Extremely Wide Band Digital Recording System for Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Development

The DON26BZ01-NV022 project aims to develop a compact, high-density digital data recorder for Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) development in tactical Department of War (DOW) environments. The objective is a scalable and flexible recorder capable of storing over 8 Petabytes of data in less than 4U of 19-inch rack space, with interfaces supporting over 400 GB/sec data transfer rates from at least two different protocols for a minimum of 30 seconds. Key requirements include compliance with NSA data at rest encryption, volatility certification, adaptability to various networking infrastructures (e.g., InfiniBand, NVLINK, PCIe, Ethernet), and the ability to record and playback data from local and remote users. The device must also meet Class B shipboard environmental qualification testing. The project involves phased development, including detailed planning, software module showcases, and breadboard designs in Phase I. Phase II focuses on developing a prototype meeting all security, environmental, and performance requirements, with lab demonstrations and a shipboard installation and testing plan. Work in Phase II may become classified, requiring U.S. ownership and security clearances. Phase III will focus on transitioning the technology to a Navy program of record and exploring dual-use applications for commercial industries requiring low-cost optical processing on large datasets.