Munitions Contracting Division (AFRL/MNK), Building 13, 101 West Eglin Boulevard, Suite 337, Eglin AFB, FL 32542-6810

A -- ARMAMENT TECHNOLOGIES (PART 1 0F 2) SOL BAA No. MNK-98-0001 POC Contact Jean M. Pulley, Contracting Officer, (904) 882-4294, ext 3402 The Munitions Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin AFB FL is interested in receiving research proposals in the areas of: High Surface Area Electrodes, Doped Nanoparticulate Silicon Electronic Device Research, Flight Vehicles Integration, Autonomous Target Recognition, Biomimetic Signal Processing and Control, Hardware-in-the-Loop Technology, Navigation and Control, Facility Denial, Weapon Design and Analysis Methodology, Laser Radar and Components. Proposals should describe scientific study and experimentation to increase knowledge and understanding in these areas. This Broad Agency Announcement consists of three parts: PART I -- Research Interests, PART II -- Proposal Evaluation and PART III -- Proposal Preparation. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or any other contract. It is, however, an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205-18. Companies responding to this announcement are cautioned that only a Contracting Officer may obligate the Government to any agreement involving expenditure of Government funds. This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) constitutes a solicitation for proposals under the provisions of PL 98-369, the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. The BAA describes research requirements and methods for preparing and submitting proposals. PART I -- RESEARCH INTERESTS A. INTRODUCTION This is the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) of the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/MN) under the provisions of paragraph 6.102(d)(2) of the Federal Acquisition Regulation which provides for the competitive selection of research proposals. Proposals submitted in response to the BAA that are selected for award are considered to be the results of full and open competition and in full compliance with the provisions of PL 98-369, the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. For purposes of this announcement, research is defined to be scientific study and experimentation directed at increasing knowledge and understanding in relation to long term national security needs. It is an enhancement to related exploratory and advanced development programs. AFRL/MN contracts with educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and private industry for research in armament technology. This BAA is intended to cover, in general nature, all research areas of interest to this Directorate. Persons contemplating submission of a proposal to AFRL/MN should not only carefully examine this BAA, but are also strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate AFRL/MN scientist identified in this publication to ascertain the extent of interest which AFRL/MN may have in a specific research project. Proposals may be submitted at any time during the period the BAA is open. However, prior to submitting a formal proposal, offerors are required to submit a two to three page white paper on their proposed research topic to key AFRL/MN staff members who have been identified and contacted for each area of interest. The purpose of the white paper is to preclude unwarranted effort on the part of an offeror whose proposed work is not of interest under this BAA. Those offerors submitting white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this BAA will be invited to submit a proposal. Such invitation does not assure that the submitting organization will be awarded a subsequent contract or assistance instruments (grant, cooperative agreement, or other transaction). Proposals submitted may be evaluated as they are received. A contract or assistance instrument could be awarded as a result of this BAA, as appropriate. We expect most awards with universities and non-profit organizations to be grants. Note that there is no inherent funding associated with this BAA, and any contract/assistance instrument will depend on availability of funds from other sources. Our goal is to award ten percent (10%) of the contracts to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and thirty percent (30%) to small businesses, which includes ten percent (10%) to Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs) and Woman-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), over the life of the BAA. The SIC code for this BAA is 8731 with a Small Business size standard not to exceed 500 employees. In the event sufficient acceptable proposals are not received to fulfill these goals, awards will be made to those proposals received which are acceptable regardless of source. In addition to the general technical and contracting goals mentioned in this BAA, there are two additional items of special emphasis: a. AFRL/MN plans to seek out and award ideas and proposals that have potential for shifting current paradigms. We