U.S. Army solicits PNT solutions for warfighters

The U.S. Army is soliciting proposals for research, development, design and testing that directly supports battlefield technologies in the area of positioning, navigation and timing (PNT).

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA W56KGU-18-R-PN22) was issued by the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) on Nov. 24 through FedBizOpps.gov.

CERDEC — based at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland — aims to discover technical approaches to improve and enhance current and future land warrior capabilities, flexibility and responsiveness in line with its strategic vision for enhancing warfighter capabilities to operate in both symmetric and unsymmetrical environments.

GPS-denied environments. “The goal is to support CERDECs Strategic Thrust for PNT by providing technical and operational capabilities that enables the soldier to continue their operations in hostile RF and GPS-denied environments,” reads the BAA. “Proposed technical approaches may apply to operations both before and after the cessation of hostilities.

“This announcement emphasizes approaches that address the very different challenges presented by urban fighting and dramatically enhance warfighter capabilities, for example, the ability to interact, maneuver and operate under a time constrained environment. These changes should generally result in lower casualties, lower collateral damage, and the effective use of combat power.

“The specific topics of interest revolve around the research and development of technologies may provide revolutionary improvements to the entire spectrum of PNT.”

Soldiers with 18th Military Police Brigade, assault opposing enemy threats during an Urban Operations training at the 7th Army Training Command’s Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Oct. 20, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Javon Spence)

CERDEC’s plan is to support multiple and potentially multiphase efforts that pursue the design, development, integration and demonstration of critical and enabling technology and system attributes pertaining to PNT. Proposed efforts will primarily be of service and material with aims at resolving technical barriers.

Proposals. Proposals submitted should range in scope from study and analysis type work with limited data and deliverables, to larger efforts for component developments, techniques and demonstrations with breadboard or prototype-style deliverables.

The contracts are expected to be cost-plus-fixed-fee, but can be negotiated.