STENNIS SPACE CENTER — U.S. Special Operations Command selected NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on May 20 as the site for a new autonomous systems proving ground and issued a call for industry partnerships. The command’s Joint Acquisition Task Force and the SOFWERX innovation hub are seeking collaboration with private-sector technology providers to develop the facility.
The proving ground will support the integration, testing, and employment of “all-domain” unmanned systems, ranging from seabed to low Earth orbit. Officials cited the physical characteristics of the Stennis Space Center and its surrounding region as ideal for evaluating operational concepts across multiple environments. The site has previously been used by special operations forces for training.
This effort falls under the Pentagon’s “Drone Dominance” initiative. U.S. Special Operations Command was specifically directed to pioneer and guide the development of technologies that ensure U.S. military advantage and support allied and partner learning. The command also leads the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group and has played a central role in the military’s push to adopt and integrate new unmanned systems.
The proving ground will require infrastructure to shape electromagnetic spectrum and digital environments. Key components include by-domain labs, a technical integration facility, range development, and information technology systems capable of supporting on-premises modeling or rapid data transfer to Live Virtual Constructed High Performance Computing Environments. Officials also aim to establish a proof of concept for teaching Network-UxS integration at a school house.
A collaboration event for the initiative is scheduled for mid-July, where vendors will meet with special operators to discuss technology requirements. Requests to attend that event are due by June 24. Following initial discussions, solutions providers will submit their capabilities for SOCOM review between mid-September and mid-October.
After a downselect process, an assessment event will be held at the SOFWERX facility in Tampa, Florida, where selected invitees can pitch their offerings. Officials plan to award procurement contracts, other transaction agreements, or similar arrangements to successful offerors based on the outcomes of the evaluation process.