We are often asked by various vendors for government solicitations, how they should format a white paper. USSOCOM offers this fictional white paper for its potential vendors as an example.
Entitled, “DUAL-MODE AUGMENTED CANINE TRANSPORT SYSTEM – PROJECT DUCTS”, it is referred to as “Rocket Dog”.
Feel free to use it as a template for white paper development, particularly if you’re submitting one to SOCOM. Download your copy here.
The Program Executive Office Special Operations Forces Warrior (PEO-SW) and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) have announced the 2017 iteration of their “Industry Collaboration Days” on 15-16 November 2017. The purpose of this event is to provide industry with an opportunity for a focused engagement with members of PEO-SW and JSOC to share ideas that facilitate the delivery of innovative capabilities to Special Operations Forces (SOF).
The Day 1 (SOFWIC) General Session on November 15th will be open to all interested vendors. The General Session will consist of introductory presentations by Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology & Logistics (SOF AT&L) leadership, an overview of PEO-SW war fighting commodity areas, and forecasted contracting opportunities for FY18 and beyond. Following the General Session, the remainder of the day will consist of 60 minute, invitation-only sessions for selected vendors to discuss their White Paper and/or Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) Proposal submissions addressing SOCOM’s Capability Needs (see below).
Day 2 (JCTE Solutions Event) on November 16th will be invitation only sessions with selected JSOC industry partners who have reviewed the unclassified or classified Capability and Technology Interest Items list released in conjunction with the PEO-SW sessions at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) in May 2017 and have submitted CRADA Proposals addressing those interest items.
This is the the most up to date listing of Capability Needs, listed in priority order by commodity area:
(1) Ground Mobility
a. Drivetrain and locking differentials Ground Mobility Vehicle (GMV 1.1) – Technology that will allow for transaxle replacement to increase reliability.
b. Suspension technology (GMV 1.1) – Suspension upgrades/replacement to increase performance, durability, and reliability. Semi-active seating that ties into the upgraded suspension working together to isolate occupants from terrain induced shock loading.
c. Cost reduction solutions for brakes, suspensions, C4ISR, etc. for Light Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (LTATV), Non-Standard Commercial Vehicle (NSCV), GMV 1.0 and GMV 1.1 – Novel approaches to reduce the lifecycle costs (namely production and sustainment) associated with braking, suspension, and other vehicular systems. Current C4ISR components (antennas, mounts, cables, etc.) are expensive and long lead in nature. We are targeting reduced costs, improved lead times, and equivalent capability to our current SOF suite of C4ISR (LoS, SATCOM, ECMS).
d. Low Cost, lightweight, rapidly attached/utilized tow bars (10k-20k lbs.) (GMV 1.1, GMV 1.0) – Quality built, sustainable tow bars that are lightweight, low cost, and rapidly attached for use on the medium family of vehicles (10k-20k lbs.)
e. Shock Mitigating seating (LTATV, GMV 1.1) – Novel approaches for LTATV seating and/or seating material(s) that will mitigate the shocks associated with off road vehicle driving.
f. Brake technology (GMV 1.1) – Brake upgrades/replacement to increase performance, durability, and reliability.
g. Visual, Audible, and Thermal Signature Reduction (LTATV, GMV 1.1) – Novel reduction approaches in addressing visual (camouflage), audible (mufflers, sound suppression), and thermal (heat dissipation/reduction) signatures.
h. Low profile Common Remotely Operated Weapon System (GMV 1.1) -Looking for small and light solutions that can utilize a wide range of weapons for a smaller tactical vehicle.
i. Mature 12 Volt battery technology for cold temp start and/or reduced size without degrading Cold Cranking Amperage or AMP hours (NSCV, GMV 1.1) – Mature battery technologies that can withstand cold start scenarios down to -50 F and also extend the timeline for silent watch. Reducing size but not performance is ideal as well.
