GlobalX Challenge 26.1: AI-Native Air Interface for Tactical Communication Networks

The Office of Naval Research Global, a component of the U.S. Department of the Navy, is offering funding through a Broad Agency Announcement call titled GlobalX Challenge 26.1, focused on advancing artificial intelligence driven communication systems. ONR Global supports cutting edge science and technology initiatives that benefit naval operations and broader commercial applications. This specific funding opportunity is part of a long range research program designed to accelerate innovation cycles and generate transformative capabilities for both military and civilian use cases. The program emphasizes collaboration across international research communities, particularly targeting participants from the Indian subcontinent. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to develop AI native air interface technologies capable of optimizing tactical communication networks in contested and interference heavy environments. The challenge seeks solutions that dynamically adapt networking protocols and signal modulation schemes across multiple domains including air, surface, and subsurface operations. Proposed research must demonstrate revolutionary, not incremental, advancements and should avoid duplicating existing technologies or programs. The program encourages multidisciplinary and multinational collaboration to produce innovative and scalable solutions with measurable operational improvements. Funding is structured as research grants with a base period of twelve months valued up to 250000 dollars and an optional twelve month extension also valued up to 250000 dollars, for a maximum total of 500000 dollars per award. The number of awards is not predetermined and will depend on the quality and quantity of submitted proposals. Successful projects may attract follow on funding from other U.S. government entities, although such continuation is not guaranteed. Funding is intended to support applied research, including modeling, simulation, and prototype demonstration activities aligned with defined performance metrics. Eligibility is limited to non federal entities, including academic institutions and industry participants. The lead applicant must be a non U.S. based research organization serving as the principal investigator and prime award recipient. While U.S. based organizations may participate as collaborators, the primary responsibility for submission and grant management lies with the international lead entity. All participants must comply with applicable U.S. regulations including sanctions and export controls. Teams are encouraged to form multidisciplinary partnerships to address the complexity of the challenge problem. The application process begins with submission of a white paper, which is strongly encouraged but not mandatory for full proposal submission. White papers must follow strict formatting guidelines and are limited to five pages plus a required one page quad chart. Submissions are made via email to the designated ONR Global address. Selected applicants may be invited to participate in a proposal pitch day where they present their concepts to technical experts. Full proposals must ultimately be submitted through the Grants.gov platform under the associated BAA number. Required application components include technical descriptions, demonstration plans, and adherence to provided templates. Evaluation criteria focus on the novelty, feasibility, and potential impact of the proposed solutions relative to the challenge objectives. Proposals are assessed based on their ability to demonstrate measurable improvements in network performance, resilience, and efficiency under realistic operational conditions. Performance metrics include factors such as network availability, latency, data throughput, and resistance to interference or adversarial threats. Selected projects are expected to produce demonstrable outcomes through simulation or physical testbeds. The timeline for this opportunity includes a white paper submission deadline of July 24, 2026, followed by notifications in early August and a proposal pitch day in mid August. Full proposals are due by August 31, 2026, with anticipated award decisions by September 30, 2026. A kickoff webinar was held in June 2026 and recordings are available online. Questions must be submitted via email to the business point of contact, and responses will be shared through a public FAQ. Key contacts include technical directors and program officers at ONR Global, as well as a centralized procurement email for submissions and inquiries.

Focus on revolutionary not incremental solutions and clearly demonstrate measurable performance improvements using defined success metrics