The U.S. Army has commenced a competition that challenges U.S.-based organizations to present technologies, which address various needs faced by the service branch.
The Army Strategic Rapid Acquisition (AStRA) challenge will assess technologies in the areas of cross-domain solutions, tactical edge processing, novel batteries, multifunction antennas and cyber-electromagnetic operations, the Army said Wednesday.
The competition, which has a total prize pool of $25 million, will run across four phases: concept white paper, oral proposal, request for project proposal, and basis for the award. The first phase ended on May 25 and the second phase will occur in late June.
The Army may award one or multiple other transaction agreements to succeeding entrants.
The service's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) sponsors the competition, which runs under the leadership of the xTech Program. The assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology launched the xTech program to manage the Army's prize competitions that drive technological innovation.
“This will be RCCTO’s third technology outreach event to industry, resulting in many ongoing rapid prototyping efforts,” said Rob Monto, deputy director for advanced concepts and experimentation at RCCTO.