Navy planning quarterly tech demo events

In another example of how the government is trying to tap into more sources of innovation, the Naval Postgraduate School is planning quarterly events where companies and other entities can come and demo their emerging tech.

Interested companies will need to apply at the website for the Joint Interagency Field Experimentation events by submitting a proposal at the JIFX website.

Broadly, there are two priorities. Priority 1 is autonomy, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber security and C3 research. Priority 2 is quantum networking, microelectronics, space systems, hypersonics and missile defense research.

These are further broken down into 13 areas of interest and under each of those there are more specific areas of interest, according to the request for information.

For example, there are six items under the broad area of interest called "Communications and Networking:"

• Scalable and mobile communications networks
• Location, tracking and communication technologies
• Distributed spectrum management
• Air-to-ground communication
• Information exchange and communication
• Untethered, underwater communication system

The other 12 broad areas of interest are:

• Unmanned aerial systems
• Unmanned systems design, deployment, operation, networking and control
• Countering unmanned systems
• Cyber, cyber security and electronic warfare
• Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
• Situational awareness
• Defense support for civil authorities
• Health and safety
• Expeditionary operations
• Infrastructure and power
• Mobility and transportation
• Precision strike, non-lethal weapons and information operations

Participants will have to cover their own costs to travel and demonstrate their technology. The Naval Postgraduate School will provide the venue and the infrastructure and personnel for the demonstration and assessment.

The first of these events took place in November but the next one is slated for March 2-6 at Camp Roberts in California. The deadline for applying is Jan. 8. A third one is scheduled for May 18-22 and another for Aug. 17-21. All are at Camp Roberts.

Each event will have a theme, but they haven’t been named yet. The RFI refers people to this webpage.