DoD Announces Second Set of Projects to Receive Funding From the Pilot Program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT)

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May 22, 2023 |

The Department of Defense announced today the second set of projects to receive funding via the pilot program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT).

The purpose of the APFIT pilot program is to expeditiously transition technologies from development into production, and to accelerate the fielding of those technologies to the warfighter. In FY22 $100M was appropriated for APFIT, resulting in ten DoD programs each receiving $10M to expedite their production and fielding. APFIT funding is helping to deliver war-winning capability 1-2 years earlier than scheduled, while contributing to the health of the US Industrial base through investments in small business and/or nontraditional defense developed capabilities.  Congress appropriated $150 million for APFIT in FY23.

“I am thrilled to see the increased support from Congress for the APFIT program,” said Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. “This flexible funding is helping to transform the way the Department quickly pivots to procure and field warfighting capability, across the military services and defense agencies.

“This pilot program is a critical tool to help us bridge the ‘valley of death’ and transition capabilities to the warfighter quicker than previously planned. The companies being funded will fill crucial capability gaps. Without APFIT funding, these capabilities could take years longer to field.”

The National Defense Authorization Act of FY22 established APFIT as a competitive, merit-based program for innovative and mature technologies and products that can meet warfighter demands but currently lack the necessary funding to field.  Individual funding awards are limited to $10M-$50M for each defense program. Eleven DoD program offices will receive FY23 APFIT funding. These program offices will in turn use that funding to procure innovative technologies from small businesses or nontraditional defense contractor vendors, as listed below.

  • Commercial Satellite Communications Terminals, U.S. Marine Corps, $15.0M, Bascom Hunter Technologies, Louisiana
    • Establishes a fully automated production line and initial procurement of transportable satellite terminals to provide assured Naval capability to leverage the latest Low Earth Orbit and Mid Earth Orbit satellite communication constellations.
  • Common Air-Launched Munitions Radio, U.S. Air Force, $10.0M, Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc., Alabama
    • Initial low rate procurement of software defined munitions radios and Technical Data Package to support integration of weapons data links in future USAF weapons.
  • Integrated Air Defense Cameras, Defense Innovation Unit, $16.77M, Teleidoscope, California
    • Procurement of initial upgraded electro optical/infrared cameras with enhanced capabilities to improve airspace awareness.
  • Minuteman III Code Wheel Replacement, Defense Logistics Agency, $10.0M, BC Engineering Products, New Jersey
    • Procurement of new code wheels for replacement of units in the Minuteman III Missile that are ~40 years beyond planned service life using advanced manufacturing techniques and processes to retain form, fit, and function.
  • Mixed Reality Pilot Training Devices, U.S. Marine Corps, $10.0M, Bowhead Professional & Technical Solutions, LLC, Virginia
    • Procurement of affordable, smaller, mixed-reality T-45C flight training simulators to augment legacy full-size flight simulators.
  • Modern Commercial Weather Satellites, U.S. Space Force, $10.3M, Tomorrow.io, Massachusetts
    • Procurement and launch of two affordable commercial weather sensing satellites to augment the existing commercially-owned, managed, and sustained weather constellation to support weather data-as-a-service use by the military.
  • Multi-Platform Anti-Jam Global Positioning System Antennas, U.S. Army, $19.97M, Mayflower Communications, Inc., Massachusetts
    • Accelerated procurement of sufficient quantities to achieve optimum price break of anti-jam antennas for fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
  • Network Enhancements for Contested Environments, U.S. Navy, $10.0M, Adaptive Dynamics Inc, California and Caliola Engineering, Colorado
    • Procurement and integration of software into existing joint tactical radio systems that leverage modified software techniques for enhancing communications in contested environments.
  • Tactical Passive Radar for Counter Unmanned Air Systems (UAS), U.S. Army, $10.0M, Hidden Level, Inc., New York
    • Procurement of platform agnostic, day/night, modular passive radar capability for small UAS detection and tracking.
  • Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Range Extension using Beyond-Line-of-Sight Communications, U.S. Navy, $10.0M, Maritime Applied Physics Corp., Maryland
    • Initial low rate procurement of USVs and supporting communication systems to enable beyond-line-of-site operations.
  • Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Capable Fixed-Wing Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Small UAS, U.S. Special Operations Command, $20.0M, Quantum-Systems Inc., California
    • Accelerated procurement of Fixed-Wing Small UAS with integrated VTOL capabilities.

