Cyberspace Operations for Resilient Tactical Engagement and Execution (CORTEX)

Quick Summary

The Department of the Air Force, AFRL - Rome Research Site, has issued an Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) titled 'Cyberspace Operations for Resilient Tactical Engagement and Execution (CORTEX)' (ARA Number: FA8750-26-S-7002). This initiative seeks innovative research and development to significantly advance Cyberspace Operations and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO), focusing on capabilities that can operate, adapt, and persist in contested Cyber-Physical environments. The total estimated funding for this ARA is approximately $460 million. This is an open opportunity for all qualified offerors.

Scope of Work

The ARA aims to catalyze capability and technique development across six primary technical areas, with an expected entry Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3 and exit TRL of 6. Key areas include:

• Microelectronics: For airborne/edge computing and Software-Defined Radio (SDR).
• Meta-Adaptive Autonomous Agents: Reconfigurable SDR waveforms and protocols using meta-learning for Electronic Warfare (EW) tactics.
• Intent-to-Action Translation: Mapping operational directives to SDR configurations using explainable AI.
• Self-Compositional Cyber-EW Systems: Dynamically re-linkable SDR gateware/firmware for mission continuity.
• Federated & Coalition EW-Cyber Architectures: Federated learning for spectrum awareness across allied platforms with zero-trust policies.
• Quantum-Resilient & Quantum-Assisted SDR Operations: Integrating post-quantum cryptography and quantum-assisted signal processing for SDRs.
• Immune-Analog & Biologically Inspired Defense: Digital immune systems for SDRs to detect and heal corrupted software.
• Neuromorphic In-Memory & Analog AI: Real-time threat detection using neuromorphic processors and analog AI.
• Automated Attack Synthesis & Red-Team AI: Virtual red team sandbox for creating and testing EW attack vectors.
• Cognitive Deception & Cyber-Influence: Designing deceptive RF signatures and adaptive deception patterns.
• Predictive & Prophylactic Cyber-EW Resilience: Digital twins for forecasting scenarios and pre-staging defenses.
• Analog SDRs: Advancing analog circuitry for modern SDR systems.

Contract & Timeline

This is an Open, Two-Step ARA. Initial submissions require white papers only, with formal proposals accepted by invitation. The ARA is open until December 31, 2030, 5:00 PM EST, though suggested submission dates align with projected funding for FY26 (April 8, 2026), FY27 (September 30, 2026), FY28 (September 30, 2027), FY29 (September 30, 2028), and FY30 (September 30, 2029).

Individual awards are anticipated to be multiple, normally not exceeding 60 months, with dollar amounts typically ranging from $10 million to $50 million, and a potential ceiling of up to $99 million. Award instruments may include FAR-based procurement contracts or Other Transactions (OT) under 10 USC 4021, 4022, and 4023. Successful prototype OTs may lead to follow-on production contracts.

Published Date: April 1, 2026.

Evaluation

White papers and subsequent proposals will be evaluated based on Overall Scientific and Technical Merit, Openness/Data Rights/Impact, Related Experience, and Reasonableness of Costs.

Eligibility & Notes

This opportunity is open to all qualified offerors. Foreign participation is generally closed, with exceptions for fundamental research and FOCI companies with approved mitigation plans. U.S. citizenship is required for contractor employees accessing USAF bases or IT networks, unless a waiver is granted. Pre-proposal communication with government representatives is encouraged. All proposals will undergo a Security Risk Review.