SOCOM seeks autonomous warfare proving ground
U.S. Special Operations Command’s Joint Acquisition Task Force and the SOFWERX innovation hub are looking to partner with industry to develop a proving ground for autonomous systems.
Officials have selected NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi — a location used by special operations forces for training — as the site for the effort, according to a special notice posted on a government contracting website.
The proving ground will enable the integration, testing and employment of “all-domain” unmanned systems, according to the notice, which cited directives to SOCOM under the Pentagon’s “Drone Dominance” initiative.
The command “was specifically called upon to path find and shepherd the development of technologies that will not only ensure US military advantage but also confirm our allies and partners are able to learn together. NSSC and the surrounding region offer the physical environment to test operational concepts from seabed to low earth orbit,” officials wrote in the notice, adding that there’s also a need to shape the electromagnetic spectrum and digital environments.
“Key to success is the establishment of by-domain labs, technical integration facility, range development, IT infrastructure for either modeling on prem or rapidly move data to Live Virtual Constructed High Performance Computing Environments, and identify a proof of concept for teaching Network-UxS integration at a school house,” per the notice, which was posted May 20.
SOCOM has been a key player in the U.S. military’s initiatives to pursue and integrate new unmanned systems, including as a leader of the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group.
A “collaboration event” for the new proving ground effort is slated for mid-July where vendors will be able to meet with special operators to discuss their technology needs. Requests to attend the gathering are due June 24.
Solutions providers are expected to submit their capabilities for SOCOM review in the mid-September to mid-October time frame. Following a downselect, an assessment event will be held at the SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Florida, where invitees will have the opportunity to pitch their offerings.
Officials will be looking to award procurement contracts, other transaction agreements, or other types of deals to successful offerors, according to the notice.
