Request for Information - Global Horizons Science and Technology

Synopsis: Request for Information (RFI) - Global Horizons Science and Technology 1. Description This is a Request for Information (RFI) on Global Horizons science and technology (S&T) research, operational concepts, and mission support innovations to support Air Force projected missions in the near-term (FY2013-17), mid-term (FY2018-22) and far-term (FY2023-27). NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY PROPOSAL OR INFORMATION SUBMISSION AND SUBMITTING INFORMATION DOES NOT BIND THE AIR FORCE FOR ANY FUTURE CONTRACTS/GRANTS RESULTING FROM THIS RFI. 2. Background and Requested Information The Air Force is requesting information on revolutionary global horizons science and technologies that address the challenge of future Air Force needs across all of its core mission functions for potential inclusion in the Air Force Global Horizons study. Global Horizons is a study to create an integrated, Air Force-wide, near-, mid- and far-term S&T vision to advance revolutionary capabilities to support core Air Force missions. Global Horizons will identify state-of-the-art S&T and best practices in government and the private sector. It will analyze current and forecasted capabilities, threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences across core AF missions to identify key S&T gaps and opportunities. It will articulate an AF near- (FY2013-17), mid- (FY2018-22) and far-term (FY2023-27) S&T vision to fill gaps, indicating where AF should lead (creating or inventing novel solutions for core AF missions), follow (by adopting, adapting, or augmenting others investments), or watch key technologies. In alignment with the National Security Strategy and Department of Defense strategic guidance, the study is intended to address S&T enabling Air Force operations in the domains of air, space, and cyberspace across Air Force core functions which include Nuclear Deterrence Operations, Air Superiority, Space Superiority, Cyberspace Superiority, Command and Control (C2), Global Integrated Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (GIISR), Global Precision Attack, Special Operations, Rapid Global Mobility, Personnel Recovery, Agile Combat Support (ACS) and Building Partnerships. These core functions are detailed in the Air Force Basic Doctrine, Organization, and Command (AFDD1, 14 October 2011, p.43, http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFDD1.pdf). The study will also consider DOTMLPF (Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, and Facilities). The study will leverage capabilities and experience within and across government, industry, academia, national laboratories, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), and international partners. The AF will consider global forces (e.g., global demographics, technology proliferation, health, climate change) where there exists compelling data and evidence that this will drive change that is most relevant to USAF operations. It will focus on both US and foreign driven game changers that exist or are emerging across a broad set of sectors (including but not limited to: manufacturing and materials, transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, healthcare and pharmaceutical, communications and information technology, financial services, education and training etc.) that have the most promise for revolutionizing critical dimensions of Air Force operations such as cost, speed, readiness, efficiency, or effectiveness. The Air Force seeks the "assured global advantage across air, space, and cyberspace" where these key dimensions are defined as: ? Assured - Ensured operations in congested, competitive, and contested (including denied) environments in spite of increased dependencies, vulnerabilities, and threats ? Global - Worldwide operations in global vigilance, global reach, and global power ? Advantage - an agility, resilience, speed, effectiveness or other edge over adversaries to ensure operational pre-eminence ? Across - capabilities within and across missions ? Air, space, cyberspace - we require integrated, full spectrum solutions to include cross-domain Command, Control, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) and mission support/sustainment The Air Force performs operations in and through the global commons (e.g., land, air, space, cyberspace) to deliver global vigilance, global reach, and global power in support of regional and global combatant commands for a broad range of humanitarian, peacekeeping, and combat missions. Air Force requirements encompass defense, intelligence, and combat operations as well as support of combat such as doctrine and workforce development (education and training), acquisition, logistics, sustainment, energy, etc. Global vulnerabilities open new attack surfaces for exploitation by a range of threats. Threats include but are not limited to disruptions that might be local or global, intentional or unintentional, or of human or nature in origin. Adversary objectives might include theft (of material or intellectual capital), denial, deception, degradation, disruption, or destruction. Accordingly, operations must be assured by mitigating vulnerabilities that adversaries might exploit and developing strategies and technology that assure missions in contested