Example Priorities:

• Autonomous platforms – The Army is particularly interested in research in autonomous ground and air vehicles, which must operate in open, urban and cluttered environments. Robotics and autonomous systems regardless of their missions require similar concepts and technologies including: a. Ability to move in very cluttered, irregular, urban and underground terrains b. Ability to move effectively in contested environments and survive attacks c. Technologies to enable low electronic and physical profiles d. Techniques to allow operators to be trained quickly even for complex tasks e. Architectures to enable reprogrammable platforms under dynamic conditions f. Sensors to detect obscured targets and to characterize terrain obstacles g. Autonomous ground and air structures, propulsion, and mobility components h. Technologies to significantly reduce logistical burdens
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) - The Army is interested in AI/ML research in areas which can reduce the cognitive burden on humans and improve overall performance through human-machine teaming. AI/ML research is needed in areas such as: a. Autonomous, intelligent maneuver and behaviors of autonomous ground and air vehicles - object recognition, threat warning, etc. b. Ability to analyze large, diverse data sets to predict enemy intent and behaviors c. Technologies to ensure robust, resilient and intelligent networking, cyber, electronic warfare and analysis of adversary signals d. Data analysis capabilities to engage with and exploit classified and unclassified sources in order to produce enhanced intelligence products e. Techniques to fuse data from disparate sources to improve a particular mission
• Data visualization and synthetic environments – The Army is interested in research involving concepts that enable improved situational awareness and the visualization and navigation of large data sets and to enhance operational activities and training and readiness. Research is needed in the visualization of data in following areas: a. Sensor data b. Large data sets c. Complex multi-source mode data sets d. Novel visualization and synthetic environment approaches to enable improved training e. Synthetic environments and networked instrumentation approaches for virtual-live validation of concepts and prototypes
• Assured Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) – The Army is interested in research involving novel new PNT technologies which could be key enablers for many capabilities including autonomous vehicles, communications, and land navigation. Solutions that enable robust PNT for vehicles, Soldiers, munitions might include research in the following areas: a. PNT technologies which operate reliably in GPS-degraded or denied areas which cannot be exploited by adversaries b. Enhancements to commercial technologies to enable them to meet Army needs c. Robust security techniques for PNT at all levels d. PNT-enabled guidance and control e. Algorithms and techniques to fuse data from multiple PNT sources to provide robust capabilities
• Power generation and management technologies – The Army frequently must operate where power infrastructure is not available, on small vehicles or for individual Soldiers. Solutions that enable reliable power for vehicles, Soldiers, and munitions might include research on: a. Power management algorithms to optimize generation and usage b. Advanced low-power electronic technologies to reduce power demand c. Compact power sources for small UAVs, robots, smart munitions d. Power transmission and power storage technology
• Sensing – The Army is interested in developing a detailed understanding of the environment and activities in the areas where it operates. Research is needed in the areas of sensors and associated processing in order to: a. Detect people, equipment, weapons, and any other object or action of interest b. Detect all targets even when obscured c. Detect based upon, physical, behavioral, cyber or other signatures
• Communications & networks – It is critical the Army maintain secure, reliable communications for Soldiers, vehicles and at fixed locations even in austere environments. Research is needed in the areas related to following: a. Concepts and methodologies to enable robust, secure networks b. Protocols c. Network interoperability including multi-national partners d. High efficiency components
• Computation – The Army has a growing need for high performance computational capabilities to exploit large data sets and to compute complex AI/ML algorithms for many applications. Research is needed to improve computational capabilities in the following areas: a. Throughput b. Power efficiency c. Edge computing
• Space – Like many commercial interests, the Army is interested in exploiting space assets to solve a range of problems. Research is needed to improve space-based capabilities in the following areas: a. Concepts enabling persistent, high-resolution sensing of ground-based features, environments, and targets b. Concepts enabling low-cost access to space
• Internet of Things (IoT) – The Army needs to better integrate a wide range of capabilities and equipment and capitalize on commercial developments in the industrial and human IOT. The Army’s interested is driven in part by the fact that the amount of usable communication bandwidth on the battlefield will be dynamic, and as such automated reallocation of communication resources and information sharing strategies are more challenging than commercial ones. Research is needed to improve Army IOT in the following areas: a. New concepts, quantitative models and technical approaches enabling automated management of IoT b. New machine learning techniques that accelerate decision making to address the scale/volume of IoT information and advance the science c. New approaches, low-complexity algorithms, and methods to enable secure, resilient, and to automatically managed IOT networks in highly complex, mixed cooperative/adversarial, information-centric environment d. Novel IoT approaches to enable improved training and system evaluation
• Quantum Technologies – The Army seeks to better employ quantum sciences in a number of areas to improve the performance and security of its future systems. Research is needed in the following areas: a. Quantum computing to solve highly complex problems in real time b. Quantum sensing to achieve highly sensitive characterization of activities and environments and enable highly accurate navigation c. Quantum communications, and networking to enable highly secure and efficient information flow
• Signature reduction – The Army needs to protect its Soldiers by making them harder to detect and locate. Research is needed to manage and reduce Army capability signatures in the following areas: a. Technologies, methodologies and concepts to reduce the external signatures of Soldiers and of all Army platforms and equipment b. Capabilities to reduce RF, optical, thermal, acoustic, magnetic and any other signatures
• Protection – The Army faces a number of current and future threats which it must address to protect it Soldiers. Research is needed to enhance Army capabilities for survival in the following areas: a. Sensors to detect chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats b. Lightweight, easy to manufacture armor c. Cyber protection technologies, methodologies, and concepts to protect Army systems including Soldiers, platforms, networks, and munitions d. Human performance optimization to endure harsh and extenuating conditions e. Soldier protection technologies including but not limited to counter Unmanned Aerial System (c-UAS), counter missile, counter overhead surveillance. f. Rapid emplacement of counter mobility obstacles. g. Early warning systems.
• Human Performance – The Soldier is the foundation of all Army capabilities. Technologies that reduce Soldiers’ mental or physical burden and allow them to react faster than their adversaries are needed in the following areas: a. Human-machine interaction to ensure autonomous platforms are efficiently managed and exploited b. Measuring effectiveness of and enhancing training tools and techniques c. Methodologies and approaches for effective augmentation of Soldiers in areas of cognition, perception, and physical performance
• Contested Logistics – The Army is interested in research in contested logistics technology that can maintain operational superiority over adversaries through an environment in which logistics operations, facilities, and activities are disrupted or non-existent. Research is needed in areas such as: a. Leveraging data analytics for predictive logistics capabilities. b. Use of autonomous technology to extend operational reach, prolong endurance and ensure freedom of action. c. Reducing the Army’s logistics tail through innovative processes or software tools. d. Novel alternative fuel or energy sources that reduce logistical burden. e. Novel manufacturing techniques that support point of need manufacturing in austere conditions.
• Kinetic Payload – Kinetic payload technologies should provide scalable effects to disrupt, decoy, and/or deliver lethal effects against threats. Kinetic Payload research is needed in areas such as: a. Augmentation of commercial off-the-shelf aerial systems to deliver kinetic payloads. b. Use of additive manufacturing to develop kinetic payloads and/or delivery systems utilizing novel manufacturing techniques. c. Interchangeable delivery system that could attach multiple types of kinetic payloads no matter size or weight. d. Novel and/or alternative munition systems and associated support equipment designed to autonomously or semi-autonomously deliver effects.

Specific Technical Skills:

Potential PIs for this Area: