Office of Naval Research, 800 North Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22217-5660

A -- INTEGRATED AIR DEPLOYED STRIKE SURVEILLANCE (IADSS) POC G. Fisher, ONR 251 (703) 696-2602. The original announcement published on 22 November 1995 is being re-submitted to include changes in the pre-proposal submission date, POC and technical requirements for Technology Demonstration, addition of Science and Technology development area for Autonomous Operation, revised format for pre-proposals, and that offerors may submit separate proposals for Technology Demonstration and Science and Technology Development. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is pleased to re-issue this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the Integrated Airborne Deployed Strike Surveillance (IADSS) Program, a five year program that begins in FY96. IADSS will advance the state-of-the-art of autonomous airborne sensor management, integration, data fusion, adaptive vehicle management and full duplex communications. This will be accomplished for multiple dissimilar sensors collocated on the same platform tasked to cooperatively interoperate. The candidate sensors include Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) equipment, Multi-Spectral Electro-Optical (EO)/ Infrared (IR) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors. The Autonomous Management System (AMS) will provide autonomous sensor management, data fusion, target identification and classification, adaptive flight control, and mission planning. A duplex communications system will provide data links for IADSS product and raw data to specified ground segments. The IADSS Program will consist of a series of demonstrations of on-board autonomous sensor management, sensor integration, data processing and fusion as well as a Science and Technology program to advance related technologies. The IADSS equipment platform will autonomously search a designated area with multiple appropriate sensors with minimal human interface. It will forward to the tactical user a SAR or EO/IR target image annotated with SIGINT parametric data and includes, if determined, target identification, classification, location and intention. Typically the system requires only mission objectives (candidate targets and priority), search area coordinates, ingress and egress time, and environmental conditions to generate accurate IADSS product reports. The system will also be capable of receiving in-flight high priority search reas (e.g., from an E-2C platform) and target parameters. Finally, the IADSS will be capable of deterministic (completely preprogrammed) to fully autonomous operation. The IADSS program will include a series of ground and air testbed demonstrations. The demonstrations are focused on demonstrating the concept and available technology. Emphasis is on AMS capability for sensor cueing and management, adaptive flight control, data fusion, and target recognition. Science and Technology development will focus on high risk, high payoff activities including sensor advancement, signal processing techniques, automatic target recognition processes and techniques, and other related technologies. Responses should focus on innovative, novel methods for integrating multiple sensors on an air test platform suitable for ultimate Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) deployment. Responses should exploit available technologies to provide autonomous operation including automated sensor cross-cueing as well as sensor and vehicle management, multi-sensor fusion, target geolocation, identification and classification, and data and image compression for tactical dissemination. Responses should include implementation of AMS with sufficient capability to support demonstration goals. Selected sensors must have adequate resolution, sensitivity, and update rates to support demonstration goals. Sensors should be available and have documented performance. ONR will approve sensor selection and reserves the right to select sensors for the demonstrations. The architecture should allow integration of replacement or upgraded sensors for demonstrations. The communication link must be common high bandwidth data link (CHBDL) compatible. The capability to reduce false alarms (where the individual sensors generate false alarms due to clutter or sensor and processor noise) to a very low rate (e.g., less than one false target per hour of operation) is a prime consideration. The demonstrations should include airborne experiments that show that integrated sensor/processor/vehicle testbeds provide synergistic performance vice multiple individual sensors in detecting and declaring targets in a complex environment. The response should address ground based testbed and air platform demonstrations, proposed timeline, and demonstration objectives as well as all aspects of sensor integration and autonomous management to support required demonstrations.Technical questions concerning the Technology Demonstration shall be submitted in writing to Office of Naval Research, Attn: Dr. Tom Taylor, Code 35, 800 N. Quincy Street, Ballston Tower #1, Arlington, VA 22217-5660 or faxed to 703 696 3945. Science and Technology development includes radio frequency (RF), electronic, opto-electronic components, devices and associated algorithmic techniques as well as processes and techniques to support autonomous operations and target recognition. Responses can address all or any specific technology area. Offerors are encouraged to propose other Science and Technology areas that support IADSS objectives. Science and Technology development areas follow: (1) EO/IR SENSORS AND PROCESSING: Technology developments focused on multi-spectral EO/IR sensors can include multi- spectral focal plane arrays (FPAs), ''smart'' multi-spectral FPAs (having readout circuits integral to the FPA) and associated multi-spectral signal and image processing methods (including electronic stabilization, non-uniformity correction, image segmentation, target detection and recognition). Emphasis is on integrated smart multi-spectral EO/IR focal plane arrays that overcome the shortcomings of current Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe FPA) technology. Broad areas of new materials, e.g., Gallium Arsenide Indium Antimonide (GaInAsSb) strained layer superlattice (SLS), and device concepts, e.g., Quantum Well Infrared Photo detectors (QWIP) that can be developed into 256x256 FPA are to be investigated. At a minimum, the FPA must be dual-band with co-located pixels (high fill factor) and simultaneous readout of images from two bands, three bands are preferred. The IR detector device concept must be capable of providing intrinsic bandpass filtering suitable for ''color'' discrimination. Desirable