CALL 004 - Multi-Band Directional SATCOM Antennas

Call 004 – Multi-Band, Directional SATCOM Antennas

9 JAN 2024

Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) with Calls - FA8650-17-S-9300 Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) Federal Agency Name: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) - Integrated Capabilities Directorate
Proposal Due Date and Time: Proposals are due by 4:00pm Dayton, OH local time on 15 March 2024.
Anticipated Award Date: May 2024
Anticipated Number of Awards: Estimate 1-3 Other Transaction Agreements and/or Contracts
Anticipated Funding: See below, Section 6 Cost Objective/Funding Constraint Agreement/Contract Number: TBD (FA2385-24-X-XXXX)
1. Statement of Objectives (SOO)/Description of Technical Areas: Background/Scope:
Consistent with the overall approach for establishing path agnostic communications using the commercial space internet described in the overarching Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) FA8650-17-S-9300, this Call seeks multi-band, satellite communications antennas capable of use on military aircraft. These antennas must be capable of communications with multiple commercial space internet (CSI) constellations in various orbital regimes while interfacing with modems and transceivers being matured as a result of contracts/agreements awarded under DEUCSI Call 3. An important aspect of using CSI capabilities effectively and affordably for defense purposes is the ability to switch between space internet providers as operational and business needs change. This includes using spacecraft constellations in different orbit regimes, such as low-, medium-, and geosynchronous earth orbits (LEO, MEO, GEO) to access favorable geometry and/or performance characteristics for particular situations. It also includes quickly and effectively switching among commercial space internet services in different frequency bands to access favorable spectrum and/or to failover between constellations when one becomes unavailable. In some cases, it may be beneficial to utilize common hardware elements to communicate with both commercial space internet constellations as well as military communications systems in order to provide even greater flexibility in communications paths while minimizing deployment of constellation-specific hardware. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) wishes to conduct experiments in vendor flexibility across multiple bands and

orbits to understand methods by which the government may position itself to affordably and efficiently leverage multiple providers of space internet services.