Open Call Innovation Focus Areas
Updated 16 August 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-and-security-accelerator-dasa-open-call-for-innovation/open-call-innovation-focus-areas
What are innovation focus areas?
Whilst the Open Call welcomes a wide range of innovative ideas to solve problems faced by our defence and security customers, DASA is keen to share insight on specific topics of interest. Innovative solutions for any innovation focus area should be channelled via the Open Call for Innovation.
Each innovation focus area has a unique identifier to help us ensure that your innovation is seen by the appropriate parts of Government. You will be able to choose this identifier when you submit your bid and should use it in all communications with DASA.
Details of past innovation focus areas are listed here.
This page will be changed as new innovation focus areas are added, old ones amended or removed, in response to the evolving needs of our defence and security stakeholders. It is therefore recommended that you set up an alert for this page so you are aware of when such changes are made.
Reducing the Cyber Attack Surface (RCAS)
Unique Identifier IFA029
The Defence Enterprise is an expansive, diverse and continually changing construct with a large integrated network of cyber technologies, many of which are legacy. This presents a large and diverse surface for cyber enabled attack.
DASA expects to fund proposals within Technical Readiness Level 4 – 7 (TRLs) up to £300K for a 9 month contract. Proposed technologies should demonstrate by providing a roadmap describing how they would achieve a technical demonstrator by end of Financial Year 2023 if further funding was made available.
This IFA will run 2 cycles following the DASA Open Call closing dates for cycle 3 and 4 (See Para 9.1). Further competitions may be advertised.
The Defence Science and Technical Laboratory (DSTL) on behalf of the MOD is interested in identifying and accelerating next generation hardware and software technologies to ‘design-out’ the vulnerabilities prevalent within current and future computer networks and systems (with a particular focus on Operational Technologies), thereby dramatically reducing Defence exposure to Cyber effects.
Intelligently applying these technologies would significantly reduce the opportunity for manipulation of such vulnerabilities (i.e. reduce the “Attack Surface”) on MOD systems and platforms; effectively raising the barrier to entry for adversaries and providing greater confidence and a level of assurance against cyber-enabled attack. Proposed solutions could be for both future systems and /or could be retro-fitted to existing defence capabilities.
We are seeking proposals that are novel and applicable across a whole “class” of attack surface rather than solutions tailored to a specific threat. E.g. With respect to software, a solution may eliminate an entry in the Common Weakness Enumeration Top 25.
We are not seeking proposals that:
- offer demonstrations of off-the-shelf products requiring no experimental development (unless applied in a novel way to the challenge)
- offer no real prospect of integration into defence and security capabilities
- offer no real prospect of out-performing existing technological solutions
To increase the impact and likelihood of exploitation, the output of these proposals may be shared across UK government as appropriate. Furthermore, as deemed appropriate, proposal outputs may be shared with partner nation governments including Five Eyes (FVEYS) partners nations in accordance with the rights secured under DEFCON 705. However, DASA reserves the right to apply an alternative Intellectual Property contractual conditions if individual circumstances dictate, to be mutually agreed with you before a contract is awarded. Under the terms of DEFCON 705 any intellectual property generated under the contract belongs to the contractor. In return, the funding Authority obtains a set of rights to use the delivered technical information and associated intellectual property for specified purposes.
Find out more about how to apply
Contact a DASA Innovation Partner if you have an idea but are not sure if it is what we are looking for
Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence (ARCD) Intelligent Agents
Unique Identifier IFA028
In response to operational demands, military networks and systems are becoming more complex and interconnected, both internally and with allies, and with commercial and civilian infrastructure. In parallel, attacks are becoming more sophisticated, with potentially more impact on military operations. Identifying, selecting and carrying out cyber defence responses in a timely manner is essential.
DASA is expecting proposals with low Technical Readiness Level (TRLs 1- 4). We have two levels of funding:
- Less than 6 month contract: up to £150K
- 6 to 12 month contract: up to £300K
This IFA will run 2 cycles following the DASA Open Call closing dates for cycle 3 and 4 (See Para 9.1). Further competitions may be advertised.
The Autonomous Resilient Cyber Defence (ARCD) project aims to research and develop self-defending, self-recovering concepts for military platforms and technologies. The goal is to deliver a new paradigm in Cyber Defence, reducing the time it takes to respond to incidents and ensuring freedom of action.
Key will be the development of autonomous agents which perceive their environment, take actions autonomously and improve its performance with learning. Such agents should respond to adversary / threat activity on networks and systems without human intervention. These agents will need to operate with incomplete or uncertain data, analyse a range of (potentially complex) response options, evaluate the risks and impact of selected approaches and continuously monitor for unintended consequences. These agents may need to operate in edge environments where computer capability is scarce and should be auditable by a human operator.
We require proposals to include Deliverables and where applicable to a specific deliverable, this must include source/object code.
We are not seeking proposals that:
- provide solutions, which are already commercial products (or are included as part of commercial products / cybersecurity platforms)
- focus on the detection of anomalous or malicious activity
- aim to solely develop training environments for autonomous agents
- aim to conduct literature reviews or outputs which are just a report.
To increase the impact and likelihood of exploitation, the output of these proposals may be shared across UK government as appropriate. Furthermore, as deemed appropriate, proposal outputs may be shared with partner nation governments including Five Eyes (FVEYS) partners nations in accordance with the rights secured under DEFCON 705. However, DASA reserves the right to apply an alternative Intellectual Property contractual conditions if individual circumstances dictate, to be mutually agreed with you before a contract is awarded. Under the terms of DEFCON 705 any intellectual property generated under the contract belongs to the contractor. In return, the funding Authority obtains a set of rights to use the delivered technical information and associated intellectual property for specified purposes.
