ATEC HQ 005 Questions and Answers.pdf

Q&A

ATEC HQ 005

Expeditionary Secure Cross-Domain Modernization

• “Desired solution is a remotely controlled, drone-based optical observation system capable of safely capturing and scoring munition impacts from within restricted SDZs” -- Does the Army see a need for solutions that move data directly from the drone platform to a ground station, typically over a wireless link, or is the primary focus on moving and sharing data among different ground-based enclaves after the data has reached the ground station?

Answer: The reference to 'drone-based optical observation' was an administrative error and has been corrected to the ' Expeditionary Secure Cross-Domain Modernization ' Call for Solutions posting. To clarify the data-flow focus, ATEC is interested in solutions capable of both real-time, wireless ingestion from mobile tactical platforms and the secure routing of data among distributed ground-based enclaves post-ingestion

• “efficiently move test data across disparate security enclaves,” --- Are these enclaves geographically dispersed across a wide region and connected over long distances?

Answer: The security enclaves are distributed both locally within individual ranges and geographically dispersed across wide regions connected over long distances.

ATEC is seeking flexible solutions capable of maintaining secure, high-throughput data transfer across both localized test enclaves and wide-area, distributed range networks.

• What are the typical network conditions between the enclaves—for example, high-performance fiber, terrestrial wireless networks in rural/remote areas, or satellite links?

Answer: ATEC operates across a diverse communication infrastructure that includes high-performance fiber, terrestrial wireless, and satellite links. Vendors are invited to propose solutions that can dynamically adapt and optimize secure data throughput across all of these representative network conditions, including contested or degraded environments.

• “achieving a boundary throughput of at least 100 Mbps, and completing 10MB file transfers in under 5 seconds” What is typical data file type: Video, Image, Sensor data, or text based?

Answer: The test data represents a highly diverse, multi-modal environment including high-definition video, telemetry time-series streams, sensor data, and structured text-based files. Vendors are encouraged to propose solutions capable of maintaining high-throughput and low-latency processing across all of these representative data formats.

• Does the Army consider key enabling technologies as modular components that address one or more specific capability needs, delivered as software libraries or services with open APIs for integration into existing systems? Or is the preference for a fully integrated end-to-end system that addresses all capability needs?

Answer: ATEC highly values modularity and the principles of a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). ATEC welcomes both highly specialized, API-driven software components that integrate into our existing frameworks and fully integrated, end-to-end systems that address complete requirements of the call. In both cases, solutions must prioritize open architectures and ease of integration to prevent proprietary vendor lock-in.