are seeking ideas that will lead to more significant changes to the way we do business. We strongly encourage "thinking out of the box" and beyond the scope of present commercialization. An example of what we are looking for is: It usually takes 5 bolts to put a widget together. If you use 2 bolts to put it together you are innovative, but if you put it together using no bolts, then you are revolutionary you are using a new dimension in technology. b. Many of the areas of technology under investigation have commercial potential, the exploitation of which could lead to improved military performance in terms of: significant increases in the affordability of military systems; the elimination of health, safety, and environmental hazards in manufacturing processes; the availability of commercial off-the-shelf items for use in military systems; or application of critical technologies from the federal laboratories, universities, or non-profit institutions. The Munitions Directorate is also desirous of receiving cost shared proposals in support of dual use applications. This BAA will remain open for one year from date of publication. It will be reissued annually and may be amended at any time. The descriptions of the technical areas are organized by scientific discipline, and the reader will note some overlap between sections. To contact a AFRL/MN staff member by mail, include branch or division symbol and write: Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate, 101 W. Eglin Blvd., Eglin AFB FL 32542. B. MISSION The Munitions Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary Air Force organization concerned with conventional munitions. The Munitions Directorate plans and executes research, development, and test of conventional munitions, and supports conventional munition System Program Offices. There are three divisions within the Munitions Directorate which conduct research and development. They are the Assessment and Integration Division, the Ordnance Division, and the Advanced Guidance Division. ASSESSMENT AND INTEGRATION DIVISION (MNA) The Assessment and Integration Division is responsible for assessment of lethality, effectiveness, and utility of weapon technologies, and evaluation of expected weapon performance by simulation. The Division directs and conducts research and exploratory and advanced development in weapon/missile airframes, submunition dispensing, and weapon carriage and release concepts. The division also integrates optimal subsystems, performs tests, and conducts flight demonstrations. MNA maintains in-house facilities and capabilities in the areas of aeroballistics, weaponry aerodynamic performance analysis, and mechanical integration. The Division consists of the Computational Mechanics Branch (MNAC), the Lethality and Vulnerability Branch (MNAL), and the Flight Vehicles Integration Branch (MNAV). ADVANCED GUIDANCE DIVISION (MNG) The Advanced Guidance Division conducts research and directs exploratory and advanced development in electrooptical, millimeter-wave, and radio-frequency seekers for air-to-air and air-to-surface conventional weapons and submunition guidance. The Division performs laboratory, field, and captive flight tests of seeker concepts. The Division also operates and maintains a hardware-in-the-loop seeker evaluation facility, an image processing laboratory, a radio-frequency signal processing laboratory, a laser radar facility, and an electrooptics laboratory. The Division consists of the Seeker Image and Signal Processing Branch (MNGI), the Guidance Simulation Branch (MNGG), the Navigation and Control Branch (MNGN), and the Seeker Branch (MNGS). ORDNANCE DIVISION (MNM) The Ordnance Division directs and conducts research and exploratory and advanced development of fuzes, warheads, bombs, submunitions, ammunition, aircraft guns, feed systems, and explosives. Air launched munitions should consider fighter, bomber, and UAV aircraft as the launch platforms. MNM operates high-explosives R&D facilities that support munitions programs. MNM also provides technical evaluation and consulting services to other government agencies and industries concerned with munitions technology. MNM consists of the Energetic Materials Branch (MNME), the Fuzes Branch (MNMF), the Ordnance Integration Branch (MNMI), and the Damage Mechanisms Branch (MNMW). C. RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS -- To support the missions of AFRL/MN, research is required in the areas described in this section. These descriptions are not meant to exclude other research topics which are consistent with the mission of the Munitions Directorate and its Divisions. These descriptions furnish specific examples of areas of interest and Directorate focal points associated with these technology areas. FLIGHT VEHICLES INTEGRATION RESEARCH -- The goal of this work is to perform flight vehicles integration research in the areas of: weapon airframe design, alternate flight control, aerodynamics of high angle-of-attack missile and air-to-surface weapon