WHAT’S CANADA BUYING? Better protection against lasers, IR

The long version, courtesy of MERX (PDF here if link doesn’t work):

…. Electro-optic (EO) based weapons systems represent dangerous and rapidly proliferating threats that land, air and sea platforms are facing. These threats will undoubtedly continue to be of primary concern for years to come since an increasing number of these systems, of both known and new generation designs, are being deployed. The increasing complexity, variability and diversity of EO threats are prominent challenges currently
facing countermeasure designers.

(….)

Therefore, the development of countermeasure techniques and their employment against EO threats requires a robust capability that must include: experimental tools for conducting efficient analysis; engineering processes to ensure consistency in the results; and a Verification and Validation (V&V) process to provide the required level of detail.

As an answer to this requirement, DRDC Valcartier initiated the VRAPP Technology Demonstration Project (TDP) that aims, in particular, at providing a virtual demonstration capacity for the analysis and development of self-protection means against known and foreseen EO threat systems. Practically, the VRAPP TDP will demonstrate a comprehensive and thorough approach for addressing EO warfare engineering and training issues including the integration of existing virtual, live and hybrid simulation systems involving a synthetic environment. Work will also be carried out to define integrated engineering processes driving the development of EO countermeasure techniques, as well as a rigorous V&V methodology….

Short and sweet version:

How do we do a better job protecting ourselves from laser- and/or IR-sensing systems that cause weapons to fly our way?

Max value of the contract: $3,545,000

Deadline (for the bid): 2pm Eastern, 6 May 2010

Deadline (for the work): 31 Mar 2014

More details in the bid package here (PDF).