Department of the navy (don) 18. 1 Small Business Innovation Research (sbir) Proposal Submission Instructions introduction

The Navy desires a system on board the Zumwalt Class guided missile destroyers (DDG 1000) to manage the deployment and retrieval of a variety of craft or other assets from the boat bay to the sea and back to expand the capability of the ship class in support the Navy’s future needs. Current launch and recovery systems for boat bays are designed for specific craft, not allowing for damage-free interface when new or modified craft are developed or there is a desire to be integrate. Detailed interface requirements between craft and launch and recovery systems are not established to prevent craft damage. Use of emerging technologies such as new spatial awareness sensors may make it easier to accommodate a wide array of craft.

The current system consists of three parts: a fixed section, a pivoting section, and an extendable ramp that provides boat handling and stowage for two 11m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs). It is important to note that this is not a wet deck, meaning the space does not flood. The current design will only handle 11m craft. The fixed section is the forward most piece in the boat bay and acts as a RHIB stowage location. The following (pivoting) section acts as a stowage location for a second RHIB; is the launch mechanism; and tilts up enabling the RHIB to slide down to the third component of the system. The “extendable ramp” provides a path for the RHIB to slide from the interior of the boat bay over the doorsill and into the sea.

Components of the system must be capable of withstanding a seawater environment. While not a wet well, the components mounted on the deck must be submersible rated.

The launch and recovery system must be able to launch and recover the following craft:

This system must be designed to be operable with a maximum of five Sailors in the boat bay and to be able to launch and deploy craft in seas up to sea state 5.

DDG 1000 is a minimally manned vessel; the automated operation of a launch and recovery system will reduce labor cost to the Navy. The reliability of components designed for use in a salt-water environment will require less frequent maintenance than the current system.

The following Physical Limitations of the Boat Bay compartment must be taken into consideration when designing a launch and recovery system:

Dimensions of the boat bay opening (door) and the bay itself:

a. Boat Bay Door - Trapezoid Shape

b. Boat Bay Length: 27.25m, Width: 6m, Height: 6.6 m.

PHASE I: Develop a concept to transport a variety of vehicles in and out of DDG 1000 using the specifications in the description with no limitation on how the mechanism should function or what any components should look like. The concept will be judged by the transport’s ability to transfer the vehicles specified in the description without damage and not require more than five Sailors to operate. Demonstration of feasibility will come from calculations to verify management of the load and a 3D physics-based computer model showing a concept of operation. The Phase I Option, if awarded, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II. Develop a Phase II plan.

PHASE II: Based on the results of the Phase I effort and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW), develop and deliver a prototype to demonstrate capability at a scale to be defined during Phase I. The demonstration will take place at the small business facility and will include transferring mock up vehicles referenced in the description. Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) Little Creek will provide the vehicles for the demonstration. The demonstration will be judged on the ease of installation, ability to transfer the loads in the description without damage, and the ability to execute the system with five or fewer persons. Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into an initial Craft Handling System design. Provide drawings, installation and maintenance instructions. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology to Navy and potential commercial use.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Navy in evaluating the scale system delivered in Phase II. Based on analysis performed during Phase II, recommend test fixtures and methodologies to support environmental, shock, and vibration testing and qualification. The small business and the Navy will jointly determine final system design for operational evaluation, including required safety testing and certification. Provide a technical work package to enable the system installation on board the DDG 1000 utilizing the test results and any lessons learned from the prototype testing in Phase II.

Potential usage of the system include other Naval Ships, Coast Guard, commercial ships that carry an array of cargo with different dimensions, and other logistics arenas such as warehouses and factories.

REFERENCES:

1. “Proceedings of the 2016 Launch & Recovery Symposium.” American Society of Naval Engineers. http://www.navalengineers.org/Resources/Product-Info/productcd/LR2016

2. “Proceedings of the 2014 Launch and Recovery Symposium.” American Society of Naval Engineers. http://www.navalengineers.org/Resources/Product-Info/productcd/LR2014

3. Hanyok, Lauren W. and Smith, Timothy C. “Launch and Recovery System Literature Review.” Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, Hydromechanics Department Report NSWCCD-50-TR-2010/071, December 2010. http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA590153

4. Kimber, Andy. “Boat Launch and Recovery – A Key Enabling Technology For Flexible Warships.” Pacific 2012, Sydney, Australia 31 Jan-3 Feb 2012. http://www.bmtdsl.co.uk/media/6097819/BMTDSL-Boat-Launch-and-Recovery-Conpaper-Pacificcon-Jan12.pdf

KEYWORDS: Watercraft Launch and Recovery; Boat Launch; Ship Launch and Recovery System; UUV launch and Recovery; USV Launch and Recovery; Shipboard Boat Deployment.

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace, Electronics, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO IWS 5.0, Undersea Systems Program Office: AN/SQQ-89

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.

