Notice

Look Out! Maritime Early Warning Innovations: Competition Document

Updated 11 June 2021

1. Introduction

This Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) competition is seeking proposals for the development of innovative technologies to provide novel methods of Early Warning (EW) for maritime operations. Run on behalf of the Royal Navy, this competition aims to develop alternative future concepts for the Airborne Early Warning systems that currently enable deployed capabilities within the Carrier and Littoral Strike Groups.

£1.25M is available to fund contracts with a maximum value of £250k each. The duration of each of the funded contracts is to be no longer than 9 months. This phase will focus on maturing key underpinning ideas and technologies to demonstrate concept feasibility.

We are looking to undertake continuous development of solutions and our intent is to provide further funding to projects that are demonstrated to be successful during this initial period. Therefore, unlike previous DASA competitions, this is the only planned phase for this call. Further development of solutions beyond the initial period of up to 9 months, will take place through a Framework Contract and tasking.

This competition closes on Tuesday 6 July 2021 at midday BST.

2. Competition

2.1 Background

There is a requirement to develop a capability that provides air and surface surveillance to enable over-the-horizon situational awareness to Royal Navy assets deployed within the Carrier and Littoral Strike Groups, where not otherwise available in those formations. The capability should provide Commanders with a clear, detailed and enduring picture of the battlespace. It should also support Commanders’ decision-making by providing detection, tracking and recognition of surface and airborne objects within sufficient timescales to react appropriately.

This capability has historically been delivered by sensors mounted on airborne platforms to increase detection range. However, we are interested in any alternative proposals that could match or exceed these capabilities, particularly for low-level and/or signature-controlled threats. Ultimately, we are seeking a potential successor to the near-term capability, Crowsnest (an EW system fitted to the Merlin Mk2 helicopter), which has a planned out-of-service date of 2029.

2.2 Scope

The current assumptions for a follow-on capability to Crowsnest are based around a single, large radar sensor mounted on a type of uncrewed air platform. The purpose of this competition is to investigate the potential of alternative solutions which are not based on this particular approach.

This competition aims to identify concepts which could enhance:

• Carrier and Littoral Strike Group situational awareness through improved surveillance horizons and/or target detection capability

• Operational effectiveness through timely processing and dissemination of information

• Operational efficiency through optimisation of system functionality

2.3 What capabilities are we looking for?

It is envisaged that the future solution will be capable of full integration with other Carrier and Littoral Strike Group systems and be interoperable with other UK/NATO/Five Eyes nations’ capabilities. It is therefore expected that proposals will consider this. The capability must be able to support a range of Strike Group missions, be capable of doing so concurrently, and must be effective when used over land as well as the sea.

The system must also be capable of against peer and near-peer threats, and simultaneously not inhibit the Carrier or Littoral Strike Group’s Freedom of Manoeuvre, for example through reliance on air systems with limited range, speed or endurance, or those whose operational effectiveness may be constrained by being based on land.

Proposals may consist of whole-system solutions, or individual system components. Where relevant, platform solutions should be included based on proposed technology solutions to the challenges below. Platform solutions must not be constrained by geographical and/or environmental factors, such as the need to operate in high wind conditions, sea state, or latitudes.

Although no Technology Readiness Level is specified for this competition, we are looking for proof-of-concept work against specific challenge areas, therefore we would expect solutions at or below TRL 5.

3. Challenges

This competition has 3 challenge areas.

3.1 Challenge 1: Threat Detection and Situational Awareness

Means of detecting, tracking, recognising and identifying hostile and non-hostile contacts, on the surface of the water and in the air, at extended ranges and in a variety of atmospheric conditions where sensor coverage by the Carrier or Littoral Strike Group is not otherwise available.

3.2 Challenge 2: Information Processing and Dissemination

Means of integrating Threat Detection and Situational Awareness data with other air and surface platforms within the Carrier and Littoral Strike Groups into a composite picture of activity over a maritime area of interest. Means of relaying that data between system nodes, converting formats where necessary, in real time, to enable timely decision making.

3.3 Challenge 3: Optimising Efficiency

Means of minimising workforce requirement through a reduced operator and support burden. Novel or innovative methods of combining system functionality will also be considered, alongside solutions to enhance decision-making efficiency.

