Sensors, Army SBIR | xTech, Direct to Phase II
G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech
NOTE: The following topic number, ARM27BX01-DP001 in this release is tied to an Army xTech prize competition, G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech. This xTech Competition will be used to identify small businesses that meet the criteria for a potential SBIR Direct-to-Phase II (DP2) award under this topic. Finalists and final winners selected from the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech prize competition will be the only firms eligible to submit a SBIR DP2 proposal under this topic. Proposals submitted to this topic by non-winners of the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition will not be evaluated.
How to Apply: Visit the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition page to read the full Competition Announcement, topic details, and apply by submitting a white paper here:
https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions
October 14, 2026: G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech Application submission window opens via link above
October 30, 2026, at 5pm ET: G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech Application deadline via link above
G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech applications are NOT submitted to DSIP. Small businesses that do not submit an application to the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition through the https://xtech.army.mil/competitions website before the October 30, 2026, deadline will be ineligible to compete or submit a full SBIR proposal to DSIP.
Objective
The U.S. Army is seeking innovative electromagnetic spectrum operations solutions from eligible small businesses across the U.S. through the Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD) U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) Accelerated Capability Event (ACE) 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech. This platform offers participants the opportunity to engage with the Department of War (DoW), earn prize money and submit a Direct to Phase II Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal. G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech is a focused open-topic competition designed to identify cutting-edge technology solutions that will drive significant advancements in military capabilities while addressing complex challenges and enhancing national security.
The U.S. Army FUZE Program, in partnership with the USAREUR-AF, is executing the Spectrum Enabled Warfare competition as part of the G-TEAD Accelerated Capability Event (ACE) series. This competition addresses Army’s need to gain and maintain spectrum superiority by identifying high-potential solutions and accelerating transition through funding and integration into live USAREUR-AF-led exercises. Integrating into a USAREUR-AF-led exercise is critical to: (1) validate capabilities under operationally realistic conditions, (2) inform acquisition and integration decisions, and (3) address near-term gaps to sense, understand, exploit, attack, and protect across a contested electromagnetic environment and connected cyberspace.
The Army recognizes that the DoW must enhance engagements with U.S. small businesses by (1) understanding the spectrum of world-class technologies being developed commercially that may benefit the DoW; (2) integrating the sector of non-traditional innovators into the DoW Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem; and (3) providing expertise and feedback to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies of interest to the DoW.
Description
The operational challenge on the Eastern Flank is the enablement of U.S. Army forces, operating within a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and joint coalition framework, to sense, understand, exploit, attack, and protect across a contested electromagnetic environment and connected cyberspace. To deter peer aggression and preserve freedom of maneuver, V Corps must protect tactical command and control networks while delivering synchronized, non-lethal and lethal effects at depth against adversary command, control, communications, and targeting architectures.
Gaining and maintaining spectrum superiority against dense anti-access / area denial systems requires a modular, coalition-interoperable architecture that operates in congested radio frequency (RF) environments, executes multi-echelon precision effects, and hardens friendly formations against persistent electromagnetic and cyber disruption during competition, crisis, and conflict. The Army requires capabilities that are scalable, upgradeable, and intuitive for Soldiers across military occupational specialties, and maintainable at the tactical edge without routine reliance on field service representatives for minor repairs or adjustments.
The Army is seeking to evaluate capabilities to participate in one of three demonstration tracks (eligible for SBIR follow-on contacts) as part of this Spectrum Enabled Warfare ACE:
- Capability 1: Electromagnetic Support / Tactical Surveillance
- Capability 2: Autonomous Network Management
- Capability 3: Electromagnetic Environment Visualization and Battle Damage Assessment Tools
Full competition details including details on the topic areas of interest can be found in Appendix A section of the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech RFI here: https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions/.
Phase I
This topic is accepting DP2 submissions with a cost limit of $2,000,000 and a period of performance of 12-18 months. Only finalists and final winners of G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition are permitted to submit a proposal for this topic. In order for proposers to submit a DP2 proposal, they must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential military and/or commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results.
Phase II
Produce prototype solutions that will be easy to operate by a Soldier. These products will be provided to select Army units for testing and experimentation with end Users in a realistic field environment. Feedback from testing and experimentation will be provided directly to Small Businesses to iterate rapidly on recommended modifications or improvements for Army operational use. In addition, companies will work with Army partners to develop a draft technology transition and commercialization plan for DoW and commercial markets.
Phase III Dual Use Applications
Complete the maturation of the company’s technology developed in Phase II to technology readiness level 8/9 and produce prototypes to support scaling and fielding of the technology with the Army and pursue commercialization pathways.
Submission Information
Visit the xTech competition page to read the full Competition Announcement, topic details, and apply by submitting a white paper here: https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions
xTech Help Desk: usarmy.xtech@army.mil
SBIR|STTR Help Desk: usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil
References:
- https://pit.army.mil/about/gtead/
- https://xtech.army.mil/competitions/
- KEYWORDS: Electromagnetic Support, Autonomous Network Management, Electromagnetic Environment Visualization, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations, Distributed RF Systems
NOTE: The following topic number, ARM27BX01-DP001 in this release is tied to an Army xTech prize competition, G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech. This xTech Competition will be used to identify small businesses that meet the criteria for a potential SBIR Direct-to-Phase II (DP2) award under this topic. Finalists and final winners selected from the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech prize competition will be the only firms eligible to submit a SBIR DP2 proposal under this topic. Proposals submitted to this topic by non-winners of the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition will not be evaluated.