Find out more about how to apply
Contact a DASA Innovation Partner if you have an idea but are not sure if it is what we are looking for
Simulating Future Battlespace Complexity
Unique Identifier IFA024
Current live exercises cannot represent many modern offensive and defensive systems and the anticipated complexity of the battlefield. Using live platforms also places a demand on scarce resources and implies a financial and environmental cost through the use of fuel and other consumables.
We must therefore endeavour to create more effective training environments through the use of simulation and synthetic environments which will enable more frequent training, greater challenge and greater availability. There is a requirement to work with civil partners to pursue technologies and approaches to training within a simulated environment that is compatible with the constraints of our budgets, training facilities and legislation.
We seek novel ideas that can be used by UK Defence to do one, or several, of the below:
- Apply procedures and solutions that provide effective training and evaluation capabilities
- Integration and fusion of data from, and between, distributed training and experimentation systems
- Provide training for operators to perform in complex or high stress environments
- Adoption of Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality into training
- Capture and exploitation of performance information collected during training
All proposals should be created with the aim of enabling faster insertion of new capability and must inform and be informed by wargames and simulations investigating emerging threats.
Find out more about how to apply
Contact a DASA Innovation Partner if you have an idea but are not sure if it is what we are looking for
Defence People – Skills, Knowledge and Experience
Unique Identifier IFA023
In the current environment it is increasingly important to ensure we have access to people with the skills, knowledge and experience to exploit information and allow us to adopt cutting edge technologies. This will involve a collaborative approach where we work with other parties, be it other government departments, academia, industry or internationally to ensure we have Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP) across science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
We are seeking proposals which exploit novel contracts and employment models and consider that individuals may need to learn new skills many times in their careers.
We seek novel ideas which could be used by UK Defence to do one, or several, of the below:
- Attract and retain SQEP with niche specialities and technical skills.
- Tracking and managing important skillsets across the workforce
- Provide technologies/services and other opportunities to improve welfare standards, workforce health and wellbeing
- Provide alternative approaches to contracting or seconding specialist staff
- Identify and collaborate with organisations with experience in the above areas
- Suggest novel approaches to improve the sharing and assimilation of knowledge across organisational boundaries, whilst respecting intellectual properties considerations
All proposals should consider the use of simulation to personalise training, maximise human potential and create realistic operational environments.
Find out more about how to apply
Contact a DASA Innovation Partner if you have an idea but are not sure if it is what we are looking for
Operate and Deliver Effects in Contested Domains
Unique Identifier IFA022
UK Armed Forces currently face heavily contested environments across the air, land, sea, and particularly the space and cyber domains, which is of significant threat to the security of our information and could lead to disruption in the use of our space-based capabilities.
Freedom to use our information networks and the electromagnetic spectrum is essential as this is the medium for communication between forces during operations and for our most effective sensors. These mediums can be used by adversaries as a source of information and can also leave us at a tactical disadvantage were they to be disrupted or disabled.
Proposals should consider we need to be robust and resilient and have the ability to disrupt/degrade adversary capabilities. We seek novel ideas which could be used by the UK Armed Forces to do one, or several, of the below:
- Communicate and synchronise activities in contested environments
- Monitor contested environments
- Manufacture methods and design concepts to deliver alternate explosive/electromagnetic/chemical effects and protection from these effects
- Manage fleets of remote or autonomous systems and use these systems to undertake tasks normally completed by human operators
Find out more about how to apply
Contact a DASA Innovation Partner if you have an idea but are not sure if it is what we are looking for
Delivering Agile Command and Control
Unique Identifier IFA021
Mission Command is a style of command historically used by the UK Armed Forces to plan and orchestrate operations effectively to achieve desired outcomes. Mission Command is essential to achieving the adaptability required to respond quickly to the complexity in the modern environment, allows delegation and operational awareness across all levels of seniority, and enables personnel to carry out missions with the maximum freedom of action.
In order to achieve a more agile Command and Control process we are looking for proposals which promote a shift from more traditional chains of command to more dynamic, lateral networks, with greater delegation of authority and allow exploitation of relevant information at speed.
We seek novel ideas that could be used by the UK Armed Forces to do one, or several, of the below:
- Technology based data analysis e.g. use of machine learning
- Collaboration between human and technology based decision making processes
- Systems and processes to analyse and visualise real-time data
- Merging in-house and commercially available information services to establish situational awareness
All proposals should be created with the aim of transforming military capabilities to be information centric, which will enable future forces and platforms to be designed around an information architecture to enable widespread access to and sharing of information.
Find out more about how to apply
Contact a DASA Innovation Partner if you have an idea but are not sure if it is what we are looking for
Integrate Information and Physical Activity Across all Domains
Unique Identifier IFA020
Our Armed Forces have a requirement to be better integrated: with each other, with other government departments and with new and existing international allies and partners. Integration will enable units to work together harmoniously to deliver winning impact across several domains; sea, land, air, space, and cyber.
Communication capabilities underpin all aspects of modern military operations as they allow multiple operators to coordinate in order to maximise their combined effectiveness. Ultimately, all communications are vulnerable to adversary disruption which introduces significant operational risk.
We are seeking proposals which provide field communication capabilities that are resistant to attack, but continue to perform if degraded and are secure. We seek novel ideas that could be used by the Armed Forces to do one, or several, of the below:
- Manage significant volumes of data from remote or autonomous systems
- Information services that integrate formatted or unformatted data
- Collaborative data sharing internationally with classified information
All proposals should be created with the aim of increasing our ability to orchestrate activity, provide protection to military personnel and their equipment and in doing so, deter hostile action by our adversaries.
Find out more about how to apply
Contact a DASA Innovation Partner if you have an idea but are not sure if it is what we are looking for