US Army issues rapid capability requirements for mobile radio, data fabric technologies

The US Army directorate responsible for rapid prototyping and programme development to meet the critical technology requirements is soliciting industry solutions for mobile radio and data fabric technologies, according to service documents.

Officials from the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) have issued calls to industry, in support of several network technology initiatives from Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T) and PEO Combat Support & Combat Service Support (CS&CSS). The programme solicitations are part of the office's latest round of requests under the Army Strategic Rapid Acquisition (AStRA) effort.

The technologies sought under the AStRA programme are expected to be at a technology readiness level (TRL) of seven or higher, compared to the TRL 6 requirement set for traditional service-led acquisition programmes. However, the contract timeline is significantly shortened for systems developed under the AStRA initiative. Traditional acquisition and development efforts are assigned a standard 24-month timeline, those programmes initiated under AStRA can be fielded in as little as 18 months.

One of the tactical radio programmes PEO C3T office leaders are keen to begin development on, as part of the AStRA effort, is a new radio head and card for army tactical radios. The radio head card will be designed to support a new “mid-tier line-of-sight (LOS) radio” for on-the-move connectivity, according to service documents. Officials from the Project Manager Tactical Networks (PM Tactical Networks) within the PEO C3T directorate are spearheading the effort, the documents noted.