Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Expeditionary Missions Program Office (PMS 408), in collaboration with Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division, has awarded Roke USA an Other Transactions (OT) agreement to develop ruggedized, high-gain directional antenna prototypes for shipboard environments.
The agreement was awarded through NSWC Crane’s Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) Other Transactions Authority (OTA), which is managed by the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL). It will be a 14-month, two-phase prototype project aiming to deliver optimized antenna solutions that meet stringent government specifications for various operating bands. While Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) options offer either adequate gain or the correct pattern, no single solution currently meets both requirements.
The project will concentrate on creating antennas that not only focus radio waves in a specific direction with the required RF pattern but also amplify the signal sufficiently (high gain) to meet mission demands. These newly developed antennas will be designed for permanent installation on ships and built to withstand the harsh maritime environment.
The S2MARTS OTA facilitated a highly competitive selection process, demonstrating strong interest and engagement from a diverse range of innovators. The Project TALX event saw significant participation with 80 attending and representatives from 71 unique organizations. The resulting teaming list comprised 42 submissions, with an impressive 86% from non-traditional defense contractors, underscoring the OTA’s ability to attract novel solutions. Roke USA, Inc., a non-traditional contractor, emerged as the awardee.
This award signifies the S2MARTS OTA’s commitment to fostering innovation and rapidly delivering critical capabilities to the warfighter. The Ship Antenna Optimization project holds the potential to enhance the communication capabilities of shipboard deployable systems significantly.