How to Apply: Visit the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition page to read the full Competition Announcement, topic details, and apply by submitting a white paper here:
https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions
October 14, 2026: G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech Application submission window opens via link above
October 30, 2026, at 5pm ET: G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech Application deadline via link above
G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech applications are NOT submitted to DSIP. Small businesses that do not submit an application to the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition through the https://xtech.army.mil/competitions website before the October 30, 2026, deadline will be ineligible to compete or submit a full SBIR proposal to DSIP.
Objective
The U.S. Army is seeking innovative electromagnetic spectrum operations solutions from eligible small businesses across the U.S. through the Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD) U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) Accelerated Capability Event (ACE) 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech. This platform offers participants the opportunity to engage with the Department of War (DoW), earn prize money and submit a Direct to Phase II Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal. G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech is a focused open-topic competition designed to identify cutting-edge technology solutions that will drive significant advancements in military capabilities while addressing complex challenges and enhancing national security.
The U.S. Army FUZE Program, in partnership with the USAREUR-AF, is executing the Spectrum Enabled Warfare competition as part of the G-TEAD Accelerated Capability Event (ACE) series. This competition addresses Army’s need to gain and maintain spectrum superiority by identifying high-potential solutions and accelerating transition through funding and integration into live USAREUR-AF-led exercises. Integrating into a USAREUR-AF-led exercise is critical to: (1) validate capabilities under operationally realistic conditions, (2) inform acquisition and integration decisions, and (3) address near-term gaps to sense, understand, exploit, attack, and protect across a contested electromagnetic environment and connected cyberspace.
The Army recognizes that the DoW must enhance engagements with U.S. small businesses by (1) understanding the spectrum of world-class technologies being developed commercially that may benefit the DoW; (2) integrating the sector of non-traditional innovators into the DoW Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem; and (3) providing expertise and feedback to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies of interest to the DoW.
Description
The operational challenge on the Eastern Flank is the enablement of U.S. Army forces, operating within a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and joint coalition framework, to sense, understand, exploit, attack, and protect across a contested electromagnetic environment and connected cyberspace. To deter peer aggression and preserve freedom of maneuver, V Corps must protect tactical command and control networks while delivering synchronized, non-lethal and lethal effects at depth against adversary command, control, communications, and targeting architectures.
Gaining and maintaining spectrum superiority against dense anti-access / area denial systems requires a modular, coalition-interoperable architecture that operates in congested radio frequency (RF) environments, executes multi-echelon precision effects, and hardens friendly formations against persistent electromagnetic and cyber disruption during competition, crisis, and conflict. The Army requires capabilities that are scalable, upgradeable, and intuitive for Soldiers across military occupational specialties, and maintainable at the tactical edge without routine reliance on field service representatives for minor repairs or adjustments.
The Army is seeking to evaluate capabilities to participate in one of three demonstration tracks (eligible for SBIR follow-on contacts) as part of this Spectrum Enabled Warfare ACE:
- Capability 1: Electromagnetic Support / Tactical Surveillance
- Capability 2: Autonomous Network Management
- Capability 3: Electromagnetic Environment Visualization and Battle Damage Assessment Tools
Full competition details including details on the topic areas of interest can be found in Appendix A section of the G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech RFI here: https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions/.
Phase I
This topic is accepting DP2 submissions with a cost limit of $2,000,000 and a period of performance of 12-18 months. Only finalists and final winners of G-TEAD USAREUR-AF ACE 27-02: Spectrum Enabled Warfare Powered by xTech competition are permitted to submit a proposal for this topic. In order for proposers to submit a DP2 proposal, they must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility described above has been met and describes the potential military and/or commercial applications. Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results.
Phase II
Produce prototype solutions that will be easy to operate by a Soldier. These products will be provided to select Army units for testing and experimentation with end Users in a realistic field environment. Feedback from testing and experimentation will be provided directly to Small Businesses to iterate rapidly on recommended modifications or improvements for Army operational use. In addition, companies will work with Army partners to develop a draft technology transition and commercialization plan for DoW and commercial markets.
Phase III Dual Use Applications
Complete the maturation of the company’s technology developed in Phase II to technology readiness level 8/9 and produce prototypes to support scaling and fielding of the technology with the Army and pursue commercialization pathways.
Submission Information
Visit the xTech competition page to read the full Competition Announcement, topic details, and apply by submitting a white paper here: https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions
xTech Help Desk: usarmy.xtech@army.mil
SBIR|STTR Help Desk: usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil
References:
- https://pit.army.mil/about/gtead/
- https://xtech.army.mil/competitions/
- KEYWORDS: Electromagnetic Support, Autonomous Network Management, Electromagnetic Environment Visualization, Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations, Distributed RF Systems