environments. Attack vectors might be conventional (e.g., physical attack) or unconventional (e.g., special operations, information operations) or attacks against operational readiness, cost, or knowledge/expertise. While the Air Force Global Horizons vision will focus on Title 10 authorities for organizing, training and equipping, a collaborative approach and peer review across other services, agencies and federal departments and coalition partners will ensure appropriate coordination and understanding of interdependencies with relevant defense, homeland security, and intelligence authorities. It will also draw upon the deep knowledge, experience, and capabilities within global industrial and academic centers of gravity. The Air Force is seeking information on revolutionary science and technology and systems as well as innovative Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) that will support, improve, augment and in some cases extend mission range and scope. In addition, the Air Force is interested in operational innovations that provide immediate and long-term applicable, cost-effective operational capability and technological superiority for Air Force operations. Also of interest are enabling mission support elements and supporting best practices that provide the foundation for capabilities across the other domains. Special interest is on S&T that can provide game changers that will revolutionize multiple classes of USAF operations or missions (e.g., autonomy promises cost, speed, and accuracy improvements across C2, ISR, and many operations in air, space, and cyberspace.). In general, RFI responses should address solutions in the air, space, cyberspace, C2, ISR, mission support, threat analysis or projections, and/or S&T areas that provide revolutionary (i.e., 10x to 100x) as opposed to incremental (<10x) performance improvements over the current state of the art. The assured global advantage is critical in all domains in which the Air Force operates. The Air Force must maintain its excellence of air, space, cyberspace, C2 and ISR operations in fixed and expeditionary environments in a world of proliferating technology, growing global interdependence, and increasing uncertainty. While each domain has unique challenges, we will focus on a portfolio of technologies that meets a broad spectrum of future Air Force requirements. AIR A crucial part of achieving the Air Force mission involves obtaining and maintaining superiority in the air domain. Within the air domain, forces exercise degrees of control or levels of influence, characterized as parity, superiority, or supremacy. The US has enjoyed air superiority in all conflicts since the Korean War, however, near-peer competitors and future contested and anti-access/area denial environments raise the possibility of air parity or even the risk of conceding superiority to the adversary. Air power encompasses air combat, global strike, mobility, refueling, and special operations. The asymmetrical dependence on cyber of our air platforms may render air superiority in a contested cyber environment even more elusive. Independently, the US Air Force is often the first responder in times of crisis-to lay down expeditionary bases and create the backbone of critical supply lines. Pervasive global access is a key enabler in maintaining air superiority and an ability to promptly react to natural disasters or human-caused contingencies. But being an agile, expeditionary air force is expensive and complex, posing challenges for sustainment. And the platforms and weapons that are highly effective today risk new threats in the mid and far term. The Air Force seeks information on how revolutionary technologies can enhance platform assurance or be employed to ensure air superiority across air combat, global strike, special operations, or mobility operations. Several technologies need to be researched in the coming years to continue our success in the air domain within the context of providing persistent, assured global access using remote, dispersed bases with extended supply chains. These include, but are not limited to: stealth, propulsion, air vehicle design and subsystem integration, structures life extending technologies, fuel/energy efficiency, formal verification of complex systems, test and evaluation in contested environments across the entire acquisition lifecycle, improvements in modeling and simulation for platform and weapon design as well as operator training, software for guidance, navigation and control as well as electronic warfare, secure air-to-air and air-to-ground communications and data links, advanced communications and datalinks for network-enabled weapons, anti-tamper technologies, self-protection and warning, encryption, high performance on-board processing, precision navigation and timing, survivability against high power microwave (HPM) or directed energy threats, positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) for platforms and weapons in contested environments, autonomous operations, advanced human machine interfaces, intelligent sensors, advanced munitions, and the entire logistics systems. SPACE Military forces have always viewed controlling the "high ground" as a position of dominance and advantage in warfare. With rare exceptions, whoever owned the high ground owned the fight. Space assets