mAh) Supplied Energy Capacity (mAh) At 1000 mA Constant Current Discharge At 250 mA Constant Current Discharge At 25 mA Constant Current Discharge At 1000 mA Constant Current Discharge At 250 mA Constant Current Discharge At 25 mA Constant Current Discharge 1500 1800 3500 750 900 1750 Extreme cold Extreme cold (C4) -57 1.4 2.8:1 to 8.96:1 1.4:1 to 4.48:1 Supplied Energy Capacity (mAh) Supplied Energy Capacity (mAh) At 1000 mA Constant Current Discharge At 250 mA Constant Current Discharge At 25 mA Constant Current Discharge At 1000 mA Constant Current Discharge At 250 mA Constant Current Discharge At 25 mA Constant Current Discharge 1000 1500 3200 500 750 1600 Table 1. Extract from Army Regulation (AR) 70-38, Research Development, Test and Evaluation of Materiel for Worldwide Use converted to degrees C with added requirements (Operating Voltage, Energy:Weight Ratio, and Supplied Energy Capacity). PHASE II: Evolve the technology to maximize performance. Optimize the design to the extent the technology can be applied to an individual weapon system where this technology would provide the greatest benefit and would provide a viable transition path to fielding. Verify technology performance through extensive laboratory testing in extreme temperature environments. Power performance characteristics (energy to weight ratio, milliamp hours) will be measured and reported based on different wartime mission profiles and environments provided by the government stated in SAFC sections 1.1-1.8 and MIL-HDBK-310. Video documentation of the testing and test reports shall be provided by the contractor. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Optimize the design developed in Phase II to harden the technology to survive in extreme military environments and maximize production cost benefit. Refine the design to minimize integration complexity and maximize system compatibility. Create a partnership with industry to manufacture the proposed technology. REFERENCES: 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_harvesting 2. https://techxplore.com/news/2020-09-decades-old-mystery-lithium-ion-battery-storage.html 3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352152X21013268 4. https://scitechdaily.com/new-processing-technology-for-maximizing-energy-densities-of-high-capacity-lithium-ion-batteries/ 5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352152X2101402X 6. https://relionbattery.com/blog/lithium-cold-temperature?msclkid=5c20dfd5c17e11ecb733b74f711daafe 7. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.202002590 KEYWORDS: Battery, energy storage, lithium-ion, power generation, small arms

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Space; Network Command, Control, and Communications TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Space Platforms The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: To develop and demonstrate an Integrated Architecture Technology solution in the form of a Modeling, Simulation and Analysis (MS&A) Testbed that incorporates all elements of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA). An innovative successful solution will be used to produce traceable requirements that inform a government-owned reference architecture suitable for acquisition purposes. Successful elements include: 1. Models and templated model definitions that enable 3rd party model developers to integrate usable elements (e.g., spacecraft, orbit propagation, lighting, terrain, power, thermal, payload behaviors, data flow, etc.) 2. Outcomes that facilitate comparative analysis, trade space development, and scenario scoring (e.g., link budgets, coverage, constellation design, network routing, optimization, threat impacts, trade space analysis, CONOPs and Use Case design and assessment, etc.) 3. Modularity that enables broad interoperability (e.g., loose coupling of simulation components; behavioral vs. truth-based models; ability to model all layers of the NDSA; reusable; interoperability with existing Government-Off-The-Shelf (GOTS), Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS), and open-source products; etc.) 4. Architecture that benefits from commercial best practices and is extensible and configurable (e.g., stand-alone, distributed, and cloud-based configurations; repeatable; service-oriented; multi-level security; etc.) The Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed will enable realistic and informative mission design that facilitates the formation of traceable requirements. Architecture simulation/emulation demonstrations of all NDSA layers, components, and mission areas will be used to assess military utility and conduct trades. Data and results will contribute to NDSA architecture element and acquisition requirements generation. DESCRIPTION: SDA is responsible for orchestrating the development and fielding of the DoD’s future threat-driven NDSA, a resilient military sensing and data transport capability via a proliferated space architecture primarily in LEO. To achieve this mission, SDA uses novel approaches to accelerate the development and fielding of military space capabilities necessary to ensure U.S. technological and military advantage in space for national defense. The National Defense Space Architecture consists of the following: 1. Transport Layer – assured, resilient, low-latency military data and connectivity worldwide to the full range of warfighter platforms 2. Battle Management Layer – automated space-based battle management through command and control, tasking, mission processing and dissemination to support time-sensitive kill web closure at campaign scales 3. Tracking Layer – global indications, warning, tracking, and targeting of advanced missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems 4. Custody Layer – 24/7, all-weather custody of time-sensitive, left-of-launch surface mobile targets to support targeting for advanced weapons 5. Emerging Capabilities Layer – new mission concepts for future proliferation 6. Navigation Layer – alternate positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) for potential Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied environments 7. Support Layer - enable