3.4 Clarification of what we want

We want novel ideas to benefit users working in UK Defence and Security. Your proposal should include evidence of:

• theoretical development, methodological advancement or proof of concept research which can demonstrate potential for translation to practical demonstration in later phases

• an innovative or creative approach

• clear demonstration of how the proposed work applies to any Defence and Security context

3.5 Clarification of what we don’t want

For this competition we are not interested in proposals that:

• constitute consultancy, paper-based studies or literature reviews which just summarise the existing literature without any view of future innovation

• are an identical re-submission of a previous bid to DASA or MOD without modification

• offer demonstrations of off-the-shelf products requiring no experimental development (unless applied in a novel way to the challenge)

• offer no real long-term prospect of integration into defence and security capabilities

• offer no real prospect of out-performing existing technological solutions

• comprise platform solutions only, rather than EW solutions and an associated platform

4. Exploitation

It is important that over the lifetime of DASA competitions, ideas are matured and accelerated towards appropriate end users to enhance capability. How long this takes will be dependent on the nature and starting point of the innovation. Early identification and appropriate engagement with potential end users during the competition and subsequent phases are essential in order to develop and implement an exploitation plan.

All proposals to DASA should articulate the expected development in technology maturity of the potential solution over the lifetime of the contract and how this relates to improved operational capability against the current known (or presumed) baseline. Your deliverables should be designed to provide evidence of these aspects with the aim of making it as easy as possible for potential collaborators/stakeholders to identify the innovative elements of your proposal in order to consider routes for exploitation.

A higher technology maturity will be expected in subsequent phases. You may wish to include some of the following information, where known, to help the assessors understand your exploitation plans to date:

• the intended Defence or Security users of your final product and whether you have previously engaged with them, their procurement arm or their research and development arm

• awareness of, and alignment to, any existing end user procurement programmes

• the anticipated benefits (for example, in cost, time, improved capability) that your solution will provide to the user

• whether it is likely to be a standalone product or integrated with other technologies or platforms

• expected additional work required beyond the end of the contract to develop an operationally deployable commercial product (for example, “scaling up” for manufacture, cyber security, integration with existing technologies, environmental operating conditions)

• additional future applications and wider markets for exploitation

• wider collaborations and networks you have already developed or any additional relationships you see as a requirement to support exploitation

• how your product could be tested in a representative environment in later phases

• any specific legal, ethical, commercial or regulatory considerations for exploitation

Longer term studies may not be able to articulate exploitation in great detail, but it should always be clear that there is some credible advantage to be gained from the technology development.

The solution to the Royal Navy’s future EW requirement is a key element of the Future Maritime Aviation Force (FMAF) vision. Proposals may be shared with other Commands and organisations within the Royal Navy and wider Ministry of Defence, to aid assessment of ideas.

5. How to apply

Proposals for funding to meet these challenges must be submitted by Tuesday 6 July 2021 at midday BST, via the DASA submission service for which you will be required to register.

The total funding available for Phase 1 of this competition is £1.25M (ex VAT), but individual proposals cannot exceed £250k (ex VAT). If successful, contracts will be awarded for a maximum duration of 9 months for this phase. A Framework Contract will be in place to allow further development, via a tasking form process.

The total funding for the overall competition is expected to be at least £2.5M, split over multiple tasks under the framework to increase TRL level. Unlike previous competitions, there will be no further planned phases. Instead, successful Phase 1 suppliers may be invited to further develop their proposal via a tasking form process under the framework.

Further guidance on submitting a proposal is available on the DASA website.

5.1 What your proposal must include

The proposal should focus on the Phase 1 requirements but must also include a brief (uncosted) outline of the next stages of work required for exploitation which could be selected for further development using tasks under the framework.

When submitting a proposal, you must complete all sections of the online form, including an appropriate level of technical information to allow assessment of the bid and a completed finances section. Completed proposals must comply with the financial rules set for this competition. The upper-limit for this competition is £250k (ex VAT). Proposals will be rejected if the financial cost exceeds this capped level. You must include a list of other current or recent government funding you may have received in this area if appropriate, making it clear how this proposal differs from this work.

A project plan with clear milestones and deliverables must be provided. Deliverables must be well-defined and designed to provide evidence of progress against the project plan and the end-point for this phase; they must include a demonstration of the component/system developed and final report. You should also plan for attendance at a kick-off meeting at the start and an end of project event at the end of Phase 1, as well as regular reviews with the appointed Technical Partner and Project Manager; any meetings will be in the UK (or via video-conference, as appropriate dependent on ongoing COVID-19 restrictions). Your proposal must demonstrate how you will complete all activities/services and provide all deliverables within the competition timescales (9 months). Proposals with any deliverables (including final report) outside the competition timeline will be rejected as non-compliant.

