Technical Inquiries (TIs)

The core function of DSIAC is to answer technical questions using our in-house technical personnel, vast DoD information resources, and our extensive network of subject matter experts (SMEs). DSIAC has technical staff available to conduct technical research in order to give you a head start on your analysis or study in any of our technical focus areas. We offer a free 4-hour TI research service or, for slightly larger research efforts, we offer an extended technical inquiry (ETI) service.

Technical Inquiry Features

Our TIs include the following to help you with your research:

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Literature Searches

A curated bibliography given a technical topic

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Document Requests

Dissemination of technical reports to authorized users

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SME Referrals

Contacts and connections with relevant, technical SMEs

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Free Technical Inquiry Services

DSIAC's free TI service offers 4 hours of free research per inquiry on any topic within our technical focus areas. Typical TI efforts may include answering technical questions, literature searches, document requests, or referrals to SMEs. Completed responses are compiled and delivered to the inquirer in less than 10 business days. Registered users can submit TIs online through the provided form or by phone.

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Extended Technical Inquiry (ETI) Services

ETIs are externally funded research efforts that go slightly beyond 4 research hours. ETIs require between 5 and 160 technical hours of research, with a $50K maximum ceiling and period of performance up to 2 months.

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Notable Inquiries

Notable TIs are findings and/or summaries of responses to the most recent and impactful technical inquiries submitted by DSIAC members under our 4 free hours of information research support.

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Filter by Technical Focus Areas

By default, only content within your selected technical focus areas is displayed throughout the site. You can update your technical focus areas in your profile or temporarily filter the content here.

U.S. Government Other Transaction Authorities and Department of Defense Other Transaction Agreements

Is there a comprehensive list of Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) and the Other Transaction (OT) agreements associated with them?

DSIAC was tasked with compiling a list of U.S. Government (USG) organizations…

Nanosecond vs. Femtosecond Pulse Width Lasers for Directed-Energy Applications

Have nanosecond vs. femtosecond laser trade-off analyses for directed-energy (DE) applications been done before?

DSIAC staff searched open sources and the Defense Technical Information Center’s Research…

Recent Developments in Soldier and Vehicle Signature Management Technologies

What are the latest developments on signature management technologies for reducing visible, infrared (IR), and thermal signatures?

DSIAC subject matter experts performed a search of the open literature to…

Defining Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Swarms

How do different U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) organizations define unmanned aerial systems (UAS) swarms?

  Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) swarming is a debated term within the…

Scramjet State-of-the-Art Technology

What efforts are now being performed to advance the state of the art in scramjet technologies?

A DSIAC subject matter expert from the Johns Hopkins University Energetics Research…

Kinetic Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Feedback

Is there existing guidance or user feedback on kinetic counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS)?

  The Defense Systems Information Analysis Center (DSIAC) was tasked with collecting…

Example Inquiries

Example TIs are samples of the wide range of technical inquiries submitted by DSIAC members under our 4 free hours of information research support. They are intended to show the breadth of information requests we receive.

Can live-fire-like training for research and development be provided for the engineers working on weapons platforms at U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal, NJ?

July 18, 2024

How many "gate runner" (intentional or unintentional vehicle that passes through a secure access point without authorized access) incidents have occurred at U.S. military installations (including U.S. Department of State embassies and consulates) in the past 2–3 years?

July 18, 2024

Can information be provided to explain beamforming techniques used for active, electronically scanned array radar/beam form/beam steer?

July 18, 2024

What test data/information exists on ullage overpressures for fuel tanks greater than 100 gallons?

July 9, 2024

What work has been done on using active illumination to image through blast events?

July 9, 2024

What information exists on aerial-based datasets of maritime vessels for training deep-learning artificial intelligence models to perform various tasks?

July 9, 2024