Description
The Air Force Research Laboratory seeks innovative research to develop and demonstrate an ultra‑broadband terahertz (THz) radio operating between 100 GHz and 300 GHz for future Air Force communications in contested spectrum environments. The effort must deliver a system that can dynamically adjust carrier frequency, output power, and data rate, with adaptive beam‑forming capability, and meet defined performance thresholds. The BAA is a two‑step process: white‑paper submissions now (open until 19 Sep 2028) followed by invitation‑only full proposals. Awards may be FAR‑based contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, or Other Transactions, with total funding ≈ $9.9 M.
• Frequency range 100‑300 GHz, dynamic carrier/power/data‑rate control.
• Performance thresholds: 200 m (min) to 2 km (goal) range, 1 Mbps (min) to 1 Gbps (goal) data rate, 5 GHz (min) to 10 GHz (goal) instantaneous RF bandwidth, beamwidth ≤5° (min) to 3° (goal), pointing accuracy ≤10 % (min) to 5 % (goal).
• Deliverable: integrated THz radio prototype with modem, antenna‑array beam‑forming, and adaptive operation; multiple awards anticipated; individual awards typically $200 k–$4 M for up to 36 months.