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12 May 16. DoD, NATO put out requests for military technology built on blockchain. The United States Department of Defense (DoD) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have put out requests for military-related technology built on the blockchain, Defense One reports.
The DoD’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) wants to create a secure messaging service that uses the blockchain, consisting of a web or messaging app that allows for secure communication between departments and potentially combat troops. DARPA listed this request on the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program web portal in late April.
Specifically, the project would consist of three phases:
1. Develop the platform based on an existing blockchain framework.
2. Test a working prototype that has features including decentralized back-end blockchain implementation and data aggregation/reconstruction.
3. Full-scale implementation of the platform with features that include perfect forward and backward secrecy and a decentralized infrastructure that’s resilient to cyber-attacks.
NATO launched a similar call to blockchain-based solutions as part of its 2016 Innovation Challenge, which concluded on May 10th. Innovators were asked to submit a proposal outlining a solution in one of the following four areas:
1. Cyber Defense
2. Internet of Things
3. Military Applications of Blockchains
4. Cognitive computing and machine learning
Within the Blockchain category, innovators could submit solutions related to military logistics, procurement and finance, or a different area of military interest. (Source: Hawker Chase/Coin Report)
11 May 16. DARPA Wants More Flexible RF System for sUAS. Today’s radio-frequency (RF) systems for radar, electronic warfare (EW) and communications use separate, dedicated hardware, software and antennas, making it difficult to fit all three functions on smaller platforms such as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) because of the space and power required. DARPA is launching a program to develop an RF system capable of adaptively and flexibly switching among communications, radar and EW modes.
The goal of the CONCERTO program is “for the design, realization, programming, and control of a new converged RF architecture supporting all critical uses of the RF spectrum over a tactically useful performance range. System prototypes will be designed and developed for compact unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).”
Background: “The increasing overlap of technology requirements of RF functions such as radar, EW, and communications combined with impressive research progress in the capability of RF components, analog-to-digital conversion methods, and digital signal processing (DSP) techniques has created an opportunity for change. CONCERTO will capitalize on these trends to resolve current multi-function challenges, and open the door to fundamental change in our approach to RF systems that moves beyond traditional notions of radar, EW, and communications to create an adaptive, flexible and converged RF systems approach.”
“CONCERTO will develop and test a scalable converged RF payload suitable for a Group 3 UAS. The payload will demonstrate its unified characteristics in a flight test including EW, radar, and communications functions and demonstrate efficient, adaptive function execution. The payload will incorporate several elements including:
• An RF front end including radiating aperture and its airframe integration;
• A heterogeneous RF processing engine implementing operating modes in a portable hardware agnostic manner (the RF Virtual Machine); and
• A multi-objective management system to intelligently coordinate and optimally achieve disparate mission objectives of a converged system.”
There will be four technical areas to CONCERTO:
• TA