ground systems and launch capabilities to support a responsive and resilient space architecture SDA seeks proposals from Small Businesses designed to enhance our Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and MS&A capabilities. SDA will consider Phase I proposals however SDA’s distinct preference is for a Direct-to-Phase II proposal whose output would be a new capability suitable for use at the completion of the effort. PHASE I: If a Phase I proposal is selected as the limit of the bid, this effort shall define and document the concept of the Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed to be implemented in Phase II. Establishment of performance metrics and a methodology to predict performance of the MS&A Testbed shall be developed. The proposed concept shall be defined sufficiently to develop key milestones that define the path from the current state of the technology to a high-TRL state. The final milestone shall present an Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed capability design suitable for input into SDA’s NDSA acquisition process with associated schedule, full capability cost estimate, associated risks and mitigations, and expected outputs. The Phase I effort shall provide the following: 1. Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed End-to-End Design Concept and Implementation: Demonstration of and/or direct experience with execution of modeling and simulation efforts with a flexible architecture to produce data and metrics to inform the planned innovation to be used by SDA in further NDSA development efforts. 2. Phase II Implementation Plan: This plan shall consist of: a. Summary of approach for an Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed resident on the Digital Enterprise Environment for DoD processing up to TS/SCI level (request use of existing capabilities to avoid schedule slips and little to no cost). b. Capability maturity roadmap for Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed. c. Anticipated Phase II Outputs to be used in Phase III (include Phase III targets). d. Summary of anticipated Integrated Architecture Design MS&A Testbed end-state system capabilities including space-related requirements output, integration gap analyses, and support for various fidelities of payloads and components. This Phase will produce a design roadmap of an MS&A Testbed to evaluate various trade studies, assess military utility, and will document demonstration success criteria. This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. PHASE II: Phase II Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed will enable mission analyses that will establish performance parameters to inform requirements development and design decisions. The MS&A Testbed will enable the SDA to buy down risk through experimentation and simulation, leading to prototype fabrication and tests for a space or ground system. For behavioral models and truth-based input, consideration will be given to those technologies capable of integrating with other space stakeholders to include the US Space Force, USSPACECOM, NRO, NGA, and other space assets. Phase II is a prototype implementation of an Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed including necessary support instrumentation as defined in the Phase II Development Plan. This includes any needed Government Furnished Information (GFI). SDA requests for the proposer to deliver an automated capability which interlinks existing Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS), Government Off-The-Shelf (GOTS), and open source tools necessary to conduct MS&A and generate model based systems engineering artifacts needed to inform requirements development. The Phase II prototype will be able to consider the transient needs of various and multiple end users and identify requirements of the NDSA constellation that provides maximum utility. The MS&A Testbed shall provide end-users with the ability to capture scenario configurations; replay, modify, and share configurations; resume a scenario from any point; run in any timescale; operate at multiple levels of fidelity; and simulate the full breadth of the space domain with families of constellations and space debris, when desired. The prototype shall produce human-readable, MBSE-compatible output in templated formats for ease of integration into the SDA’s acquisition process. Detailed design and validation test reports comprise the Phase II. This, in addition to the prototype that shall be delivered at the end of the Phase II period of performance. The prototype shall be demonstrated in accordance with the demo success criteria developed in Phase I. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III work targets lifecycle support for the Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed. Development of this capability will be hosted on the Digital Enterprise Environment up to the TS/SCI level, capable of being easily ported to other environments as needed. Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed expansion to the Design and Development through Fielding and Disposal as needed to support major events including launch events, capstones, and Warfighter CONOPs/TTPs planning. Successful efforts will have the ability to take Integrated Architecture Technology MS&A Testbed, coupled with use of a Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) capability, to provide real assets being used for important decision making based on human (Live and/or Constructive) and non-human in the loop (virtual). REFERENCES: (R&E), OUSD. (2022). Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Retrieved from Digital Engineering: https://ac.cto.mil/digital_engineering/ Department of Defense (DOD) High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP). (2022). DOD HPCMP Centers. Retrieved from https://centers.hpc.mil/ Dessault Systems. (2022). CAMEO SYSTEMS MODELER. Retrieved from https://www.3ds.com/products-services/catia/products/no-magic/cameo-systems-modeler/ Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division. (2022). Next Generation Threat System. Retrieved from https://www.navair.navy.mil/nawctsd/sites/g/files/jejdrs596/files/2018-11/2017-ngts.pdf Pheonix Integration. (2022). Pheonix Model Center. Retrieved from https://www.phoenix-int.com/ Space Development Agency. (2022). Space Development Agency. Retrieved from https://www.sda.mil/ WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB. (2022). Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration and Modeling software. Retrieved from https://www.wpafb.af.mil/News/Art/igphoto/2001709929 KEYWORDS: Digital Thread, Modeling, Simulation, Analysis, Model-based, Automation, GOTS, Government-Owned, Live, Virtual, Constructive, Systems Engineering, Automation

