|
Innovation for Application of Unmanned Station-Keeping Sea Surface Platforms
Navy SBIR 2009.3 - Topic N093-207 NAVSEA - Mr. Dean Putnam - dean.r.putnam@navy.mil Opens: August 24, 2009 - Closes: September 23, 2009 N093-207 TITLE: Innovation for Application of Unmanned Station-Keeping Sea Surface Platforms TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO LMW: PMS (depending on application): 340, 403, 408, 420, 480, 485 OBJECTIVE: To develop an innovative product or process applicable to a creative, yet practical, warfare application of low observable, unmanned station-keeping sea surface platforms. DESCRIPTION: The Program Executive Office for Littoral and Mine Warfare (PEO LMW) contains a number of program offices the missions of which stand to benefit from the U.S. Navy and private sector investment in long endurance, low observable, unmanned station-keeping sea surface platforms. Such platforms include semi-submersibles but not Unmanned Underwater Vehicles. Of particular interest are platforms which are low profile and, so, not easily observed and which are easily deployed and retrieved. The ease of deployment and retrieval and other factors such as endurance on station depend on the application proposed. This topic solicits development of an innovative product or process and its application to a new or creatively enhanced use of such platforms. Successful proposals will offer the innovation and describe how its implementation will achieve the proposed application. Offerors, consequently, are being provided a broad opportunity for product or process innovation so long as they also convincingly describe how its application will be carried out. The successful product or process will allow fulfillment of the proposed application in an affordable, elegant, practical manner with minimal impact on the other systems involved in executing the particular mission. An innovative product or process is one which would be covered by SBIR Data Rights. Innovative proof of concept products or processes in this case can be developed for such areas such as: station-keeping ability; energy harvesting technique; cloaking; platform subsystems such as energy sources, guidance and control, sensor, communications, and the like. Application areas for PEO LMW program offices include communications from underwater to surface and/or air, including over the horizon and satellite; sensing for surveillance, defense, prosecution, and environmental monitoring (for acoustic performance prediction or for "bad things"). See Reference 1 for more specific descriptions. Proposals should identify a specific application or a closely related set of applications and explain how the innovative product or process will be key to enabling its achievement. Development of platforms from concept to prototype will not be funded under this topic. The Phase II effort is expected to achieve full exploratory development of the innovative product or process. Offerors are encouraged, on the other hand, to base their proposed applications on combinations of existing platforms and associated hardware and software that have been demonstrated at least through exploratory development, preferably through advanced development. Doing so is likely to minimize the cost and rick of transition. This guidance suggests that proposals may require the integration of a variety of disciplines. Under References below and during the Pre-Solicitation period no references will be provided for private sector USVs to avoid inadvertent omissions and the appearance of endorsing any USV. Any mention of specific USVs in government documents is not intended as an endorsement of one USV over another. PHASE II: Carry out the demonstration of the innovation in the proposed application either with actual hardware and software, simulation, or a combination. PHASE III: Support the conduct and assessment of a full demonstration of the proposed application. Transition the system to production. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: Station-keeping USVs have a range of applications related to, but separate from, naval warfare. They include homeland defense, environmental pollution monitoring, marine species monitoring, and oceanographic research. REFERENCES: 2. The Navy Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Mater Plan 23 July 2007 3. Unmanned Surface Vehicle Operational Deployment 1997 Final Report 4. Autonomous Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance for Unmanned Surface Vehicles 5. Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International KEYWORDS: low observable ocean platform, semisubmersible, Unmanned Surface Vehicle, USV, station keeping, surveillance, communications, environmental monitoring
|