OUSD (R&E) MODERNIZATION PRIORITY: Control and Communications, Network Command, Microelectronics, Quantum Sciences TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Sensors, Electronics The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) sensors and technologies, such as database reliant (including star maps, terrain, and the technology developments), complementary navigation (including earth-based phenomena such as magnetic fields, gravity, etc.), quantum and/or photonic to provide earth-based position updates without external Radio Frequency (RF) sources and signals. Solutions should utilize techniques and algorithms to enable initialization and positioning of PNT systems without the reliance on the Global Positioning System (GPS) or Multiple Global Navigation Satellite Systems (Multi-GNSS). The solutions should be suitable for mounted applications and comply with the Army PNT Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) DESCRIPTION: Recent advancements in PNT sensors and technologies, specifically database related, complementary, quantum and photonics have made sensors more applicable to Army applications to provide alternative sources of PNT data and enable Assured PNT. These capabilities are desired to enable GPS independent initialization, positioning and operations of PNT systems and solutions. In addition, developments in quantum and photonic sensors and technologies have made it possible to sense physical phenomena effects presented by atoms, electrons, and photons. Sensors that are Quantum and Photonic based have the potential to perform with greater precision, be constructed within much smaller sized packages, and offered at more affordable cost over traditional systems, making many PNT systems realizable. Complementary technologies and sensors of interest for this topic include database related (including star maps, terrain, and the technology developments), earth-based phenomena such as magnetic fields, gravity, etc.), and any other non-RF sensors. Quantum and photonics sensors of interest to this topic include inertial measurement units, magnetometers, gravimeters, or clocks. The sensors and technologies for this topic shall be compliant with the pntOS (PNT Operating System) application programming interface (API), the Army PNT Reference Architecture (PNT RA), the DoD All Source Position and Navigation (ASPN) Interface Control Document (ICD) version 3.0, the C5ISR/Electronic Warfare (EW) Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS), and Vehicular Integration for C4ISR Interoperability (VICTORY), which will enable rapid integration of the sensors within multiple Army PNT suites. Metrics that will be assessed include position or time accuracy, Size, Weight and Power (SWaP), compliance with pntOS and the other defined standards, and the complexity associated with system initialization and overall set up time. PHASE I: The vendor will conduct trade-studies, analyses and/or modeling and simulations to determine the technical feasibility of their proposed solutions to meet the objective. The vendor will present to the government the sensor design to include system error budgets that support expected performance metrics and environmental analyses. The vendor will present a plan for compliance with the pntOS API, the Army PNT RA, ASPN version 3.0, CMOSS and VICTORY. The vendor will provide a system specification needed for phase II development. PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate sensor and/or technology prototypes based on the specifications, hardware and software identification from phase I. Ensure that developed prototypes and software comply with the pntOS API, the Army PNT RA, ASPN version 3.0, CMOSS and VICTORY. Provide documented reports of compliance to these standards. Conduct demonstration of the prototypes at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5. Evaluate and provide the test results of the prototypes to the government POC. Deliver two units of the developed prototypes to the government for evaluation, including all hardware and software necessary to operate and collect data from the delivered units. Deliver digital engineer artifacts, such as Models Based System Engineering (MBSE) products of the product and software. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Modify the sensor prototype design based upon test and evaluation results from Phase 2 to achieve a better small size, weight, and power (SWaP) system applicable to a selected host A-PNT systems and comply with CMOSS or other standards identified in Phase II. Transition the technology to the U.S. Army and integrate this technology into future A-PNT Programs of Record (PoRs) or Science and Technology (S&T) Projects, such as the Absolute Positioning Enabled by Resilient Tactical UseR Equipment (APERTURE) Project. REFERENCES: Concepts of Comprehensive PNT and related Key Technologies, Z. Zuo, X Qiao and Y Wu, International Conference on Modeling, Analysis, Simulation Technologies and Applications (2019). K. Kauffman et al., "Scorpion: A Modular Sensor Fusion Approach for Complementary Navigation Sensors," 2020 IEEE/ION Position, Location and Navigation Symposium (PLANS), 2020, pp. 156-167, doi: 10.1109/PLANS46316.2020.9110165. C. HAN, L. PEI, D. ZOU, K. LIU, Y. LI and Y. CAO, "An Optimal Selection of Sensors in Multi-sensor Fusion Navigation with Factor Graph," 2018 Ubiquitous Positioning, Indoor Navigation and Location-Based Services (UPINLBS), 2018, pp. 1-8, doi: 10.1109/UPINLBS.2018.8559802. K. Fisher and J. F. Raquet, Precision position, navigation, and timing without the global positioning system, Air & Space Power Journal, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 24 33, 2011. KEYWORDS: Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (APNT), PNT Assessment Exercise (PNTAX), C5ISR/Electronic Warfare Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS), pntOS (PNT Operating System), All Source Position and Navigation