j. Purpose Built NSCVs (Modular Purpose Built Chassis or common purpose built drivetrain for SUVs and Trucks) – Cost effective solutions for reduced logistics or to allow vehicles that are commercial in appearance to be reset at the end of the lifecycle instead of disposed of and re-procured. This would also allow different bodies to be interchanged on a common chassis to reduce logistical costs. The concept of Purpose Built is governed by the fact that vehicles are not modified commercial vehicles, but rather purpose built vehicles with little to no reliance on commercial vehicles. Vehicles are anticipated to be designed to mimic late model vehicles typically found in central Asia (e.g., Toyota Hilux, Toyota Land Cruiser 200, and Toyota Surf); armored against ballistic threats; 10 year vehicle life (minimum); vehicle designed for one or more resets; 4 wheel drive with heavy duty brakes and suspension to accommodate gross vehicle weight; full skid plates and running boards; diesel engines; and left hand drive.
k. Tire technology and non-pneumatic efforts (GMV 1.1, LTATV) – Novel approaches addressing wheel/tire assemblies to allow for better suitability in soft soils and terrains. Tire technologies to allow for a broader range of environmental terrains (sand, mud, and rock), to include non-pneumatic types.
l. Low Profile Antennas for Line of Sight, SATCOM, and ECMS (NSCV) – Antennas that can be hidden on/in/around the vehicle to appear almost non-existent while still effectively transmitting desired frequencies at specific power levels.
m. Light Vehicle Safety Improvements and Accessories (LTATV) – Improvements to general safety items to include (but not limited to): seating, roll cages, stability control, driver assist functions, etc.
n. Low Visibility Transferable Armor for commercial vehicles (NSCV) – Armor materials/panels, etc., that can be transferred and integrated from one commercial vehicle to another with minimal manpower and in a minimal timeframe.
o. Lightweight Transparent Armor (NSCV, GMV 1.1) – Novel lightweight and cost effective technologies that can replace current heavy transparent armor solutions on vehicle platforms.
p. OEM Electronic Control Unit (ECU) defeat (NSCV) – Solutions for bypasses the inherent safety controls built into OEM ECUs on FOSOV NSCVs to allow permanent disabling of features such as stability control and traction control which impedes use in a SOF environment.
q. Low Cost, High Output Alternators for NSCVs – Targeting both 12V and 28V dual alternator combinations, along with high output single 12V and dual 12V solutions. The 28VDC alternator shall have a minimum of 130A (at 28VDC) output (80A at idle) and shall fit within the current engine compartment. Any single high-output alternator shall have a minimum 260 Amp (12 Volt DC) output rating at idle and engine operating temperature of 220 degrees F. The purpose of this RFI is to determine the availability of solutions to replace the existing package within NSCVs, allowing flexibility for future growth, and to clear real estate in the engine compartment if we can achieve our requirements with a lower cost and smaller solution.
(2) Visual Augmentation Systems
a. Signature Reduction technologies for Targeting Laser (Out of Band and Notional Laser) – Laser designation technologies that are able to be perceived through typical and widely fielded Image Intensification technologies. Notional laser could exist only in virtual reality and be perceived through an integrated augmented reality display inside an eyepiece of NVG.
b. Head-mounted Devices- Looking for weight saving technologies or novel methods to move weight off of the head.
c. Hand Held Devices- Seeking size, weight, and power enhancements on handheld VAS commodities.
d. Weapon Mounted Devices Seeking size, weight, and power enhancements on weapon mounted VAS commodities.
(3) Weapon Systems:
a. Intermediate Caliber- Long Range Machine Gun 2000m- We are seeking a machine gun that has long range (2000m or greater) with weight comparable to the current medium machine gun (24lbs or less).
b. Suppressed Upper Receiver Group (SURG) – Seeking next-generation, modular upper receiver group that is interoperable with current lower receivers and is optimized for full time suppressed operation. Must have advanced heat mitigation technology to counter mirage effect.
c. Signature reduction for Small Arms- Sound, Flash mitigation technologies that are light weight and effective.
d. Advanced/Precision Sniper Rifle- We are seeking a multi-caliber platform that can shoot 7.62x51mm, .300NM, and .338NM. to sub minute of angle.