About USD(R&E)

The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E) is the Chief Technology Officer of the Department of Defense. The USD(R&E) champions research, science, technology, engineering, and innovation to maintain the United States military’s technological advantage. Learn more at www.cto.mil, follow us on Twitter @DoDCTO, or visit us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/ousdre

 

Full Article can be viewed at the following link:  https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3403601/dod-announces-second-set-of-projects-to-receive-funding-from-the-pilot-program/

 

PEO AVIATION CONDUCTS FIRST FLIGHT OF CRITICAL ARMY AVIATION MODERNIZED NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT

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PEO AVIATION CONDUCTS FIRST FLIGHT OF CRITICAL ARMY AVIATION MODERNIZED NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT

By David Hylton

January 18, 2023

The Project Management (PM) Office for Aviation Mission Systems and Architecture (AMSA) recently completed successful testing of critical next generation Army Aviation navigation equipment at El Mirage Test Range, Calif.

In October and November, The Endurance Unmanned Aircraft System (EUAS) Product Office and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Incorporated executed the first five successful flights for the Enhanced Aviation, Global Air Traffic Management, Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance, Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (EGI) (EAGLE) M-Code, or EAGLE-M, and the Multi-Platform Anti-Jam Global Positioning System Navigation Antenna (MAGNA) on an MQ-1 Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). It was also the first time the combined systems, that represent Army aviation’s next generation of Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT), were flown as a system.

On December 8, 2022, PM AMSA hosted a ceremony at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. to celebrate the successful demonstrations. During the ceremony, the Program Executive Officer Aviation, Maj. Gen. Robert Barrie emphasized the importance of these capabilities. He also congratulated members of the Assured Airspace Access Systems Product Office and Honeywell International for the successful component development and qualification of the EAGLE-M navigator as well as the EUAS Product Office for successful Gray Eagle system integration and flight testing.

The EGI is the common avionics solution for Army aviation platforms. The EAGLE-M program upgrades the current EGI to meet requirements for A-PNT and provides the primary position, attitude, velocity, and timing solution that enables aviation platforms to operate in civil airspace and to operate within GPS contested environments. The EAGLE-M includes an M-Code GPS receiver capable of providing extremely precise aircraft position that, when combined with the inertial system, provides a very robust and resilient A-PNT solution. EAGLE-M will be fielded on Gray Eagle UAS and most Army aviation manned platforms.

MAGNA provides DoD platforms with GPS protection from adversarial jamming enabling the warfighter continued access to GPS A-PNT during operations. It will be produced in two variants, MAGNA-Federated for fixed wing, rotary aircraft and large UAS and MAGNA-Integrated for smaller UAS and other platforms.

EUAS’s Gray Eagle was selected as the PEO’s first test platform because of the maturity and efficiency of its software integration program. EAGLE-M successfully demonstrated its capability to perform as an A-PNT source for Gray Eagle and to integrate and successfully operate with the MAGNA antenna.

Operationally, EAGLE-M and MAGNA combine to provide an extremely resilient and robust A-PNT solution for Army aviation platforms, optimizing mission performance in GPS contested environments, increasing reach, survivability and lethality. EAGLE-M satisfies current generation GPS receiver obsolescence issues and will provide civil navigation capabilities for en route through precision approach under Instrument Meteorological Conditions. The next step for EAGLE-M on the Gray Eagle UAS is to complete system level qualification and receive a platform airworthiness release in support of planned fielding beginning in 2023. Simultaneously, all enduring manned rotary wing platforms have integration programs underway in support of EAGLE-M and MAGNA qualification and fielding.

