TLDR: The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has launched a significant initiative, the Advanced Tracking Architecture Using AI (ATA-AI) project, seeking industry proposals for next-generation target tracking systems. This $99 million program will leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, and high-performance computing to process diverse data sources for both military targeting and humanitarian applications, such as locating individuals in disaster zones.
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate, based in Rome, N.Y., has issued a comprehensive solicitation (FA875024S7004) for its ambitious Advanced Tracking Architecture Using AI (ATA-AI) project. This multi-year initiative, with an estimated total funding of $99 million, aims to revolutionize target tracking capabilities by integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and machine inferencing (MI) algorithms within a high-performance computing (HPC) framework.
The project seeks innovative technologies and techniques to develop next-generation target tracking architectures that can exploit a wide array of data sources. Key areas of interest include advanced algorithms for 3D pixel, vector, and point cloud processing and accelerations. The Air Force is particularly interested in how AI and machine learning can be utilized for the identification, classification, and pattern learning of signals derived from multiple data modalities, such as open-source intelligence, signals intelligence, imagery, and geospatial intelligence.
Beyond traditional military applications, the ATA-AI project also emphasizes capabilities for processing navigation and positioning data from various sources, including GPS, non-GPS, inertial navigation systems (INS), radio frequency identification (RFID) trackers, and telematic-based data. A notable humanitarian aspect of the research involves developing methods to process cellphone GPS and non-GPS data (like accelerometers and altimeters) to assist first responders in locating vulnerable individuals in disaster areas based on their last known device locations.
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Companies are invited to submit white papers, with an initial deadline of November 30, 2024, for consideration for 2025 awards. The overall project is slated to run through 2029, with the solicitation open until July 12, 2029. Multiple four-year contracts are anticipated, each potentially valued between $1 million and $10 million, underscoring the Air Force’s commitment to fostering significant industry collaboration in this critical technological domain.
