Ten-Year Other Transaction Authority Agreement with NSWC – Crane to Gain Dominance in Advanced Trusted Microelectronics, Electro-Magnetic Spectrum and Strategic Missions Hardware

RALEIGH, NC – March 12, 2019 – The National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) announced that it has been selected by the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC)– Crane Division, to manage prototyping efforts focused on a multitude of critical Department of Defense priorities. The scope of the effort is distributed across more than 20 domains, including a range of focus areas, from machine learning and hypersonics, to radiation-hardened microelectronics and various spectrum warfare technologies.

The effort will be active for up to 10 years and does not have a finite ceiling.

Under the Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS – pronounced ‘SMARTS’) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), NSXTL will be responsible for shepherding innovative technologies from concept through delivery, using rapid acquisition techniques. NSTXL will seek out both traditional and nontraditional companies to develop prototype technologies and platforms to meet the needs identified by NSWC-Crane and other customers. After the prototype is completed, the Navy will test the new capabilities amongst end users, and may elect to invest in the solution’s deployment on a much broader scale.

The OTA process provides a flexible contracting mechanism that often attracts firms with great technological concepts, but little to no defense contracting experience.

The S²MARTS OTA is aimed at developing innovative technological solutions to address current and future security threats in the areas of electromagnetic spectrum dangers, trusted microelectronics, and strategic mission hardware. United States leadership in these areas is vital to military dominance and economic sovereignty. Loss of this superior position threatens the United States Military’s ability to deter adversaries and prevail in conflict.

“The United States is facing increased challenges from potential military adversaries – especially Russia and China – in these fields,” said Tim Greeff, CEO of the Raleigh, NC-based NSTXL. “We look forward to working with the NSWC and private-sector companies on a wide range of technologies to help the Navy meet these challenges and secure advantages in these fields. We are confident we can achieve the same level of success with this OTA as we have had with our other two OTAs.”

This is NSTXL’s third OTA contract award. The company also runs the Army’s Training and Readiness Accelerator (TReX) and the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) Energy OTA.

NSTXL offers a unique and simplified approach for companies with technologies they would like the Navy to consider. The organization helps rapidly transition innovator’s technologies to the U.S. Military, ranging from individual warfighter gear to large-scale defense systems.

“This is a very important program for the Navy and the Department of Defense,” said Brett Seidle, Technical Director, NSWC, Crane Division, based in Crane, Ind. “It will enable broader access to commercial state-of-the-art technologies, and we look forward to working with NSTXL in making certain our warfighters are the world’s best.”

About NSTXL – The National Security Technology Accelerator is a non-profit based in Raleigh, NC. It is an important Pentagon partner for rapidly delivering mission-driven systems and emerging technologies to the U.S. military.www.NSTXL.org