Cognitive Electronic Warfare Among US Air Force Priority Areas

Cognitive Electronic Warfare is among five new U.S.Air Force capability priorities in the 2022 Topical Call for Solutions and Concepts announced to industry partners.
The five topics in the 2022 Topical Call for Solutions and Concepts are:
• Cognitive electronic warfare, or EW: Algorithms, architecture and adaptation to enable real-time interdiction of unknown signals.
• Compact and containerized platforms: Approaches to compress, ship, field-assemble or aerially deploy air platforms.
• Lean, agile ground operations: Field preparation, support equipment and processes for austere combat power.
• Networking the fight: Multi-domain, multi-level, multi-partner connectivity through nodes/network/apps.
• Responsive launch for multi-domain effects: On-demand, precision placement of smaller payloads into specific orbital positions.

Cognitive electronic warfare
“We need advances in EW systems to sense and prosecute modern threats, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning advancements alone will not close this capability gap,” said Dr. Reid Melville, chief of innovation for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation and Transformational Capabilities Office.
The solution space for this challenge includes bridging the technology gap between legacy EW systems to Cognitive EW systems, using open standards across both the hardware platform and the EW software and adaptive managers to optimize the EW system.
Compact containerized platforms
Melville said the demand for compact containerized platforms involves the need to generate a significant mass of combat power from forward, austere operating sites and to generate a significant mass of combat power from remote, air-launched operations.
The solution space for this challenge includes employing small-footprint Autonomous Collaborative Platforms, or ACP, from forward areas; ACPs that are readily shippable, containerized and ready for field assembly and maintenance; and expanding the volume of air-launched effects from more compact or palletized munitions.
Lean, agile ground operation
Lean, agile ground operation involves the requirement for agile airfield areas that can be established rapidly in forward areas. “Forward air operations need low-logistics ground support equipment that flows rapidly,” Melville said.
The solution space for this challenge includes capability for forming, preparing or exploiting ramp and runway surfaces for air operations; Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) with radically lower volume/mass/operator footprint; and other low-footprint solutions that support needed functions for air operations.
Networking the fight
Solutions being sought include government flexible software with interoperable hardware to CONNECT-SECURE-SHARE information across heterogeneous nodes and networks. The concepts and solutions request is for flexible, agile, hardware and software applications and algorithms to CONNECT-SECURE-SHARE information.
Responsive launch for multi-domain effects
Melville said potential competitors’ advanced anti-access/area denial, or A2AD, capabilities restrict U.S. and allied freedom of operation. Solutions being sought include multi-domain effects that cross the air and space domain. The concepts and solutions request is for responsive space launch of payloads placed into orbits below 400 km on tactically relevant timescales.