Trident Systems to Develop Better RF Image Transfer for SOCOM
Small business qualifier Trident Systems Inc. of Fairfax, VA received a not to exceed $25 million Phase III, Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program contract for Topic SOCOM03-004. The objective of the topic is to further develop capabilities to develop radio frequency (RF) bridging equipment to move raw sensor data via legacy and emerging manned and unmanned RF communication nodes, correlating it, displaying it integral with command and control software while providing the needed sensor data directly to the front line.
As DTIC’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/STTR – SITIS Archive notes…
The SOCOM-004 SBIR Topic is intended to address the entire process by which a Tactical Special Forces (SF) Team transfers images and data. Currently, a SF A-Team can transmit low resolution still images. This is done with the use of an Image Capture Device, Laptop, Video Capture Card, Modem Card, Legacy Radio, Commercial Compression S/W, and associated cables. The focus of the SBIR is two fold: streamline this process while increasing capability.
Streamlining the process includes user friendly software for receiving, editing, compressing and transmitting; and reducing the number of pieces of equipment and cabling (size and weight is always critical for the Tactical SF A-Team). Increasing the capability includes adding advanced compression tools; interoperability with all types of commercially available digital cameras (e.g. USB, Firewire, RS-232, RS-170, etc); providing the transfer of real time video or near real time video through narrow bandwidth (25Khz and 5Khz) satellite communication channels; and interoperability with main stay of SF legacy radios (MBITR, PSC-5, PRC-117, SINCGARS). The SBIR Proposals will be evaluated on providing a solution the entire image transfer process.
It occurs to DID that this solution would work well with the Israeli V-RAMBO wrist display.
Work will be performed in Fairfax, VA and is expected to be complete in August 2010. This contract was competitively procured using SBIR Program Solicitation under Topic SOCOM03-004 and 51 offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J. issued the contract (N68335-05-D-0025).
