Emulation Module for Unmanned Systems (EMU)

Emulation Module for Unmanned Systems (EMU)

Problem Statement

The Department of the Navy and the Department of War (DoW), in accordance with the National Security Strategy and the Chief of Naval Operations’ Navigation Plan, maintain freedom of navigation and access to the seas. This access is vital to the free flow of goods and national security, but the current fleet lacks sufficient assets to maintain a constant physical presence in many critical maritime areas.

To extend its presence more effectively, the Navy is developing a hybrid fleet that combines crewed ships with a network of unmanned and autonomous platforms. However, many new sensors and software feeding the maritime common operational picture (COP) must be trained and calibrated using realistic radio frequency signals produced by ships in diverse conditions. Using crewed ships for this work is costly and labor-intensive, while current unmanned vehicles (UxVs) cannot carry full sets of radar and communications equipment due to strict limits on size, weight, and power (SWaP).

As a result, there is currently no practical way to create and control realistic ship signals remotely on unmanned platforms to train and test these tools at scale. This gap slows the integration of Blue sensor feeds into the COP, reduces confidence in automated detection, and delays reliable situational awareness. Pacific Fleet units need an effective means to produce and manage realistic ship signals on unmanned platforms (remotely, without onboard crews, and at acceptable cost) to maintain an accurate, shared picture of the maritime environment across the INDOPACOM AOR. 

Project Schedule

• Land-based emulation within 90 days of contract award
• On water test within 180 days of contract award

Desired Solution Attributes

The DoW seeks a remotely operated, modular signal-generation and control capability that can be integrated across diverse unmanned vehicles. The Government explicitly seeks solutions that can provide either single-band or multi-band emulation capabilities, provided they meet the fidelity requirements. The solution must produce extremely realistic ship-ship and ship-shore communications and/or radar signals to train and calibrate new sensors and software that are designed to suppress false positives, while fitting within the SWaP and environmental limits of unmanned platforms (e.g. small unmanned surface vessels around 16 - 24 ft in length).

Required solution characteristics:

• High-Fidelity Signal Generation: Payloads may target a single band (e.g., S-band, X-band, Iridium, or UHF / VHF waveforms) or multiple bands (e.g., Iridium and UHF/VHF). Strong preference will be given to payloads that demonstrate exceptional fidelity and realistic emulation of a single band (e.g. only S-band) over solutions that offer multiple bands with lower fidelity.
• SWaP-C Optimization: A small, sea-worthy form factor with low size, weight, and power suitable for mounting on different unmanned platforms.
• Rapid Adaptation: Ability to swiftly adapt to new emitters and operational demands.
• Maritime Durability: Must maintain full functionality in Sea State 3 or higher, surviving high-motion mechanical stress.

Preferred solution characteristics:

• Controllable Emissions: Users must be able to control power, directionality, and timing to target specific sensors under test.
• Integration Flexibility: The solution should integrate with existing unmanned surface vessels (sUSVs) and be adaptable to future platforms, with integration kits for power, data and networking, C2, and autonomy systems.
• Remote Command and Control (C2): Capability to remotely select, schedule, and adjust signals in real-time, manage power use, monitor status, and tailor emissions without onboard crews.
• Data Validation: Capabilities for data logging and reference "ground truth" to verify calibration outcomes and support sensor integration.
• Commercial Standards: Leveraging standardized APIs for integration into USV autonomy stacks is highly desirable.

Solution must not include:

• Proprietary Interfaces: Software and hardware should utilize open commercial standards for external communications where possible to facilitate integration. Design architecture should take a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to enable on-going integration.
• High SWaP-C: Solutions requiring the power or weight of traditional destroyer-class systems are not suitable for this effort.
• Load generators that evaluate link budgets and band availability.
• Record and replay signal emulator with no differentiation of endpoints and unique sessions.

Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate product maturity and deployment validation (i.e., products that readily fit or can be adapted for the solicited purpose with the least amount of non-recurrent engineering). Please be clear in the proposals to articulate the status of current production equipment and estimated level of effort/time to customize for the Government's purpose.

Companies must have experience working in classified environments and cleared personnel who can work up to TS//SCI (teaming arrangements will satisfy this requirement).

The Government intends to team successful vendors with a number of existing autonomous vehicles and other prototype solutions in a rapid iteration and test environment. Solution providers should expect to participate in a shared development space with other vendors, operators and government developers to rapidly iterate on solutions. Solutions providers may be asked to collaborate and/or participate in cross functional efforts that may exist under previously established contractual vehicles.  

Considering there are multiple solution areas appropriate for signal generation and array development, we do not expect a single vendor to cover all possible alternatives. As such, partial solutions that uniquely address specific requirements (e.g., software signal generation, chassis ruggedization and power, or hardware RF instruments) are welcome and will be considered for this solicitation. Submissions offering modular approaches are encouraged. Due to the complexity of this solicitation, for vendors with partial solutions, we highly recommend that you pre-emptively seek out partners to come up with an integrated solution; preference will be given to submissions that demonstrate concrete integration and interoperability.