Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, 2531 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22242-5160

B -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: INITIAL ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS [ATD] SOL N00024-98-R-6329 DUE 072098 POC 02632M, Ms. Traci Mounts, 703-602-7707 The Program Executive Office for Undersea Warfare [PEO(USW)] in conjunction with the Team Submarine are jointly soliciting initial Advanced Technology Demonstrations [ATD] to enhance undersea warfare capabilities of our surface ships and submarines. [An ATD is a high risk/high payoff 6.3 R&D funded technology demonstration that has promise of making significant impact on future naval warfighting or warfighting support capabilities]. A number of concept summaries in technology areas are listed below. For those concept summaries considered by the Navy to be highly regarded, early comments will be provided and prospective teaming will be encouraged with Navy, industry or academia in anticipation of the Chief of Naval Research announcement for FY01 ATD concept proposals which is expected to be issued late July 1998. Participation in this process is mutually beneficial because it properly focuses prospective proposers in PEO[USW] and Team Submarine needs, and offers the potential of strengthening teaming arrangements to improve ATD success and conserve limited resources. All of the below technologies should consider reduced Total Ownership Costs, reduced manning, reduced logistics support, maintenance free missions, reduced complexity, affordability, improved reliability, design for producibility, and commonality between surface ships and submarines. Concept summaries not focused on these specific areas, but addressing other design drivers, will also be considered. PEO[USW] and Team Submarine technology areas of interest over the next 3 to 5 years are as follows: Sensors and Processing: 1. Technologies that lead to reduced USW system manning including those in the area of sonar processing automation and data fusion improvements for existing arrays. 2. Affordable conformal active and passive technologies, bow dome transparencies, telemetry and transduction. 3. Fiber optic based acoustic sensors and telemetry, and environmental sensors for potential hull array applications. 4. Technologies to support "clean hull" and spherical array elimination related to conformal array program, Mid- Frequency (MF) Active and MF/HF integration. 5. Affordable handling systems and engineering sensors, and large volume array (approximately 1,000 sensors). 6. High Frequency (HF) Active covert/passive ASW technologies including Bi-dynamics. Need to enhance platform based technologies using existing arrays and improved sensor HF processing between Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs) and weapons. 7. Technologies to provide near real time large area multi-platform acoustic sensor netting. 8. Technologies that would allow near real time estimation of acoustic vulnerabilities. 9. Automated, adaptive technologies for improved detection, classification, localization and tracking of quiet, low Doppler submarines throughout the water column. 10. Improved acoustic detection, classification, localization and tracking performance for Active sonar. 11. Capability to monitor and estimate on-line performance for environmental adaptation and systemoptimization. 12. Improved detection, classification and localization of bottom, moored, and floating mines in littoral waters. Platforms: 1. Technologies that lead in the direction of an all-electric ship. Examples would be DC Homopolar motors, advanced switching devices, circuit breakers, controllers, and power converters; electrically driven weapons/payloads, etc. 2. Integrated shock and acoustic isolation machinery support technologies. 3. Alternatives to active control systems for Electro-Magnetic signature reduction. 4. Technologies and/or techniques that lead to reduced manning. 5. Technologies that lead to reduced maintenance drivers. Examples would be advanced corrosion resistant materials. 6. Non-skid coatings which do not affect acoustic properties and improve personnel safety and reduce maintenance costs. 7. Generalized tools and methods to predict and correct valve throttling noise phenomena. 8. Improved insulating materials that combine anti-sweat and damping technologies and improve cost, maintenance and airborne noise performance. 9. Corrective or new technologies to reduce electrical system contributions to noise. 10. Low cost interstage dehydrator for High Pressure Air Compressors. 11. Technology to reduce requirement for motor generator set cleaning periodicity and to extend machine life. 12. Technologies allowing long term substitution of water for oil in hydraulic systems without equipment degradation. Payloads: 1. Technologies for submarine, air or surface launched netted sensors. 2. Payloads and launchers technology that reduce Total Ownership Costs. Concepts may also introduce processes for efficient and cost effective reconfiguration of launchers for all type of weapons thus allowing rapid reload and return of the submarine to sea to meet new mission requirements. 