 

PEO AVIATION CONDUCTS FIRST FLIGHT OF CRITICAL ARMY AVIATION MODERNIZED NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT | Article | The United States Army

 

Mayflower Communications Company, Inc. receives FAA TSO-C190 Authorization, making its Multi-Platform Anti-Jam GPS Navigation Antenna (MAGNA) systems the first anti-jam solutions in the industry approved for both military and commercial aviation use

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  • As a pioneer in the development of GPS Anti-Jam technology, Mayflower Communications has built a portfolio of Anti-Jam products that offer best in class small Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) GPS Anti-Jam while providing seamless protection to military and civilian GPS receivers
  • Mayflower’s MAGNA-I and MAGNA-F Anti-Jam Antenna Solutions are the first and only CRPA-based GPS Anti-Jam products to receive FAA TSO-C190 Authorization

May 19, 2022

BEDFORD, MA May 16, 2022 – Mayflower Communications Company, Inc. has received technical standard order (TSO-C190) Authorization from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for both models of its MAGNA GPS Anti-Jam product.  Mayflower’s MAGNA GPS Anti-Jam products are the first and only GPS Anti-Jam systems in the industry to receive the FAA TSO Authorization for installation on both military and civilian aircraft.

The MAGNA Anti-Jam products are comprised of two different models, the MAGNA-Federated (MAGNA-F) and the MAGNA-Integrated (MAGNA-I).  Mayflower’s MAGNA products build on Mayflower’s highly SWaP-optimized GPS Anti-Jam (AJ) antenna technologies, such as Small Antenna System (SAS).  The MAGNA products were developed by Mayflower under sponsorship by the US Navy SPAWAR and further improved under the sponsorship of the US Army PEO AVN to support GPS protection requirements for SWaP-constrained air, sea and ground platforms e.g., fixed-wing/rotary aircraft, ships, UAVs as well as tactical vehicles.  Both MAGNA products offer simultaneous L1/L2 protection and can protect commercial and military GPS Receivers.

The MAGNA-F (NavGuard® 710) is the latest federated, small SWaP, affordable GPS AJ solution which has been extensively integrated, tested, and flown in Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) operational environments by the Government on multiple aircraft platforms.  MAGNA-F is the highest performance and smallest federated GPS anti-jam solution on the market in its class utilizing a small 3.5” diameter Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) that is compatible with existing Fixed Radiation Pattern Antenna (FRPA) footprint.  The MAGNA solution consistently outperforms many larger solutions and offers an affordable, small SWaP-C alternative over larger and more expensive existing anti-jam systems.

The MAGNA-I (NavGuard® 730) is the highest performance and smallest GPS anti-jam integrated solution on the market in a 4.5” diameter FRPA-compatible footprint.  MAGNA-I simplifies platform integration and reduces life cycle costs.  MAGNA-I integrated AJ solution (antenna array integrated with antenna electronics in a single module) is designed for platforms with difficult integration challenges.

“The achievement of the TSO Authorization for the Mayflower MAGNA AJ Systems is a major milestone for the aviation industry as the system can significantly increase safety and efficiency of air travel,” said Dr. Triveni Upadhyay, Founder and President of Mayflower Communications Company, Inc. “MAGNA GPS Protection System provides pilots with improved GPS availability in a global environment with disrupted GPS signals. Additionally, MAGNA AJ Systems increase efficiency of GPS Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) by enabling protected GPS signals to support precise timing for communications and real-time navigation data transfer between aircraft and the ground. This can help in situations where GPS is disrupted and rerouting is necessary to avoid delays.”

