ROME, NY – The U.S. Army Applications Laboratory (AAL) recently awarded a contract to ANDRO Computational Solutions, LLC valued at $1 million under a competitive Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicitation to develop a modular, artificial intelligence (AI) powered electromagnetic sensing payload prototype for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones.
Aptly named RF-HAWK, the novel UAS payload concept performs the job of multiple specialized units using a single, integrated package for in-flight AI-driven electronic sensing namely, threat detection, identification, and mitigation for a variety of counter-adversarial radio frequency (RF) threat scenarios, including command-and-control (C2) disruption and intentional electromagnetic interference. Utilizing AI models optimized for real-time inferencing at low power, the RF-HAWK’s multitasking and rapid decision-making performance acts as a force protection multiplier with the ability to operate through highly congested and contested signal/spectrum environments.
The project is spearheaded by Dr. Jithin Jagannath, Chief Scientist – Chief Technology Officer and Dr. Anu Jagannath, Chief Scientist – Chief Research Officer of ANDRO’s Marconi-Rosenblatt AI Innovation Lab. The research and development team also includes Justin Henney, Suhail Shaik, and Tyler Gwin, all area residents.
RF-HAWK represents a transformative solution to the traditional battlefield model where multiple electronic sensing functions are separately deployed and independently operating requiring them to coordinate their functions during use. Instead, RF-HAWK consolidates separate units and independent functions into a single, compact size/weight/power-efficient payload where multiple platform-payload configurations can be deployed for cooperative activities. Per Dr. Jithin Jagannath, a standout feature is RF-HAWK’s ability to seamlessly integrate with Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) interfaces—a Department of Defense (DoD) technology that is widely used to facilitate real-time spectrum intelligence sharing across multiple TAK-enabled units. The combined RF-HAWK and TAK capabilities significantly enhance battlefield coordination by offering an intuitive RF situational awareness overlay, supporting mission planning from the squad to brigade level.
“RF-HAWK builds on our proven expertise in AI-driven, hardware-agnostic electronic sensing solutions, leveraging innovations from our DeepSPEC®, a tactical-edge AI framework previously developed for the Army. RF-HAWK gives electronic sensing specialists a real-time view of the electromagnetic spectrum to protect against adversarial threats at a safe standoff distance. RF-HAWK’s modular, software-defined architecture ensures future-proof adaptability, allowing rapid software upgrades to address evolving threats without requiring hardware modifications,” said Jagannath
ANDRO President, Dr. Andrew Drozd stated, “ANDRO is excited to collaborate with the Army Applications Laboratory to build technologies that reinforce their strategic objectives in the electronic sensing technology space. By extending such capabilities to autonomous UAS platforms, RF-HAWK delivers a transformative advantage for dismounted soldiers, offering on-demand electronic sensing capabilities without increasing logistical burden and cost, underscoring the Army’s commitment to advance sensing resilience and achieving operational dominance in modern contested environments. I envision production-level RF-HAWK capabilities with future returns on investment in the multi-million dollar range and growth of ANDRO’s tech portfolio.”
ANDRO is a leader in advanced technology solutions, specializing in AI-driven innovations for defense applications. With a commitment to excellence and transformative innovation, ANDRO continues to drive advancements in electronic sensing and other critical domains. Visit www.androcs.com for more information on RF-HAWK and other ANDRO technologies and products.
Distribution A. Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited; US Army April 2025
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