3. Launchers to increase submarine payload flexibility and elimination of the Torpedo Room. Demonstration of innovative concepts and technologies to launch and retrieve, if required, a variety of existing and future payloads. Concepts under this heading may include flexible, large diameter, vertical or horizontal launch and retrieval systems as well as conversion of existing launchers. These systems can be either internal or external to the submarines pressure hull. These developments should allow larger payloads than currently possible for submarine launchers; 21" diameter for internal payloads (torpedo tubes) and 25" diameter for external payloads (Vertical Launch Tubes). 4. Technology to reduce payloads and launchers launch signatures. Demonstration of innovative technologies or concepts which reduce or eliminate acoustic and/or non-acoustic signatures of payload launch evolution. The payload launch evolution can be considered to include all operations for handling the payload during launch preparations, launch or expulsion from the submarine, and initial motion of the payload (e.g. boost of a missile from a capsule). Concepts under this heading can be modifications to existing launchers, for example, by replacement of ordnance-based gas generators with less energetic impulse devices, or completely new launch mechanisms such as electromagnetic guns or launchers. Concepts could also include innovative concepts for geographically separating missile or UAV launch (and therefore associated signatures) from the submarine by use of leave-behind capsules or other delayed-launch concepts. 5. Payloads and launchers to expand submarine launch capabilities. Demonstration of innovative technologies or concepts which enhance existing submarine capabilities and provide entirely new capabilities. Concepts under this heading can be enhancements to existing launchers allowing delivery of new types of weapons or off-board sensors. 6. Virtual sensor concept for condition based maintenance technology. 7. Provide payload technologies in the area of direct, regenerative and energy weapons to expand the submarine role in naval fire. 8. Technologies which reduce Total Ownership Cost of torpedoes. 9. Underwater explosive technologies which increaseexplosive yield while meeting insensitive munitions requirements. C4ISR: 1. Coherent localization technology. Submit each concept summary in the following format: (1) Title; (2) OPNAV Sponsor; (3) Navy warfighting or warfighting support requirement being addressed; (4) ATD goal; (5) Projected payoff; (6) Concept description; (7) Supporting technology base status; (8) Technical approach including risk mitigation; (9) Funding required over the planned execution period of the ATD; (10) Transition intention; and (11) Relation to Navy acquisition category programs and insertion windows of opportunity for major Navy programs. Concept summaries must be UNCLASSIFIED, restricted to three (3) 8 x 11 pages applying no smaller than 12 pitch single spaced type using Microsoft Word 7.0 or PowerPoint 7.0, and be submitted in electronic format to <knobler_alan@hq.navsea.navy.mil> no later than close of business 20 July 1998. Strict confidentiality of proprietary information is assured to the extent permitted by Federal Law. For your information, the ATD selection criteria to be used by Chief of Naval Research is as follows and should be used as a guide in developing concept summaries: (1) Responsiveness to PEO[USW]/Team Submarine needs; (2) Potential for PEO and OPNAV sponsor support; (3) Potential for transition; (4) Potential payoff (e.g. step improvement in performance, affordability, maintainability, reliability or manpower utilization); (5) High technical merit and proper risk; (6) Technical feasibility (include maturity of technology); (7) Completion in 3 years or less; and (8) Anticipated ATD funding of $15M or less. During ATD selection, additional consideration should be given to the following PEO[USW]/Team Submarine criteria: (1) Potential for multiple program, multiple platform or multiple sponsor support; (2) Not duplicative of ATDs already being funded or submitted by others; (3) Supportive of recent program or sponsor initiatives; (4) Revolutionary not evolutionary technology; (5) Technology that is sufficiently mature/focused for ATD [6.3] and not properly an earlier [6.2] funded effort; (6) Not a re-submittal of a previously rejected ATD unless previous rejection comments are satisfactorily addressed; and (7) Applicability for both forward and backfit. Please note this is not a Request For Proposal (RFP) and should not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. No funding will be provided during this phase. Responses will not be considered proposals, and any costs incurred as a result of responding to this announcement can not be chargeable to the Government for reimbursement. Concept summaries will not be returned after evaluation. Participation in this announcement and subsequent evaluation process does not preclude or supersede direct participation in the Navy's Advanced Technology Demonstration process to be conducted by the Chief of Naval Research. The Navy reserves the right to comment on all, some, or none of the concepts received in response to this announcement. Points-of-contact are Steve Caracciolo, Contracting Officer, SEA 02631, telephone:(703)602-0951 X633, fax: (703)602-7023, and e-mail: <caracciolo_steve@hq.navsea.navy.mil>; for PEO[USW] it is Jim Thompson, ASTO, telephone: (703)604-6015 X510, fax: (703)604-6056, and e-mail: <thompson_jim@hq.navsea.navy.mil>; and for Team Submarine it is Ellie Martin, SEA 92D, telephone: (703) 602-7207 X355, fax: (703) 602-6287, and e-mail: <martin_elaine_j@hq.navsea.navy.mil>. Posted 07/07/98. (0188)

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