A resourcing plan must also be provided that identifies, where possible, the nationalities of those proposed research workers that you intend working on this phase. In the event of proposals being recommended for funding, the DASA reserves the right to undertake due diligence checks including the clearance of proposed research workers. Please note that this process will take as long as necessary and could take up to 6 weeks in some cases for non-UK nationals.

You must identify any ethical / legal / regulatory factors within your proposal and how the associated risks will be managed, including break points in the project if approvals are not received. MODREC approvals can take up to 5 months therefore you should plan your work programme accordingly. If you are unsure if your proposal will need to apply for MODREC approval, then please contact DASA for further guidance.

Requirements for access to Government Furnished Assets (GFA), for example, information, equipment, materials and facilities, should be included in your proposal. DASA cannot guarantee that GFA will be available.

Failure to provide any of the above listed will automatically render your proposal non-compliant.

5.2 Cyber risk assessment (REVISED 11 June 2021)

DASA has completed a Cyber Risk Assessment (CRA) for this competition. In order to submit to this competition suppliers are required to work towards cyber resilience. If selected for funding, the supplier must prove cyber resilience before a contract will be awarded.

Suppliers must complete a Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ) here, using the DASA Risk Assessment Reference (RAR) for this competition: RAR-D9M6DGQG and answer questions for risk level “Very Low”.

The Defence Cyber Protection Partnership (DCPP) will review your SAQ submission and respond with a reference number within 2 working days. The completed SAQ form and resulting email response from DCPP must be downloaded and included within the DASA submission service portal when the proposal is submitted. Please allow enough time to receive the SAQ reference number prior to competition close at midday on 6 July 2021.

If the proposal is being funded, the SAQ will be evaluated against the CRA for the competition, and it will be put it into one of the following categories:

1. Compliant – no further action
2. Not compliant – if successful in competition and being funded, the supplier will be required to complete a Cyber Implementation Plan (CIP) before the contract is placed, which will need to be reviewed and agreed with the relevant project manager

Suppliers can enter a proposal without all controls in place, but are expected to have all the cyber protection measures necessary to fulfil the requirements of the contract in place at the time of contract award, or have an agreed Cyber Implementation Plan (CIP). The CIP provides evidence as to how and when potential suppliers will achieve compliance. Provided the measures proposed in the Cyber Implementation Plan do not pose an unacceptable risk to the MOD, a submission with a Cyber Implementation Plan will be considered alongside those who can achieve the controls. A final check will be made to ensure cyber resilience before the contract is placed. Commercial staff cannot progress the competition / procurement without it. This process does not replace any contract specific security requirements.

Further guidance for completing this process can be requested by emailing accelerator@dstl.gov.uk.

Additional information about cyber security can be found at: DCPP: Cyber Security Model industry buyer and supplier guide.

5.3 Public facing information

When submitting your proposal, you will be required to include a proposal title and a short abstract. The title and abstract you provide will be used by DASA, and other government departments, to describe the project and its intended outcomes and benefits. It will be used for inclusion at DASA events in relation to this competition and included in documentation such as brochures. The proposal title will also be published in the DASA transparency data on GOV.UK, along with your company name, the amount of funding, and the start and end dates of your contract.

5.4 How your proposal will be assessed

At Stage 1, all proposals will be checked for compliance with the competition document and may be rejected before full assessment if they do not comply. Only those proposals who demonstrate their compliance against the competition scope and DASA mandatory criteria will be taken forward to full assessment. Failure to achieve full compliance against Stage 1 will render your proposal non-compliant and will not be considered any further:

Mandatory Criteria

The proposal outlines how it meets the scope of the competition	Within scope (Pass) / Out of scope (Fail)
The proposal fully explains in all three sections of the DASA submission service how it meets the DASA criteria	Pass / Fail
The proposal clearly details a financial plan, a project plan and a resourcing plan to complete the work proposed in Phase 1	Pass / Fail
The proposal identifies the need (or not) for MODREC approval	Pass / Fail
The proposal identifies if GFA required for Phase 1	Pass / Fail
Maximum value of proposal is £250k	Pass / Fail
The proposal demonstrates how all research and development activities/services (including delivery of the final report) will be completed within 9 months from award of contract (or less)	Pass / Fail
The bidder has obtained the authority to provide unqualified acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Contract	Pass / Fail
The bidder has submitted a Supplier Assurance Questionnaire (SAQ) – see Section 5.2 above	Pass / Fail

Proposals that pass Stage 1 will then be assessed against the standard DASA assessment criteria (Desirability, Feasibility and Viability) by subject matter experts from the MOD (including Dstl), other government departments and front-line military commands. You will not have the opportunity to comment on assessors’ comments.

