FIRST RF CORPORATION — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N231-003
FIRST RF CORPORATION — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Defense.
Phase I SBIR feasibility signal
- Phase I awards fund proof-of-concept work. For capture teams, they mark early interest from Department of Defense in a technical approach.
- Watch for Phase II follow-ons from the same firm/topic family — that conversion path is where budgets and transition pressure rise.
- Obligated amount $139,859. Cross-check similar awards in the same agency and technology tags for going-rate context.
- Topic code N231-003 links this award to a solicitation family — search the same topic stem for incumbents and recompete timing.
- Amount
- $139,859
- Agency
- Department of Defense · Navy
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Topic
- N231-003
- Solicitation
- 23.1
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- CO
- Period
- 2023-07-12 → 2024-05-10
Description
The Navy, in support of the Marine Corps, is seeking an innovative, consolidated antenna solution for vehicle-mounted Electronic Warfare Systems (EWS) for geolocating, direction finding, and countering threats on the ground and in the air. In addition to supporting transmit requirements, the antenna must interface with emerging advanced ultra-wideband photonic receiver technology that can rapidly process threats within the entire frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum from near DC up to 20 GHz with objectives to reach 80+ GHz. Due to challenging vehicle integration constraints, the antenna must fit within a one cubic foot form factor and withstand seawater submersion. In response to this need, FIRST RF Corporation proposes a breakthrough multi-port antenna design that provides a broadband, dual-polarized, configuration suitable for receive and transmit applications in a single one cubic foot package. The antenna achieves a gain flatness response consistent with the goals of the system and maintains a wide field of view spanning at least ±45° in both azimuth and elevation. This field of view combined with excellent pattern stability enables increased accuracy in angle of arrival (AoA) determination supporting geolocation applications. Moreover, the antenna is tailored to interface with next-generation multi-channel receivers by eliminating the need for beamforming hardware that has previously burdened the Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) as well as the efficiency of the legacy systems.