(4) Ammunition/Demolition:
a. Domestic sources of production for non-standard ammo and weapons- Seeking domestic production for weapons and ammo in the 7.62×39, 7.62x54R, and 12.7×108 categories.
b. Lightweight Ammunition- Seeking ammunition that can reduce weight by at least 30% of the current inventory of common ammunition from 5.56 up to 12.7×99.
c. Toxin Free Ammo- Seeking both lead free and reduced toxin alternative to the current inventory of training munitions- Polymer Short Range training ammo, Blank fire ammunition, man- marking rounds, and short range training ammunition.
(5) Soldier Protection, Survival, and Equipment Systems
a. Armor – Novel technologies and designs that decrease weight while increasing level of protection.
b. Helmets – Novel technologies and designs that decrease weight while increasing level of protection.
c. Special Operations Eye Protection – Laser protection (visible and IR); ability for a single lens to adapt to various lighting conditions near instantaneously.
d. Uniforms – Novel technologies and designs for heated clothing and gloves.
e. Logistics – Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness compliant internet accessible web application (certified mixed/feeder system) for the Special Operations Forces Personal Equipment Advanced Requirements (SPEAR) program capable of property accountability, warehouse management, logistics/supply functions, financial, and personnel management data to include the conversion of measurements to sizes using an approved algorithm for Special Operations Forces-Peculiar (SO-P) individual equipment. Integration with the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) logistics enterprise is mandatory.
(6) Tactical Combat Casualty Care Medical Systems
Novel FDA approved technologies that apply to individual casualty care and casualty evacuation.
(7) Find, Fix, Finish, Exploitation, and Analyze Capabilities
For details on how to submit a white paper, visit www.fbo.gov.
During my recent visit to the 2017 National Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, I got to check out some of the military support to the quadrennial event. On hand was the US Army Special Operations Recruiting Battalion with their Special Operations Semi.
Inside were multiple simulators to give participants a taste of military skills.
Additionally, SORB gave away the various components of this patch set throughout the day.
Team USA and Colombia are tied for first place in the CT Competition. There are 3 events left (Team week PT event, Obstacle curse and the ruck march).
Thanks Brendan for the update!
Fuerzas Comando is a skills competition between around 700 military and police Special Operations personnel from 20 countries in the Western Hemisphere. This year’s exercise is being hosted by Paraguay July 18-27.
Not long ago, we mentioned Joint Threat Warning System, USSOCOM’s program of record for SIGINT collection systems. For ground-based collection, that is the AN/PRD-13(V)2. By default, it is also the system used by the US Army, which seems to have checked out of developing tactical SIGINT systems. Many capabilities which SOCOM adopts in the SI realm, also find their way into US Army LLVI.
USSOCOM, Special Operations Forces Acquisition Technology and Logistics (SOF AT&L), Program Executive Officer for Special Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Exploitation (PEO – SRSE), Program Manager for Joint Threat Warning Systems (PM-JTWS) recenty released an RFI to industry for Body worn sensor with low Size Weight and Power (SWaP). As communications systems become more sophiticated, so must the equipment designed to collect against them.
