This solicitation closed on August 19, 2026
View current Department of Defense opportunities →Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
AI Overview
This RFP seeks distributed AI algorithms enabling a small UAS swarm to collaboratively defend an area against numerically superior enemy swarms using decentralized decision-making and inter-drone communication. The solution must operate within strict weight constraints and function in both networked and denied communications environments.
This summary is AI-generated from the official solicitation.
Key Details
Official Description
Develop and integrate distributed Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that can collaboratively control a multi-agent Group 1 or Group 2 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) swarm to defend an area against a numerically superior attacking enemy swarm. The vast majority of counter-UAS systems are optimized for a 1 vs 1 scenario, in which the interceptor UAS seeks to destroy, degrade, disable, or capture a single enemy UAS. This approach typically relies on a sensor package and kinetic or non-kinetic e...
Change History
Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
Status changed from Open to Closed after topic disappearance
Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
**Summary of Q&A Changes:** Added 1 new Q&A (Q2): Clarifies that hardware development focused on a specific kinetic effector is **not** the primary focus. Topic is responsive only if novel hardware enhances the targeting approach, but relying on a specific effector is not required. All other Q&As renumbered accordingly (previous Q2-Q4 become Q3-Q5).
Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
**Changes to Q&A:** Added 1 new Q&A (Q1): Provides link to Figure 1 referenced in topic description and clarifies it's a notional design consideration for evaluating performance across asymmetry ratios, not a specific degradation target. Renumbered all subsequent questions (previous Q2-Q4 now Q2-Q4). No substantive changes to existing answers.
Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
# Q&A Changes Summary **New Questions Added (Q3, Q4):** 9 detailed questions covering scope, assumptions, constraints, and evaluation criteria. **Key Clarifications:** - **Scope:** Focus on AI/C2 software layer and terminal engagement behavior; perception/effector design secondary - **Swarm Scale:** Simulate 25-50 aircraft; test asymmetries from 1:1 to 1:4 (friendly:enemy) - **Platform:** Platform-agnostic design preferred; use industry-standard protocols; Phase I integration not required - **Compute Constraint:** 2-pound limit applies to AI compute node only (excludes sensors, radios, power) - **Effector Approach:** Use surrogate models; focus on optimal interception positioning, not effector perfection - **Collaboration:** Active = shared track/targeting data; Passive = local sensing only, infer intent from observed behavior - **Evaluation Metrics:** Prioritize enemy combat power reduction and multi-target engagement capability; secondary emphasis on comms resilience and scalability - **Phase II:** All demonstration modalities acceptable (hardware, sim, HWIL, live trials) - **AI Assurance:** Not a primary capability focus for Phase I
Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
# Summary Clarifies that hybrid swarm architectures with networked coordination during permissive conditions are acceptable if they can dynamically revert to fully decentralized operation when networks degrade, and confirms that sequential multi-target engagements with rapid recharge cycles satisfy the requirement to defeat multiple enemy UAS per sortie.
Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
Status changed from Pre-Release to Open
Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
New opportunity: Asymmetric Collaborative Counter Swarm
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