DIRECT TO PHASE II: Ultra-Low Latency Technology for Radio Applications 5G

SBIR topic DON27BZ02-DV027 (U.S. Department of Defense – Navy), Phase I and II. Open to U.S. small businesses. Opens: December 2, 2026. Closes: January 6, 2027. Modern C3 operations increasingly depend on commercial 5G and IP-based network infrastructures, which are vulnerable to latency, jitter, packet loss, and adversarial interference. As highlighted in recent industry consensus on how 5G technology is going to transform the Department of War (DoW) [Ref 2], in contested and congested environments, these challenges jeopardize mission-critical data flows, particularly time-sensitive audio communications essential for tactical decision-making. While the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) is the current standard for secure, jam-resistant tactical data links, it must be modernized to interoperate with these evolving network environments. To maintain a strategic advantage in alignment with the National Defense Strategy (NDS), the Department of Defense Private 5G Deployment Strategy [Ref 1], and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiatives, the Navy seeks to design, develop, and prototype a software-only solution for ultra-low latency audio data obscuration. This technology must be tailored for IP-based communications operating across 5G and Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) environments and be seamlessly integrable into existing MIDS JTRS platforms. These software-only innovations will strengthen C3 links in real-time operational scenarios, drawing technical parallels from critical commercial capabilities such as ultra-reliable low-latency 5G for industrial automation [Ref 3] to support high-precision activities including cooperative motion control, video-guided remote operations, and node-to-node tactical communications. By integrating these technologies into existing communication infrastructures, the DoW aims to ensure robust, secure, and resilient communication channels, even in congested…