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Control and Communications; Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, Big Data The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this effort is to correlate and de-duplicate large sets of data automatically and in in real time from various sources using identifiers, supporting metadata, and location to merge data sets into a single object to reduce ambiguity and screen clutter. This reduces user overload in terms of data visualized in a user interface, as well as reduces time in trying to deconflict identical data displayed more than a single time. DESCRIPTION: Real-world objects such as aircraft, ships, vehicles, personnel, etc. affect mission goals within the operations area. Whether they are potential military targets or possible collateral damage, it is critical for Special Operations Force (SOF) operators and their Command and Control (C2) elements to have continuous Situational Awareness (SA) of their location (i.e., tracks). A combination of various data feeds containing positional data may result in duplicate tracks (i.e., two different sensor or systems reporting the same real-world object). Even objects without positional data may need to be correlated, deduplicated, and their metadata merged. These tracks may have a host of metadata associated with them captured by various sources or systems: military, civilian, and open sources. These objects may have assigned unique identifiers (UID), sensor IDs, and supporting metadata. Often multiple sensors (using various technologies) obtain track data, which varies in accuracy, precision, and completeness. Track location (when sources have different capabilities) may vary for the same object. Latency, staleness, and other factors present a significant challenge to correlate these objects in real-time. The goal is to merge duplicate tracks and other data into a single object to reduce ambiguity and screen clutter. PHASE I: Conduct a feasibility study to assess what is in the art of the possible that satisfies the requirements specified in the above paragraphs entitled “Objective” and “Description.” The objective of this USSOCOM Phase I SBIR effort is to conduct and document the results of a thorough feasibility study (“Technology Readiness Level 3”) to investigate what is in the art of the possible within the given trade space that will satisfy a needed technology. The feasibility study should investigate all options that meet or exceed the minimum performance parameters specified in this write up. It should also address the risks and potential payoffs of the innovative technology options that are investigated and recommend the option that best achieves the objective of this technology pursuit. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments and laboratory studies as necessary. Operational prototypes will not be developed with USSOCOM SBIR funds during Phase I feasibility studies. Operational prototypes developed with other than SBIR funds that are provided at the end of Phase I feasibility studies will not be considered in deciding what firm(s) will be selected for Phase II. NOTE: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met. PHASE II: Develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study on a Track Correlator for Mission Command. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This system could be used in a broad range of military applications where multiple disparate data sources and feeds need to be correlated against one another to ensure data accuracy. This is also widely applicable to commercial sectors where large amounts of repetitive data take time and computational power to understand and deduplicate. REFERENCES: 1. Performance metrics for correlation and tracking algorithms: https://calhoun.nps.edu/handle/10945/2473 KEYWORDS: Data, Deduplication, Correlation, Geospatial, Circular Error Probable, Spherical Error Probable, Elliptical Error Probable, Ellipsoid Error Probable, Mission Command, Kalman

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Network Command, Control and Communications; Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Special Operations Force (SOF) operations and intel analysis support often need to understand information from data written in foreign languages. Social media posts Collected Exploitable Material (CEM), printed material and signs and other potentially valuable sources of data in a non-native language are a large challenge to those without linguistic specialization in that language. This effort applies natural language processing technology to glean operational relevant information for SOF. DESCRIPTION: This proposed solution applies Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology to glean operational relevant information. The desired solution will allow users not proficient in a target language to utilize and easy to use user interface(s) (UI) to rapidly glean information from multiple mediums in order to inform intelligence and operational activities. The UI will support a native English speaker yet will perform NLP processing in the native language (before translation to English) to ensure errors induced by translation losses are limited. Current NLP solutions, although good in the English language, have limited foreign language capability. Any foreign language NLP artifacts will be combined with post-translation NLP artifacts in such a way that the English-only user can easily see the results. For example, named entities in the foreign language will be combined with Named Entity Recognition (NER) results after translation and presented to the user in a context where the associations are clear. The NLP need includes NER, relationship extraction/entity linking, sentiment analysis, terminology extraction, coreference resolution, Automatic summarization (text summarization), and any other value-added service available per a vendor’s technology needed is a solution that handles [in the colloquialism of the native language] sarcasm, figures of speech, and jargon. It is assumed that some collected exploitable material (CEM) specific component outside systems will handle native language Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and users will be able to supply OCR results to the SDA solution. