News story

DASA is searching over the horizon for generation-after-next beyond line of sight communication technologies

This new Innovation Focus Area seeks novel beyond line of sight (BLOS) communication technologies

From:
Defence and Security Accelerator
Published
26 September 2022
Silhouette of two service personnel, one with a backpack radio, against the backdrop of the open skies. 3 images on the left hand side, featuring an AWACS, radio operator and naval comms operator.
  • DASA has launched an Innovation Focus Area called Beyond Line of Sight Communications
  • Funding provided by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)
  • Funding available for Generation-After-Next (GAN) proposals, which explore and develop new / novel beyond line of sight (BLOS) communications technologies

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch an Innovation Focus Area (IFA) called Beyond Line of Sight Communications. This IFA seeks innovations that will help contribute to the development of Generation-After-Next beyond line of sight communication options.

This IFA is run on behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

Do you have an innovation which could help develop Generation-After-Next beyond line of sight communication options?

Read the full IFA and submit your proposal.

The need for novel and efficient beyond line of sight communications

Defence relies heavily on the mature BLOS communication technologies, such as military High Frequency (HF), troposcatter or satellite communications. However, to maintain robust communications in highly disruptive, congested and contested environments, it is vital that military communications change conventional assumptions about BLOS capability.

It is crucial to build a pipeline of future BLOS technologies and have a diverse repertoire of communication approaches to overcome any potential threat and ensure that if one form of communications is denied, there are alternatives available.

This IFA is seeking GAN proposals that explore and develop new / novel BLOS communication options, and alternatives to traditional methods that may provide advantage in highly disruptive threat environments. For example:

  • BLOS system development
  • approaches to understand the “Channel”
  • signal processing for new approaches to BLOS communications
  • waveforms
  • solution hardware development

Submit a proposal

Do you have a solution or novel approach that may help Dstl understand what lies ahead for GAN BLOS technologies?

Read the full competition document to learn more and submit a proposal.

Published 26 September 2022