Joint Radar & Communication Waveforms

The contract seeks to develop Dual-functional Radar Communication (DFRC) waveforms that fuse radar sensing and data communication into a single hardware system by encoding communication information directly into the structure of radar pulses, eliminating the need for separate datalinks. The effort is divided into three phases: Phase I focuses on designing chirp and phase-modulated waveforms capable of embedding arbitrary data within radar pulse shapes, with verification that the embedded information can be decoded by a receiver without compromising radar performance. Phase II transitions the concept into a physical prototype that transmits and接收 these encoded waveforms in real-world conditions. Phase III aims to integrate the technology into existing military sensor networks, emulating operational parameters to demonstrate reduced dependence on secure external communication links. The technology’s dual-use potential extends to civilian applications such as embedding vehicle identification or geolocation data in automotive radar systems, or augmenting FAA surveillance by adding redundancy to ADS-B functionality through radar pulse modulation. The solicitation is a Small Business Set-Aside under the SBIR/STTR mandate, restricting eligibility to firms with fewer than 500 employees, and is managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense within the Department of Defense, with responses due by August 26, 2026.