ETHEREAL FORGE: Call for Participation – Test & Evaluation of Advanced Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) Capabilities
Closed Special Notice Posted
- Solicitation number
- FA221721389XX
- Agency
-
Air Force
Department of Defense
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- Place of performance
- Offutt AFB, Nebraska 68113, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of the Air Force, in partnership with U.S. Strategic Command's Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Center and the Nebraska Defense Research Corporation, is conducting a call for participation in ETHEREAL FORGE, a test and evaluation program for modular, Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA)-conformant electromagnetic warfare capabilities, with responses due October 10, 2026.
The program aims to evaluate advanced EW solutions against realistic threats in representative environments to assess utility, inform acquisition strategy, and accelerate fielding of next-generation Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations systems. Participants will develop or demonstrate capabilities across five target areas: Cognitive & Adaptive EW (AI/ML-enabled analysis and decision-making); Distributed & Integrated Effects (machine-to-machine coordination across multidomain platforms); Advanced Hardware (RF hardware with low SWaP-C, wideband capabilities, and high dynamic range); Threat Resilience (capabilities against adaptive radars and software-defined threats); and other innovative EW concepts spanning Electromagnetic Support, Attack, and Protection functions.
Eligible participants include industry, academia, government, FFRDCs, UARCs, laboratories, and qualified mission partners. Candidates must achieve Technology Readiness Level 4–7 with justifiable path to TRL 7, demonstrate strict conformance to SOSA and AMS-GRA standards, provide hardware for software-defined radio and other integration, achieve STIG compliance with DevSecOps documentation and DFARS CMMC Level 2 protocols, and disclose all proprietary rights, licensing limitations, and ITAR considerations. Evaluation executes across six phases over approximately six months: virtual integration onboarding, hardware-in-the-loop verification, simulated laboratory environments, anechoic chamber testing, dynamic operational field assessments, and Technology Readiness Assessment. Participation is no-cost with no guarantee of follow-on contracts. Submissions go to ETHEREAL_FORGE@mail.mil; primary contacts are Curtis Hornbeak and Timothy Ferracci (Partnership Intermediary) and Lt Col Duc Bui (Government Program Manager).
Notice text
Overall objective: Test and evaluate Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA)-conformant, modular, advanced Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) capabilities against realistic threats in a representative environment to assess capability utility, inform the development and acquisitions processes, and gain insight to support rapid, iterative fielding of Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) capabilities. The objective is to be a forcing function to drive towards the next generation of modular, rapidly upgradeable EMSO systems that will sense the electromagnetic environment, make sense of it, maneuver within it, and engage with precision at the speed of light.
Background: Many promising EW capabilities are being developed based on modular hardware- and software-centric principles linked to mature open standards, such as SOSA, CMOSS, FACE, VITA, and/or AMS-GRA. These capabilities require demonstration in a representative environment before being accepted by program offices for final integration. This event will leverage lessons learned from multiple pathfinding events, experiments, and exercises over the past six years.
Expected outcomes:
- Technology Readiness Assessments of the suitability for further integration and fielding of candidate capabilities (specifically software applications and SOSA hardware components)
- Key data to support future budgeting cycles and acquisition processes
- Data-centric assessments to inform mission- and campaign-level simulations, directly supporting long-term planning and acquisitions cycles
- Prototype infrastructure and process to accelerate test and evaluation of modular hardware components and software-defined capabilities
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced_EW_Description for ETHEREAL FORGE sam.gov.pdf | ||
| ETHEREAL FORGE SAM.gov Message 20260825.pdf |
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