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) intelligence analysts who assess the impacts of Information Operations (IO) require the interpretation (machine translation and NLP) and display/visualization of sourced Publicly Available Information (PAI) (foreign textual data). Unlike current programs of record, our tool(s) will allow analysts to quickly establish sentiment analysis baselines and identify adversary disinformation campaigns by using advanced processing techniques to interpret foreign text data. PHASE I: Conduct a feasibility study to assess what is in the art of the possible that satisfies the requirements specified in the above paragraphs entitled “Objective” and “Description.” The objective of this USSOCOM Phase I SBIR effort is to conduct and document the results of a thorough feasibility study (“Technology Readiness Level 3”) to investigate what is in the art of the possible within the given trade space that will satisfy a needed technology. The feasibility study should investigate all options that meet or exceed the minimum performance parameters specified in this write up. It should also address the risks and potential payoffs of the innovative technology options that are investigated and recommend the option that best achieves the objective of this technology pursuit. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments and laboratory studies as necessary. Operational prototypes will not be developed with USSOCOM SBIR funds during Phase I feasibility studies. Operational prototypes developed with other than SBIR funds that are provided at the end of Phase I feasibility studies will not be considered in deciding what firm(s) will be selected for Phase II. NOTE: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met. PHASE II: Develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study on a natural language processor for Special Operations Forces. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This system could be used in a broad range of military applications where collected exploitable material, social media and other data sources are ingested in large quantities but cannot be analyzed due to linguist resource constraints. REFERENCES: 1. The Power of Natural Language Processing: https://hbr.org/2022/04/the-power-of-natural-language-processing; Your Guide to Natural Language Processing (NLP): https://towardsdatascience.com/your-guide-to-natural-language-processing-nlp-48ea2511f6e1 KEYWORDS: Translation, Natural Language Processing, Foreign Language, analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, Special Operations Forces

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Network Command, Control and Communications; Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Big Data, Data Science, Data Analytics, Data Discovery, Data Manipulation The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop a software system and supporting training documentation that enables end users with limited or no coding experience the ability to take one or more datasets, and transform, combine, plot, and generally manipulate them to answer a question or achieve inference of said data. DESCRIPTION: High level data analytics and in extension data scientists are rarely available to Special Operations Force (SOF) Commanders conducting missions due to placement and access and expertise of the unit composition. This creates a gap in what is within the realm of technological possibility and what SOF users have access to. This effort is intended to bridge the gap between operational knowledge and data analytics knowledge. Simply put, SOF end users with years of operational experience need to be enabled at the lowest possible complexity to transform disparate, ad-hoc data sets to be compatible with, and loaded into various other systems for data analytics support to SOF missions. This will enable next generation data analytics capabilities to act as a force multiplier at the lowest tactical level without a need for specialized data analysts or other support that may not be available at the tactical edge. The subject effort will rely on innovative research into simplifying complex tasks and methodologies into a form that is digestible by users with little or no data scientist related training. Research will be into novel ways to present complex theories, processes and products in a way that is easily trained and implemented across the SOF formation. PHASE I: Conduct a feasibility study to assess what is in the art of the possible that satisfies the requirements specified in the above paragraphs entitled “Objective” and “Description.” The objective of this USSOCOM Phase I SBIR effort is to conduct and document the results of a thorough feasibility study (“Technology Readiness Level 3”) to investigate what is in the art of the possible within the given trade space that will satisfy a needed technology. The feasibility study should investigate all options that meet or exceed the minimum performance parameters specified in this write up. It should also address the risks and potential payoffs of the innovative technology options that are investigated and recommend the option that best achieves the objective of this technology pursuit. