Description:
The technologies within these topics that are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, require Offerors to disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with the solicitation. Additionally, Offerors will describe compliance mechanisms, offerors have in place or will put in place, to address any ITAR issues that arise during the course of agreement administration.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this SBIR Open Topic is to develop applied research toward an innovative capability within USSOCOM Program Offices. The following are the Program Offices and their areas of interest.
DESCRIPTION:
The objective of this SBIR Open Topic is to develop applied research toward an innovative capability within USSOCOM Family of Special Operations Vehicles (FOSOV) Program Offices.
Computer dependency is becoming a foundation of vehicle development. In 2015, Digital Trends Magazine posted an article stating that the Ford GT has close to 3 million more lines of code than a Boeing 787 Airliner. These additional lines of code translate to additional overhead in physical space, programming, sustainment, safety and security. With vehicle trends moving more towards electric vehicles, to include military vehicles, industry is introducing new attack vectors for highly motivated and resourced enemies. This increases the demand for military vehicles to address the growing cyber threat within all environments. The technology areas of interest aim at addressing these attack vectors and exploring options to seamlessly integrate applicable technologies into Team Awareness Kit.
PROGRAM OFFICE: Family of Special Operations Vehicles (FOSOV)
The technology areas of interests are:
1. Navigation and Team Awareness Kit Integration: Inertial navigation systems within vehicles, vehicle positioning based on vehicle speed, steering and internal CANbus data, processing data from the Onboard Diagnostics II port, Global Positioning System integration, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), Team Awareness Kit, telematics and cybersecurity.
2. Force Protection: Onboard Diagnostics II port, CANbus, Global Positioning System, Wi-Fi, on-board entertainment (infotainment) and information, facial recognition prevention, license place obfuscation, smart city data protection, residual and stored data from previous users, Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR), Fly Away Kits, Special Operation Forces (SOF) peculiar devices and cybersecurity. Platforms may include indigenous operating vehicles (IOVs) of Special Operations modified Commercial Vehicles (Non-Standard Commercial Vehicles or NSCV).
3. Open Architecture Electronic Control Unit: The technology areas of interest are original equipment manufacturer (OEM) electronic control unit (ECU), Government owned ECU, onboard vehicle systems. (Traction control, GPS transmission, onboard telematics, prognostics, vehicle skid control, antilock brakes, airbag operation, fuel shutoff, limp home mode, exterior light output). vehicle type, make and model independence and cybersecurity.
i) Navigation and Team Awareness Kit Integration: Internal navigation system to navigate in Compromised, unreliable, and denied environment, deciphering vehicle position such as based on input of a known location, calculating movement and positioning based on vehicle speed, steering and direction, AI/ML to identify patterns of errors in vehicle data and correct errors to increase accuracy of location; detect and alert the user in real time of Global Positioning System jamming and/or interference. Navigation system data will be formatted and passed to integrate seamlessly with the on-board vehicle Team Awareness Kit to provide feedback for all occupants. The innovative research should focus beyond analyzing Global Positioning System -like data to discover other capabilities and opportunities to utilize onboard vehicle data for future capabilities and includes all viable system design options with respective specifications provided.
ii) Force Protection: The sensor should plug into the Onboard Diagnostics II port, read data on the CANbus, ensure data and mission integrity, and communicate cyber risk to the operator while allowing them to manually disable telematics, such as Global Positioning System, Wi-Fi, on-board information and entertainment (“infotainment” systems”) on the fly. The sensor should include options to prevent facial recognition through the windshield, prevent recording data from the license plate and provide protections in an urban operating environment to include smart cities. The result of this topic should describe mechanisms disallowing a vehicle operator the ability to pull a previous operator’s data that has been recorded and stored onboard the vehicle. the Phase I report must present the integration of carry-on and carry-off Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) equipment to include radios, and amplifiers with vehicle systems.
iii) Open Architecture Electronic Control Unit: Implement SOCOM’s unique requirements to selectively enable and/or disable standard vehicle features (traction control, GPS transmission, onboard telematics, prognostics, vehicle skid control, antilock brakes, airbag operation, fuel shutoff, limp home mode, exterior light output). Develop open architecture ECU that replaces the restrictive OEM ECUs. This will replace the process of “hacking” OEM ECUs in order to meet Non-Standard Commercial Vehicle requirements. This topic includes all viable system design options with respective specifications provided.
Note: Please make sure to read the USSOCOM Instructions in full detail at https://www.defensesbirsttr.mil/SBIR-STTR/Opportunities/ at the bottom of the page under the tab titled “DoD SBIR 23.4 Annual”
PHASE I: Conduct a feasibility study to assess what is in the art of the possible that satisfies the requirements specified in the above paragraphs entitled “Objective” and “Description.”
The objective of this USSOCOM Phase I SBIR effort is to conduct and document the results of a thorough feasibility study (“Technology Readiness Level 3”) to investigate what is in the art of the possible within the given trade space that will satisfy a needed technology. The feasibility study should investigate all options that meet or exceed the minimum performance parameters specified in this write up. It should address the risks and potential payoffs of the innovative technology options that are investigated and recommend the option that best achieves the objective of this technology pursuit. The funds obligated on the resulting Phase I SBIR contracts are to be used for the sole purpose of conducting a thorough feasibility study using scientific experiments and laboratory studies as necessary. Operational prototypes will not be developed with USSOCOM SBIR funds during Phase I feasibility studies. Operational prototypes developed with other than SBIR funds that are provided at the end of Phase I feasibility studies will not be considered in deciding what firm(s) will be selected for Phase II.
A Phase II proposal is expected at the conclusion of the Phase I effort.
PHASE II: Develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study.
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This system could be used in a broad range of military and commercial applications.
REFERENCES:
1. Modernization Strategy: Investing in the Future from https://www.army.mil/e2/downloads/rv7/2019_army_modernization_strategy_final.pdf (Army, 2019)
2. Department of Defense National Defense Strategy of 2022 found at https://media.defense.gov/2022/Oct/27/2003103845/-1/-1/1/2022-NATIONAL-DEFENSE-STRATEGY-NPR-MDR.PDF (Department of Defense, 2022)
3. National Cybersecurity Strategy from https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/National-Cybersecurity-Strategy-2023.pdf (White House, 2023)
KEYWORDS: Ground Combat Vehicles (GCV), Non Standard Commercial Vehicles (NSCV), electronics, On Board Diagnostics II, Global Positioning System, vehicle data, telematics, maintenance predictions, cybersecurity, Team Awareness Kit, Fly-Away Kits, Wi-Fi, infotainment, smart city, urban mission profile, Indigenous operating vehicle, Electronic Control Unit (ECU)
