TITLE: Anti-Mortar, Anti-Rockets, Anti-Missile Technologies

TECHNOLOGY AREA: Sensors, Electronics, and Battlespace Environment; Radar Sensors/Electro-Optical Sensors

ACQUISITION SPONSOR: Marine Corps Systems Command

OBJECTIVE: This solicitation seeks novel approaches for countering the effectiveness of mortar, rockets, and missile attacks against US forces operating at fixed locations or in slowly moving vehicle convoys.

DESCRIPTION: Mortar, rocket, and missile attacks continue to constitute a threat to fixed locations associated with US operational forces or for slow moving convoys when a likely route can be anticipated in advance. Such attacks offer an attractive option to adversaries, because location of the launch point is often difficult to determine. Furthermore, among mixed friendly and hostile indigenous populations, the range and targeting information necessary for adversaries to conduct a precision mortar strike can be easily obtained. This solicitation seeks novel approaches for defeating the effectiveness of such attacks via concepts possibly including but not necessarily limited to:

• Detection and warning of the incoming mortar, rocket, or missile round prior to its achieving ballistic apogee
• Tracking of the round’s ballistic trajectory so as to calculate both impact and launch point
• Automated precision counter fire
• Practical concepts for disabling the incoming mortar, rocket, or missile round

PHASE I: Demonstrate feasibility of the salient physical principal of the proposed approach in a laboratory environment. Conduct a theoretical effectiveness analysis of the proposed concept modeling the probability that the proposed concept could achieve its claimed benefits (or portions thereof) given the pertinent uncertainties of a realistic operational environment.

PHASE II: Design and construct an engineering prototype to be demonstrated at the end of this phase. The prototype will be sufficiently refined so that effectiveness of the embodied concept toward countering mortar attacks can be evaluated in simulated encounters. During this phase, the theoretical concept effectiveness analysis from phase I would be refined into a prototype effectiveness analysis using measured performance parameters of the prototype device.

PHASE III: Refine the prototype developed in phase II so that it can be fabricated and evaluated in small numbers by operational forces. At this point the prototype should be sufficiently representative of the final product that all operational benefits, consequences and tradeoffs associated with full deployment can be clearly quantified via field trials. During this phase, limited numbers would be fielded with operational forces for evaluation and feedback. Prior to the completion of this phase, the prototype effectiveness analysis from phase II would be further refined into an operational effectiveness analysis by incorporating the pertinent observations and variables derived from field trials. These field trials would constitute the basis for additional modifications as well as any subsequent procurement decision.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: It is unlikely that this solicitation would lead to a device with applicability beyond military purposes.

REFERENCES: The Internet constitutes an excellent source of information on mortar, rockets, and/or missile ballistics as well as the tactics associated with recent mortar attacks.

KEY WORDS: Ballistics, Radar Sensors, Electro-Optical Sensors

POC: Clifford W. Anderson

PHONE: (703) 696-4485

EMAIL: [email protected]

Why propose this topic: This topic addresses a persistent operational challenge faced by US forces deployed overseas. Consequently, DoD leadership has declared the resolution of this issue to be among their highest priorities. Although there has been considerable technical effort throughout the DoD addressed toward this specific subject as well as other closely related issues, this small business solicitation is intended to further enhance the possibility that yet additional novel solutions may be identified.

Category: Advanced Development

ACAT: N/A