DASA reserves the right to disclose on a confidential basis any information it receives from bidders during the procurement process (including information identified by the bidder as Commercially Sensitive Information in accordance with the provisions of this competition) to any third party engaged by DASA for the specific purpose of evaluating or assisting DASA in the evaluation of the bidder’s proposal. In providing such information the bidder consents to such disclosure. Appropriate confidentiality agreements will be put in place.

Further guidance on how your proposal is assessed is available on the DASA website. After assessment, proposals will be discussed internally at a Decision Conference where, based on the assessments, budget and wider strategic considerations, a decision will be made on the proposals that are recommended for funding.

Proposals that are unsuccessful will receive brief feedback after the Decision Conference.

5.5 Things you should know about DASA contracts

Please read the DASA terms and conditions which contain important information for suppliers. For this competition we will be using the Framework Contract based upon SC2; links to the contract here: Terms and Schedules. We will require unqualified acceptance of the terms and conditions, therefore if applicable please ensure your commercial department have provided their acceptance.

The Framework Contract will allow the Authority to directly place extra tasking on the Supplier to further develop their research, following successful completion of Phase 1. The benefit of this will be a faster transition without the need for further competition. This will be using a Tasking Approval Form process which is described in the contract document and will be subject to the contract’s terms and conditions. The contract will fix labour rates for the whole duration and tasks will be priced based upon those rates, which will be agreed and contained within the contract. We do not guarantee that every Phase 1 contract will be provided with extra tasking.

Funded projects will be allocated a Project Manager (to run the project) and a Technical Partner (as a technical point of contact). In addition, the DASA team will work with you to support delivery and exploitation including where appropriate introductions to end-users and business support to help SMEs develop their business.

DASA also collects information from projects after the project has concluded and you should expect to be contacted once your project has completed for measurement purposes.

We will use deliverables from DASA contracts in accordance with our rights detailed in the contract terms and conditions.

For this phase of the competition, £1.25M is currently available to fund proposals. There may be occasions where additional funding from other funding lines may subsequently become available to allow us to revisit those proposals deemed suitable for funding but where limitations on funding at the time prevented DASA from awarding a subsequent contract. In such situations, DASA reserves the right to keep such proposals in reserve. In the event that additional funding subsequently becomes available, DASA may ask whether you would still be prepared to undertake the work outlined in your proposal under the same terms.

6. Phase 1 Dates

Pre bookable 1-1 telecon sessions	Thursday 20 and 27 May 2021
Competition closes	Tuesday 6 July 2021 at midday BST
Feedback release	Aim: by Wednesday 11 August 2021
Contracting	Aim: by Wednesday 6 October 2021 and end 9 months later

6.1 Supporting events

Thursday 20 and 27 May 2021: A series of 15 minute one-to-one teleconference sessions, giving you the opportunity to ask specific questions. If you would like to participate, please register on the Eventbrite pages:

• 1-2-1 sessions Thursday 20 May 2021

• 1-2-1 sessions Thursday 27 May 2021

7. Help

Competition queries including on process, application, commercial, technical and intellectual property aspects should be sent to accelerator@dstl.gov.uk, quoting the competition title. If you wish to be added to the campaign on ECS please email a request into the accelerator inbox, this will ensure you receive future updates on this competition.

While all reasonable efforts will be made to answer queries, DASA reserves the right to impose management controls if volumes of queries restrict fair access of information to all potential suppliers.

8. Clarification Questions and Answers

8.1 General Questions

Q: Can we submit a proposal which has had previous funding from DASA?

A: (REVISED) Yes, as long as there is clear evidence on how it is differs from the previous work; how it will be built upon for this competition; and how it considers the specific nature of maritime Early Warning. Any Intellectual Property generated under a previously funded MOD Contract would be considered foreground information.