offer an expansive view of the Earth, operating high above the planet's surface; satellites can see deep into an adversary's territory, with little risk to humans or machines. Today, control of space as the ultimate high ground is critical for space superiority and assures the force-multiplying capabilities of space power. Tomorrow, space superiority may enable instant engagement anywhere in the world. Space assets have not only enhanced our national security but have also fundamentally changed military operations. Space power is defined as the total strength of a nation's capabilities to conduct and influence activities to, in, through, and from space to achieve its objectives. Space power is integrated throughout joint operations as both an enabler and a force multiplier. Cyber operations supporting, enabling or controlling space assets and missions are a key ingredient for achieving battlespace superiority. Space operations are essential to space power, providing a uniquely persistent presence over key areas of the world through the effective employment of space capabilities. Space power provides the joint fight with permanently "forward-deployed" satellites and adds another dimension to the joint force's ability to posture quickly and achieve battlespace superiority. Space power bolsters US global presence because it is not limited by terrestrial anti-access concerns. Airmen exploit this global presence and produce force-multiplying capabilities like instant global communications, timely missile warning, near-persistent surveillance and reconnaissance, and precise positioning, navigation and timing (PNT). Revolutionary advances are needed in all space segments including space launch, space born segments (including space-to-surface ISR), satellite ground control and data processing systems, and end user receiving systems will be required to maintain space superiority. In order to ensure continued dominance in this domain, continued investment into enabling space technologies is required. Accordingly, there are multiple challenges and requirements for advanced security, energy, sensing, propulsion, communication, resilience, interoperability and integration, cost, usability, and assured global access and control. For example, intelligent space maneuver could provide extended life for assets in orbit, autonomous satellite command-and-control as well as establishing intelligent ground processing centers that would help address responsiveness, resiliency, and readiness requirements. CYBER Air Force missions across the air, space and cyber domains are increasingly dependent on cyberspace operations. Cyberspace is a source of both strength and vulnerability. The almost annual doubling of the cyber technology base has created critical vulnerabilities for our adversaries to attack and exploit. Expanded interconnectivity through cyberspace has exposed previously isolated critical infrastructures vital to national security, public health, and economic well-being. Adversaries may attempt to deny, degrade, manipulate, disrupt, or destroy critical infrastructures and AF missions through cyberspace attack, thus affecting warfighting systems and the nation as a whole. The Air Force must have assured, trusted, resilient and affordable communications and networks to effectively and confidently execute its mission to protect and defend this nation. The Air Force is interested in S&T and operational support innovations that can assure missions, dynamically map cyberspace with critical mission functions and provide integrated mission/cyber situation awareness, including timely indications and warning. Technology is required that will provide trusted, resilient and agile architectures that can mitigate risks, limit adverse consequences and /or enable operating through a cyber attack. Analysis of commercial off the shelf technologies (COTS) to assess threats and vulnerabilities is of interest. Validation and verification methods are sought which will ensure an in-depth knowledge and trust in COTS and government owned technologies (GOTS) hardware and software components prior to their usage in weapon systems. Linkages between cyber and intelligence along with capabilities for the command and control of cyber assets are also of interest. Techniques which will augment human performance to provide force-multiplication through cyberspace are sought. S&T for integrated, full-spectrum cyberspace operations to develop and demonstrate trusted, validated, verified capabilities capable of delivering a full range of cyber effects, to fuse data to provide real-time or near-real time ISR data using cyberspace, and a means to measure and assess the effectiveness and degree of assurance of a delivered cyber effect prior to usage are of interest. Technology and techniques which will provide new opportunities for AF advantage in cyber operations and support are sought. C2 and ISR The success of the Air Force's capacity for Global Vigilance, Reach and Power is directly proportional to the effectiveness of its C2 and ISR capabilities. The Air Force's ability to dominate in C2 and ISR has been demonstrated repeatedly on the world stage. Command and control (C2) is about decision superiority - having timely, actionable, trusted information to make decisions and communicating decisions to the right people at