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments and laboratory studies as necessary. Operational prototypes will not be developed with USSOCOM SBIR funds during Phase I feasibility studies. Operational prototypes developed with other than SBIR funds that are provided at the end of Phase I feasibility studies will not be considered in deciding what firm(s) will be selected for Phase II. NOTE: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met. PHASE II: Develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study on a low/no code data manipulation and discovery software application. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This system could be used in a broad range of military applications where data scientists and other qualified individuals are unavailable at a tactical level. The commercial applications of this technology are also feasible where lower expertise users could contribute to data manipulation and inference at a significantly reduced cost. REFERENCES: 1. Democratizing AI With Low-Code and No-Code Machine Learning Platforms: https://www.g2.com/articles/low-code-and-no-code-machine-learning-platforms; Low Code Data Science Is Not the Same as Automated Machine Learning: https://www.knime.com/blog/low-code-analytics-platform KEYWORDS: Data Science, Data Analytics, Low Code, No Code, Data Discovery, Data Manipulation, Data Inference, Low Code Tools, No Code Tools, Special Operations Forces

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Network Command, Control and Communications; Autonomy; Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Artificial Intelligence Decision Support System, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, Big Data, Edge Processing The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop Artificial Intelligence Decision Support System (AI-DSS) to achieve a Human Machine Teaming (HMT) construct for specific Special Operations Forces (SOF) mission thread(s) that will be provided by the Government. DESCRIPTION: SOF operators have a high cognitive load to accomplish all their simultaneous tasks on various mission threads. To relieve a portion of this cognitive load, program offices are working with operators to identify specific cognitive loads that the human would like to offload to the machine. The machine would act as an AI-DSS, providing answers, recommendations, and the like back to the operator. This enables the human to focus on tasks only humans can currently accomplish based on complexity, policy, and/or trust. The goal of this effort is to enable a machine to understand real world objects, their interactions, mission goals, legal/policy/doctrinal/physical constraints, the environment, etc. to establish a knowledge representation where the machine can provide decision support. This will reduce SOF operator’s cognitive load, reduce the human decision space, and potentially accelerate Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act (OODA) loop and mission accomplishment, while potentially reducing uncertainty. PHASE I: Conduct a feasibility study to assess what is in the art of the possible that satisfies the requirements specified in the above paragraphs entitled “Objective” and “Description.” The objective of this USSOCOM Phase I SBIR effort is to conduct and document the results of a thorough feasibility study (“Technology Readiness Level 3”) to investigate what is in the art of the possible within the given trade space that will satisfy a needed technology. The feasibility study should investigate all options that meet or exceed the minimum performance parameters specified in this write up. It should also address the risks and potential payoffs of the innovative technology options that are investigated and recommend the option that best achieves the objective of this technology pursuit. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments and laboratory studies as necessary. Operational prototypes will not be developed with USSOCOM SBIR funds during Phase I feasibility studies. Operational prototypes developed with other than SBIR funds that are provided at the end of Phase I feasibility studies will not be considered in deciding what firm(s) will be selected for Phase II. NOTE: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only. Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met. PHASE II: Develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study for an AI-DSS prototype. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This system could be used in a broad range of military applications where cognitive load overwhelms the user and machine decision support could allow for execution of operations in increasingly complex mission sets in peer/near peer environments. This technology could be easily carried over to commercial applications where complex problems create a cognitive burden on users of a system or technology. REFERENCES: 1. Artificial Intelligence for Decision Support in Command: https://www.foi.se/download/18.41db20b3168815026e010/1548412090368/Artificial-intelligence-decision_FOI-S--5904--SE.pdf; Human-AI Cooperation to Benefit Military Decision Making: https://www.sto.nato.int/publications/STO%20Meeting%20Proceedings/STO-MP-IST-160/MP-IST-160-S3-1.pdf; The military wants AI to replace human decision-making in battle: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/29/darpa-artificial-intelligence-battlefield-medical-decisions/ KEYWORDS: Special Operations Forces, Artificial Intelligence, Decision Support System, Cognitive Load, Human Machine Teaming, Machine Learning, Mission Command Systems, Common Operating Picture

