According to a recent publication by the United States Coast Guard, the agency is actively seeking innovative technologies and services aimed at achieving what they term “Maritime Domain Dominance.” This initiative covers an expansive area of over 95,000 miles of U.S. coastline and four million square miles of maritime approaches.
This new direction from the Coast Guard Research and Development Center marks a significant evolution in America’s maritime security strategy. The focus has shifted from merely gaining awareness to developing capabilities that allow for active influence and control over maritime environments.
The Request for Information (RFI) outlines the Coast Guard’s desire for integrated, real-time solutions that create a seamless “detect-to-act pipeline.” This system would connect various assets-including cutters, small boats, aircraft, unmanned systems (both aerial and surface), as well as sensors deployed across space, air, surface, and shore-to enhance decision-making processes at command centers.
The difference between mere awareness and true dominance is crucial to this vision. While awareness involves monitoring activities at sea, dominance encompasses projecting power to restrict adversaries’ movements while ensuring secure borders.
The Coast Guard’s Rapid Response Rapid Prototype (RAPTOR) team will collaborate with selected technology providers who respond to this RFI. These partnerships may include access to maritime test sites where new technologies can be demonstrated effectively.
Respondents are required to meet an extensive array of technical criteria. These include demonstrating how their solutions can integrate with military networks while providing real-time data transmission back to operational command centers. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on AI-driven platforms capable of enhancing detection rates and expediting response times during search-and-rescue missions.
This initiative spans multiple operational domains-space-based systems through underwater capabilities-with options available for both contractor-operated or government-operated configurations.
The RFI highlights the complexity of securing U.S. maritime borders: “With vast coastlines and numerous entry points under constant threat,” it states that an information-centric approach focused on capabilities rather than just platforms is essential. Revolutionary technologies must enable continuous coverage across all domains while facilitating predictive awareness against diverse threats.
Responses are limited to five pages plus any supporting documents and must be submitted by January 2, 2026. It’s important to note that this process serves solely as market research; no contracts will be awarded at this stage.
Companies interested in participating should ensure their proposals address detailed technical specifications including cybersecurity protocols, network architecture designs, scalability options, and interoperability within both classified and unclassified environments.
