Notice2026-09975
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Modified Low Size and Weight High-Power Microwave Effector for Non-Compliant Vessel and Counter Uncrewed Surface Vessel Operations
Primary source
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Published
May 19, 2026
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentCoast Guard
Abstract
The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Lockheed Martin Corporation to develop a small size, low weight, high-power microwave (HPM) effector for stopping non-compliant vessels (NCV), to include personal watercraft (PWC), and small uncrewed surface vessels (USV). The Coast Guard is seeking public comment on this proposed partnership and potential involvement from other parties. In addition, the Coast Guard also invites other potential non-Federal participants, who have the interest and capability to bring similar contributions to this type of research, to consider submitting proposals for consideration in similar CRADAs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 96 (Tuesday, May 19, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 96 (Tuesday, May 19, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29150-29152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09975]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2026-0043]
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Modified Low Size
and Weight High-Power Microwave Effector for Non-Compliant Vessel and
Counter Uncrewed Surface Vessel Operations
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Lockheed
Martin Corporation to develop a small size, low weight, high-power
microwave (HPM) effector for stopping non-compliant vessels (NCV), to
include personal watercraft (PWC), and small uncrewed surface vessels
(USV). The Coast Guard is seeking public comment on this proposed
partnership and potential involvement from other parties. In addition,
the Coast Guard also invites other potential non-Federal participants,
who have the interest and capability to bring similar contributions to
this type of research, to consider submitting proposals for
consideration in similar CRADAs.
DATES: Your comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on
or before June 18, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2026-0043 using the Federal portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. See
the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on
submitting comments.
[[Page 29151]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this
notice of intent, call or email Matthew Lees, Principal Investigator,
Defense and Safety Systems Program, U.S. Coast Guard Research and
Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone
860-271-2600, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e4c7b6d7b7f6c7d765e6b6d7d7930737772"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c290a7b1a7a3b0a1aa82b7b1a1a5ecafabae">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Table of Abbreviations
C2 Command and Control
CRADA Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
DE Directed Energy
DHS Department of Homeland Security
HPM High-Power Microwave
LSaW Low Size and Weight
NSWC-DD Naval Surface Warfare Center--Dahlgren Division
POC Proof of Concept
PWC Personal Watercraft
TOI Target of Interest
TTP Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
USV Uncrewed Surface Vessel
U.S.C.G. United States Coast Guard
U.S.C. United States Code
II. Background and Purpose
The Coast Guard is investigating the use of DE to augment its drug
and human trafficking interdiction missions. HPM has a desired effect
of being able to temporarily stop an engine or support electronics of a
target of interest (TOI), enabling safer boarding and less logistical
costs. Current HPM technologies have significant size, weight, and
power requirements that can inhibit their widespread use on smaller
craft. Through this POC, the Coast Guard seeks to investigate the
modification of an HPM effector that has the size, weight, and power
requirements that would facilitate integration on small boats and PWC.
III. Public Participation and Request for Comments
We request public comments on this notice. Although we do not plan
to respond to comments in the Federal Register, we will respond
directly to commenters and may modify our proposal in light of
comments.
We encourage you to submit comments in response to this notice of
inquiry through <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. To do so, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, type USCG-2026-0043 in the search box and click
``Search.'' Next, look for this document in the Search Results column,
and click on it. Then click on the Comment option. In your submission,
please include the docket number for this notice of inquiry and provide
a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. If your material cannot
be submitted using <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, contact the person in
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for
alternate instructions. Public comments will also be placed in our
online docket and can be viewed by following instructions on the
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> Frequently Asked Questions web page.
We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> will include any personal information you have
provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this
document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226,
March 11, 2020).
IV. Discussion
CRADAs are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710a.\1\ A CRADA promotes
the transfer of technology to the private sector for commercial use, as
well as specified research or development efforts that are consistent
with the mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party
or parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research
resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding.
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\1\ The statute confers this authority on the head of each
Federal agency. The Secretary of DHS's authority is delegated to the
Coast Guard and other DHS organizational elements by DHS Delegation
No. 0160.1, para. II.B.34.
