QinetiQ US has been awarded a five-year, $49.4 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract and a two-year, $4.9 million task order by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) to support sensor data collection and management for Project Linchpin and other artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) initiatives.
The contract includes the enhancement and integration of Enhanced Opposing Force (OPFOR) Sighting Unit Kits on various military platforms. These kits, which are the only systems approved by Combat Training Centers (CTCs) for vehicle-based battlefield data collection, will be used to gather data in realistic environments for the ARL’s research and development efforts.
As part of the $4.9 million task order, QinetiQ US will enhance the kits to support Artificial Intelligence Target Recognition (AiTR) hardware testing and evaluation. The project also involves establishing standardized hardware interfaces and software frameworks to integrate government and commercial inference models into the Sighting Unit Kits.
“The relationship between ARL and QinetiQ US dates back to 2021, collaboratively collecting IR video data via QinetiQ Thermal Sight Systems, fielded at U.S. Army Combat Training Centers to support ARL AI and ML model development,” said Jonathan Riksen, executive vice president and general manager of QinetiQ US’ National & Global Security Solutions. “We look forward to helping ARL manage vast amounts of data as the complexity of battlefield sensor systems increases and infusing AI/ML algorithms to ensure data integrity and openness.”
QinetiQ US will expand its data collection activities to additional sites, including the U.S. Army’s Fort Moore Maneuver Center of Excellence and the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany.
The contract further establishes QinetiQ US as a strategic partner in advancing AI applications within the U.S. Army by leveraging its expertise in sensor systems and data infrastructure.