The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking research proposals on novel technologies that would allow independently designed networks to better support US and allied countries in airborne warfare.
As part of this development, DARPA published the Broad Agency Announcement solicitation for its Dynamic Network Adaptation for Mission Optimization (DyNAMO) programme.
The agency solicits technologies that will allow networks to share information and adapt to sporadic jamming and mission-critical dynamic network bursts in contested radio frequency environments.
DARPA program manager Wayne Phoel said: "Current airborne networks are not designed to handle the complexities of modern distributed and dynamic combat missions, and the challenge is only going to increase in the years ahead."
According to DARPA, airborne warfare is becoming increasingly complex since aircraft need to rapidly share information in a volatile environment.
Phoel added: "DyNAMO’s goal is to enable pilots in one type of aircraft with a specific suite of sensors to easily share information with different types of manned and unmanned systems and also receive sensor information from those various platforms for a comprehensive view of the battlespace.
"We aim to develop technology that dynamically adapts networks to enable instantaneous free-flow of information among all airborne systems, at the appropriate security level and in the face of active jamming by an adversary."
The technology developed under the DyNAMO program will be demonstrated on radio hardware being developed by DARPA’s Communications in Contested Environments (C2E) program.
The programme is aimed at developing new architectures that will enable the communication capabilities of the aircraft.
DyNAMO will ensure that raw RF data that is being communicated between previously incompatible airborne systems is not only conveyed but also translated into information that all the systems can understand and process.
Image: A representation of DARPA seeking technologies. Photo: courtesy of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