Q: Can we submit more than one proposal?

A: (REVISED) Yes, it is possible to submit more than one proposal but each must be self-standing and will be assessed individually on its own merits.

Please bear in mind that if all your proposals are successful, they need to be delivered within the stated timescale. Please also ensure that you are able to adequately resource projects, with none to the detriment of the other’s timeline or deliverables.

Q: (NEW) If successful, we will have more than one DASA project running at the same time. Is that acceptable?

A: Yes, as long as duplicated work is not claimed for within the proposal being submitted to this competition. Please make any overlapping work clear within your proposal.

Q: The wording of 46.3.b of the Framework Contract states the Contract Price is to include VAT, however Schedule 1 Definitions of Contract states Contract Price is exclusive of VAT; should the Contract Price include VAT?

A: The Contract Price is to be exclusive of VAT.

Q: The wording at 46.9.D.(1).ii of the Framework Contract states ‘In respect of condition 2i’; is this correct?

A: This is a typo error; the correct reference is ‘condition 43 (Material Breach)’.

Q: (NEW) Can we collaborate with other companies/entities?

A: Yes, we accept proposals from multiple collaborators. There must be a lead supplier who submits the proposal and the other suppliers will need to be included as subcontractors. We contract with one legal entity, the lead supplier.

Please describe the work packages the subcontractors will be doing and what value they will be adding to the proposal. It would also be helpful to highlight any risks associated with contracting out the work. No preference will be given to proposals with Prime Contractor involvement if they are not adding value.

Please note that the Terms and Conditions will need to flow down to any subcontractors. Please make sure they are aware and understand them.

Q: (NEW) Can we collaborate with foreign companies/entities?

A: Yes, but please consider future exploitation routes and export control implications (for example ITAR, EAR etc).

Q: (NEW) Is there an on-going opportunity to ask further questions?

A: Yes, please email them to the accelerator inbox (accelerator@dstl.gov.uk). If we are able to answer them and they are applicable to others, we will publish them in the Clarification Questions and Answers section of the competition page.

8.2 Scope Questions

Q: The challenge areas are quite broad. Do you expect suppliers to address all the topics within a challenge, or components of them?

A: (REVISED) We would be happy with components, as long as they stay cognisant of the wider challenge.

If you are only addressing one challenge or a component of one challenge, we would welcome assumptions in the proposal regarding the wider system functionality. Primarily, we are interested in understanding how the component you address will contribute to the bigger picture of maritime Early Warning capability.

Q: Are all the challenge areas of equal importance?

A: Yes, to reach our end goal all three challenge areas need to be addressed however a proposal does not need to address all challenges.

Q: Should the proposals standalone or show how they could feed in to other existing programmes?

A: At this stage integration within the wider programme is out of scope. This competition is looking at threat detection and the replacement of Crowsnest in 2029. However it would be good to see in your proposal that you have considered future integration, but it is not essential.

Q: Will we have access to MOD datasets?

A: For Phase 1, due to the lower TRL and OFFICIAL classification we do not envisage providing datasets. We would be happy for you to use your own datasets to demo your technology at the end of Phase 1.

Q: What if the dataset we use is at a higher classification than OFFICIAL; could the classification be revised if our proposal were successful?

A: (REVISED) The competition is set at OFFICIAL and the terms and conditions of the contract reflect this. If, following consultation with the Authority’s Project team, a successful bidder needed to use higher classified material, then the Authority would reserve the right to upgrade the terms and conditions accordingly.

Q: Could project deliverables be of a higher classification than OFFICIAL?

A: (REVISED) The competition is set at OFFICIAL and the terms and conditions of the contract reflect this. If, following consultation with the Authority’s Project team, a successful bidder needed to deliver higher classified material, then the Authority would reserve the right to upgrade the terms and conditions accordingly.

Q: Do you have an architecture in mind in which the system is meant to operate?

A: We are not setting any specific architecture requirements due to the low TRL nature of the research and the focus on identifying disruptive technologies. Experienced Subject Matter Experts will assess solutions for their technical feasibility during the assessment phase; the potential for integration with Royal Navy system architectures will be considered as part of this.

Q: Could we reuse something developed for commercial use, albeit these solutions may inherently be a little more vulnerable.

