Description
Objective: The U.S. Army is seeking innovative force sustainment solutions from eligible small businesses across the U.S. through the xTech Kinetic Reach competition. This platform offers participants the opportunity to engage with the Department of War (DoW), earn prize money and submit a Direct to Phase II Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal. The U.S. Army FUZE xTech Program, in partnership with the U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) and Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate (G-TEAD) is executing the xTech|Kinetic Reach competition as part of the G-TEAD Accelerated Capability Event (ACE) series. xTech|Kinetic Reach addresses the growing uncrewed aerial system (UAS) threat by identifying high-potential solutions and accelerating transition through funding and integration into live USAREUR-AF-led exercises. Integrating into a USAREUR-AF-led exercise is critical to: (1) validate capabilities under operationally realistic conditions, (2) inform acquisition and integration decisions, and (3) address near-term gaps in autonomous ground operations and effects delivery in contested environments. The Army recognizes that the DoW must enhance engagements with U.S. small businesses by (1) understanding the spectrum of world-class technologies being developed commercially that may benefit the DoW; (2) integrating the sector of non-traditional innovators into the DoW Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem; and (3) providing expertise and feedback to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies of interest to the DoW. Description: xTech|Kinetic Reach is a focused open-topic competition designed to identify cutting-edge technology solutions that will drive significant advancements in military capabilities while addressing complex challenges and enhancing national security. In largescale combat operations, U.S. Army forces must sustain dispersed, continuously moving formations while operating inside highly contested environments characterized by persistent observation, long range fires, electromagnetic interference, degraded mobility corridors, and severely constrained logistics. Current sustainment and recovery methods rely heavily on manned systems that are increasingly vulnerable, slow to adapt, and unable to meet the demands of operations conducted near or within the Autonomous Zone. The Army requires a suite of interoperable, autonomous or minimally manned capabilities - spanning ground and air distribution, power generation, forward arming and refueling, and vehicle recovery - that can operate with minimal oversight, low signatures, reduced logistical burden, and seamless command and control (C2) integration. These capabilities must sustain tempo, reduce soldier exposure, and ensure survivability and mission continuity across the entire sustainment and recovery enterprise in high-threat, GPS and communications degraded environments where traditional methods are no longer feasible or survivable. The Army is seeking to evaluate capabilities that demonstrate performance in one of six (6) capability areas, and meet the following criteria for its capability area: Topic 1: Uncrewed Ground Payload Transportation Topic 2: Autonomous container Handling/Movement System Topic 3: Future Power Generation Topic 4: Autonomous UAV/UGV Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) System Topic 5: Uncrewed Aerial Payload Transportation Topic 6: Uncrewed, Automated, Ground Recovery System Full competition details including details on these 6 topic areas of interest can be found in Appendix A section of the xTech|Kinetic Reach competition RFI here: https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions/. xTech|Kinetic Reach is a focused open-topic competition designed to identify cutting-edge technology solutions that will drive significant advancements in military capabilities while addressing complex challenges and enhancing national security. In largescale combat operations, U.S. Army forces must sustain dispersed, continuously moving formations while operating inside highly contested environments characterized by persistent observation, long range fires, electromagnetic interference, degraded mobility corridors, and severely constrained logistics. Current sustainment and recovery methods rely heavily on manned systems that are increasingly vulnerable, slow to adapt, and unable to meet the demands of operations conducted near or within the Autonomous Zone. The Army requires a suite of interoperable, autonomous or minimally manned capabilities - spanning ground and air distribution, power generation, forward arming and refueling, and vehicle recovery - that can operate with minimal oversight, low signatures, reduced logistical burden, and seamless command and control (C2) integration. These capabilities must sustain tempo, reduce soldier exposure, and ensure survivability and mission continuity across the entire sustainment and recovery enterprise in high-threat, GPS and communications degraded environments where traditional methods are no longer feasible or survivable. The Army is seeking to evaluate capabilities that demonstrate performance in one of six (6) capability areas, and meet the following criteria for its capability area: Topic 1: Uncrewed Ground Payload Transportation Topic 2: Autonomous container Handling/Movement System Topic 3: Future Power Generation Topic 4: Autonomous UAV/UGV Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) System Topic 5: Uncrewed Aerial Payload Transportation Topic 6: Uncrewed, Automated, Ground Recovery System Full competition details including details on these 6 topic areas of interest can be found in Appendix A section of the xTech|Kinetic Reach competition RFI here: https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions/. The U.S. Army intends to award up to $1,500,000 in cash prizes throughout the competition. Up to 15 finalists will be selected at the conclusion of the Part 1 evaluation period and will be provided the opportunity to participate in the Part 2 live Soldier exercise, anticipated to occur in November 2026. Finalists who attend the Soldier exercise will receive a cash prize of $25,000, following the event. Finalists who also participate and have their technology integrated in the exercise will receive an additional $25,000, following the event. Following completion of the exercise, up to five (5) final winners will be selected to receive an additional cash prize of $150,000 each. Final winners may be considered for potential follow-on agreements and contracting opportunities. Part 2 winners that qualify as U.S. Small Businesses will have the opportunity to submit a Direct to Phase II Army SBIR proposal worth up to $2,000,000. Keywords: xTech; Autonomy; Robotics; Uncrewed Ground Vehicles (UGV); Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS); Teleoperation; Contested Environments; GPS-Denied Navigation; Communications-Denied, Degraded, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) Environments; Electronic Warfare (EW) Resiliency Force Sustainment, Contested Logistics; Point-of-Need Delivery CMMC Level: Level 1