Navy seeking industry capabilities for proprietary waveform technology

The Navy is seeking information from industry about proprietary "low probability of intercept/detect" waveforms and other capabilities in response to a funding restriction signed into law in the most recent defense policy bill.

"The objective of this [request for information] is to determine the demand signal (market demand) for potential proprietary LPI/LPD waveforms that may be considered for future government contracts," according to a Naval Information Warfare Systems Command RFI published today.

The RFI is part of the Pentagon's response to Section 168 of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. The legislative language prohibits the Defense Department from spending money on communications programs of record unless the waveform is "available through the Department of Defense Waveform Information Repository" or passes an analysis through the Joint Tactical Networking Center's tactical communications marketplace.

The TCM, a joint initiative stood up in 2019 and managed by the Army's Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, provides service acquisition authorities a source for radios, waveform technologies and other communications equipment, according to an Army statement.

The policy bill also allows the defense secretary to waive the legislative requirements if he certifies to lawmakers "that the system's intended use is not for contested environments or will meet the requirement when operated as a component of an integrated network."