United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC) announced via FedBizOpps the third Forum for Innovative & Novel Discovery (FIND). Open to all interested small businesses, the purpose of FIND is to provide industry the opportunity to present their most innovative projects/ideas to key Senior Army Leaders and receive feedback with the goal of developing an opportunity for the Army to discover innovative technologies through a novel approach with industry.
FIND events will focus on a variety of topics across the “TRADOC Big 6+1” priority capabilities and Army science and technology warfighting needs to enable the Army to focus future force development and prioritize research, development, and acquisition. FINDs will emphasize long-range planning to define future decision points that consider equipment age, degradation of overmatch, industrial base viability and closure of capability gaps in the near-term (FYs 17-21), mid-term (FYs 22-31), and long-term (FYs 32-50) time frames, while allowing for cost-informed decisions that balance force generation needs for Force 2025 and Beyond. Use the Army Warfighting Challenges the Warfighters’ Science and Technology Needs when reviewing topics. See www.arcic.army.mil/Initiatives/ArmyWarfightingChallenges, and www.arcic.army.mil/App_Documents/Army-Warfighters-ST-Needs-Bulletin.
Each FIND session provides a forum allowing an individual member of industry to share proprietary information on its long-range research and development (R&D) efforts (outside the presence of competing industry members) with U.S. Army officials knowledgeable on the general subject matter of Army Warfighting Challenges (AWFCs) best aligned with the private R&D effort. The sessions are executive level meetings chaired by an Army Flag Officer or equivalent.
On 09-10 October 17 concurrent with Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington DC, ARCIC will conduct its third FIND event. The FIND will concentrate on Soldier / Team Performance and Overmatch.
The cross-cutting capability of Soldier / Team Performance and Overmatch (“+1”) focuses on fundamental capabilities that empower the Soldier and increase team performance. Soldiers and squads are the foundation of the decisive force. They must be organized, equipped, and trained with superior lethality, situational awareness, mobility, and protection that provides the overmatch required to defeat capable and determined adversaries in complex operational environments. New capabilities must enable freedom of action, permitting ground forces to seize positions of relative advantage and control key terrain to consolidate gains.
Interested companies must submit a white paper to be considered for inclusion in the forum, which addresses at least one of these areas:
a. Squad lethality. Improve lethality from close range through 1,200 meters. Fire control systems that compensate for individual aiming error, improved weapons sights, and enhanced night vision goggles will greatly improve the lethality of the individual Soldier and provide overmatch in close combat. Improved counter-defilade and target acquisition technologies will reduce engagement times and Soldiers’ exposure to enemy direct fires.
b. Reducing Soldier Loads. Excessive physical burdens imposed by organic materiel systems impact Soldiers’ ability in movement as well as tactical fire and maneuver. Modernization must enhance small unit mobility by reducing Soldier loads.
c. Mission Command. Mission Command network capabilities must provide simple and integrated Mission Command, a comprehensive common operational picture, and support for mission planning and rapid execution within the commander’s intent.
d. Human performance, leader development and training capabilities are also critical components in achieving Soldier and Team Overmatch. S&T efforts are needed to understand performance requirements at the individual and small team level, the complex sets of knowledge, skills, abilities and other attributes necessary to enable that performance, and the most effective ways and means to develop those characteristics. Soldiers and squads require a training environment that replicates the complexities and ambiguity of the Operational Environment. Future training capabilities must be readily available anytime, anywhere and provide the required repetition and rigor to build mastery of both fundamental and advanced warfighting skills. Adaptive training systems are needed to personalize the learning experience with tailored feedback and instruction while reducing overhead. This includes simulations for the rifle squad and key enhancements for the squad capability (e.g., Soldier Borne Sensors, Squad Multi-Purpose Equipment Transport).
e. Optimize Health and Performance. Concussion dosimetry, far forward brain function assessment, and diagnostics, nutritional supplements that speed recovery, human performance optimization to develop physical, social and cognitive overmatch, physiologic status monitoring, and leader tools; enable more accurate medical decisions and the identification of biomarkers of nanomaterial exposure health effects.
Visit www.fbo.gov for full details.