OBJECTIVE: Develop physics-based signal and automated information processing algorithms for Continuous Active Sonar (CAS) to improve Detection, Classification, and Localization (DCL).

DESCRIPTION: Navy Cruisers and Destroyers engage in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) using a variety of methods to perform DCL of submerged threats.

CAS uses swept linear frequency-modulated signals transmitted at 100% duty cycle to detect, classify, and localize submarines. CAS offers the benefit of improved detection and continuous tracking relative to traditional pulsed active sonar. In some ways, CAS is similar to Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar and may benefit from techniques developed in the radar community. Expert analysis of the CAS method suggests that there may be areas where CAS DCL can be improved. CAS has some physics-based limitations, which cause degraded performance. Variation in transmitter speed through the water causes what is known as Doppler effect or shift. Doppler shift changes the frequency of the transmitted waveform such that the received waveform frequency is different from the transmitted waveform frequency, which is known as signal-mismatch. Signal-mismatch will cause false alarms. Changes in the target heading, bearing, and speed can cause Doppler shift in the signal. Multiple Doppler banks in the detector partially recover signal-gain losses, but these introduce signal-mismatch adding to degraded DCL performance. Because of the way CAS signals are processed, these unquantified Doppler shifts can cause range uncertainty. Range uncertainty is frequency-dependent, causing time-varying alterations and breaks in tracks. These factors limit the effective range of coherent update rates, complicate downstream processing, and make it difficult for operators’ easy assessment of displayed data. Research of current commercial sonar developments show that they utilize various forms of active acoustic transmission and reception but do not use continuous active sonar.

Innovative physics-based automated DCL algorithms should reduce range uncertainty by 50%, reduce signal-mismatch by 3dB, reduce false alarms by 25%, and improve tracking. These algorithms may be in the class of front-end linear signal processing and detection methods, back-end improvements to classification, clustering and tracking, or methods that rely on multiple methods used in concert.

These improvements would significantly increase CAS capability without requiring expensive hardware changes. Additionally, these improvements would enable streamlined processes to reduce operator workload and staffing.

The Phase II effort will likely require secure access, and NAVSEA will process the DD254 to support the contractor for personnel and facility certification for secure access. The Phase I effort will not require access to classified information. If need be, data of the same level of complexity as secured data will be provided to support Phase I work.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. Owned and Operated with no Foreign Influence as defined by DOD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this contract as set forth by DSS and NAVSEA in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advance phases of this contract.

PHASE I: Develop an innovative concept for physics-based signal and automated information processing algorithms that meet the requirements in the description. The concept will show it can be feasibly developed into a useful product for the Navy. Feasibility will be established through analytical modeling and development with simulated or recorded sea data. The Government will provide the data. The Phase I Option, if awarded, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype in Phase II. Develop a Phase II plan.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I modeling and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW), design, develop, and deliver a prototype physics-based signal and information processing algorithm for CAS performance improvement. The prototype will demonstrate system performance through the required range of parameters given in the description, including testing with diverse data sets. Data sets from Cruise/Destroyer Hull Sonar and/or Littoral Combat Ship Variable Depth Sonar (LCS-VDS) employing continuous waveforms will be used to validate the prototype’s capabilities. The Government will provide the data. The demonstration will take place at a Government- or company-provided facility. Prepare a Phase III development plan to transition the technology for Navy production and potential commercial use.

It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Assist the Government in transitioning the technology for Navy use in an operationally relevant environment to allow for further experimentation and refinement. The prototype will be integrated into the IWS 5.0 surface ship ASW combat system Advanced Capability Build (ACB) program used to update the AN/SQQ-89 Program of Record.

Commercial applications that currently utilize various forms of active acoustic transmission and reception that could benefit from a continuous active sonar approach include oil exploration; seismic survey; rescue and salvage; and bathymetric survey.

REFERENCES:

1. van Vossen, Dr. Robbert. “Anti-Submarine Warfare with Continuously Active Sonar.” Sea Technology, November 2011. http://seatechnology.com/features/2011/1111/cont_active_sonar.php

2. McDermott, Jennifer. “New sonar designed to close technology gap.” The Day, 29 July 2010. http://www.theday.com/article/20100729/NWS09/307299479/1018

3. D’Amico, Angela and Pittenger, Richard. “A Brief History of Active Sonar.” Aquatic Mammals, 2009, http://csi.whoi.edu/sites/default/files/literature/Full%20Text.pdf

4. Wolff, Christian. “Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave Radar (FMCW Radar).” Radar Tutorial, December 2009. http://www.radartutorial.eu/02.basics/Frequency%20Modulated%20Continuous%20Wave%20Radar.en.html

KEYWORDS: Continuous Active Sonar; Antisubmarine Warfare; Active Sonar Waveforms; Active Sonar Detection; Active Sonar Tracking; Active Sonar Clutter Reduction

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: SEA06-NSW (PMS340) Naval Sea Systems Command Acquisition and Commonality

OBJECTIVE: Fabricate high-resilience, high-stiffness, and high-strength, low-density buoyancy material for submersibles.

