The Department of Defense, specifically the Navy, is seeking innovative solutions through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop an integrated Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning (AI/ML) tool for managing battle rhythms in theater-level command and control systems during complex Undersea Warfare (USW) scenarios. The objective is to create a tool that enhances situational awareness and tasking for operators, addressing the challenges posed by both low and high-intensity operations, where timely information and effective decision-making are critical. This initiative is vital for improving operational effectiveness and reducing operator errors during wartime, as current commercial solutions do not meet the necessary requirements for handling classified data and cybersecurity standards. Interested parties should note that the solicitation will open on April 23, 2025, with applications due by May 21, 2025, and can find more information at the provided source link.

## Description

Operators of theater-level command and control systems, such as the AN/UYQ-100 Undersea Warfare Decision Support System (USW-DSS), must handle both simple and complex wartime scenarios. Peace-time training and exercises often lean toward simple scenarios, leaving operators under trained to handle the complexity of battle rhythms that occur during wartime. Daily battle rhythm events often consist of morning and evening command-level updates and synchronization meetings required to execute planned operations. In low-intensity operations, the battle rhythm may be more deliberate, with daily, weekly, and monthly working groups and boards. During high-intensity operations, the battle rhythm will naturally be accelerated, but commanders and staff may be tempted to accelerate the battle rhythm more than would be useful. Battle rhythms developed during peacetime often do not effectively provide the commander and staff with timely information to make decisions. Inappropriately accelerated battle rhythms lead to operator error and degradation in situational awareness as efforts to provide updates displaces time required to perform sufficient analysis.The Navy seeks a tool incorporating AI/ML that will support operators through the full range of complexity seen in modern warfare. The technology sought will assist USW-DSS operators in reliably and rapidly conducting battle rhythm tasking, whether during relatively routine operations or the most complex wartime scenarios. This tool does not currently exist in commercial industry.The desired technology will make use of the range of authoritative data available to USW-DSS, to include bathymetry, sound propagation paths, track information for United States Navy (USN), allies, threats, and any commercial vessels, and planned maneuvers for USN and allied forces. From these data, the desired technology will provide situational awareness to support appropriate battle rhythm tasking, to regularize the balance between providing updates and performing the analysis and planning required to support effective courses of action. It is envisioned that the desired technology could allow machine learning to support a battle rhythm that is responsive to conflict complexity without overwhelming staff to the detriment of force effectiveness. The tool will support situation awareness, enable battle rhythm tasking, and provide a user interface to facilitate these capabilities. Finally, the tool will need to be compliant with existing information assurance (IA) and other cybersecurity requirements.The Navy is not aware of existing commercial products that can be used to perform the requested battle tempo management support across complex, war-time scenarios, given the need to use authoritative data at multiple classification levels in a manner that complies with existing IA and other cybersecurity requirements.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 32 U.S.C. &sect; 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA 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 during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

## Objective

Develop an integrated Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning (AI/ML) tool for battle rhythm management by operators of theater-level command and control during complex Undersea Warfare (USW) wartime scenarios.

## Phase I

Develop a concept for a battle rhythm tool that meets the requirements as stated in the Description section above. Demonstrate the feasibility of the concept in meeting Navy needs and will establish that the concept can be feasibly produced by sample testing, modeling and simulation and or analysis. The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II.

## Phase II

Develop, demonstrate, and deliver a prototype battle rhythm tool and conduct a series of user designed sprints with fleet operators to refine the prototype for evaluation. The prototype will be evaluated to determine its capability in meeting the defined performance goals System performance will be demonstrated through installation and prototype testing using the cloud-based USW-DSS prototyping infrastructure provided by the governmentIt is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).

## Phase III: Dual Use Applications

Support the Navy in transitioning the battle rhythm tool to operational builds of USW-DSS provided to Fleet operators. Finalize the software design and algorithm prototype for evaluation to determine its effectiveness in an operationally relevant environment. Support the Navy for test and validation in accordance with the IWS 5.0 USW-DSS Peer Review Group. The technology will have additional commercialization potential for other military command structures and civilian disaster-response and emergency management organizations.

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