The US Defense Innovation Unit has issued a solicitation for advanced commercial sensor and seeker technologies to strengthen defenses against ballistic and hypersonic missile threats. The effort focuses on compact, high-performance systems capable of generating fire-control-quality data for interceptors during boost, midcourse, and glide phases. DIU is encouraging integrated solutions that combine LIDAR/LADAR, electro-optical and infrared sensors, and radio frequency technologies within strict size, weight, and power limits. Proposed systems must operate in harsh environments and support real-time tracking with minimal latency. With a development window of up to 24 months for on-orbit demonstrations, the program emphasizes modularity, affordability, and scalable production through Other Transaction agreements.