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CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that
CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have
a specific purpose and should not be confused with procurement
contracts, grants, and other types of agreements.
Under the proposed CRADA, the U.S. Coast Guard Research and
Development Center (R&D Center) will collaborate with one non-Federal
participant. Together, the R&D Center and the non-Federal participant
will model physical changes to the HPM effector to ensure that its
changes will produce effects desired by both parties. If the model
provides positive results, modification to the physical system will be
performed. After being modified, the system will then be tested in a
variety of environments, such as an anechoic chamber, testing pool, or
pier-side, in both a stand-alone configuration or integrated on a Coast
Guard small boat or PWC asset. Testing will be conducted against
targets of interest for the Coast Guard, to include PWC, outboard
engines, and small USVs.
This is a technology assessment effort. The goal for this CRADA is
to work with an industry partner to develop a HPM effector that can be
easily integrated on a Coast Guard small boat or PWC. This could
include the following:
1. Provide modeling and simulation of HPM effector modifications.
2. Provide HPM effectors for modification.
3. Develop targeting software and C2 system.
4. Assist with data analysis for testing.
5. Attend test events.
We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the
proposed CRADA will include the following:
1. Provide staff with the expertise to support the tasks.
2. Provide resources and travel for the Coast Guard staff that
support this CRADA.
3. Write a test plan in collaboration with the non-Federal
participant.
4. Secure ranges, test facilities, and assets.
5. Secure approvals for field test events, per test plans, as
appropriate.
6. Provide sufficient crew, planning, and coordination to execute
the testing in accordance with the agreed upon test plan.
7. Provide targets of interest for effector to be tested against.
8. Ship the necessary parts, tools, and equipment to facilitate
testing or operational evaluations.
9. Coordinate participating USCG units and government stakeholders.
10. Execute agreed upon test plan.
11. Write a report in collaboration with the non-Federal
participant.
We anticipate that the non-Federal participant's contributions
under the proposed CRADA will include the following:
1. Provide staff with the expertise to support the tasks.
2. Provide HPM effectors and related equipment for modification and
testing.
3. Provide all support resources, including travel, for non-Federal
participant's staff who support this CRADA, if required.
4. Review test plan.
5. Provide the technology, technical data, and other technical
considerations for any systems to be utilized under this CRADA.
6. Provide the technical data for all equipment, including
dimensions, weight, power requirements, and other technical
considerations for non-Federal participant's components to be utilized
under this CRADA.
7. Assist with installation of equipment required to perform
testing, if required.
8. Provide any specific training, along with mutually agreed-upon
technical support, to the joint test team evaluating the technology.
[[Page 29152]]
9. Provide any specific training to those Coast Guard members
evaluating the technology.
10. Provide mutually agreed upon resources required to execute the
test plan, as required.
11. Write a report in collaboration with the R&D Center.
The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants
all, some, or no proposals submitted for this CRADA. The Coast Guard
will provide no funding for reimbursement of proposal development
costs. Proposals and any other material submitted in response to this
notice will not be returned. Proposals submitted are expected to be
unclassified and be no more than five single-sided pages (excluding
cover page, Department of Defense Form 1494 (DD 1494), and Department
of Defense (DoD) Joint Frequency Allocation-to-Equipment process (JF-
12)). The Coast Guard will select proposals at its sole discretion
based on:
1. How well they communicate an understanding of and ability to
meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and
2. How well they address the following criteria:
a. Technical capability to support the non-Federal party
contributions described; and
b. Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party
contributions described.
Currently, the Coast Guard is considering Lockheed Martin
Corporation for participation in this CRADA. This consideration is
based on the fact that Lockheed Martin Corporation manufactures and
develops an HPM effector that has a size, weight, and required power
that could potentially, with modification, be used on Coast Guard small
boats and PWC. However, we do not wish to exclude other viable
participants from this or similar CRADAs in the future.
Special consideration will be given to small business firms or
consortia, and preference will be given to business units located in
the United States. This notice is issued under the authority of 5
U.S.C. 552(a).
Dated: May 13, 2026.
M.P. Chien,
Captain, Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development
Center.
[FR Doc. 2026-09975 Filed 5-18-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
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