DESCRIPTION: The utility of a submersible is enhanced by maximizing speed, range, and endurance/payload. Increasing a submersible’s payload at its maximum operating depth, without compromising speed or range, is of high interest to the U.S. Navy. Currently used buoyancy materials are costly and lack the technical characteristics (e.g., high strength, resilience, stiffness, and low density) to increase payload at maximum depth and speed. A buoyancy material that achieves increased technical performance; and can be additively manufactured will increase operational capacity, decrease manufacturing costs and material waste, while streamlining maintenance actions during the operations and sustainment phase. Increased payload improves operational flexibility and mission capacity as additional warfighters and/or equipment can be delivered to a target area.

Materials possessing high resilience, high stiffness, and low density are rare but necessary for buoyancy applications. Currently used materials (polymethacrylimid, phenolic, and polyvinylchloride foams) lack sufficient strength, resilience, and stiffness at a density of 0.05 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3). Lack of resilience is found in currently used materials which exhibit creep (permanent deformation) under sustained loading at temperatures in the range 4ºC to 30ºC. Creep is likely observed due to low glass transition temperatures of the foamed polymers.

The description is not intended to restrict proposed solutions, but rather provide references and possible avenues for exploration. Open cell materials are unlikely to meet the Navy requirements due to water infiltration into the pores. Stochastic foams will likely require high specific strength and high specific stiffness base material due to the exponential decrease in foam strength and stiffness with relative density. Pressurization of cells may improve strength and stiffness based on cellular solid theory. Closed cell ordered cellular solids with sufficient nodal connectivity show a linear decrease in cellular solid strength and stiffness with relative density. Currently, few solutions exist for fabricating large dimension samples with sufficient nodal connectivity. Most syntactic foams use polymeric matrix materials and may lack resilience (creep rate too high). Syntactic foams using metal as the matrix material may not meet the density requirements due to the high density of most metals. Current additive manufacturing methods could be adapted to include extrusion of suitable syntactic foams into desired geometry, powder bed bonding of hollow spheres, or possibly a droplet/hollow sphere deposition method. A 30% cost savings in the acquisition phase is expected if additive manufacturing methods are developed. Due to the high cost of buoyancy materials, machining losses drive up cost considerably. Net shape additive manufacturing would reduce/eliminate most of those costs. Additionally, maintenance actions can be streamlined and repair costs would be reduced as damaged sections of buoyancy material could be repaired using additive manufacturing instead of having to procure and machine additional buoyancy material to replace the damaged section(s).

A successful project will include an iterative approach of testing and process refinement to produce a material meeting Navy requirements. Projects progressing to Phase II shall provide samples at intervals discussed in section Phase II: for independent Navy testing. If an additive manufacturing method has been used for production of material, a hemisphere with 8cm diameter and a toroid with 10cm inner diameter and 13cm outer diameter and square cross section shall be produced and delivered at the end of Phase II. The final material production method shall produce material with less than ±10% variability in material properties including density, strength, and stiffness. This will be verified by lot testing as described in section Phase III: Testing per SS800-AG-MAN-010/P-9290 System Certification Procedures and Criteria Manual for Deep Submergence Systems will also be required for projects that progress to Phase III.

PHASE I: Define and develop a concept to produce a material with the properties listed in the description and demonstrate feasibility of said concept. The concept must be described in a report, which includes either modeling results or mathematical analysis of the expected cellular material properties as a function of the base material properties. Density, strength, stiffness, resilience, microstructure, water intrusion after damage, and attainable dimensions must be analyzed, included in the report, and compared to values discussed in the description. Cost estimates and additive manufacturing methods must also be included and compared to values discussed in the description. The Phase I Option, if awarded, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II. The Phase I option must include engineering drawings of additive manufacturing apparatus and any hardware required for material fabrication. Develop a Phase II plan.

PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW), develop and deliver a prototype for evaluation. This includes fabrication of any Phase I option hardware and production of material for testing. Preliminary test results of material must be presented 18 months after receipt of Phase II funding. Test results must include measurement of density, strength, stiffness (Young’s modulus and bulk modulus), creep at 1MPa uniaxial loading (in the lowest stiffness loading direction), water infiltration after material damage, and microscopy to evaluate microstructure. Additionally, three blocks of material with minimum dimensions of 30cm x 30cm x 5cm must be provided for independent testing. Based on test results, perform process refinement to meet Navy requirements defined in the description or to improve material properties further if Navy requirements have already been met. Additional test results must be provided at 24 months along with three additional blocks of material with minimum dimensions of 30cm x 30cm x 5cm. If an additive manufacturing method has been used for production of material, a hemisphere with 8cm diameter and a toroid with 10cm inner diameter and 13cm outer diameter and square cross section must be produced and delivered at 24 months.