N254-C04 TITLE: Catapult Challenge: Modular Alternate Navigation Fusion Architecture for High Speed Systems
OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Advanced Computing and Software; Hypersonics; Integrated Network Systems-of-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: A Testing Open System Architecture (TOSA) is required to develop and evaluate alternate navigation capabilities. The TOSA solutions shall include a reference architectural diagram and definitions as well as Open System Models to enable modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) of proposed technologies.
DESCRIPTION: Most flight systems are Global Positioning Systems (GPS)-aided flight systems. To be more resilient when GPS may not be available, systems need to leverage additional alternate navigation sensors. However, flight system and subsystem architectures are often closed, proprietary, or otherwise not built to receive new capability subsystems. To open innovation, advanced capability programs require a Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) architecture to evaluate S&T or Advanced Capability subsystem performance for high-speed flight alternate navigation. The Testing Open System Architecture (TOSA) will be available to technology developers to develop their technologies to the testing standard. TOSA will also provide the government the tools needed to evaluate sensors developed to the TOSA.
This architecture shall incorporate and be compatible with Weapons Open System Architecture (WOSA) and Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA). This architecture shall give common standards to capability developers for hypersonic and supersonic weapon systems. TOSA shall be transitioned to The Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) to be implemented on Sub-Scale Tests (SSTs) and Full Scale Tests (FSTs) to enable the rapid transition of experimental prototype capability into Programs of Record for the US Navy, US Army, and US Air force.
The small business concern shall develop and promulgate a Testing Open System Architecture (TOSA) that will be representative for high-speed systems and sensor suites. The TOSA shall include:
Link to Notional Block Diagram:
https://navysbir.com/n25_4/R1/N254-C04-Notional_Block_Diagram.pdf
The problem most technology developers have is that they do not understand the constraints they should consider when developing a solution for the government. The objective is to develop a reference to which all developers can explore technology solutions to and to also enable the government to evaluate their performance without having to explore complex weapon system integration.
Related State of the Art Technologies: The TOSA should be able to support stimulation and assessment of various alternate navigation technologies:
Performance parameters: The TOSA should represent supersonic and hypersonic flight profiles over land and water.
Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. § 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and SSP in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
PHASE I: In Phase I, feasibility of the technology shall have superior accuracy over long distances to TOSA dead reckoning navigation systems. In order to design to success the following SWaP constraints should be considered:
Compliant with Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA), Sensor Open System Architecture (SOSA), Weapon Open System Architecture (WOSA), and the USAF Resilient-Embedded GPS/INS (R-EGI) open architecture
These considerations should be treated as bare minimum requirements, and may change based on the type of technology selected.
PHASE II: In Phase II, the awardee shall develop any hardware and/or software required to demonstrate a refined prototype solution for the advanced dead reckoning navigation system addressed in the previous SBIR or STTR award. The refined prototype shall not use any known external references other than initial starting position and IMU data, unless previously approved by the Government Technical Point of Contact (TPOC). The Phase II Statement of Work (SOW) should identify a work plan that provides proof of concept to meet the performance goals and reduce SWaP from Phase I. Work should focus on reduced SWaP and increased accuracy of modular alternative navigation algorithms while operating in a hypersonic regime. The prototype hardware, software, all modeling and simulation, and shall be delivered to show technical, measurable improvements to dead reckoning navigation. By the end of Phase II, the final prototype is intended to be integrated into test asset(s) for verification and validation of the technology.
It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: If the demonstration in Phase II is deemed to be of high interest to the government, the small business concern will be expected to support the government in transitioning the technology for government use. The transitioned product is expected to be able to support current and future weapon and space systems, as well as a wide range of other air, land, and sea-based systems.
Commercial applications should be considered for transition (i.e., ocean exploration, space exploration, commercial autonomous vehicles, and mapping systems). The primary objective of this project is for transition to defense contractors for high-speed weapons and space systems. To meet these needs, maturation and packaging of the technology to meet practical size, weight, and power constraints will be required. Extreme environments may require special considerations to conform to airframe shape and shielding from the aerothermal environment.
REFERENCES:
KEYWORDS: Hypersonic; Modular Alternate Navigation; High Speed Systems
** TOPIC NOTICE ** |
The Navy Topic above is an "unofficial" copy from the Navy Topics in the DoD 25.4 R1 SBIR BAA. Please see the official DoD Topic website at www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/solicitation-documents/active-solicitations for any updates. The DoD/Navy issued its Navy 25.4 Release 1 Catapult Challenge pre-release on October 2, 2024 which opens to receive proposals on October 23, 2024, and closes November 20, 2024 (12:00pm ET). Direct Contact with Topic Authors: During the pre-release period (October 2, 2024 through October 22, 2024) proposing firms have an opportunity to directly contact the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) to ask technical questions about the specific BAA topic. Once DoD begins accepting proposals on October 23, 2024 no further direct contact between proposers and topic authors is allowed unless the Topic Author is responding to a question submitted during the Pre-release period. Topics Search Engine: Visit the DoD Topic Search Tool at www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/ to find topics by keyword across all DoD Components participating in this BAA.
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| 10/13/24 | Q. | Is the expectation that the awardee develops the navigation algorithms or is the intent that the awardee develops the TOSA including hardware and software interfaces to integrate and test third part navigation algorithms and sensors? |
| A. | The intention is the latter, that the awardee develops the TOSA and tests third party algorithms. |