Umbra selected by AFWERX for SBIR Phase II Contract

by Staff Writers
Santa Barbara CA (SPX) Aug 30, 2023
Umbra, a leader in advanced space radar technology, announced it has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Phase II contract in the amount of $1.25 million focused on Space-Based Moving Target Indication (MTI) to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Umbra will leverage its market leading wide-bandwidth, affordable space systems, uniquely operating in paired flight, to develop and demonstrate Maritime and Ground MTI (MMTI and GMTI) capabilities.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution.

The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and as of August 9, 2023, Umbra accelerated its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

"With the end of the JSTARS program, Umbra understands the national imperative to develop a multi-domain replacement capability with a strong space-based element," said Jason Mallare, Vice President of Government Programs and Strategy.

"Commercial space systems which can be developed and rapidly deployed offer a differentiated and robust method to contribute to this critical mission need. Umbra is committed to partnering with AFWERX, the broader DAF, as well as other DoD and IC stakeholders. We intend to bring the best Umbra has to offer, including affordable spacecraft and ground infrastructure, and market leading SAR technology."

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

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Artificial Intelligence Analysis

Defense Industry Analyst: 8

Stock Market Analyst: 6

General Industry Analyst: 7

Analyst

Summary

:

Umbra, a leader in advanced space radar technology, has been awarded a $

• 1.25 million SBIR Phase II contract by AFWERX to develop and demonstrate Maritime and Ground MTI capabilities. This contract is part of the Open Topic SBIR STTR program, which was launched by the Department of the Air Force in 2018 to expand the range of innovations the DAF funds. This contract award has implications for the defense industry, stock markets, and the general industry. For the defense industry, the contract award signals the commitment of the Department of the Air Force to invest in innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America. For stock markets, the award of this contract could have a positive effect on the share price of Umbra, and possibly similar companies, as investors become more confident in the company’s ability to provide cutting-edge technology. For the general industry, the contract award shows the commitment of the Department of the Air Force to invest in innovative technologies, which could potentially lead to new opportunities for other companies.

  When compared to the significant events and trends in the space and defense industry over the past 25 years, this article is in line with the increased investment in space-based technology and the development of more advanced radar and sensing capabilities. This article also highlights the importance of the Department of the Air Force’s commitment to invest in innovative capabilities to strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

  Investigative

  Question:

  • 1. What specific Maritime and Ground MTI capabilities will Umbra be developing and demonstrating?

  • 2. How will the results of this project contribute to the Department of the Air Force’s mission?

  • 3.
  What other technologies has Umbra developed that could have applications to the defense industry?

  4. What other companies have been awarded SBIR Phase II contracts by AFWERX?

  5. What are the long-term implications of this contract award for the space and defense industry?

  This AI report is generated by a sophisticated prompt to a ChatGPT API. Our editors clean text for presentation, but preserve AI thought for our collective observation. Please comment and ask questions about AI use by Spacedaily. We appreciate your support and contribution to better trade news.

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