DAHLGREN, Va. –
Do you think your business, company, corporation or academic institution can develop a more streamlined interface to enhance integration of radar systems on Navy ships? If so, it may be the perfect candidate for Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division’s (NSWCDD) Adaptable Interface - Innovation Challenge at Dahlgren and the chance to win $250,000.
NSWCDD is extremely excited to host its third type of innovation challenge. Over the past year, innovation challenges have been embedded in the culture of Dahlgren. Having a variety of challenges, focused on a variety of audiences, have proved to be extremely beneficial. The first challenge was a regional high school robotics competition in April 2022 and again in March 2023. The second challenge was focused on colleges and universities nationwide where they competed in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Innovation Challenge at Dahlgren in March 2023. Finally, the late breaking opportunity, NSWCDD designed the Automated Interface - Innovation Challenge focused on businesses, companies, corporations and academic institutions nationwide to develop an adaptable interface to support rapid integration of systems on Navy ships.
“As a hands-on research, development, test and evaluation lab, we are always working to identify innovative ways to accelerate capability development and deployment to the Fleet. In this challenge, we are looking for an adaptable radar interface that we can consider using in future Fleet operations,” said Chief Technology Officer Jennifer Clift.
The challenge will be executed in three phases: 1) white paper, 2) solution development and demonstration, and 3) new interface solution development.
The objective of the white paper is for the team to demonstrate their knowledge and ability to rapidly transform interfaces in a system of systems environment and their strategy and plans to approach Phases 2 and 3. The deadline for the paper is Aug. 18. NSWCDD anticipates notifying the winners of this phase by Sept. 1.
Phases 2 and 3 will be held in-person Nov. 1-3 at the University of Mary Washington Dahlgren Campus. The objective of Phase 2 is to assess the ability to develop an interface/adaptive layer between multiple navigation radar interfaces and a combat system interface. Participants will present their results in a presentation on Nov. 1 and move on to Phase 3.
In the final phase, NSWCDD will provide participants a new interface specification for a different navigation radar that will have similar data to the government provided data on the interface in Phase 2. The division will give no more than 24 hours to develop an application that translates the data stream from the new radar as well as the previously provided radar interfaces. NSWCDD expects to announce the winner Nov. 3.
“Past innovation challenges have been extremely exciting and rewarding to watch and observe all participants really test their limits,” Clift said. “I look forward to what lies ahead with the Adaptable Interface – Innovation Challenge at Dahlgren. It’s going to be great!”
NSWCDD will hold a Challenge Talk July 19 via Zoom to answer any questions. The Zoom link will be posted on challenge.gov via an update to the prize challenge.
To apply and for more information, visit https://www.challenge.gov/?challenge=adaptable-interface----innovation-challenge-at-dahlgren