Issuing Office: Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO)

Date of Issuance: 16 March 2026

Proposal Due Date: 17 April 2026

 

Strategic Overview

A.1 Purpose

The CDAO invites technology partners to submit proposals for the Swarm Forge prototype project. This call for white papers (CFWP) initiates a competitive, multi-phased process to identify and select innovative solutions for the command, control, and collaboration of autonomous systems. Submissions will consist of a concise 5-page whitepaper and a 1-page quad chart.

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A.2 Background: The Swarm Forge Initiative

Swarm Forge accelerates the discovery, validation, and fielding of AI-enabled robotic warfare, enabling the joint force to employ software-defined, autonomous systems under meaningful human command. It creates a continuous learning engine built around quarterly Crucible events where operators, technologists, and industry co-develop hardware, software, and tactics under realistic conditions. The initiative delivers validated swarm packages (integrated platforms, mission software, coordination logic, interfaces, and tactics) ready for transition to operational units in 90 days or less. The Office of the Secretary of War (OSW) Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) lead this initiative.

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A.3 Problem Statement

The United States currently lacks the inventory and the doctrine to deploy massed, coordinated, low-cost robotic systems. Legacy platforms and slow acquisition cycles constrain operational adaptability and limit the ability to generate massed effects. Traditional research and development approaches are insufficient to keep pace with evolving threats and do not produce deployable solutions at the speed of relevance. The absence of integrated doctrine, training, and operational concepts for large-scale robotic employment leaves the joint force at risk of strategic and tactical disadvantage.

 

As a part of the Swarm Forge Initiative, the OSW CDAO, is seeking the demonstration of autonomous, heterogenous, Group 1 and/or Group 2 UAS swarming capabilities, working in a non-deterministic manner, to accomplish tactical effects in Denied, Degraded, Intermittent or Limited (DDIL) communication environments at a Swarm Forge Crucible event. Selected vendors will be offered the opportunity to demonstrate TRL 6+ heterogenous autonomy technologies in a field environment, with a focus on the end-to-end autonomous completion of various mission sets to include aerial ISR and “Find, Fix, Finish”. For Swarm Forge, heterogenous swarming implies multi-vendor UAS command, control and autonomy, not simply the use of different platforms offered by a singular vendor. Additionally, for the purposes of the Swarm Forge crucible, participants must illustrate their technology utilizing a minimum of four UAS in operation at one time.

 

As part of Swarm Forge, OSW CDAO seeks industry feedback on novel applications of robotic swarming systems. Therefore, other concept of operations that do not fit neatly into “Find, Fix, Finish.” will be individually assessed. The Swarm Forge team is also interested in swarming applications including but not limited to: counter-UAS, distributed communications swarms, and deception/information operations. Industry is encouraged to develop and present swarming tactics and operational applications of swarm to meet multiple mission objectives. In addition, technologies that can help enable swarming behavior, but are not a comprehensive solution, will likewise be individually assessed.