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Opportunity Summary:

The Sensor Innovative Research opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BAA 12 02 PKS) was a competitive research solicitation issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), specifically within the Sensors Directorate (RY). The work was led through two AFRL divisions: the Aerospace Components and Subsystems Technology Division (RYD) and the Multispectral Sensing and Detection Division (RYM). The core purpose of the announcement was to attract science and technology research and development efforts that could advance Air Force sensor-related capabilities, with a clear emphasis on both radio-frequency sensing topics and optical/infrared sensing technologies.

The technical scope highlighted three main research areas. First, it sought innovations in antenna technology, which can include the design, fabrication, modeling, and integration of antennas for sensing, communications, radar, and related defense applications. Second, it included electromagnetic scattering, a field that focuses on how electromagnetic energy interacts with objects and environments, influencing detection, identification, radar signatures, and performance in complex operational conditions. Third, the opportunity emphasized optoelectronic technology and electro-optic and infrared (EO/IR) sensor technology, which broadly covers detectors, imaging systems, components, and methods used to sense in visible, near-infrared, mid-wave infrared, and long-wave infrared regimes. Taken together, these areas reflect AFRL interest in improving how sensors are built, how they interpret the world, and how they perform in challenging environments where signatures, clutter, atmospheric effects, and countermeasures can limit effectiveness.

From a funding and administration standpoint, the opportunity fell under the “Science and Technology and other Research and Development” activity category and was classified as discretionary funding. It allowed multiple award instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, procurement contracts, and “other” mechanisms, giving the government flexibility to match the instrument to the nature of the work and level of anticipated government involvement. The program anticipated making around 25 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $24.9 million. It did not require cost sharing or matching, which typically makes participation more accessible to a broader set of performers, including smaller organizations and academic teams.

Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of applicant (for example, universities, small businesses, large businesses, nonprofits, and other research entities), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that would have been contained in the full announcement text. The associated CFDA number was 12.800, which corresponds to the Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program, signaling that the funding aligned with defense-oriented basic and applied research objectives rather than purely commercial product development.

In terms of timeline, the opportunity was originally posted on April 5, 2012, with an original and current closing date of April 5, 2017. It was later archived on May 5, 2017. The listing also shows an internal creation date of January 22, 2015, which often reflects an administrative update or system record creation rather than the true public release date. For applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement, the listed point of contact was the contracting officer, Shayla Wray, at (937) 713-9984, indicating that official questions and access issues were handled through the contracting channel.

Overall, this grant and agreement opportunity was designed to stimulate and fund a portfolio of sensor-related R&D projects across RF and EO/IR domains, supporting AFRL’s mission to develop and transition advanced sensing technologies that improve detection, tracking, identification, and overall situational awareness for Air Force and defense needs.

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