Advanced Novel Spectrum Warfare Environment Research (ANSWER)

The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded a Master IDIQ on September 30, 2014, to research, develop, and transition resilient, adaptive spectrum warfare technologies and techniques in RF spectrum warfare, trusted cyber-resilient avionics systems engineering, position navigation and timing in contested and denied environments, and electro-optics countermeasures. The vehicle's ordering period closed on September 29, 2019, making it inactive for pursuit.

The combined potential value across 14 task orders is $45.9 million, with $43.2 million obligated (94% of potential value). Ordering momentum was concentrated early: seven task orders awarded on the initial award date (September 30, 2014), five in 2015, one in 2018, and one in 2019, with no orders placed in the past six years and nine months.

Riverside Research Institute and Leidos, Inc. dominate competition, holding $17.9 million and $17.4 million in combined potential value respectively across three and four orders. These two firms capture approximately 77% of the vehicle's total potential value. Berriehill Research Corporation and Georgia TECH Applied Research Corp follow with $5.4 million and $5.1 million respectively; two additional small-business firms hold the remaining value. All task orders are unrestricted (no set-aside designations).

The customer base is concentrated almost entirely within the Air Force. The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Research Laboratory funded 13 of 14 orders ($40.9 million potential value); the Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Lifecycle Management Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base placed a single order ($5 million potential value).

Task orders range from $68 thousand to $9.99 million in ceiling value, with all awarded on a cost-plus-fixed-fee basis. Notable orders include Assured PNT Through All Modalities ($9.99 million ceiling, obligated through December 2024), EO/RF Multi-Spectrum Threat Defeat RODAN ($7.86 million ceiling), and Data Link Spectrum Warfare ($7.80 million ceiling). The vehicle is not suitable for new pursuit given the ordering period has closed.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL), Sensor's Directorate, has a awarded a new research program titled, The Advanced Novel Spectrum Warfare Environment Research (ANSWER). ANSWER, formerly known as Net-Enabled Electronic Warfare Technologies (NEWT), will research, develop, and transition resilient, adaptive spectrum warfare technologies and techniques to enable mission assured warfighting capabilities in contested and denied environments consistent with A2/AD scenarios. The technical areas that are covered by ANSWER are: Radio Frequency (RF) Spectrum Warfare, Trusted Cyber-Resilient Avionics Systems Engineering, Position Navigation and Timing (PNT) in Contested/Denied Environments, and Electro-Optics Countermeasures.