BAA-AFRL-RQKS-2016-0006-Atch4.pdf

Attachment 4

BAA-AFRL-RQKS-2016-0006

28 July 2016

Electronic Support Critical Experiment

(ESCE) SOO

1.0 Background:

USAF relies on electronic warfare (EW) receivers to provide three critical functions:

Situational Awareness, Survivability cueing, and support to Intelligence, Surveillance, &

Reconnaissance (ISR) functions. Situational Awareness provides an understanding of the various spectrum emitters as well as the purpose of each emitter (i.e. commercial, military, etc.). Survivability Cueing provides the critical parameters so that as threat radar weapon systems are detected, identified, and prioritized actions can be initiated to enhance the survivability of the platform. ISR support integrates the information from the EW receiver with other ISR information to enhance information content and decision making.

Historically, the timetables to develop new EW receivers have been very deliberate. The threat emitters were well defined and Radio Frequency (RF) signals were slow to change.

The Background RF Environment (BRFE) emitters were sparse and analog in nature.

The overall environment had a high level of predictability and was easy to segregate from one another. The emergence of commercial networks and the digitally connected world is now changing all that. Current/emerging RF environments present many more challenges. Threat systems (such as electronic steerable arrays) are becoming much more complex and unpredictable due to high speed digital signal processing technology.

Systems can rapidly implement a wide range of diverse waveforms and irregular scan patterns through firmware and/or software changes. Older threats will be around for the foreseeable future, with some getting upgrades with modern digital technology.

At the same time the threats are evolving, commercial networks provide completely new

BRFE scenarios. RF background environments continue to expand in density and complexity and present significant challenges to current EW receiver architectures.

BRFE signals are using larger parts of the RF spectrum and proliferating in numbers. The

EW receiver architectures need to have the flexibility to rapidly configure/respond to both of these dynamic environments, and evolve with the RF signal environment in an expeditious and affordable manner.

2.0 Objective:

The 30 month ESCE objective is threefold. The first objective is to define a functional decomposition of an innovative EW receiver architecture that will provide enhanced capability against current/emerging RF threats in relevant background environments. The architecture should provide a scalable and open framework (i.e. Open Mission Systems

(OMS), Future Airborne Capability Environment, etc.) amenable to adding, upgrading or replacing existing hardware, firmware, and software functionality without any significant system redesign. The architecture should also have the capability to easily expand/grow as the threat evolves.

The second objective is to demonstrate key signal processing functions in the proposed architecture. Signal processing in this context is defined as all aspects of signal detection, emitter parameter measurement and correlation, emitter sorting, and identification.

The third objective is to perform a series of government assessments that will document key signal processing capabilities and assess key technologies. The Government shall provide a series of RF environments that progressively increase in complexity to assess the signal processing functions. The signal processing functions are expected to produce a signal emitter report for each emitter in all environments. The government assessment will start no later than the 16th month from contract kick-off and conclude no later than the 27th month from the contract-kickoff.

Participation in various technical reviews throughout the ESCE program to examine the

EW architecture design, key signal processing functions, and participation in EW architecture Requirement and Functional Reviews is required. Participation in preliminary, system, and critical design review to assess the maturation of key signal processing functions as defined in the EW receiver architecture design is expected.

3.0 Scope:

The ESCE effort will research, design, and document an EW receiver architecture and assess state-of-the art key signal processing functions. The key signal processing functions will be assessed against multiple AFRL generated vignettes/scenarios consisting of legacy and emerging RF threat environments. The entire EWreceiver architecture shall include, but not be limited to the following:

Data Processing Functions High Speed Digital Processing

Deinterleaving Antenna Assumptions Filtering

Clustering RF Distribution Detection

Association Signal Parameter Measurement Feature Extraction

Classification Conversion

Identification Digitization

Tracking

Geo-location

4.0 Specific Objectives

As a continuation of the objectives listed under paragraph 2.0, Objective of the SOO, the focus of ESCE is to produce correct emitter reports in emerging and future complex RF environments. This will require the means to (resolve ambiguous and out of library RF signals (back-end-signal processing). The bulk of the technical emphasis should be tied to the maturation, performance, and assessment of key signal processing functions and not hardware development of complete EW system.

4.1 Specific technical objectives shall be divided into three areas

1. Open System Architecture Design

2. Key Signal Processing Functional Development

3. TRL Assessment and Roadmap to TRL 6.

4.1.1 Objective 1 - Open System Architecture Design

Functionally design and document an overall EW receiver architecture to address both emerging and future RF environments as defined in the classified annex. Functional design emphasis is requested on the desired frequency bands identified in the classified annex. Analyze architecture trade-space (i.e. provide analysis on how RF front-end design supports back-end signal processing). Functional internal interfaces between the subsystems and functions shall also be defined. Consider platform agnostic architecture.

Ultimately the design should possess scalability features enabling an efficient transition to both UAVs and large aircraft. Use open standard “concepts” and key interface/artifacts such as the Avionics Service Bus, Critical Abstraction Layer, etc., to facilitate scalibility and the affordability of inserting new capabilities . The architecture maturity level at the end of the effort will be at least TRL 4 (based on demonstrations using Government developed scenarios) and possess the potential for advancing to TRL 6 within a reasonable timeframe.

Output Objective: Functionally decomposed architecture design (spectrum coverage described in classified annex), architecture trade-space analysis, algorithm description, and projected signal processing metrics (i.e. identification, probability of classification, mode, probability of detection, etc.)