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this topic is to develop applied research toward an innovative capability to apply Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) to discover unknown networks and identify activities’ anomalies in financial data. DESCRIPTION: As a part of this feasibility study, the proposers shall address all viable overall system design options with respective specifications on the key system attributes to identify suspicious financial transactions and other types of personas by deploying a Topological Anomaly Detection algorithm applied to two types of entities: Personas, which represents individuals or organizations, and Transactions, which are any exchange of resources between Personas. PHASE I: Conduct a feasibility study to assess what is in the art of the possible that satisfies the requirements specified in the above paragraphs entitled “Objective” and “Description.” The objective of this USSOCOM Phase I SBIR effort is to conduct and document the results of a thorough feasibility study (“Technology Readiness Level 3”) to investigate what is in the art of the possible within the given trade space that will satisfy a needed technology. The feasibility study should investigate all options that meet or exceed the minimum performance parameters specified in this write up. It should also address the risks and potential payoffs of the innovative technology options that are investigated and recommend the option that best achieves the objective of this technology pursuit. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments and laboratory studies as necessary. Operational prototypes will not be developed with USSOCOM SBIR funds during Phase I feasibility studies. Operational prototypes developed with other than SBIR funds that are provided at the end of Phase I feasibility studies will not be considered in deciding what firm(s) will be selected for Phase II. PHASE II: Develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study on a capability to apply AI/ML to discover unknown networks and identify anomalies in investment activities based on available financial information by applying Topological Anomaly Detection algorithms. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This system could be used in a broad range of military applications where structured financial information can be utilized to discern any ownership or control. REFERENCES: 1. Aktas, M.E., Akbas, E. & Fatmaoui, A.E. Persistence homology of networks: methods and applications. Appl Netw Sci 4, 61 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41109-019-0179-3; 2. V. Bahel, S. Pillai and M. Malhotra, "A Comparative Study on Various Binary Classification Algorithms and their Improved Variant for Optimal Performance," 2020 IEEE Region 10 Symposium (TENSYMP), 2020, pp. 495-498, https://doi.org/10.1109/TENSYMP50017.2020.9230877 KEYWORDS: Topological Anomaly Detection; Persona; Finance; Financial Intelligence; Artificial Intelligence

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Control andCommand, Control and Communications; Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning. Communications; Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning; General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Air Platform; Sensors; Electronics; Battle Space; Human Systems. The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this topic is to develop applied research toward an innovative capability to enable voice control and interaction with a variety of organic sensors and data processing systems employed by soldiers at the operational tactical edge. DESCRIPTION: This topic seeks innovative research and development efforts that reduce the cognitive burden associated with control and interaction with a variety of electronic systems employed by Special Operations formation at multiple echelons from a forward deployed small unit up to a Company level command post. As a part of this feasibility study, the proposers shall address all viable overall system design options and considerations with respective specifications related to key system attributes. Key system attributes include: 1. Voice control achieved organically (without reach back to second order data processing). 2. Robust audio processing to achieve effective control in the presence of background noise and imprecise voice commands. 3. Data processing on small form factor, commercially available data processing circuits. 4. Flexible software architecture to allow application to multiple electronic system with minimal adaptation. 5. Provide an audio feedback loop to confirm commands and actions. PHASE I: Conduct a feasibility study to assess what is in the art of the possible that satisfies the general requirements specified in the above paragraphs entitled “Objective” and “Description.” The objective of this USSOCOM Phase I SBIR effort is to conduct and document the results of a thorough feasibility study (“Technology Readiness Level 3”) to investigate what is in the art of the possible within the given trade space that will satisfy a needed technology. The feasibility study should investigate all options that meet or exceed the minimum performance parameters specified in this write up. It should also address the risks and potential payoffs of the innovative technology options that are investigated and recommend the option that best achieves the objective of this technology pursuit. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments and laboratory studies as necessary. Operational prototypes will not be developed with USSOCOM SBIR funds during Phase I feasibility studies. Operational prototypes developed with other than SBIR funds that are provided at the end of Phase I feasibility studies will not be considered in deciding what firm(s) will be selected for Phase II. PHASE II: Develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype voice control system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study on a small to medium unmanned aerial platform (integrated on either the ground control system or aerial platform) and/or an Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) application. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This system could be used in a broad range of military applications where the soldier must interface rapidly electronic equipment in a high stress situation. REFERENCES: 1. Multiple scholarly articles are available under internet search for “Voice Control of Unmanned Aerial Systems”; 2. SkyRaider Product Information; https://www.flir.com/products/r80d-skyraider/?vertical=uas&segment=uis; Black Hornet Product Information; 3. https://www.flir.com/products/black-hornet-prs/?vertical=uas-norway&segment=uis; 4. The Open Standards for Drone Hardware, 2019; https://Pixhawk.org KEYWORDS: Voice control; artificial intelligence; machine learning; human-machine interaction; un-crewed aerial system; un-manned aerial system; un-crewed ground system; un-manned ground system.

OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Biotechnology Space TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Biomedical; Electronics OBJECTIVE: The objective of this topic is to develop applied research toward an innovated capability to optimize auditory performance of working dogs. This will be accomplished through development of an in-ear hearing protection device capable of providing the necessary protection while still allowing environmental awareness as well as effective communication between the dog and handler. DESCRIPTION: The ability to provide in-ear hearing protection for an MPC while still allowing effective environmental awareness as well as communication between the dog and handler will significantly improve their operational effectiveness and ensure long-term health through reduction of hearing loss. As a part of this feasibility study, the proposers shall address all viable overall system design options with respective specifications on the key system attributes: • The ability to attenuate frequencies below 1000Hz. • Allow dogs to retain the ability to hear within the frequency range of 2000-4000Hz. • Capable of automatic gain control. • Capable of automatic noise cancellation. • Capable of receiving communication from a radio or other device utilized to remotely give commands to the MPC. • Ability to operate in all environmental conditions. • Will not interfere with natural ear movement so it will not affect MPCs ability to move their ears to maximize reception and help direct and amplify sound. • Hearing protection material must not cause tissue reactivity or other harm to MPC ears. • Available in variety of sizes to accommodate different size ears and MPCs; custom molding being required is acceptable • Ability to be retained in the ear canal and maintain an adequate seal for providing hearing protection PHASE I: Conduct a feasibility study to assess what is in the art of the possible that satisfies the requirements specified in the above paragraphs entitled “Objective” and “Description.” The objective of this USSOCOM Phase I SBIR effort is to conduct and document the results of a thorough feasibility study (“Technology Readiness Level 3”) to investigate what is in the art of the possible within the given trade space that will satisfy a needed technology. The feasibility study should investigate all options that meet or exceed the minimum performance parameters specified in this write up. It should also address the risks and potential payoffs of the innovative technology options that are investigated and recommend the option that best achieves the objective of this technology pursuit. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments and laboratory studies as necessary. Operational prototypes will not be developed with USSOCOM SBIR funds during Phase I feasibility studies. Operational prototypes developed with other than SBIR funds that are provided at the end of Phase I feasibility studies will not be considered in deciding what firm(s) will be selected for Phase II. PHASE II: Develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study on a canine in-ear hearing protection device. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This system could be used in a broad range of military applications where canine in-ear hearing protection while still allowing environmental awareness as well as effective communication between the dog and handler is required. Other applications include various federal and state agencies, law enforcement, sporting, hunting, agility training, and veterinary medicine. REFERENCES: 5. “Canine Hearing Loss Management.” Vet Clinics of North America Small Animal Practice. November 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232810805_Canine_Hearing_Loss_Management; 6. “Companion animals, their biology, care, health and management.” Pearson Prentice Hall 2005; 7. “Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in 3 Working Dogs.” December 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31837756/; 8. Evidence of Noise-Induced Subclinical Hearing Loss using BAER and objective measure of hearing loss in humans.” January 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29370962/ KEYWORDS: Dog; Canine; Hearing Protection; In-Ear; AGC; ANC; Remote communication