Army seeking sensor prototypes for NGCV

The Army desires a team of vendors to develop sensor prototypes for Next Generation Combat Vehicles, designed to ease soldiers' cognitive load and make decisions more quickly.

"The goal of intelligent sensors is to automate operations key to engaging the enemy such as search, target detection and identification, sensor control and countermine and obstacle detection," the service notes in an Oct. 31 request for proposals.

Although each sensor will be developed individually using a common architecture, the Army wants an "intelligent sensor integrator" to ensure interoperability.

The Army expects to award other transaction agreements for prototypes in seven technology areas -- aided target detection/recognition algorithms, hostile fire detection and location with 360-degree situational awareness, pre-shot detection, augmented reality, a cross-platform pointer laser receiver, advanced commander and gunner sights and organic explosive hazard and obstacle detection.

Vendors will also receive awards for integration and testing.

The Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate in the service's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center is overseeing the sensor prototype program on behalf of the NGCV cross-functional team, the notice states.

The directorate plans to first have the sensors integrated in a laboratory and then place them onto surrogate platforms on up to three manned and three unmanned vehicles.