4.1.2 Objective 2 –Key Signal Processing Functional Development.

Design, develop, and fabricate an open system prototype of key signal processing functions that will generate accurate emitter reports (1 report for each emitter) in complex

RF environments (as described in classified annex). The functional demonstration will incorporate key features of the architecture defined in Objective 1 and support demonstrations of advanced signal detection, sorting, classification, and location functions. Demonstrating full EW receiver architecture functions and real-time demonstrations are not required. Key EW receiver signal processing functions will be demonstrated. Consider all aspects of the EW processing architecture such as: detection, adaptive tuning, deinterleaving, feature extraction, clustering, association, digital filtering, identification, etc.

Output Objective: Performance and development of key EW signal processing functions

(software/firmware) and fabrication of prototype (hardware) that will demonstrate the signal processing functions.

4.1.3 Objective 3 – TRL Assessment and Roadmap to TRL 6

Assess the signal processing functions using the Government generated RF environments. The assessments can be accomplished through the use of models, firmware, and/or hardware-in-the-loop simulations. I/Q based RF environment data for the demonstration asset will be generated by the Government and provided to the contractor. If needed, hardware-in-the-loop data could be provided. Based on the assessment results, determine the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and generate a roadmap to achieve TRL 6.

Output Objective: Assessment of key signal processing functions to produce correct emitter reports. Roadmap to reach TRL 6.

5.0 Contract Objectives/Data Deliverables:

Deliver:

CDRL Deliverable Name

A001 Scientific and Technical Reports, Final DI-MISC-80711A/T

Report

A002 Funds and Man-Hour Expenditure Report FI-FNCL-80331A/T

(FMER), Monthly

A003 Contracts Funds Status Report, Quarterly DI-MGMT-80368A/T

(CFSR)

A004 Scientific and Technical Reports, Spend DI-MISC-80711A/T

Plan (Monthly)

A005 Status Report (Monthly) DI-MGMT-80368A/T

A006 Presentation Material DI-ADMN-81373/T

A007 Software Design Description DI-IPSC-81435A/T

Deliverables, such as any software and hardware to be developed during performance, are specified in the SOO, Technical Objectives, and Paragraph 4.

6.0 Period of Performance

The technical period of performance for this effort is 27 months, and three (3) months for the final technical report.

7.0 Management:

Allow the selected contractors flexibility to manage cost, schedule, and performance of this contracted effort.

8.0 Funding Constraint:

FY16 FY 17 FY 18 Total

63207F/431G $1,300,000 $2,400,000 $2,500,000 $6,200,000

9.0 Security:

The contractor shall provide security up to and including SECRET/NOFORN and be within compliance of the Electronic Warfare and Radar Technology security classification guides. See BAA Attachment 2, DD254, and dated 18 March 2016.

10.0 Classified Annex:

10.1 (1) The Classified Annex (with information at the Secret level) can be requested via email to (Randy.Austin@us.af.mil). Requests for the classified annex should include at a minimum, the company name and address, the technical point of contact

(POC) name and phone number, Facility Security Officer (FSO) name and phone number, CAGE code, copy of certified, non-expired DD Form 2345, Military Critical

Technical Data Agreement, statement of facility clearance and safeguarding capability, and a valid address for receiving classified material at the Secret/Collateral level. Once the government security POC has verified all pertinent contractor/facility security information, the classified addendums will be sent within (5) five business days.

10.2 (2) Classified responses must be coordinated with AFRL/RYWE (Rod Perry ((937)

713-4045) or Cliff Watson ((937)-713-4019). All responses must follow the 6 October

2005 EW Technology Security Classification Guideline to respond to the BAA.

10.3 (3) Unsuccessful offerors shall destroy or return all classified/FOUO material that has been provided as a result of this solicitation within 10 days of a non-select notification. If an offeror chooses to destroy the material, a properly annotated

Document Receipt and Destruction Certificate, AF IMT 310, shall be promptly returned to AFRL/RYWE, (Dee Jestice (937-4001)), AFRL/RYWE Bldg. 620, 2241 Avionics

Circle, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433, which will serve as evidence of destruction.

11.0 OPSEC:

General Operations Security (OPSEC) procedures, policies and awareness are required in an effort to reduce program vulnerability from successful adversary collection and exploitation of critical information. OPSEC will be applied throughout the life cycle of the contract. The Critical Information List (CIL) will be provided upon request by RYOY

Information Protection Office. While working on the government installation, OPSEC guidance will be provided by the RYOY Information Protection Office.

12.0 Safety:

The following requirements must be incorporated into the contract:

1. Must comply with all federal, state, and local safety and environmental regulations.

AFRL/RQY

2. Requires an approved Safety Plan IAW AFI 91-202 AFRL Supplement 1 before any experiment may be conducted. Must comply with all Air Force safety and environmental regulations. AFRL/RQY

3. Must comply with system safety requirements contained in MIL-STD 882E, Section 4

“General Requirements” for any deliverable systems or hardware. Must identify safety-critical components of those systems or hardware, and software interfaces with those components. Must test and verify the safety-critical hardware and software for safety acceptance. AFRL/RQY

13.0 Associate Contractor Agreements:

Associate Contractor Agreements (ACAs) are agreements between contractors working on Government contracts that specify requirements for them to share information, data, technical knowledge, expertise or resources. The contracting officer may require ADAs when contractors working on separate government contracts must cooperate, share resources or otherwise jointly participate in working on contracts or projects. Prime contractor to subcontractor relationships do not constitute ACAs. For each award, the contracting officer will identify associate contractors with whom agreements are required.