the right time. C2 is defined as the exercise of authority and the direction by a Commander over assigned and attached forces in accomplishment of the mission. C2 typically operates in a monitor, assess, plan, and execute (MAPE) process which requires the following: global situation awareness, course of action analysis and selection, surveillance and strike coordination, execution monitoring, and battle damage assessment, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) is planning and directing intelligence activities, collecting critical information, processing data, analyzing information building intelligence products, and disseminating intelligence to support planning, decision making, and execution of operations. C2 and ISR provide a persistent, collaborative environment comprised of people, processes, systems, and tools to support a broad range of military operations. Modern conflicts demand fast, efficient, and assured C2 and ISR operations that are agile, responsive, and survivable in contested environments. Technological advances in the transfer and handling of information created the information age. Advancements in our C2 and ISR systems and the Global Information Grid (GIG) have greatly accelerated information sharing immensely. This can burden commanders with "information overload" challenging the ability to synthesize data and make decisions. Moreover, C2 and ISR are conducted of, in and through the air, space, and cyberspace domains. Our air, space, and cyber systems are at varying degrees of maturity, with limited information being exchanged across the domains. A "Layered Sensing" approach must provide military and homeland security decision makers at all levels with timely, actionable, trusted, and relevant information necessary for situation awareness to ensure their decisions achieve the desired military/humanitarian effects. Layered Sensing is characterized by the appropriate sensor or combination of sensors/platforms, infrastructure and exploitation capabilities to generate the data required for that situation awareness. One of the key challenges of integrated global operations include the synchronization of forces across the air, space, and cyber domains in time and purpose to achieve effects. The air, space, and cyber domains possess dramatically different characteristics with respect to speed, time, distance, and governing physics and forces. This requires new technologies to fuse information from sensors and information sources, synchronizing kinetic and non-kinetic assets to achieve effect across the domains, timely situation understanding enabled by continuous assessment, and autonomy/decision aids to assist humans to enhance agility and responsiveness. This cross-domain synchronization should eventually lead to full cross-domain integration of forces. Other challenges include Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) procedures and the potential of cross-domain (air/space/cyber) fratricide. The Air Force is interested in novel and unique approaches to enable global C2 and ISR superiority in an environment that is not constrained by time, distance, and geographical boundaries. MISSION SUPPORT Mission support provides the foundation that enables global engagement and is a linchpin that ties together Air Force core competencies. It includes those actions taken to create, deploy, employ, generate, sustain, protect, and redeploy air, space, and cyberspace personnel, assets, and capabilities through all peacetime and wartime military operations worldwide. The Air Force is interested in innovative solutions to key mission support challenges including, but not limited to, workforce acquisition and development (including training and education), medical support, timely and relevant acquisition of technologies, test and evaluation, and incorporation of sound practices throughout the acquisition life cycle of Air Force weapon systems. This includes, for example, lean, ready, and affordable global logistics and sustainment in a joint and coalition world. Interests include but are not limited to modeling and simulation (M&S) approaches that cost effectively blend live, virtual, and constructive environments and support cross domain training, capability development and testing, and joint/coalition readiness. This must enable interoperability of systems residing across the world at DOD acquisition centers, S&T laboratories, contractor facilities, operational bases and in allied countries. Cross domain (air, space, cyberspace) planning, targeting and assessment tools (available today primarily for kinetic weapons in the Joint Munitions Effectiveness Manual (JMEM)) are needed that can revolutionize acquisition or operational processes. Advanced planning tools as well as analytics for effective and efficient acquisition and use of future capabilities are also needed. Innovative acquisition models with track records of success in time, cost, and effectiveness for research development, test, and evaluation are of interest. Revolutionary medical and/or bioinformatics advances with demonstrated success in human performance protection and/or augmentation are of interest. Finally, revolutionary advances in cross-cutting enabling areas such as manufacturing, materials, energy, electronic warfare, financial services, and so on, that could redefine