The Army Futures Command is seeking innovative, readily available solutions for use by the 4th Infantry Division. The solutions should be capable of “extended experimentation” with soldiers in the field, and focused on one eight capabilities areas, outlined below.

Problem

This solicitation is looking to address the Army’s need to experiment with innovative technologies that can operate in the “air-ground littoral” domain — basically, the contested space from the ground up to a few thousand feet above it — where the growing use of drones, unmanned systems, and autonomy creates both new opportunities and threats for soldiers. It aims to identify solutions that enhance situational awareness, decision-making, and mission execution while ensuring interoperability with the Army’s emerging Next Generation Command and Control ecosystem, known as “NGC2.”

Opportunity

The Army is seeking technologies that are ready for long-term experimentation with the 4th Infantry Division. The tools sought include:

1. Movement & Maneuver: Unmanned operations for safety and security, including route/mine clearance, breaching, bunker/trench clearing, emplacement/detonation of charges or mines, and more.

2. Mission Command: Tools that process data and recommend courses of action. Includes tools that extend communication capabilities and others.

3. Intelligence: Including real-time targeting recognition analysis, synthesis and predictive analysis of intelligence streams, and “loitering capabilities” (for recon) and sensor networks.

4. Reconnaissance & Target Acquisition: Low signature/early warning systems, an reconnaissance capabilities forward of maneuver elements.

5. Fires: Including drone swarm or sensor-to-soldier systems that aid in target acquisition, fire adjustment, massing of fires, and attack capabilities. Also loitering systems that engage autonomously, etc.

6. Sustainment: Autonomous casualty evacuation, as well as convoy and aerial/ground resupply capabilities. Includes predictive maintenance and fleet health tools, operations automation, more. 

7. Protection: Systems that augment security and defense operations, and screen troop movements. Includes automated tools for Counter-UAS and more.

8. Information: Tools that scan for and detect network vulnerabilities. Penetration testing. Automated monitoring of disinformation and counter-narrative generation.

Integration

As noted above, it’s worth mentioning that the solicitation emphasizes technologies that work with Army’s emerging Next Generation Command and Control ecosystem. “NGC2” is a modular, open architecture software that will connect digital assets, remote sensors, command posts, vehicles and soldiers on the ground with real-time information. The Program Executive Office C3N has started prototyping the NGC2 with the 4th Infantry Division.

Criteria

As such, the Army will prioritize solutions with the following characteristics:

• Interoperability — Are maximally open-architectured for software and data interaction/sharing between the industry solution and the NGC2 ecosystem (via non-proprietary API).

• Low Bandwidth — Can be used on a tactical network and execute updates with low bandwidth requirements and/or minimize/prioritize data traffic.

• Eight Areas — Support the eight capability focus areas specified above.

• Security — Maintain vehicle platform’s safety-critical data in the vehicle platform’s internal data architecture (where applicable).

• Cost/Benefit — Provide direct and immediate benefit to the warfighter at no/low cost.

Submissions

The Army is using what are called “Innovative Capability Solution” or “ICS” submissions, which are three-page summaries. You can find instructions here, and submissions should be emailed to opencallsolutions@aal.army.

Deadline

Submission deadline is Sept. 5 at midnight in the U.S. (that’s really Sept. 6 at 7 a.m. Israel time).

Next Steps / More Information

Get details here. A one-page info sheet is also available.

Difficulty Level

Low. Simple submission form.

Questions

Questions can be posed to Matthew Lynch at matthew.r.lynch.civ@army.mil, or you can reach out to Scott Cohen of The CET Sandbox at scott@cetsandbox.com.