airframes, rapid response weapon concepts for use on time-critical targets, submunition design and dispensing technology, uninhabited combat air vehicle (UCAV) weapon integration, compressed carriage missile design, including new concepts for reliable fin/wing fold mechanisms, new aircraft/weapon integration concepts to reduce drag and radar signature when carrying advanced and inventory stores, and advanced carriage and release equipment design for application to both internal and external carriage, especially as applied to small size and weight munitions on high speed advanced aircraft. Research interests also include interdisciplinary high fidelity modeling of coupled aerodynamic, structural, thermal, electromagnetic, and flight control aspects of weapon flight vehicles, and in particular, high fidelity modeling of the effective compromise of combined aerodynamic and electromagnetic performance requirements and goals on airframe design. Also of interest is the active and passive control of air vehicles through the use of micro technologies such as microelectromechanical (MEMS) systems, micro blowing, synthetic jets, etc. Dr. Anders J. Sullivan, AFRL/MNAV, 850-882-8876 ext 3370, Fax: 850-882-2201, email: sullivan@eglin.af.mil BIOMIMETIC SIGNAL PROCESSING AND CONTROL -- Both biological systems and smart munitions are required to collect space, time, and color information from the environment, process it, and make some decision. The decision may be that of detecting, recognizing, tracking, or intercepting an object. The decision may also be that of changing position or direction of motion for vehicle navigation or for better viewing of a target. A clear understanding of how the natural systems collect and process information to make these kinds of decisions may lead to revolutionary seeker concepts for autonomous weapons, as well as other machine vision applications. Therefore the Seeker Image and Signal Processing Branch has interest in signal processing and control methods that use natural concepts found in biological systems. Our focus in biomimetics (the science of mimicking biological systems) is on leveraging efforts previously aimed at understanding how life forms collect and process environmental information. We want to use what is understood about the natural seekers to build small and affordable autonomous munition seekers. As biologically inspired seeker system concepts mature and exploit commercially available technology, the resemblance to the original biological system may diminish or even disappear. This consequence reflects our focus on building affordable, capable seekers for smart munitions. Proposed concepts should support the general objectives of the Munitions Directorate and Advanced Guidance Division mission statements as well as the munition product systems described in the current Conventional Armament Technology Area Plan. These information items are available on our home page. Dr. Geoffrey Brooks, AFRL/MNGI, 850-882-3910 ext 2221, Fax: 850-882-3344, e-mail: brooksg@eglin.af.mil AUTONOMOUS TARGET RECOGNITION -- The Seeker Image and Signal Processing Branch (MNGI) is interested in investigating all aspects of Autonomous Target Recognition (ATR) technology as it applies to seekers for conventional guided weapons. Interests range from basic signal/image processing foundations through tower and flight test of advanced real time ATR/host signal processor implementations. ATR systems (and related technologies) designed for use with all relevant weapon system sensors (MMW Radar, SAR, IIR, LADAR, Dual Mode combinations, etc.) are of interest. Dr. Thomas E. Davis, AFRL/MNGI, 850-882-3910 ext 2360, Fax: 850-882-3344 HARDWARE-IN-THE-LOOP REAL-TIME TESTING TECHNOLOGIES -- The Guidance Simulation Branch (MNGG) is interested in investigating technologies related to the testing of missile designs that incorporate imaging infrared and LADAR seeker subsystems. MNGG exercises complete missile hardware-in-the-loop simulations to verify the signal processing, image processing, and guidance performance including terminal homing accuracy. Strategic and Theater Missile Defense concepts developed under the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) as well as Tactical Munition subsystems developed within WL/MN are tested. Research emphasis will be placed on advancement of infrared scene projection technologies, real-time target scene generation techniques, and high bandwidth motion simulators as they apply to the test of imaging infrared and LADAR sensors. Mr. Tony Thompson, AFRL/MNGG, 850-882-4446 ext 2273, Fax: 850-882-2363, e-mail: thompsra@eglin.af.mil LASER RADAR COMPONENT RESEARCH -- The Advanced Guidance Division has an interest in developing the components and systems necessary for imaging and non-imaging laser radar systems. These include, but are not limited to, optical sources, detector systems, beam pointing and beam scanning systems, detection schemes, and discrimination, ranging, and acquisition systems. Interests range from complete systems and devices to basic materials and components. These include the following: a. Optical Sources. Optical sources of various wavelengths from the visible to the mid-infrared (< 5 microns) are desired. These devices may be diodes, diode-pumped solid state lasers, or optical parametric oscillators (OPOs). The systems can operate at moderate output powers in either a continuous wave mode or a pulsed mode at pulse repetition rates ranging from a few Hz to greater than 1 MHz. