Defense contracts usually are awarded to the largest companies—naturally, those with the broadest engineering design and problem-solving capabilities. But every so often, a smaller company wins the prize, and usually for a unique set of skills unmatched by other others. In the case of Polaris Alpha—which recently won a $48 million IDIQ contract to provide research, development, and technical services to the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Electronics Science and Technology Division (ESTD)—the capabilities extend across a wide range of technology areas, from RF to software to optoelectronics.
Small in size compared to major defense contractors, Polaris Alpha and its EOIR Technologies arm will work with NRL on the development of semiconductor materials and devices for next-generation defense sensing and imaging systems. The goal is to produce multidomain solutions that are effective on land; at sea; and in the air, space, and cyberspace for comprehensive spectrum management.