DIU, Navy launch containerized payload competition

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Navy are launching a competition called the Spectacular MIST Challenge to accelerate the development of containerized payloads for manned and unmanned surface vessels. The initiative, in partnership with the Navy's Rapid Capabilities Office and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, aims to prototype and field transformative technologies for missions including surveillance and electronic attack. The solicitation emphasizes deploying autonomous and containerized payloads to generate combat power at speed and scale in contested maritime environments. The competition focuses on three lines of effort: threat radar simulators, active electronic attack, and passive electronic surveillance, with an emphasis on open-system architectures and software-defined capabilities. Industry submissions are due by July 22, with selected participants receiving up to $250,000 to advance to an at-sea live demonstration in Southern California in September. Winners of the third round could receive up to $1 million and a follow-on prototype or production contract, with prize winners announced in October.