The Department of Transportation seeks feedback on its planned search for technologies that would help disabled citizens access traditional and automated vehicles, Nextgov reported Monday.

The Inclusive Design Challenge would aim to foster vehicle designs that allow persons with disabilities to better access transportation.

DOT will consider the presented technologies' benefits to people who are physically, mentally and sensorily disabled.

The department will award $100K each to a maximum of 15 selected entries under the competition's semi-finals. Winning designers will use these funds to develop prototypes and only up to four will go on to compete for a $2M grand prize as finalists.

Interested parties may submit feedback on the planned contest through Jan. 31.

The Congressional Budget Office predicts that the Department of the Navy would spend around $380 billion for new aircraft over the next 30 years. CBO said in its report published Monday that the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps may incur $7 billion to $17 billion in annual costs to maintain the composition and size of the naval aviation fleet.

The report also states that the replacement of attack and fighter aircraft would account for $190 billion of procurement costs within the 2020 to 2050 period. CBO predicts that costs would temporarily decease after 2030 when major programs such as the MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft ends, and rebound in the mid-2030’s when the new cycle of aircraft replacement begins.

According to CBO, the Navy and Marine Corps may opt to procure less expensive aircraft or put off replacement plans for F/A-18E/F fighter jets and MV-22B tiltrotors in the future.

DON currently has a fleet of around 4,000 aircraft, including fixed-wing, tiltrotor, training, cargo, utility and surveillance aircraft.

BAE Systems model CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle has successfully tested a long-range (LR) anti-tank guided missile, the company announced on Tuesday. 

The test marks the first time an integrated version of the anti-tank guided missile has launched from the CV90, diversifying operational capabilities on the battlefield by enabling indirect fire at long distances or at air targets and boosts the vehicle’s lethality while increasing crew safety.

“This new capability can alter the battlefield dynamic and is yet another example of how the CV90’s already superior mobility and survivability allows the warfighter to pack an even heavier punch in any terrain or weather conditions, and at any time on any battlefield.” says Dan Lindell, director at BAE Systems Hägglunds.

The testing used a Rafael Advanced Defense Systems SPIKE-LR missile on a target more than 2,000 meters (approximately 2200 yards) in heavy snowfall and low visibility in Sweden, with whom BAE Systems has a contract for mortar-equipped variants of the CV90.

“We fully appreciate Rafael and their Spike team for working with us to demonstrate this important capability and look forward to continuing our collaboration to provide present and future customers with this powerful addition to the CV90’s lethality suite,” Lindell added.

There are more than 1,200 CV90s in service in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

About BAE Systems

A career at BAE Systems will ignite your passion to improve security, defend freedom and make the world a safer place. BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services.