USAF Funding Opportunity - Integrated Sensor Is Structure Critical Technology Development

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a stratospheric airship-based sensor with an antenna that is nearly as large as the airship. The AFRL Sensors Directorate in conjunction with DARPA is soliciting innovative ideas in four critical technology areas requiring further development: low areal-density, advanced airship hull material; lightweight, low-power density active electronically scanned array which is bonded to the advanced hull material; extremely low-power transmit-receive modules; and novel power systems for long-endurance stratospheric airship operation. The development goals in these technology areas are mass and power reduction. Using existing technologies in any of these areas yields a system that exceeds the airship lift budget. Read more