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, novel laser and OPO operating schemes, laser and OPO systems and designs, optical coatings, laser materials, and non-linear materials. Associated technologies, such as diode drive electronics, output power control and stabilization, wavelength tuning and stabilization techniques, rapid pulse generation, optical shutters and Q switches, polarization and phase controllers, and optical coupling techniques are also of interest. b. Detector systems. Single element and array detectors sensitive in the visible to mid-infrared wavelength range are desired. Rapid rise times (approaching a nanosecond) are desired, as is operability at temperatures greater than 77K. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, detector systems, detector materials, amplification and biasing electronics, temperature control systems, wavelength selection (filters, gratings, etc.), and readout technologies (for array detectors). c. Beam pointing and beam scanning systems. Systems which can rapidly steer a laser beam as well as the field of view of the detector are desired. Systems capable of search/track modes and variable fields of view are also desired. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, controlled mirror sets, microlens assemblies, gratings, acousto-optical devices, and liquid crystal devices. Associated technologies such as the scanning drives and controllers, beam direction monitoring techniques, and pointing stabilization techniques are also of interest. d. Detection schemes. Various incoherent and coherent detection schemes are of interest. Such schemes include, but are not limited to, direct detection of reflected radiation, return detection of a modulated signal, detection of laser-induced fluorescence, and detection of raman scattered radiation. Possible methods for coherent detection include amplitude, frequency, phase, or polarization modulation. e. Discrimination, ranging, and acquisition systems. Systems which candiscriminate the signal from the background environment, condition the signal, and store the data are required. These systems should be able to resolve time differences as small as or smaller than a nanosecond, dynamically adjust the gain of any amplification stages, allow variable timing/ranging techniques, and/or minimize range uncertainty. A variety of discrimination techniques are of interest, including nth pulse detection, constant fraction threshold detection, variable threshold detection, and others. Maj. Jeff Grantham/Dr. Willie Rockward, AFRL/MNGS, 850-882-1726 or 850-882-4631 ext. 2355, Fax: 850-882-1717, e-mail: grantham@eglin.af.mil or rockward@eglin.af.mil NAVIGATION AND CONTROL TECHNOLOGY -- The Navigation and Control Branch (MNGN) is interested in developing inertial sensor components, GPS anti-jam and antenna technology, and advanced guidance and control techniques. Inertial sensor technology should be focused on developing technologies with the goal of achieving at least tactical grade performance with the potential for significantly reduced costs and size (less than $2K and 15 cubic inches per inertial measurement unit respectively). Inertial sensor technologies of interest include micromachined and optical. GPS technologies of interest are anti-jam techniques including spatial (beam forming and/or null steering) and temporal anti-jam technologies, and miniature GPS antenna technologies. Advanced guidance and control technologies of interest include: guidance law and autopilot designs that minimize redesign with each new weapon application, methodologies capable of identifying and tracking dynamic changes in the attitude of air-to-air targets, and integrated weapon guidance. Integrated weapon guidance includes guidance-autopilot intgegration, guidance-seeker-fuze-warhead integration, guidance-seeker integration, and total system integration to include hardware sensor integration. Mr. Pete Wise, AFRL/MNGN, 850-882-2961 ext 3337, fax: 850-882-2201, email: wisej@eglin.af.mil or Dr. Randy Zachery, AFRL/MNGN, 850-882-2961 ext 3453, fax: 850-882-2201, email: zachery@eglin.af.mil HIGH SURFACE AREA ELECTRODE RESEARCH -- High Surface Area (HSA) materials are substances having a high degree of microscopic porosity or surface roughness and exhibiting greater than 100 sq. meters/gram active surface area when gas absorption testing is employed. Catalysts in HSA form can accelerate rates of chemical reaction. Electrically conductive HSA materials can se (0030)

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