GlobalX Challenge 26.1: AI-Native Air Interface for Tactical Communication Networks

The GlobalX Innovation Challenge is a funding opportunity sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global, focused on accelerating the traditional knowledge generation cycle to enable the discovery of revolutionary dual-use capabilities for the benefit of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the commercial marketplace, and the public. This challenge seeks to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) system capable of dynamically optimizing networking protocols and signal modulation schemes for tactical communications in contested, interference-laden environments across air, surface, and/or subsurface domains. Proposals should address the challenge problem statement by developing and demonstrating novel AI-Native Air Interface algorithms that can autonomously adapt to dynamic, multi-domain environments to optimize network performance, resilience, and spectrum efficiency. • The challenge is open to international performers, with a focus on researchers in the Indian subcontinent. • The grants will have a 12-month base period of performance at a value up to $250,000, and an optional 12-month period of performance at a value up to $250,000, with a total not exceeding $500,000. • Proposers should use whatever models, simulations, or testbeds that are readily available to them and craft a demonstration scenario with sufficient fidelity to be representative of a tactical environment. • The evaluation panel will assess how well each white paper submitted achieves the revolutionary capability described in the Challenge Problem Statement. • Full proposals may be submitted by any applicant in response to this BAA Call, regardless of whether a white paper was submitted or evaluated by ONR Global.