According to the RFI, the Program Manager is specifically interested in signals intelligence technologies, ideas and solutions which advance in the following Key Interest Areas:
1) Body worn sensor with low Size Weight and Power (SWaP)
2) Low profile DF antenna
JTWS is seeking potential solutions with the below criteria as initial guidance but not formal direction:
• Hardware:
o Software Defined Radio Threshold –
-Ability to conduct surveys of special/advanced Signals of Interests (SOIs)
-Provide Narrowband automatic signal detection
-Ability to search (scan) special frequency bands
-Ability to search (scan) operator created search parameters or tables
-The system shall have the ability to be sanitized upon command
-The system shall have the ability to be zeroized upon command
-Zeroize feature shall include a fail-safe device to prevent inadvertent zeroizing
o Software Defined Radio Objective –
-Survey capability between the frequency range of 3 – 6,000 MHz
-Provide Wideband automatic signal detection
-Allow for remote zeroization and sanitization
o Antenna Threshold –
-Multiple cables lengths and calibration tables for different operational environments
-Antenna repair kit
-Convenient antenna and cable kit
-Shall conform to platform specific requirements for use on a full range of platforms
-Man-packable antenna shall come with the ability to be mounted off the body for operations on-the-halt
o Dedicated SIGINT Communications Architecture Threshold –
-LOS Meshed Network / Self-Healing connectivity to support collaborative operations
o Dedicated SIGINT Communications Architecture Objective –
-Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) Meshed Network / Self-Healing connectivity to support collaborative operations
-Low Probability of Interception (LPI) and Low Probability of Detection (LPD) waveforms
o Data Storage Devices Threshold –
-Removable, replaceable and separated from operating system storage
-Store a minimum of 100 GB of data storage in a removable form factor
-Clear identification markings for emergency destruction
o Data Storage Devices Objective –
-Encryption for data-at-rest
-Digitally record, catalog and store a minimum 500 GB of data in a removable form factor
o Environmental and EMI/EMC conditions
-Compliant with MIL-STD-810F and MIL-STD-461F as required, or commercial requirements in accordance with operational platform
o Global Positioning System (GPS)
-Receive, display and metatag collected sensor data with GPS-based position, time stamp and/or platform navigation data from either internal or external source(s)
– ystem clock time synchronization to the sensor; if GPS loses synchronization the sensor time will be maintained until GPS is reacquired
-Comply with CJCSI 6140.01.
o Weight Threshold –
-Sensor shall weigh no more than 12 lb with batteries, less antenna(s) and ancillary cabling
o Weight Objective –
-Reduction of weight between 3 lb to 9 lb
o Batteries Threshold –
-Sensor shall be powered by hot-swappable MIL-SPEC batteries for a minimum of eight (8) continuous hours using batteries carried by the operator
-Sensor shall store a Hold Up Battery (HUB) in an effort to prevent loss of data during unexpected system power down
o Batteries Objective –
-Increase operating time on batteries to a minimum of twelve (12) hours
• Data:
o Sensor will detect, collect, locate and process multiple data types
o Sensor will output common audio and data formats
o Exchange of data utilizing File Transfer Protocol (FTP), IPV6 and Secure file transfer protocol (SFTP)
o Ability to exchange data with other sensors and networks
• GUI:
o Human Machine Interface (HMI) / Graphic User Interface (GUI) Threshold –
-Interface with RaptorX
-Display frequency spectrum type observation of signals (separable into up to three {3} spectral displays selectable by the operator)
-Ability to adjust the basic receiver tuning via a spectral display
-Selectable visual and/or aural indications of a newly detected signal within five (5) seconds of the signal’s presence
-Display status of all channels
-Ability to start or stop recording on any channel from the GUI
-Ability to convey sensor status in the form of a Built In Test (BIT), with corresponding error codes
-Support searching in both manual and automated modes
-Include frequency-spectrum separable for up to three spectrums between 3 – 6000 MHz
-Provide audio / graphic monitoring on spectral display with minimum update rate of 3 Hz.
