SBIR/STTR Research Award

Backhaul SWaP Improvements for Operations in Contested Environments

Award identifier dfdaac92945ee5a1c89f1eb12ba6aa1f2672f2ae6535d1c0aba393247a36aab2Awarding agency Department of Defense · Air Force

Award amount

$74,905

Program and phase

SBIR · Phase I

Award year

2024

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Award details

Awarding agency
Department of Defense
Branch
Air Force
Recipient company
FOURTH STATE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Proposal award date
2024-05-10
Contract end date
2024-08-19
UEI
NFT8U57QWUL5
Solicitation number
X24.5
Topic code
AFX245-PCSO1

Research abstract

Enhancing Backhaul SWaP Improvements for Operations in Contested Environments with Fourth State Communications' Enhanced Thermo-Scatter System (ETSS) Fourth State Communications is at the forefront of advancing the Department of the Air Force's Agile Combat Employment (ACE) capabilities in contested environments. Our Enhanced Thermo-Scatter System (ETSS) is tailored to bolster the modern beyond line of sight (BLOS) communications, crucial for the Air Force's ability to operate seamlessly from diverse locations under challenging conditions. The ETSS is engineered to provide ultra-resilient over-the-horizon communications, a key component in supporting the Air Force's agile operations. Its high-speed, omnidirectional coverage extends up to 2000 miles, significantly reducing the need for extensive infrastructure. This aligns perfectly with ACE's strategy of maintaining a light footprint and swift repositioning capabilities. In the context of the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) battlespace, where uninterrupted communication and data sharing are critical, the ETSS stands out. It is designed with robust redundancies to ensure mission success even in adverse conditions, enabling reliable force projection across vast areas. Field tests of the ETSS have demonstrated its effectiveness in maintaining strong communication links and consistent full data packet transfers. The system is undergoing thorough compatibility assessments with both current and future equipment sets to ensure seamless integration with the Air Force's assets. This effort is aimed at significantly enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Air Force's ACE initiative, positioning the ETSS as a pivotal component in the evolution of modern military communications.

Technology keywords

Not reported

Other awards by this recipient

Verified by the same UEI. These are other public SBIR/STTR award pages, not a merged company record.

Awards with the same topic code

Verified by an exact topic code match. This is not a text-similarity match.

Research funding history

13 SBIR/STTR records share this UEI (2019–2025). Reported award amounts total $6,598,839. Reported amounts are not federal obligations.

Phases: Phase I, Phase II, Phase II – Direct to Phase II

Agencies: Department of Defense

Agency intelligence

Department of Defense

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