Commander, U.S. Army Missile Command, RDEC Procurement Office, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5275

A -- THE ARMY REQUESTS INFORMATION FROM INDUSTRY & ACADEMIA ON TECHNI- CAL FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A COMPACT DIGITAL DATA LINK FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) APPLICATIONS. LUAV DIGITAL DATA LINK SOL 96X101 DUE 112596 POC (RDPC) Barry Howard, Contract Specialist, AMSMI-AC-CRBB, (205) 876- 7900, or Barbara K. Dobbins, Contracting Officer. Synopsis No. R101- 96. Request for Information (RFI): UAV Digital Data Link. The Joint Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Project Office (JTUAV) is considering the feasibility of developing a compact digital data link for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications. Several diverse payloads have been or are being developed for UAV use in the near future with output data rates ranging from 20 kbps to 220 Mbps. These payloads include the current analog RS-170A video payloads, Spotlite SAR, Moving Target Indicator (MTI) Radar, Communication Relay and two competing Mine Detection Systems. Delivery of data to ground terminals has been limited in the past due to the space, weight and power requirements of data links that can be carried by small UAVs. Current and evolving technology indicates that these shortcomings can be overcome with a digital data link operating at frequencies in the C, X, and Ku bands. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. A technology insertion program is being planned which consists of a demonstration phase followed by engineering developemnt of a data link that would be produced for use on tactical UAVs. These data links could be used for other purposes on larger UAVs and manned aircraft as determined by the required data transfer rates. Quantities of airborne data link subsystems that are expected to be produced would exceed 200 and ground data link subsystems would number greater than 50 during the production phase. The data link developed will define a mode that is compatible with the System Specification for the Common Data Link (CDL) Segment - Class I Specifications, dated 01 May 1996, defined by the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office. A minimum data rate of 200 kbps will be required for the ground-to-air vehicle (AV) up link and a minimum data rate of 10.71 Mbps will be required for the AV-to-ground terminal down link. The data link will be operated at line of sight ranges up to 200 km. Additionally, consideration will be given to performing an air-to-air relay, and air-to-satellite options. Information is sought from industry to determine what modules currently exist that can be modified to accomplish the goals stated above. Summary descriptions of potential down link bandwidth solutions, in light of current and projected UAV payloads, that incorporate effective compression methods with variable compression ratios are desired. Information is also sought on the potential implementation of a modular data link to accommodate increased data rates above 10.71 Mbps and when industry believes that technology will be available to package high data rate digital data links in very small packages. This information will be used by the government to determine the extent of a demonstration program and to structure a complete program. Technical data, cost data and schedule information provided by industry will assist the government in the establishment of a detailed acquisition program for a tactical UAV compact digital data link. Descriptions of existing hardware and software along with explanations on the extent of modifications required is desired. Compression techniques should be described in sufficient detail to permit the government to assess the resolution and operational utility of the decompressed data. Industry is invited to identify potential challenges and risks associated with this program and to provide recommended approaches to minimize risks and to meet the identified challenges. Responses to the RFI should be submitted to the following address: U.S. Army Missile RDEC, Missile Guidance Directorate, Image and Signal Processing Tech Area, AMSMI-RD-MG-IP, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5253. The point of contact for this information request is Mr. Keith Hilliard, (205) 876-5787, FAX (205) 955-6839. (0268)

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