Introduction

This Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) competition is run on behalf of The British Army. Project APATE - the Greek Godess or spirit of deceit, deception, guile, and fraud - seeks industry to identify and develop new (novel) deception technologies that could be exploited by The British Army to gain operational advantage and to aid survivability of deployed UK Land Forces.

The aim of Project APATE is to identify and develop novel deception (defined as a feint demonstration, ruse or display), technologies that could be exploited to 'hide the real' or show the false' on military operations, including the near surface (0-10,000ft) and command logistics hubs. The development of a deception capability for military application will enhance surviavability in a number of potential applications.

1) Novel decoys of personnel, military activities, in-service platforms, systems and hubs that can deceive non-communications sensors and adverserial radar, including battlefield radars, at various ranges; and /or

2) Developing novel technologies, or exploiting existing technologies in new or novel ways, to enhance survivability by reducing the likelihood of being there, detected, aquired and engaged, in support of the survivability onion concept:

In scope

a) Don't be there

b)Don't be detected

c) Don't be aquired

d) Don't be engaged

3) By the proposal of new concepts for implementing battlefield deception that is a blend of deception technologies and decoys but tactically exploited through new thinking and the potential update to the Tactics, Techniques & Procedures (TTP) of employing deception. How can the British Army use deception in novel ways, by challenging the unconventional? To deceive in plain sight, to exploit the unexpected and gain the tactical advantage, if only momentariliy.

We encourage proposals where the innovation input would ideally be at and no higher than Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 5.

Total funding available

The total possible funding available for this DASA competition is £900,000 (excluding VAT).

This is expected to fund between 6 and 8 proposals over a maximum project duration of 5 months. Pending each proposal additional funding may be made available from Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). There may be further funding for aditional phases.

This dial-in session provides further detail on the problem space from the competition team, with a chance to ask questions in an open forum.

How to apply

Click here to read the themed competition document currently open for application.

Submission deadline:

12:00hrs on Tuesday 9th July 2024 (BST).

We invite expressions of interest by Monday 17th June 2024.

Register your details:

Click here to register your details with DASA create an account and submit a contact form.

Submit a proposal

You will first be required to register your details to submit a proposal. Only propsals submitted through the DASA Online Submission Service will be accepted.

For further guidance

Click here for more information on our competition process and how your proposal is assessed.

Help: Contact the DASA Help Centre

Competition queries including on process, application, commercial, technical and intellectual property aspects should be sent to the DASA Help Centre at [accelerator@dstl.gov.uk] or phone DASA enquiries 01980 950000 (Option 3) open 09:00hrs to 12:00hrs Monday to Friday, quoting the competition or contact your local innovation partner.

While all reasonable efforts will be made to answer queries, DASA reserves the right to impose management controls if volumes of queries restrict fair access of information to all potential innovators.

Registrations are closed

Contemporary Deception for the British Army