features of the advanced sensors include the following: (a) the FPA should be relatively uniform on gain, off-set, and sensitivity and should include on-chip uniformity correction if necessary, (b) sensors operating at temperatures higher than HgCdTe but with equal or better detection are preferred, (c) the readout integrated circuits (ROICs) should be an integral part of the chip, (d) the chip should exploit the multi-band ''color'' processing for enhanced target discrimination and identification in various environments, and (e) individual pixels should be randomly addressable such that the FPA can beused for surveillance and target tracking. The integration of these features should be done monolithically or by means of multi-layered integrated circuits (ICs). They may require the use of epitaxial lift-off techniques or 3-D flip-chip IC and packaging. However, efforts that can simultaneously lead to low cost manufacture are encouraged. Low power circuits that will go on the 3-D chips may be necessary to minimize heat dissipation and to realize intelligent ''color'' processing. (2) SAR/Ground Movement Target Indicator (GMTI) and SIGINT SENSORS AND PROCESSING: Of particular interest are the development of lightweight antennas with high efficiency, capable of operation over the spectral regime covered by the SAR and SIGINT systems. Also desirable are technologies that would enable an electronically or optically controlled shutter to further reduce the radar cross section of the UAV platform. Improvements to the signal processing associated with the SIGINT and SAR assets are desired including but not limited to higher speed analog-to-digital (A/D) devices with reduced power consumption based upon any technique. However, due to anticipated operational requirements, techniques that do not rely on over sampling and are capable of dealing with frequency-hopping and/or chirped signals are preferred. Technologies that can improve the efficiency of prime power generation for the radars while reducing the weight associated with the prime power generation subsystem are encouraged. Of particular interest are solid state devices based upon wide band-gap semiconductors including, but not limited to Gallium Nitride (GaN), Aluminum Gallium Nitride (GaN), Silicon Carbide (SiC), as well as relatively narrower III-V devices based upon Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Indium Antimonide (InP). (3) SENSOR/DATA FUSION and AUTONOMOUS OPERATION: Improved techniques for sensor and data management are sought. In particular, innovative architectures for sensor cueing based upon inferences from other sensors are desired, as well as the development of inferences employing data from multiple sensors. Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) processes and techniques are desired to fully exploit the data from the IADSS multi-sensor configuration. Techniques for autonomous sensor retasking to improve target recognition are desired. Data fusion and ATR must occur in real or near real-time, and it is highly desirable that the implemenation exploit existing commercial digital signal processing or reduced instruction ICs and chip sets. It is also desirable to obtain fused decisions and data, but confidence measures associated with the fused decisions and data. The architecture must not only manage the fusion of data and sensors, but must be capable of supporting and directing autonomous operation of a UAV. Techniques and processes for adaptive flight control and vehicle management are desired. Platform control must range from fully deterministic to fully autonomous. It must include the capability to be retasked via the communications system. Technical questions concerning Science and Technology Development shall be submitted in writing to Office of Naval Research, Attn.: Mr. James R. Buss, Code 313, 800 N. Quincy St., Ballston Tower #1, Arlington, VA 22217-5660, or faxed to 703-696-1331. PRE-PROPOSAL INFORMATION This notice constitutes a BAA as contemplated in FAR 6.102 (d) (2). Offerors are requested to submit an unclassified pre-proposal. The purpose of the pre-proposal is to preclude unwarranted efforts on the part of an offeror preparing a formal proposal. Offerors that meet IADSS requirements and are deemed to be in the best interest of the government will be invited to submit a formal proposal. Such an invitation does not assure subsequent contract award. All potential offerors must submit eight (8) copies, not exceeding 25 pages, in the following format: (1) Cover page labeled ''PRE-PROPOSAL'', including BAA title and date, proposal title, administrative and technical points of contact with telephone and facsimile machine numbers, (2) Abstract summarizing technical approach and potential significance and value to Navy surveillance and sensor requirements, (3) Technical Approach and Rationale, (4) Company Capabilities, Resources, and Experience, (5) Key Personnel with brief summary of related experience and role on the proposed effort, (6 ) Schedule and Milestones including rough estimates of cost for each year and total cost, and (7) Deliverables. Offerors may submit separate 25 page proposals for the Technology Demonstration and the Science and Technology Development . Evaluation of pre-proposals and formal proposals will be based upon the following criteria in order of importance: (1) potential significance and value of the effort to Navy surveillance and sensor requirements, (2) overall scientific and technical meits, (3) offeror's capabilities and related Science and Technology experience, facilities, techniques or unique combinations that are integral factors for achieving the proposed objectives, (4) qualifications, capabilities and experience of the principal investigator, or team leader and personnel who are key to program success, (5) cost realism. Submit pre-proposals 30 (thirty) calendar days after publication date of this clarification to Office of Naval Research, Code 313-IADSS (BAA #96-003), 800 N. Quincy St., Ballston Tower #1, Arlington, VA 22217-5660. Details regarding the format requirements and submission date for full proposals will be sent with the invitations to those companies and institutions whose pre-proposals were determined to merit more detailed consideration. The Government reserves the right to select for award all, some or none of the full proposals ultimately submitted. Questions regarding proposal preparation, business and contract issues, and legal matters relating to this BAA shall be submitted in writing to Office of Naval Research, Attn.: Ms. Glynis M. Fisher, Code 251 (96-003), 800 N. Quincy St., Ballston Tower #1, Arlington, VA 22217-5660, or faxed to 703-696-0993. (0324) (0345)

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