DASA Launches ‘Intelligent Ship – The Next Generation’ Competition

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is part of the UK Government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), run by the Ministry of Defence. The Accelerator funds proof-of-concept research that offers a high potential benefit to defence and security in the UK and which thereby supports UK economic growth and prosperity.

DASA has launched a competition to fund proposals for novel and innovative technologies, approaches and enablers that could revolutionise decision making, mission planning and automation in military platforms beyond 2030. The aim is to start to de-risk and evaluate technologies and approaches that could enable alternative, revolutionary future fleet concepts that can maintain or enhance UK military advantage.

Eligible projects must reflect a situation of ever growing data and information flow, evolving threats and the need to operate within a future operating environment. Proposals must demonstrate how they would improve automation, autonomous functions, AI enabled decision aides or alternative human-machine interfaces, and how they could improve speed and/or quality of decision making and mission planning in a future operating environment. Proposals could also aim to demonstrate innovative system and platform design options that could enable the exploitation of intelligent systems in alternative platform concepts.

The competition is initially seeking low technology readiness level (TRL), high-risk and innovative options for a revolutionary, not evolutionary, change to future military capability. Future phases will aim to create suitable evaluation environments and to integrate technologies with each other. This demonstration and integration of the projects will be developed under continuing work within future phases of this project depending on the outcomes of the initial phase.

Submissions are welcome from all organisation types and individuals, with no nationality restrictions.

£1 million is available to fund Phase 1 proposals, with no more than £100,000 available for each proposal. If successful, Phase 1 contracts will be awarded for a duration of six months. Additional funding of up to £3 million will be available depending on the outcomes of the initial phase.

Applications should be submitted online by the 23 July 2019 deadline.

More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.