A: Vulnerability would be a challenge in the long run, but at this early stage we would not rule out the proposal based on this. It would be useful to identify any known vulnerabilities as part of your proposal.

Q: Is there a balance between detection of surface vessels and airborne threats?

A: We need solutions to both of those problem sets.

Q: (NEW) What are the primary threats that you are looking to detect?

A: We are not focusing on specific threats, it is about situational awareness; we need to be able to detect anything which sits on or above the water.

Q: Are space-based solutions in scope of this competition?

A: (REVISED) Purely space-based solutions are outside the scope of this competition.

Q: Should every maritime environment be covered within our proposal, for example, fog, sea state etc.

A: Although highly desirable, it is not mandated that individual proposals address the entire range of maritime environmental challenges. We would however be keen to see any evidence related to operation in adverse conditions in order to better understand system performance limitations. It would also be helpful to note any planned mitigations.

Q: (NEW) What is meant by high winds in the context of this competition?

A: Certain classes of platform solutions may struggle to traverse distances given the challenging maritime environment, of which high winds are but one component. Ideally we would like to see solutions with inherent resilience to these environments.

Q: What are you expecting from the demonstration at the end of Phase 1?

A: (REVISED) We are open to how your solutions are demonstrated. In general, we would like to see demonstrations tailored to the project phase; if the technology is at a higher TRL a physical demonstration may be appropriate. At lower TRLs, a synthetic demonstration may be more suitable and would be equally as well received. It would be up to you to determine a suitable demonstration.

We are looking to gather evidence to show us that what we are looking at is credible, feasible and has potential for further development.

Q: Who are the end users within the maritime scenario?

A: A combined team, but primarily surface and air warfare officers.

Q: What is the expected level of project delivery at the end of Phase 1?

A: Our driver is to identify and accelerate solutions we have not considered previously or are at a low TRL. At the end of Phase 1 we would like a proof of concept.

Q: Are you looking for a joined up solution to make informed decisions?

A: (REVISED) That is our end goal, but we are not looking for all of that within one proposal. We are interested in finding innovative solutions that could inform part of the whole.

Maximising time for decision-making is crucial for an Early Warning. Solutions which speed up the decision maker’s ability to disseminate information and make a decision are within scope.

Q: There is no explicit mention of over the horizon within the competition document. Is there an interest in looking at the three challenges in a nearer field context?

A: (REVISED) The key is Early Warning, so at distance and over the horizon is the main focus. If the nearer field solutions could offer an early warning method above what we currently have that would be in scope.

Q: Would you consider using existing technology within a new novel context?

A: Yes, but your proposal should show how it is a novel use of the technology and how it will be adapted for maritime Early Warning.

Q: Would Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning solutions be considered in scope as far as this competition is concerned?

A: Yes, the key will be demonstrating its novelty and consideration of integration into wider maritime systems within your proposal.

Q: (NEW) Will we have access to the end user during Phase 1?

A: Not necessarily, please do not assume that you will as part of your proposals critical path. Each successful proposal will be assigned a Technical Partner (TP), who will help guide your solution in line with our requirements.

Q: (NEW) What is meant by multiple nodes?

A: The potential to disaggregate different functions within the whole system. We have made no assumptions on what that might look like.

Q: (NEW) Are you interested in solutions which build on or re-use existing capabilities?

A: If the solution is credible and offers the equivalent or better performance, then it would be of interest. Please identify in your proposal how your solution is novel and innovative.

Q: (NEW) Will environmental impact of the solution be considered within the assessment of the proposals?

A: The focus of the assessment will be on the capability as the Early Warning aspect is the priority for this initial call. Environmental impact will naturally be considered as solutions develop but is not among the assessment criteria at this stage.

Q: (NEW) Is it acceptable if our solution includes technology at differing Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) levels?

A: Yes, this is understood and accepted. Please identify the differing TRLs and also the overall TRL of the capability.

Q: (NEW) What are the Strike Group missions?

A: The freedom of manoeuvre between location A and B at sea. Force protection is critical; we need the ability to detect and monitor potential threats in advance.

Q: (NEW) Are any specific frequency ranges required?

A: No specific frequency range. We are also not worried about just using RF or EM.

Q: (NEW) Do solutions need to be launched from within the task group?

A: Not necessarily, however suppliers will need to demonstrate how their solution could fulfil the AEW requirement set against the challenges of the maritime operating environment and the need for unconstrained freedom of manoeuvre.