DARPA is soliciting innovative research and development on extreme power, broadband amplifiers and agile waveform techniques that combine frequency, amplitude, and pulse-width modulations to improve electromagnetic coupling and disruptive effects on targeted electronics. The goal of the Waveform Agile Radio-frequency Directed Energy (WARDEN) program is to extend the range of high power microwave (HPM) back-door attack by a factor of 10 beyond the current state of the art.

The WARDEN program is composed of three technical areas (TAs): TA1 HPM Traveling-wave Amplifier; TA2 Rapid Assessment & Numerical Generation of Electromagnetic Response (RANGER); and TA3 Agile Waveform Development. TA1 and TA3 are expected to address DoD application-specific information and will be classified at the collateral SECRET level. TA2 RANGER is expected to be fundamental research and will be UNCLASSIFIED. A single proposal to the BAA may respond to either TA1, TA2, or TA3 but not to multiple TAs within a single proposal. In other words, a proposer wishing to propose to multiple TAs must submit a separate proposal for each TA. This BAA will provide an overview of all three technical areas.

Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

Proposal Due Date: April 16, 2021