threats or opportunities across USAF domains of operation are of interest. These are intended as examples as opposed to a comprehensive list of our mission support interests. REVOLUTIONARY S&T, GAME CHANGERS Within and across the core functions described above, the Air Force is interested in revolutionary concepts and innovative solutions that can meet the challenging needs of the Air Force. These solutions are sought for all Air Force core functions referenced above. Described technologies should also indicate the areas of improvement over current state of the art technologies in quantitative metrics including, but not limited to, efficiency, effectiveness, robustness, resiliency, size, cost and sustainability. The Air Force is interested in solutions not focused exclusively on commercial viability but rather game changing revolutionary advances in the challenging threat environments we are expected to operate on in the near, mid, and far term. Innovative basic science research is also of interest if there is concrete evidence of technical viability such as peer-reviewed publication, prototypes, or demonstrations as well as cross cutting applicability to two or more Air Force mission domains (i.e., air, space, cyberspace) or core functions. The focus of the submissions should be on advanced technology solutions in the idea generation or early development stages, unless they are deployed solutions from other industrial, academic, or non-profit sectors that could revolutionize (i.e., 10x to 100x improvements in) Air Force operations. Related, the USAF is interested in both US and foreign game changers that exist or are emerging across a broad set of global business sectors (including but not limited to: manufacturing and materials, transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, healthcare and pharmaceutical, communications and information technology, financial services, education and training, etc.) that have the most promise for revolutionizing Air Force operations in terms of critical dimensions such as cost, speed, readiness, efficiency, or effectiveness. This could include S&T innovations from industrial, academic or non-profit leaders in various sectors which offer opportunities in the near, mid, or far term for transition or transfer to radical (i.e., 10-100x) improvements in cost, timeliness, efficiency or effectiveness for core Air Force functions. This could include revolutionary products, processes, and/or business models. Incremental advances (less than 10x improvements) are not of interest. As just one example of a potentially revolutionary area, consider human performance. Airmen are the key to Air Force mission success and, in a sense, are the most precious commodity in the Air Force. In order to operate successfully, Airman performance must be sustained, optimized, and enhanced, not just for today's challenges, but with an eye to future revolutions in socio-technological systems that threaten to degrade or even nullify human performance. Performance runs on a continuum from initial selection and training through the physical, physiological, psychological, and cognitive attributes that must be sustained biomedically and technologically across a career affected by the natural aging process. Key challenges to human performance are the increasingly complex socio-technical systems that levy inordinate demand on cognition, induce fatigue, and erode attention/situational awareness thus degrading weapon system performance. Consequently, revolutionary concepts are sought to include, but are not limited to, definitive accession of specified skills and rapid training without attrition; DOTMLPF solutions that eliminate fatigue; nano-, info-, bio-, and cogno-technology solutions to enhance (or augment) human performance within an acceptable ethical framework; maintenance of situational awareness in complex systems; and defining human relationships with autonomous systems. Advances in human performance must be discovered with emerging global forces in mind as well as the human performance threats of adversaries. GLOBAL TRENDS The USAF is also interested in studies, analyses, and/or activities that forecast global forces (e.g., global demographics, global technology proliferation, global health, climate change, economic shifts, business model trends, etc.) where there exists compelling data and evidence that this will drive change that is most relevant to (threats to or performance of) future USAF operations across air, space and/or cyberspace, to include enabling core capabilities such as training, logistics, maintenance, energy, healthcare, etc.. Responders should indicate the basis, evidence, and/or underlying data for the relevant trends and/or forces, wherever possible indicating concretely how these trends will drive Air Force futures. As desired, respondents can send in an actual global trend analysis report in lieu of a quad chart (See below). GLOBAL THREATS The global scope of DoD and Air Force networks, systems, and operations presents adversaries with broad opportunities for exploitation and attack. U.S. adversaries may seek to exploit, deceive, disrupt, deny or degrade the networks, systems, platforms and payloads the Air Force depends upon 24/7 for global operations (this includes attacks on confidentiality, availability, and integrity). Threats