MAGNA GPS Anti-Jam products enable all the functionality supported by GPS navigation systems. The MAGNA TSO Authorization facilitates installation and certification for immediate and future air navigation system operation on multiple aircraft platforms, including line fit and aftermarket upgrades. MAGNA AJ systems meet the Design Assurance Level (DAL) B standards related to safety and security requirements for aircraft products of this type, ensuring better protection of critical cockpit navigation systems.

The successful development and FAA TSO authorization of the MAGNA AJ system was a team effort involving the United States Army and Navy.  “Mayflower has further built on our reputation for delivering high-quality GPS AJ products that maximize GPS protection and exceed reliability standards.  The FAA TSO-C190 authorization enables Mayflower to provide our, robust and cost-effective AJ solutions to both military and civilian markets alike.” added Mr. Joe Thomas, Senior Director, Government Programs. “We plan to begin delivering TSO Authorized MAGNA AJ Systems to customers soon.”

Mayflower Communications management team will be participating in the upcoming Joint Navigation Conference (JNC) in San Diego, California, from June 6th through June 9th, 2022. The Mayflower VP of Engineering Mr. Naresh Jarmale will be presenting a paper during Session B4: Military PNT User Equipment 2 – EGI and Platform Integrated PNT at 11:50 in Ballroom B.

To learn more about Mayflower Communications and the MAGNA suite of products and to meet the Mayflower Team please visit us at Booth # 216 at JNC 2022.

About Mayflower Communications Company, Inc

Mayflower Communications Company is a technology and innovation leader specializing in small SWaP GPS Products and Technologies. With a history of innovation spanning 35+ years, Mayflower provides operationally proven Digital Anti-Jam Systems and is at the forefront of Military GPS Receiver development and production.  Mayflower is designated by the US Space Command as an “Authorized Military GPS Receiver Developer and Producer” – one of the seven companies to be recognized and the only small business to receive this designation. Mayflower MAGNA AJ products are found on multiple Special Operations Command, US Army, and US Navy Aircraft (Rotary Wing, Fixed Wing, and Unmanned Aerial Systems).

Media contact: Joseph P. Thomas, 781-359-9500 ext. 2226, thomas@mayflowercom.com

Mayflower Communications Company, Inc: Projectile Inertial Navigator from COTS Instruments

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Navy SBIR Photo1

About the Technology
Mayflower Communications Company, Inc. has developed a High Anti-Jam (AJ) GPS Guidance Electronics Unit (GEU) that has miniaturized Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module GPS receivers and GPS anti-jam modules suitable for most precision guidance munitions. The gun-hardened GEU system has anti-jam capability and provides a high degree of protection against jamming of GPS receivers. The AJ GPS guidance system was developed in response to Navy’s need for a commercially available and affordable inertial
navigator that is suitable for use in guidance and control of projectiles.

In a teaming arrangement with Alliant Technologies, Inc. (ATK), Mayflower is supporting the Ballistic Trajectory Extended Range Munitions (BTERM II) Demonstration Program.The company is providing its GPS antenna AJ electronics to ATK/Draper for the Navy BTERM II projectiles. BTERM II is considered an alternative to the extended range, gun launched projectile and an alternative to the Extended Range Guided Munitions. Mayflower is also applying its GPS/AJ technology to the DoD’s Guidance Integrated Fuze (GIF) Demonstration Program, and is developing miniaturized anti-jam antenna electronics and a single chip SAASM GPS receiver for use in the GIF GEU.
Military and Commercial Significance
Mayflower’s Anti-Jam GPS GEU offers a powerful, high performance, small size, low cost solution for precision guided munitions. Production cost is decreased by using commercially available instruments, miniaturizing the enhanced GPS receiver and anti-jam module unit, and by using “accelerometers only” inertial navigation systems without including the more expensive gun-hard gyroscope that is not available commercially. The GPS anti- jam technology mitigates multiple wideband jammers for gun-launched rolling projectiles by utilizing a conformal antenna. The GIF program seeks to replace the existing NATO standard fuze on existing stockpiled Army, Navy, and Marine Corp ammunition with a low-cost, fuze-sized module.