-Adjustable basic receiver tuning via the spectral display (volume, frequency, squelch, span)
-Display results in near-real time across the JTWS family of systems
-Overall system and all subsystem visual output shall be on a single, common display, with screens for each subsystem or system function set selectable
-Provide enough display area to simultaneously view and manage user defined functions/features of sensor (i.e. higher resolution displays or enhanced user interfaces)
-Displays shall be readable in bright sunlight when in direct frontal view by the operator
-Equipment shall not disrupt operator user of night vision goggles when not viewing system display
-Variable brightness control from zero illumination to its maximum, sufficiently illuminated for nighttime operations and daytime operations
-Display emitter location data/results in real-time on a user defined map (e.g., Ellipse, Heat map, LOB, point target)
-Upon user request, display operator geographic location (GPS) and compass orientation to equipped sensors
-Transmit positional data across networks
-Display estimated signal source location on a moving map display
-Color-code or otherwise provide distinguishing display of each signal being tracked
-Displays shall be NVG compatible
-User shall be able to play back historical libraries with the ability to combine previous and current information
-Produce an output data stream compatible with current DOD geospatial mapping programs
o Human Machine Interface (HMI) / Graphic User Interface (GUI) Objective –
-Provide acquired information to onboard / off board (when selected by operator) processing elements for intelligence and Command & Control (C2) purposes (for both organic and external / off board force employment) and provide updates to onboard / off board Common Operation Picture (COP)
-User interface for mapping, audio control, sensor control and data manipulation
o Audio Processing real-time and post mission audio manipulation Threshold –
-User Interface (UI) shall provide audio controls for volume, frequency, squelch, span, noise reduction and advanced filtering
-Audio output compatibility with various interphone systems / headsets
-Provide reduction of signal noise to improve raw collection for audio quality and speech detection
-Provide selectable real-time filtering of audio
-Displays shall provide for dual audio outputs
-Displays shall route audio to operator(s) from any four simultaneous signals
o Audio Processing real-time and post mission audio manipulation Objective –
-Route audio to operator(s) from any four simultaneous signals, each present for at least two seconds; each audio stream 100% complete
-Quickly retrieve and play back a segment of audio data collected within the past 15, 30, 45, or 60 seconds in order to further analyze the data
-Buffer real-time audio, so that upon resumption the operator will be able to recall missed audio during playback times
-Provide the user the option to post process audio for language identification, speaker identification, gender identification, speech detection and group identification via post mission analysis using audio processing software
-Provide the user the option to process audio in near real-time for Language identification, speaker identification, gender identification, speech detection and group identification. Also audio should be available via post mission analysis using audio processing software.
• Software:
o Information Assurance to comply to ICD 503 protection level 3, Integrity Level Of Concern (ILOC) medium, Availability Level of Concern (ALOC) medium or equivalent Office of the Director of National intelligence (ODNI) directives/publications
Remember, this is still just an RFI and the information will be used to inform requirements. However, if as a company, you don’t participate, the government may not be aware of a capability you can provide and won’t issue a requirement for it. They need to know the art of the possible. The Government requests submissions NLT 28 JUL 17.
For more information visit www.fbo.gov.
Leadership in Complexity
Washington’s Crossing, by David Hackett Fischer (2006)
Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders, by L. David Marquet (2013)
Six Simple Rules: How to Manage Complexity without Getting Complicated, by Yves Morieux and Peter Tollman (2014)
Adapting to Uncertainty
Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder, Nassim Nicholas Taleb (2014)
Learning from the Octopus: How Secrets from Nature Can Help Us Fight Terrorist Attacks, Natural Disasters, and Disease, by Rafe Sagarin (2012)
Disruptive Technology
Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War, P.W. Singer and August Cole (2016)
3D Printing Will Rock the World, by John Hornick (2015)
The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia’s Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries, by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan (2015)
Perspectives and Emergence
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World, by Tim Marshall (2016)
Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia, by Peter Pomerantsev (2015)
Putinism: Russia and Its Future with the West, by Walter Laqueur (2015)
The Hundred-Year Marathon: China’s Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower, by Michael Pillsbury (2016)
The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa, by Deborah Brautigam (2011)
A History of Iran: Empire of the Mind, by Michael Axworthy (2016)
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea, by Barbara Demick (2010)
Special Operations from a Small State Perspective: Future Security Challenges, New Security Challenges, by Gunilla Eriksson and Ulrica Pettersson, editors (2017)
I like Aku Pilgrim boots and apparently so does the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR). In this DND photo of their recent Change of Command parade at Garrison Petawawa, we see new commander Lt-Col Andrew Vivian, outgoing commander Lt-Col Steven Hunter, and officiating officer Maj Gen Mike Rouleau, commander of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM).