to global operations are presented from external threat actors, malicious insiders, and via supply chain vulnerabilities. Of particular concern are threat activities which undermine critical dependencies, national critical infrastructure, or give an adversary asymmetric advantage. Revolutionary methods to defend not only federal but also industrial base assets are of interest. Our military strength ultimately depends on economic vitality and thus sustained intellectual property losses erode both U.S. military effectiveness and national competitiveness in the global economy. Adversaries will continually adjust their tools and tactics, making a perfect defense impossible. However, an integrated, Air Force-wide, near-, mid-, and far-term science and technology vision to advance revolutionary capabilities to support core Air Force missions can help provide an edge. Innovative methods and insights into how to most effectively forecast and anticipate future threats are also welcome. Respondents can send in classified responses via appropriate channels (See below) and also can send in global threat reports that address global Air Force concerns in lieu of a quad chart (See below). 3. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMAT To respond to this RFI, interested parties should submit all information detailed below. Packages must be submitted by Friday, February 15, 2013 by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Submissions should briefly summarize the technical concepts and approaches within a maximum of four pages (as broken down in paragraphs c, d and e below), excluding quad chart, figures, references and the cover page. No proprietary information should be included in response to this RFI. You must submit a CD and a hard copy of the response. The size of the CD submission will be limited to 20 MB. The hard copy format specifications include 12 point font, single-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 by 11 inches paper, with 1-inch margins in either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format. a. Quad Chart (1 page) or Global Trend or Threat Report (< 10 pages, unless pre-existing) The template for this is attached to the solicitation. b. Cover Page (1 page only) Title Organization Respondent's technical and administrative points of contact (names, addresses, phones and fax numbers, and email addresses) Applicable Core Function(s) for the technology/concept or approach: (e.g., global game changing S&T for air, space, cyberspace, C2, ISR, mission support, global trends, threat analysis or projections, or revolutionary S&T concepts and/or best practices). Global Industrial/ Sector the technology/concept originates from, e.g., manufacturing and materials, transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, healthcare and pharmaceutical, communications and information technology, financial services, education and training, etc. c. Abstract (1 page only) Summarize technical concepts, associated technical challenges as well as approaches to address the enumerated technical challenges. Respondents are encouraged to be as succinct as possible while providing sufficient detail to adequately convey the technical concepts, challenges and approaches. d. Technology/Concept Description or Trend Analysis/Threat Summary (2 pages only) Provide an enhanced view of the technical concepts you are proposing, focusing on the advantages of the technology application and its applicability to the future Air Force needs, indicating if the idea is near-, mid-, or far-term. The description of each solution should include the current state of development and the predicted performance levels the technology should reasonably achieve. The description should justify why this is a revolutionary and not evolutionary idea but also provide evidence as to its technical realism/feasibility. This should include a technology readiness level, manufacturing readiness level (if appropriate), and cost. If responder is providing a Global Trend Analysis or Global Threat Analysis, this section should include references to any underlying sources, data and/or analytic methods used to derive the findings. A copy of a full trend analysis and/or threat summary can be attached instead of a quad chart. e. Applicability to Future Air Force needs (optional) (1 page only) Identify and expound upon the most desirable application through the Air Force, concentrating on the added capability this solution provides that currently does not exist. Make it clear how this revolutionary S&T addresses AF specific needs, distinct from those of other government organizations (e.g., DoE, ARPA-E, Army, Navy, Marines) although relating and leveraging these organizations as appropriate. The description should state if this is an area where the Air Force is expected to be a technology leader (lead AF mission and lead investor), follower (adopt, adapt, or augment an effort external to the AF), or watcher. Indicate if this applies to more than one domain (e.g., air, space, cyberspace). Respondents are encouraged to be as succinct as possible while providing sufficient detail to adequately convey the technical capabilities these innovative solutions have to the Air Force mission. All Proposers should review the NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY PROGRAM OPERATING M...